K for Kafuli from Garhwal region of Uttarakhand

K for Kafuli from Garhwal region of  Uttarakhand

Coming to K, let me tell you about some dishes in short before turning to Kafuli from Garhal.

First in the list is Kosha Mangsho from West Bengal. "kosha" in Bengali means "bhuna" or deeply sauted, and "Mangsho" is Mutton. So this dish involves slowly cooking a gravy over low flame for a very long time in an iron pan so as to get a rich, dark-brown gravy and tender mutton pieces with special spices of Bengal. It is served with Rice / Polao or Luchi.(Bread).

Another Famous dish is the snacks from Gujarat - "Khandvi" made as rolls from Gram Floor. 

Kangsoi from Manipur - is vegetable soup from the east with its unique taste. Another common recipe across India is Korma. It is again a non veg dish, where in meat (or vegetables for veg korma) is braised with yogurt or cream and slowly cooked with water and spices to produce a thick sauce or glaze in the curry.

Now Kafuli. Kafuli is primarily prepared of Spinach and fenugreek leaves. It is an exotic dish, prepared again in an iron kadhai, and  served with hot steaming rice. It is the most nourishing and health-conscious dish you will come across the hill state.

Ingredients

·         Spinach Leaves (Palak) -2 Cups

·         Methi Leaves (Fenugreek Leaves) – 1 cup

·         Green Chilli , chopped - 2

·         Ginger , chopped – 1 inch

·         Cumin powder (Jeera) – 1tsp

·         Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1/2 tsp

·         Coriander Powder (Dhania) – 1tsp

·         Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch

·         Rice flour 1 tbsp

·         Curd (Dahi / Yogurt) – ½ cup

·         Salt  as per taste, Oil for frying

Preparation

Clean & wash the spinach leaves and fenugreek leaves and chop them. Add the leaves along with green chilli, salt and little bit of water in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 to 3 whistle.

Let the cooker open. Scoop the cooked leaves and grind it in the grinder to form a smooth paste.

Heat an iron pan with oil, add hing and let it crackle. Add ginger, allow it soften. Add spinach paste & keep stirring. Add spices powder and salt and keep stirring. 

In a separate bowl mix rice flour with 1/2 cup of water and pour in the gravy mixture.Add the beaten curd to the mixture and keep stirring until the gravy thickens. Check for salt and garnish it with ginger. 

Serve the Garwhali Kafuli with steamed Rice or Missi Roti.

Aditya Sinha
13.04.2020

Other Recipe as part of A to Z challenge 

A - Appam, B- Bhutte Ka Kees, C - Chhena Poda , D - Dhuska, E - Eromba F- Fish Curry (Goan) , G - Gulaoti Kebab, H - Halwa Paratha, I- Idiyappam, J - Jadoh

Other Genres in the Challenge : 

English Poetry

Hindi Poetry

Short Story

Regional Food

H for Halwa Paratha from Numaish of Aligarh

Halwa Paratha , Numaish Aligarh

When I say Iwould talk about Halwa Paratha as a special regional dish, all of you must be thinking what;s so special in this . All of us make Halwa, and that too Rawa Halwa as a common dessert in India. In fact the Halwa in India can be made of anything. Common among them are the Rawa (Sooji) halwa, Almond Halwa, Gajar Halwa, Lauki Halwa, Papaya Halwa, Wheat Atta Halwa, Singhare ka atta ka halwa, khajoor ka halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, Besan Halwa and many more. Halwa is basically frying the Floor or grated fruit in pure gheen and then adding water and sugar to a nice edible consistency and garnishing with nuts. The magic here is in the way you have fried and the aroma that has come out of it. So cuisine of all these halwas are available on the Youtube and can be made easily.

But Halwa Paratha that I am talking about is the special street food that can be seen all over the city of Aligarh in UP during the annual festival of Numaish during the peak winter.. Its presentation is what makes it so special.

Halwa - Paratha:

This dish is believed to have originated from the adjoining district of Meerut. However,  some old residents of Aligarh also say that this actually arrived from Karanchi during partition. And usually used to be made on annual get together's when these families used to meet here in Aligarh. Whatever is the truth, let's enjoy the recipe. 

Paratha:

Paratha :  Is actually a huge Puri made of Maida (all pupose flour) (250 gm for one puri). Maida is kneaded with enough of moin (three four tbsp of refined oil / ghee). It should be loosely kneaded so that it can be easily spread into Puri of almost 2ft diameter. To spread it into paratha, make a single ball of approx 250 gm and put it on a greased flat base and press it slowly starting from center till it is evenly spread and becomes a large paratha as in the picture. Then it is deep fried in flat base kadhai.

Halwa :

Halwa is normal Rawa Halwa made richly in Desi ghee and garnished with Coconut sices, chironji and nuts.

Ingredients :

Rawa : 250gm

Pure Desi Ghee : 150 gm

Sugar : 100 gm

Coconut slice, dry fruit, chironjee and Cherry to garnish

Preparation :

Take about 100 gm ghee and medium heat it. Add rawa  and fry stirring regularly till you get a light pink colour.

Add water (three cups) and keep stirring till it starts setting. Add sugar to it. Keep stirring. When all sugar melts 

and mixes add 50 gm ghee and remove from flame. Spread on a flat bottom plate and garnish with dry fruit, 

Coconut and Cherry.

Serving : In the fair this is normally served hot and by weight . A portion of puri is given along with it. 

Do enjoy it if you are in Aligarh around January 1st week.

Other Recipe as part of A to Z challenge 

A - Appam, B- Bhutte Ka Kees, C - Chhena Poda , D - Dhuska, E - Eromba F- Fish Curry (Goan) , G - Gulaoti Kebab

Other Genres in the Challenge : 

English Poetry

Hindi Poetry

Short Story

Regional Food

Aditya Sinha

09.04.2020

F for Fish Curry (Goan Style)

F for Fish Curry (Goan Style)

So now we move on to F. And the first food that comes to our mind is what we have been taught since the childhood. Right F is for Fish. But before we start talking about with Fish,  there are some other regional dishes which needs a mention here. 

Farra is one of them. This regional dumpling where dal is stuffed in rice and then steamed / boiled and is served with chutney or. In MP / UP this is commonly served with chutney. The same is called Piththa in Bihar and is normally enjoyed with Ghughni (curry of black gram). Some part also fry and enjoy this. 

Firni is another, a sweet dish, made of crushed rice in milk. Its a variety of Kheer with a regional twist and is devoured in almost all household. 

Fish Curry in India differs in taste with every state.  Where in Bihar it is made in mustard oil and mustard paste, in UP the curry is developed in Tomato and onion paste. West Bengal has its own varieties and Rui Bhapa is one of them. The south makes its own changes with spices and sea fish. So it changes with every step perhaps. Goan Fish Curry is also one of the same. 

Goa is known for its beaches and exotic seafood. An authentic Goan Fish Curry recipe, is differentiated by its tangy and spicy taste. The curry has an exquisite aroma and can be used with any fleshy fish. It is generally served with  plain steamed rice. 

Ingredients

Fish (Surmai) -1kg

Tamarind Paste – 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds -4 tsp

Cumin seeds - ½ tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Onion – 1-2 chopped, Garlic cloves – 10, Green Chili -1

Salt as per taste, Oil for sautéing -2tbsp,

Red chili – 4 to 5

Grated coconut -2 tbsp

Recipe 

Clean & cut the fish into blocks / pieces. Marinate the pieces using salt and turmeric powder. Keep it aside for a while.

Meanwhile, prepare the masala for the curry. In a mixer, add all the spices, grated coconut, chopped onion and green chillies with little water and make a fine paste.

Take a pan, heat the oil in it over medium flame and Dry red Chilli saute and add the masala paste  and stir to cook for a few minutes till oil leaves from side.

Add the marinated fish to the pan and let the fish soak in all the masala. Don’t stir much otherwise the fish will crush. Let it simmer in slow flame for few minutes. After it soaks the masala well add 3 cups of water and salt as per taste and let it cook on slow medium flame till oil separates and fish is well cooked.

Transfer it to a serving platter, garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy.

Other Recipe as part of A to Z challenge 

A - Appam, B- Bhutte Ka Kees, C - Chhena Poda , D - Dhuska, E - Eromba

Other Genres in the Challenge : 

English Poetry

Hindi Poetry

Short Story

Regional Food

Aditya Sinha

07.04.2020

A - Appam from Kerala

Regional Cuisine ….

Let's start with A.

There are lots of regional dishes starting with A with. From different places across India and mouth licking tastes.

In my posts earlier I have written about Aligarh Kachauri. You would love to enjoy this as the morning breakfast anywhere in Aligarh from the state of UP famous for its AMU.

Another mouth watering street food was from a small tehsil in UP Atrauli Alu Chhat. Enjoy These.

Desserts from Apple are also interesting and tasty dishes like Apple Pie, Apple Anchar, Jam , Juice etc.

But for my A to Z post I would talk about the famous dish from Kerala - Appam. 
Appam is a pancake enjoyed with Chatney & sauce. Appam, though originally is from Kerala, it  is enjoyed across south India in breakfast or dinner. It also forms a part of  regular dish in Sri Lanka.

You would find many videos & recipe on the internet for this dish. But just to refresh enjoy it here as well.

Ingredients :

Rice - 1 cup
Cooked Rice 1/2 cup
Fresh Coconut 1/2 cup / Coconut Milk 1/2 Cup
Yeast 1/2 tea spoon
Salt - as per taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
baking Soda - 1 pinch
Oil for oiling of Pan - 4- 5 Tb spoon


Preparation - 
A. - Preparing Batter :
1. Soak Rice in water for three to four hours
2. Drain Water.
3. Add  1/2 cup cooked rice to strained soaked rice
4. Add 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
5. Make a paste of above mixture in a mixie.

B. - Preparing Yeast for Fermentation : 

1. Take 1/2 tea spoon dry yeast in a bowl

2. Add 1/2 teas spoon Sugar

3. Add 1 cup Luke warm water and mix well.

4. Add a pinch of floor , mix.

5. Cover with a plate and leave for 10 mins for froth to develop.

C. - Fermentation : 

1. Take the froth developed yeast solution after 10 mins and mix with the batter. 

2. Add salt as per taste and leave for 3 -4 hrs to ferment.

D. - Making Appam : 

1. Take the fermented batter and check for consistency it should be loose as to flow on its own.

2. If thick add water and make it free flow as in dosa/ chila batter.

3. Add a pinch of Baking Powder and mix

4. Low heat a Non Stick Kadhai. grease with Oil

5. Pour two servers (with kalchhun) ofAppam batter in the center . Rotate Kadhai so as to spread the batter so that it would take a bowl shape . The edges would be thinner and the center thick. Cover the Pan and let it cook on slow flame .

The edges would start turning crisp and leave the kadhai. Put some oil on the edges with the help of brush to ease crisping. Once crisp ( in 2-3 mins) take out the Appam . Appam is ready - Crispat edges, soft at center. Serve along with Hara Dhania & Cocunut Chatney and sauce.

Relish.

Aditya Sinha

01.04.2020

The Regional Cuisines of India - Regional Dishes

Theme Reveal 2020 - Indian Regional Cuisine.

India is a country, rightly said, that depicts unity in diversity. Think of  a characteristics and you would end up counting tens and twenties of each. Be it language, food,  culture, dress and you name anything - you would find it changing in perhaps every few kms .With its vast expanse and rich cultural heritage, it equally stores a variety of regional cuisines totally different from each other but equally delicious.

So this becomes the essence of my theme for this years "A to Z Challenge" on my blog Regional Cuisine- The Regional Cuisines of India and I would highlight Regional Dishes.

In the past I took this challenge twice. In 2015 I wrote travelogue - all about Himachal Reflections from Adi - A to Z Challenge and made you travel throughout HP - the hill state of India. In 2016 I took two writings each day - One was my poetic journey Reflections on A to Z 2016 - Let the Soul Pour and the other was Festivals of India Reflections on A to Z 2016 - Festivals of India. 

So now, stay with me - and this year enjoy four blogs each day. This one would be a food blog. The Others would be my favourite - A poetic journey both in English & Hindi. And there would be a fiction - Learnings of life - 5 Sentence Fiction. Theme Reveal 2020 - Life just in 5 Sentences.

So - Just stay glued.

Aditya Sinha

26.03.2020

KHAJLA

KHAJLA

In continuation to the special food series in Numaish Aligarh please find the recipe for Khajla. This is also believed to originate from Meerut. The other two were Halwa Paratha & Barola

Ingredient :
Maida ( All purpose Flour) - 250gm 

For Syrup :
Sugar - 250 gm

Refined Oil / Ghee for frying

- Mix flour with 2 tbsp refined oil / ghee & 1 ½ cup of water with soft hands. 
- Knead the dough well and leave it for 10 mins. It should be soft as in case of Bhature.
- Roll the dough and put ghee on it. 
- Now roll it and leave for 10 mins again. 
- Cut it and leave it for 5 mins. 
- Now roll like roti and put it in warm ghee and deep fry. 

Keep Aside.

Make Syrup of 2 wire by boiling 250 gm sugar in 2 cups of Water.
Remove from Heat.

Dip the Dry Khajla in Syrup and remove from Syrup in a plate and let the sugar dry.

The Khajla is ready.

(Its variant is found as Khaza in Bihar)

Dhuska

I had expressed my views about the Diversity that our country has in perhaps any field we talk about while writing abou the other cuisine - baati chokha. I feel like repeating the same before talking about another Regional gem of a dish - Dhuska from Jharkhand. i.e. Repeat ... India is a land of diversity. “Diversity” - even the scope of the word becomes limited, when we think of the variety it has. Be it anything. The Culture, the language, the landscape, the dress, and ............... even the food that the people here so deliciously hog upon.

Rightly said - this dish too,  we must be having it daily in different names on our dining table. But just alittle different combination that it has makes it original and directly originating from the tribal lands of Jharkhand.
It serves as a heavy snacks here.

Ingredients : 
Pre Boiled Rice  - 1 cup
Urd Dal ( Pulse) - 1 cup
Gram Pulse  - 1 cup

Green Coriander - 50 gram , corsely chopped.
Onion - 3 peices - coarsely chopped.
Green Chilli : 3 - 4 peices.
Salt - as per taste.

Mustard Oil : For frying.

Preparation of paste:

Soak the three seperately for two  to three hours in water. Remove it from water when soft and wash probably. Make a paste (seperately) in mixie with minimum of water.

Mix the three and beat it with spoon to make it light. Add salt, coarsely chopped onion, green coriander and green chilli

Cooking:
To cook, pour in small amount through serving spoon in pre-heated mustard oil . Deep fry till it is pink in colour. 

Serve hot with coriander chatni and mustard sauce or rasdar aloo ki sabji (Gravy Potato)

Relish.