Anshu's Food Odyssey

In India, especially on the Northern Side like Delhi and Punjab, whenever there is a party or a get-together planned at home, one dish that is a must-make for sure, has to be paneer (cottage cheese) based. While many a times I go either for Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma , Paneer Butter Masala , Shahi Palak Paneer Kofta Curry or Kadhai Paneer , this time I opted to experiment with flavors keeping them plain, simple and subtle. Trust me, the dish turned out to be super awesome and left my guests licking their fingers till the last bite.    To tell you more about this paneer recipe, its heart and soul is the gravy which is made using the paste of melon seeds, a little milk and a dollop of fresh cream. What lends it a touch of spice is only a couple of green chilies and black pepper powder. And yes, it is totally incomplete without kasoori methi powder that provides it with that much needed earthiness. One of my best paneer recipes till date, it ought to be indulged with some garlic

Petha !! well I know most of the people hate eating petha or kaddu. Especially if I talk about children, they always shy off such healthy green vegetables. In my case too as a kid, I never liked it much until my Mum came up with this finger-licking version of the same that simply tasted divine with a perfect balance of sweetness, sourness and spiciness. Since then, one of my absolute favorites, I often make it now for lunch during the weekends and enjoy it with crisp pooris or even plain parantha and some boondi raita on the side. This is also one of the most demanded delicacies at my home during the Navratri fasts. Sans of garlic, onion and some of the whole spices, it still tastes delectable and makes for a real treat paired with kuttu ke atte ki pooris and plain yogurt. I will be sharing both fasting and non-fasting versions; do try and you certainly won't be disappointed.      Khatte Meethe Pethey ki Sabzi Ingredients White pumpkin (petha/sitaphal,) - 500 g

It's kind of a custom at our home to make kale chane every Saturday. While most of the time I go for their dry version aka the sookhey kale chane that are also prepared on Ashtami, there are times when I try cooking them in different ways. One such experiment was this " Kale Chane Ki Kadhi " which authentically comes from the "Land of the Golden Sun" - Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Boiled black chickpeas simmered in a yogurt & gramflour based curry, simply make for a delightful and lip-smacking side dish that goes really well with steamed rice and even plain chapati. Typically, curry leaves are not used in this dish but since I love the flavor of these aromatic leaves, I have used them in tempering. For those who wish to keep the authenticity of this recipe intact, may skip using them. Also, you would notice that the color of my kadhi has a blackish tinge; that is because I have added boiled chana water to adjust its consistency. You may simply add the plain wat

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

" Kamal Kakdi" , also known as Bhein or Nadru , is actually the stem of lotus, which is believed to be very rich in nutrients, anti-oxidants and fibers. This vegetable is made quiet frequently at our home in different forms: " Kamal Kakdi aur Matar ki Sabzi " and " Kamak Kakdi Koftas " being most common of the curries. Besides, my father-in-law is a great fan of "Kamal Kakdi ke Pakode", recipe of which I shall be sharing in my forth-coming blogs. Until then, if you are looking for an exotic curry recipe that can be served for a lunch-dinner party or a potluck meal, this kofta curry is a must-try. Let's go through the ingredients and recipe. Kamal Kakdi aur Matar ke Koftey Ingredients (for koftas - yields 8 to 10 koftas) Kamal kakdi (lotus stem, grated) - 1 cup Potato (boiled, grated) - 1 cup Onions (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup Boiled/frozen green peas - 1/4 cup Ginger (grated) - 2 inch Garlic (finely chopped) - 2 to 3 cloves Gr