STREETS OF KASHMIR

Walk On The Streets Of Kashmir

The people of Kashmir are known for their hospitality and food cuture.The majority of people are Hindus while the valley has majority of Muslims. The people are simple and smiling. I walked around the streets of Dal Lake and noticed small tea shops around. Unlike metropolitans, they serve you a portion of what they have without you ordering, along with tea in a very respectable manner.

Their humble way of portraying their gesture was when they saw me walking till hotel premises they walked at a distance and made sure that I reached there safely.

 

 

We can find a nice aroma filling up the air at local bakery shops and you can find some amazing breads like sheermal, baqerkhani or meetha kulchas. Freshly made and aromatic these are mostly eaten as breakfast or with tea or their favourite kehwa.

 

 

The noon chai/gulabi chai is traditional tea beverage from Kashmir.it is a salty preparation made from special tea leaves, pistachios, almonds and is had during winter season or weddings there.

The rich heritage of Kashmir or the Kashmiri people can’t be explained in few words here.But each time I recall my strolls over there and the warmness of people I feel rejunevated.With the food as medium I would like you all to think and pause for a moment when you see a Kashmiri shawl dweller around in area and some neighborhood aunty whispers in your ears that he’s is going to fool us all. May we open our senses and admire the richness offered there. I hope to extend this further with more food and variety.

MALAI KOFTA

 

 

 Malai Kofta

Malai kofta is a rich north Indian dish which is inspired from mughlai cuisine.it has rich creamy gravy which has cottage cheese dumplings and dry fruits are also used to make it royal. This malai kofta can be prepared at home and I have tried using bottle guard instead of potato along with cottage cheese and it gave awesome results.so this dish has this healthy variation, is easy to make as koftas bind better with it and has a royal appeal as we use cashews in gravy.

Ingredients:-

1 bottle guard 500 grams, peeled and grated

200 grams cottage cheese

4 tomatoes

3 tbsp. Fresh cream

2 tbsp. brown onions (fried)      

2 tbsp. mustard oil

3 tbsp. cream

Salt to taste

1 tsp. red chilli powder (Kashmiri)

1 tsp. coriander powder

½ tsp. garam masala

6-8 cashews, soaked

1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste

4-5 mint leaves

1 tbsp. corn flour

2 tbsp. gram flour

Oil for deep frying Garnishing

Coriander leaves and cream

Method:-

• Squeeze water from grated bottle guard. Add cottage cheese, salt, corn flour and gram flour and spices.

 

• Make round balls of equal shape and fry them till golden brown. Keep aside on absorbent paper.

•  Blend onions, cashews, mint leaves and tomatoes into a paste.

• Heat oil in a thick base handi and add onions. Saute then for 4-5 minutes till they turn golden brown.

• Add ginger garlic paste and tomato-onion paste made earlier.

• Add salt and all spices and mix well.

• Cook it on low flame till fat separates. Add few drops of water if required and stir occasionally.

• Add cream. Simmer on low flame for 15 minutes

• Add fried koftas and simmer for 5 more minutes

• Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh cream and serve.it tastes best with naan or lachcha parantha.

WHITE SAUCE PASTA

White Sauce Pasta

Pasta is a staple and basic food of Italian cuisine. We get a variety of pasta and its recipes but macaroni pasta and white sauce are most common ones. When we add vegetables to it, it becomes a one pot meal. Made from semolina or durum wheat it’s a healthier substitute. The cheesy macaroni is healthy as a cheese slice has the calcium of a glass of milk. It’s not a diet food though but tastes yummy. Here’s a change in everyday breakfast routine. Presenting easy-cheesy Italian pasta with grilled garlic bread.

Ingredients:-

2 cups macaroni (boiled)

Salt to taste

¼ tsp. white pepper powder

½ tbsp. whole wheat flour(Maida)

200ml milk

½ tsp. oregano powder

Chilli flakes-optional

1 tsp. butter

Garlic Bread:-

4 garlic bread slices

1 tbsp. Butter

Oregano (fresh or dried)

Method:-

• Heat olive oil in pan add butter and let it be melt.

• Add whole wheat flour saute for 3-4 minutes and while stirring slowly add cold milk making sure no lumps are formed.

• Lower the flame and add salt, pepper powder and oregano. Mix in along with boiled macaroni.

• Add chilli flakes if desired.

• Serve hot or at normal temperature. 

Garlic Bread:-

• Grill garlic bread on both sides while applying butter.

• Sprinkle oregano and serve with pasta.

DAHI BHALLE

Dahi Bhalle

Dahi bhalle is most relished chaat in northern India.in southern parts too we get a similar version called dahi-vada.it is made of urad Dal dumplings which are fried and then soaked in hot water to make it soft. The texture of dumplings along with creamy yogurt and flavourful sweet and spicy chutneys make it a best snack to have during summers. Add papdi to make it papdi chaat. Here we present a simple recipe of bhalle which helps you to get fingerlicious Dahi bhalle which are hygienic in the comfort of your home.

Ingredients:-

1 cup split Urad Dal (soaked for minimum 3 hours and drained)

2-3 green chillies chopped

1 tsp. ginger grated

7-8 raisins (soaked)

3-4 cashews chopped

Chopped coriander

Salt to taste

½ tsp. black pepper powder

1 tbsp. oil

1 tbsp. gram flour

½ tsp. mustard seeds

Oil for deep frying

Dahi:-

500 grams thick yogurt

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

¼ tsp. black salt

½ tsp. roasted cumin powder

½ tsp. red chilly powder

2 tbsp. tamarind chutney

Coriander for garnishing

1 tbsp. boondi

Method:-

• Grind the Urad Dal finely without using just a little water. Add salt to this paste.

• Add chopped green chillies, chopped coriander, grated ginger, cashews and black pepper powder and stir well. Lastly add gram flour which helps it in frying and gives a nice brown colour.

• Heat oil in kadhai for deep frying.

• Apply oil in hands. Place 1 tbsp. of bhalle mixture in hand and carefully transfer the bhalla slowly into oil.it will inflate a little and will get brown. Firstly we must make bhalle as soon as we make the mixture. The fermented mixture tends to absorb more oil. You must check the oil by dropping a drop of bhalla mixture at start so that you have an idea about how it will come out.

• Heat water in a saucer pan and bring it to a boil. Switch off the flame and dip bhalle in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze of the water and refrigerate the bhalle for an hour at least.

• Take yogurt and pass it through sieve.it will become smooth and soft. Take 2 tbsp. of yogurt and blend sugar, salt and black salt in it.Mix this with remaining yogurt.

• Add cold bhalle to it and top it up with red chilly powder, roasted cumin powder, tamarind chutney, chopped coriander and boondi.

• Serve chilled.

CHEESE MACRONI

Cheese Macaroni

Macaroni is a quick food. Made from semolina or durum wheat it’s a healthier substitute. The cheesy macaroni is healthy as a cheese slice has the calcium of a glass of milk. It’s not a diet food though but tastes yummy. It’s excellent for toddlers and I remember my son finishing off his bowl since he was just 8months old. Still my kids love to have at their lunch break when in school.

Ingredients:-

2 cups macaroni (boiled)

1 onion chopped

1 cup mixed vegetables chopped (bell peppers, broccoli and baby corn)

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt to taste

¼ tsp. white pepper powder

2 slices of cheese

½ tbsp. whole wheat flour

200ml milk

½ tsp. oregano powder

Chilli flakes-optional

1 tsp. butter

Method:-

• Heat olive oil in pan and saute onions for 5 minutes. When onions turn pink add chopped vegetables.

• Saute for 3-4 minutes and add whole wheat flour. Add butter at the same time and stir well for 2 minutes. While stirring slowly add cold milk making sure no lumps are formed.

• Lower the flame and add cheese slices. When cheese melts and smooth and thick sauce is formed add salt, pepper powder and oregano. Mix in along with boiled macaroni.

• Add chilli flakes if desired.

• Serve hot or at normal temperature.