Anshu's Food Odyssey

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase through them, helping me retain and maintain this blog. Punjabi Kala Chana Masala is a popular recipe from North India . Healthy, delicious and vegan, it is made with black chickpeas that are soaked overnight, boiled the next morning and thereafter simmered in a delectable onion-tomato gravy. Served with plain steamed rice, it makes for a hearty and comforting meal.     Growing up, making this delicious  curry recipe  was   a kind of every Saturday affair at our home because of its black color (as per Hindu mythological legends, black is the color of Shani Dev and since Saturday is the day of Shani Dev, making something black in food is considered auspicious.... and besides our home, if you go to any Punjabi household on a Saturday, there are 90% chances that you would get this Kala Chana Masala

Bharwan Arbi Aloo ki Sabzi is a delicious dry masaledar sabzi, all packed with tantalizing flavors that go so well with rotis, chapatis and paranthas on the side. One of my most favorite side dishes, it is made by stuffing arbi (or colocacia/taro root) and potatoes with a flavorful and piquant spice powder. The stuffed vegetables are then sauteed to a crisp outer texture and a soft interior. Often I include stuffed brinjals/eggplants too in this sabzi, but, since I was out of stock of them, I skipped the brinjals and just made it with potatoes and arbi. Trust me, if you are looking for a unique and different style of stuffed veggies to go with your meals, try this combination and I promise, it will get regular at your homes. Bharwan Arbi Aloo ki Sabzi  INGREDIENTS Arbi/Taro Root - 250 grams Medium size potatoes - 3 to 4 Salt - to taste Red chili powder - 2 tsp Amchoor powder - 2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Zeera powder - 1 tsp Haldi powder - 1/4 tsp S

Vegetable Pulao is one of the most basic rice dishes made in the Indian households. Most of the times, it uses the fragrant long grain basmati rice that are cooked along with a mix of vegetables and flavored with aromatic spices like green cardamom, cinnamon and star anise. Frankly telling, this one pot wholesome meal is something I make often, especially when I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen cooking the elaborate spread comprising of dal, sabzi and roti. Having said that, there are various varieties of this veg pulao and every home has its own recipe of making it. What I am sharing today is the one that I have been eating since childhood. Very easy and fragrant! Do try it with a bowl of plain chilled curd/yogurt. I am sure you'll be left asking for more.... Vegetable Pulao Vegetable Pulao INGREDIENTS Basmati Rice - 1 cup Finely chopped ginger - 1 inch piece Finely chopped garlic - 5 to 6 cloves Cauliflower florets - 1 c

Kathal , also known as Jackfruit is one of my favorite vegetables that can be found in Indian markets around July-August for a short period. The fibrous fruit with its shredded meaty texture makes for an apt substitute for non-vegetarians and you would be surprised to know kathal is often used for mock meat dishes in South East Asian countries. While this beautiful vegetable/fruit is quite delicious, there is only one negative factor to it; it's hard skin and an itchy sticky liquid that oozes out of it that makes cutting jackfruit a messy and difficult task. However, having said so, I'll share a foolproof trick to ease out the cutting process; just grease your hands and knife with generous quantity of mustard oil while skinning and cutting this fruit. Applying mustard oil will ensure you don't face any itchiness, thus, making the whole process a piece of cake. These days, already skinned and chopped jackfruit pieces are also available in the vegetable markets.

The other day I was browsing through the Living Foodz channel and bumped into an episode of the show, "100% Veg" hosted by famous celebrity chef Gautam Mehrishi. This recipe of Kesariya Khus Khus Pulao shared by him instantly caught my attention and I thought making the same the very next day. Although the recipe shared by the chef was 100% veg i.e. without onions, I have added a little twist by adding them for more flavor and texture. Trust me, this pulao came out so flavorful and delectable that it was vanished in no time; green apples in this pulao are its heart and soul that lend it a beautiful sweet and sour taste. If you are looking for a perfect party recipe of pulao or biryani that is a bit different from the regular stuff, this is indeed a goto recipe. Do try and share your feedback.  Kesariya Khus Khus Pulao with Green Apples Ingredients Boiled Rice - 2 cups Green apples (chopped in bite size cubes) - 1 and 1/2 cups Finely chopped o

Gobhi aur Hare Chane ka Pulav Ingredients Long grain basmati rice - 1 cup Melted ghee/oil - 3 tbsp Onions (medium, finely sliced) - 2 Ginger (juliennes) - 3 inch Garlic (finely sliced) - 6 to 8 cloves Tomatoes (medium, pureed) - 3 Chholiya/ Hara Chana/Green Gram - 1 cup Gobhi/cauliflower florets - 1 cup Laung (cloves) - 3 to 4 Jeera (cumin) - 2 tsp Tej patta (bay leaf) - 1 Javitri (mace) - 1/2 Dalchini (cinnamon) - 2 inch Moti elaichi (Black cardamom) - 1 Kali mirch (black pepper corns) - 1/2 tsp Salt - to taste Red chili powder - 2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Water - 2 cups  Gobhi aur Hare Chane ka Pulav Gobhi aur Hare Chane ka Pulav Method Thoroughly wash the rice and soak in water for half an hour. In a thick bottomed pan or kadai, heat the ghee/oil. Add in all the whole spices. Fry for a minute, then add sliced onions, garlic and ginger. Saute until onions turn a little golden brown in color. Add the cauliflowe

Aloo Kulcha is a popular bread recipe from the holy city of Amritsar in Punjab and hence, is prefixed with the word, "Amritsari". The flatbread stuffed with spicy filling of potatoes, is simply lip-smacking and is served with AMRITSARI CHOLLEY or DAL MAKHANI on the side. Traditionally, this leavened flatbread is made in earthen ovens (tandoor). However, since at homes tandoors are not available, I have cooked them on the stovetop. Also, instead of maida or the all-purpose flour, I have tried giving them a healthy twist by using whole wheat and all purpose flours in 1:1 ratio; plus there has been no use of yeast for leavening.  If you are looking for a special lunch on weekends, that too without going out to a restaurant, these Amritsari Kulchas make for a perfect choice. You can prepare the potato filling a day ahead to further reduce the time and effort. Not to mention, they are absolutely incomplete without a generous dose of butter smeared on them, so, do top the

Paneer Pasanda is a rich and creamy delicacy from Mughlai Cuisine wherein stuffed fried cottage cheese cubes/triangles are dunked in a luscious tomato & cashew based gravy. This is a perfect recipe for parties, get-togethers and festive occasions. Well, paneer or cottage cheese is one ingredient that is so so versatile. There are literally an endless number of recipes that can be cooked with it; palak paneer , shahi paneer, paneer butter masala , paneer tikka, kadhai paneer, matar paneer, paneer kofta  and paneer bhurji are some of the common ones that are cooked most often at homes. Coming to Paneer Pasanda , making it is slightly complex and time consuming when compared to other paneer dishes. But, just in case you want to add a variety to your usual paneer accompaniments, it makes for a perfect dish to go on your menu. It is one recipe that was long-due on my to-do list and fortunately I got the opportunity to make it last Saturday for a small get-together at our place.

Being hardcore Punjabis, Chholey is something we have grown up eating. I remember, my mom would prepare them at least twice a month and just in case, there was a party or get-together planned, menu was absolutely incomplete without these delicious finger licking curried chickpeas that were either served with pooris or the Punjabi quintessential “bhaturas”.  Chholey is one delicacy that is made in different ways across the Indian households. Amongst all the varieties available, " Amritsari Chholey " are undoubtedly the best and obviously the most popular. A bit spicy and tangy oozing with lip smacking flavours, they make for an irresistible treat, especially on a comforting weekend afternoon. Pair them with a glass of buttermilk and you are certainly gone in the state of coma (well not literally 😂😂 ) for couple of hours...frankly speaking a good relaxing sleep is actually what I need after lunch on holidays to reenergise myself...so Chholey Bhaturey and Lassi is for su