Anshu's Food Odyssey

Dal Panchmel , also known as Panchratna Dal and Panchkuti Dal , is a delicious and popular lentil delicacy from Rajasthan. "Panch" means five in Hindi, so, as the name suggests, the recipe involves use of five different lentils, which makes the preparation highly nutritious and wholesome. The tempering of ghee, asafoetida/hing and garlic further gives it a beautiful aroma making it utterly irresistible. Traditionally Panchmel Dal is paired along with Bati and Churma, however, one can also enjoy this flavorful preparation with rotis, parathas or even plain and simple boiled rice. During summers, I also love to have the Khatti Meethi Aam ki Launji on the side along with Panchmel Dal & Rice and trust me, it makes for the most heartiest and comforting meal. Rajasthani Dal Panchmel | Panchratna Dal Dal is one of the most integral parts of any Indian meal. You would often find different kinds of dals being made such as Moong Dal, Chana Dal etc in

Well, Dosa is one of my most favorite South Indian dishes that I can hog on in all three meals of the day. With that said, the actual dosa recipe which calls for fermenting the urad dal and rice batter is such a tedious and laborious job that needs a lot of patience as well as planning. Plus, because it has the major portion of it comprising of rice, I do not prefer having it every other day. Now, because I love dosa and yet cant have the normal version frequently, I recently tried this instant sprouted moong dal dosa, which was so easy to make and required no fermentation. And yes, it didn't even require the use of rice. So what is that one thing which lends this healthy recipe that much needed crispiness?. Well, its none other than the barnyard millet also locally known as Sama, Samai and Samak ke Chawal. Trust me, adding a little of these tiny pearls give the dosa such a nice texture and crispiness, that too without any fermentation. Try it the next time you are planni

Tamatar ki Chaat is a lipsmacking recipe originated in the holy city of Benaras or Varanasi. Loaded with tongue tickling flavours, this chaat is very unique as compared to other chaat recipes across other parts of India. The recipe is divided into two parts: first, a rich tomato curry which has all the goodness of khoya (dried milk solids), cashews and poppy seeds. The second, makes for the base of this chaat - tomato and potato mixture which is a unique blend of spicy and tangy flavors. One thing you would note about this chaat is that it is topped with nimki or the mini namakpaare instead of sev for garnishing. Also, being a holy city you would not find the use of onions and garlic in most of its preparations, and hence, it is not garnished with chopped onions. Just in case you are enticed with the flavours and want to know the recipe, scroll down below. Banarasi Tamatar ki Chaat Ingredients Tomato Curry Tomatoes (small, grated) - 2 Finely chopped gi

Imli ki Chutney or the Sweet Tamarind Chutney is one of the most basic chutneys in Indian cuisine. This lipsmackingly delicious sauce or dip is made using tamarind pulp and jaggery, then spiced with aromatic spices like fennel, roasted cumin powder and dry ginger powder. Any Indian Chaat like Bhel Puri, Dahi Bhalla , Paapdi Chaat and Aloo Tikki are absolutely incomplete without this luscious sweet & sour chutney. If you are making khatta meetha pani for pani puri   or making some samosas, this chutney is definitely gonna come handy. You can prepare it in a big batch and freeze a part of it for later use anytime. And let me tell you, even if you are not freezing, imli ki chutney would easily last in the fridge for about 2 to 3 months; just store it in a clean sanitized glass bottle or jar. This blog post today, talks about how to prepare this beautiful Imli ki Chutney at home. Do try and I am sure, you are gonna love it. Imli ki Chutney | Sweet Tamarin

Punjabi Mutton Curry is a delectable every day curry made with goat meat in most of the Punjabi households. Onion, tomato and a little amount of curd form the base of this beautiful curry, which is then seasoned with some fragrant powdered spices making it so very flavorsome and delicious. My husband is quite fond of non-vegetarian food, especially mutton. The punjabi home style mutton curry is something he immensely relishes with some garlic naan and rice on the side. On the contrary, I am not that fond of red meat, so, mutton is only occasionally cooked at our home as compared to chicken and sea food. And last week, just out of the blue, I had this thought of making this flavorful mutton curry all of a sudden. Instantly ordered about a kilo of goat meat from a famous butcher shop nearby and surprised my husband with his favorite curry on the dinner table after quite some time. Not to mention, the aromatic Zafrani Pulao served on the side was a game changer and made our

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

Besan ke Gatte is by far one of the most loved recipes at my home. A typical Rajasthani delicacy, this curry is much versatile and every household has its own way of making it; while the dumplings are essentially made using gram flour, the base of the curry can always differ - few people like just a yogurt based gravy while others tend to have a spicy yogurt and tomato based sauce. Today, I am here with the recipe of latter one, but would also share the recipe of Gatta Curry in just the Yogurt Based Gravy sometime very soon. I also posted the recipe of Stuffed Gatta Curry a month back; if you wish, you can also take a look at the same by clicking on the link.      Rajasthani Besan Gatta Curry Ingredients For Gatte Besan (Gram Flour/Chickpea Flour) - 1 cup Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp Curd/Yogurt - 2 tbsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Crushed coriander seeds - 1 tsp Salt - as per taste Red chili powder - 1 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1/2 tsp Kasoori Methi powder - 1

Bhein or Kamal Kakdi has always been one of my ultimate favorite vegetables since childhood. When I moved to Singapore, I had this notion in mind that from now on, I'll not be able to get such exotic vegetables here. One day, while roaming in a supermarket for the daily grocery shopping, I saw these very clean, nice and plump lotus stems lying in a basket; I jumped with joy and straight-away picked them up thinking of the delicious lotus stem & green peas curry that I'll prepare for dinner once I get back home.... since that day, lotus stems have become a must-buy item in my grocery shopping list and I often get them to prepare bhein koftas, bhein pakodas and ekadashi wale chatpate aloo bhein....don't worry...I shall post the recipes of these mouth-watering delicacies too very soon. Till then, get in your kitchens and try this bhein matar ki sabzi and I assure, you will not be disappointed. Lotus Stem & Green Peas Curry Ingredients Lotus stems (peeled and

This rustic, spicy and soulful chicken delicacy is, I guess, an all time favorite and one of the most comforting foods of every non-vegetarian Punjabi. A super divine taste, faster cooking time and no requirements for any fancy ingredients, simply makes it a preferred meal choice, especially for those lazy afternoons and evenings when one doesn't want to spend hours in the kitchen working on an elaborate menu; just prepare this luscious curry, serve with a bowlful of aromatic rice, a plate of fresh green salad and some raita on the side..... and guess what? you are all set to relish a delectable meal! Doesn't it all sound damn easy? If yes, do give this recipe a try and I promise, you will surely be left asking for more. Chicken Curry Ingredients (serves 2) Chicken with bone - 500 gms Onions (pureed) - 1/2 cup Tomato puree  - 1 cup Whisked Curd - 1/4 cup Green chili (slit) - 2 Ginger/Garlic paste - 2 tsp Cumin seeds - 2 tsp Black pepper cor

This rustic mutton delicacy comes from the state of Jammu & Kashmir in India and makes for a true delight for every non-veg food lover. The beautiful red gravy loaded with layers of rogan (oil) and aromas of whole spices is just enough to tickle your taste-buds in just no time. If you are a mutton freak, I am sure this recipe from the ' Land of Wazwans ' is simply going to leave you asking for more. Do try it out sometime when you are craving for some exotic non-veg delicacy and I guarantee, you will not be able to stop yourselves from binging on its heavenly flavors. Ingredients Mutton - 500 grams (1/2 kg.) cut into medium sized pieces Whisked yogurt or curd - 1 + 1/4 cup Garlic paste - 1 tsp Ginger paste - 2 tsp Fried onion paste - 1 tbsp Black cardamom - 1 Cloves - 5 to 6 Bay leaves - 2 Mace - 1 floret Cumin seeds - 2 tsp Cinnamon stick - 2 inch piece Black pepper corns - 8 to 10  Dry ginger powder - 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder - 3 ts

Baingan or eggplants are one of the most common vegetables used in Indian cuisine. Lots of delicacies can be made using these baby aubergines/brinjals; today I bring for you the " achaari baingan masala " which is a unique mix of spicy, savory and tangy flavors, perfect for foodies with those ' chatpata tastebuds '. Do try making these in your home kitchens and don't forget to post your feedback and comments stating how they turned out. Ingredients 8-10 baby eggplants (vertically slit for filling) 3-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped) 2 inch ginger (finely chopped) 2 green chili (finely chopped) 4 medium sized tomatoes (blanched and pureed) 2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp lemon juice Salt as per taste 3 tbsp vegetable oil Ingredients (For stuffing) 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 bay leaf 5-6 black pepper corns 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi daana) 1 tsp kalaunji seeds 1 tsp fennel (saunf) 1 tsp cumin 2 whole dried red chili 2 tsp dried