Anshu's Food Odyssey

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

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

Dum Aloo is a popular delicacy which is prepared in various styles across different states in India; while Punjabi Dum Aloo is a bit subtle with creamy texture imparted because of the use of cashew nut paste, Kashmiri Dum Aloo has more of spicy flavors packed with aromas of fennel, asafoetida and ginger, which truly elevate the dish to another level. There is yet another variety of this famous vegetarian delicacy which has carved its niche on the Indian gastronomic map and it comes from the state of West Bengal; popularly known as ' Aloor Dum ', what makes it little different from the other variations is the prominent use of mustard oil in the gravy. Having said that, each variant of Dum Aloo is delectable in its own way and makes for a great dish to be served with roti, paratha, puri or rice. As far as today's recipe is concerned, I am here with Kashmiri Dum Aloo , other variations are on my to-do list and I would be presenting them very soon...so till then stay t

Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan is a dish which is known globally...I also wanted to try this popular delicacy but, short of the must-ingredients peanuts and sesame seeds, I instead decided to give it a Punjabi twist that too in a tongue-tickling " achaari " style. To my pleasure, it came out really well and simply tasted divine with steamed rice, salad and some papad on the side. If you too have some sweet green peppers lying in your refrigerator, do give this recipe a try and I assure, you will not be disappointed. Ingredients (for stuffing) Sweet Green Chili Peppers (Bhavnagari Mirchi) - 6 to 8 Medium sized potatoes (boiled and mashed) - 2 Finely chopped green chili - 2 Finely chopped onion - 1 Finely chopped ginger - 1 inch Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Fennel seeds - 1 tsp Coriander seeds (crushed) - 1 tsp Red chili powder - 1 tsp Dried pomegranate powder - 1 tsp Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp Lemon juice - 1 tbsp Raisins (optional) - 10 to 12 Salt - as per taste Oil - 1