Anshu's Food Odyssey

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

Winters are here and vegetable markets are teeming with greens such as spinach (palak), fenugreek (methi), mustard (sarso) and lamb's quarter (bathua). One can also find choliya (fresh green chickpeas) and sehjan ke phool (drumstick flowers) in abundance....and come January, my sabzi wala bhaiya would also get me "kachnaar ke phool" for which I eagerly await every year to make "Kachnaar aur Choliye" ki sabzi.... Oh My God, I am so excited even with a thought of this delectable sabzi, the recipe of which has been running in my Mum's family since ages....oh !! are you too excited to learn this secret recipe?? don't worry friends, wait for some time and I'll definitely be here with this secret and exotic recipe, but before that, let me share with you another beautiful recipe which makes use of our eternal winter favorites...paneer and palak. Now, it's not a usual palak-paneer recipe but, a twist to it in the form of koftas or fried dumplings that

" Chholey " or chickpeas, also known as "Safed Chana" and "Kabuli Chana" are one of the most popular foods across Northern India...especially making for a quintessential part of the diet of Punjabis; and you would agree to this statement of mine considering the fact that Chholey Poori , Chholey Bhature , Chholey Kulchey , all originate from the land of Punjab. While you would find a variety of chholey or chickpea curries made and served in Indian homes and restaurants, the ones that remain immensely popular comprise of " Punjabi Chikkad Chholey ", " Amritsari Chholey " and " Pindi Chholey ". The recipe of Chikkad Chholey is already on my blog and what today I am going to list down is the recipe of Pindi Chholey. But, before that let me brief you a little about the difference between the two varieties. Chikkad Chholey are basically thick curried chickpeas that are cooked in spiced onion and tomato based masala and th

The ever-classic and pan-Indian culinary favorite, Biryani is believed to trace its origin back in the times of Mughal rule in India; this lip-smacking delicacy, during the medieval era supposedly formed the quintessential diet of the Mughal Army soldiers who, in pressed times of wars and battles did not have the opportunity to prepare elaborate meals and thus, relied on this one-pot meal comprising of rice, spices and meat. Over the years, this flavorful and aromatic rice dish gained popularity and crossing the Army barricades, it reached the royal kitchens catering the " Nizams of Hyderabad " and " Nawabs of Lucknow ". Today, this gastronomic delight is a common man's favorite too and is undoubtedly, a marvel of India's culinary heritage that has been tweaked well to reflect regional tastes and cooking styles. Vegetable Biryani While originally Biryani essentially comprised of meat, its aromas and flavors were tantalizing enough to tempt the veget

" Paneer Butter Masala " is one vegetarian delicacy that is a must order on our table whenever we happen to be dining out. Succulent and juicy cottage cheese cubes dunked into a super luscious, silky and creamy tomato gravy with a perfect balance of sweetness, tartness and spiciness, simply provide for a finger-licking treat to our foodie taste-buds. A rustic taste and aroma of kasoori methi is what makes this delectable curry just out of this world. Wanna to have this right away but, not in a mood to go to a restaurant? No worries, try it out a home with this easy recipe; list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions given below. Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala Ingredients Paneer (cottage cheese, cut into cubes) - 250 grams Onion (medium size, roughly cubed) - 1 Red ripe tomatoes (medium size, cubed) - 5 Green chilies (slit) - 2 to 3 Ginger (roughly chopped) - 2 inch Cashews - 2 tbsp Garlic cloves - 4 to 5 Dry red chilies - 2 Coriander seeds - 2 ts

Achaari Arbi Fry has always been one of my favorite arbi recipes since childhood. Coated in a spicy-tangy masala comprising of crushed fenugreek, fennel and onion seeds, it certainly makes for a tongue -tickling side dish that goes fantastically well with tadke wali moong ki daal or even plain simple raita. This is one dish that I try to make at-least once a week as it's also loved by my husband. Besides, when it comes to arbi dishes, there are few more recipes that you may want to give a try; " Chatpate Achaari Arbi Tuk " and my " No Onion-Garlic Punjabi Style Tamatar wali Arbi " are few of them. Without wasting any time further, let's get started with the recipe of " Achaari Arbi Fry ". Punjabi Style Achaari Arbi Fry Ingredients 1. Arbi/Taro Root (peeled and sliced thinly) - 2 cups 2. Salt - as per taste 3. Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1 tsp 4. Jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp 5. Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1 tsp 6. Red chili powder -

Come Navratris, and I am all set to go on a feasting mode 😁. While people fast during these 9 auspicious days, I am quite the opposite and love binging on an endless variety of gastronomic delicacies that leave my palate all satisfied and contented with their divine taste and aroma. And on my special Navratri menu, apart from 'Kuttu ke Pakode', 'Samak Pulav' and ' Sabudana Khichdi ', the recipe which takes the top position is this exotic " Kuttu ki Kadhi " that is off-course made using kuttu or buckwheat flour. Now what makes this kadhi even more interesting is its crispy pakodas (fritters) that are bursting with an added tartness and flavor of faalsas or black currants. Trust me, just a small addition of these tiny little balls of sweet-citric juices, elevate the taste and flavor of the kadhi to another level. If you have never made use of faalsas in such a way, try it now and I promise, you will not be disappointed. Coming to the recipe,

Matar Makhana Curry is a popular delicacy that most of us have tasted and love. This ' Khoya Makhana Paneer ki Sabzi ' is a no onion-garlic variation of the same and makes for a perfect side dish to be savored alongside Samak Pulav or Kuttu ki Poori during the auspicious days of Navratri. Needless to say, khoya in this beautiful curry makes it quite rich, also lending it a subtle creamy taste. If you want, you can also add some nuts to make it even more sumptuous. And off-course, it makes for a great dish to be relished during non-fasting days as well; pair with a lachcha parantha or naan and you are all set for an exquisite meal. Let's take a look at the recipe below. Khoya Makhana Paneer ki Sabzi [No Onion-Garlic Recipe] Ingredients 1. Paneer (cut into bite size cubes) - 1 1/2 cups 2. Phool Makhana (Lotus Seeds) - 15 to 20 3. Khoya (crumbled) - 2 tbsp 4. Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 tsp 5. Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 tsp 6. Tomatoes (medium size, pu

Loaded with goodness of ginger and coriander, "Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma" is simply a gastronomic treat for all paneer lovers. This simple yet exotic delicacy can be made in just a few minutes and definitely counts amongst few special recipes that can be served in dinner parties, get-togethers or festive meals. Needless to say, kids love it because of mild spices and a rich texture. A keeper recipe for sure, do try my version of it once and I promise, you would not be disappointed. Paneer Dhaniya Adraki Korma Ingredients Paneer (Cottage Cheese, cubed) - 250 grams Thick curd/yogurt (nicely whisked) - 1 cup Fresh cream - 1 tbsp Coriander paste - 1 tbsp Ginger paste - 1 to 2 tsp Refined flour - 1 tsp Chopped coriander - a handful Green chilies (chopped) - 1 tsp Salt - as per taste Black pepper corns - 3 to 4 Cloves - 2 to 3 Bay leaf - 1 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala po