Anshu's Food Odyssey

If you have ever been to dhabas, especially along the Delhi-Punjab highway and ordered Dal Makhani, you would have noticed that what you are actually served is essentially the spicy kali maa or mah ki dal. In contrast to the delicate Dal Makhani that you normally get in restaurants, this dhaba dal is quite spicy with an extra tempering of garlic, ginger, green chilies and lots of butter that simply makes it irresistible. Having a rustic feel to it, this dal is one of my favorites and is made at my home quite often. We love to enjoy it with some fresh tandoori rotis and Jeera Rice on the side. If you are more fond of the delicate and milder Dal Makhani, check out the recipe of Restaurant Style Dal Makhani on my blog. However, if you are more into dhaba stuff, then this recipe is a keeper. Do try it out!   Dhaba Style Spicy Kali Mah Ki Dal  INGREDIENTS Whole urad dal (whole black lentils) - 1 cup Chana Dal - 2 tbsp Finely chopped ginger - 2 tbsp Finely chopped garlic - 2 tbs

Bharwa Shimla Mirch or Stuffed Capsicum is a delicious Indian side dish made by stuffing green bellpeppers with a spicy potato filling, which are then cooked further until completely done. A Punjabi style recipe, it makes for a comforting dish to complete your meals.  Though traditionally, this recipe is made using green peppers, if you want to add some color to your plate, you can definitely go and use the colored bellpeppers as well. Also, the slitting style of the peppers varies across different homes in India, I have grown up watching the capsicums to be halved lengthwise at my home, so I do it the same way. If you wish, you can just chop off the head of the capsicum and stuff the entire pepper; whatever way you like. Bharwa Shimla Mirch | Stuffed Capsicum Recipe INGREDIENTS Green capsicums - 3 to 4 Boiled and mashed potatoes, medium sized - 4 to 5 Finely chopped green chilies - 2 tsp Finely chopped ginger - 2 tsp Crushed dhaniya seeds - 1 tsp Jeera - 1 tsp Fennel see

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

Come winters and farmers' markets are lined with a plenty of fresh greens like sarson (mustard greens), palak (spinach), methi (fenugreek) and bathua (amaranth). And there is one veggie that we Punjabis or more precisely the "Multani Punjabis" eagerly wait during the season, that is swanjana also known as "Sehjan ke Phool", "Moringa Flowers" or "Drumstick Flowers". Why I insisted on Multani Punjabis (Indian Punjabis ancestrally hailing from Multan, now in Pakistan) is because I have actually seen this vegetable made only in their homes; rarely have I come across people from other communities knowing about this utterly nutritious and healthy winter green. Pale white in color and quite bitter in taste, they are perfect for diabetics and those looking to shed few extra kilos. Plus, a regular consumption of these flowers help improve your immunity against cough and cold, which is quite common in winters. Coming to the recipe, it is made b

Mathri is an Indian style fried cracker that is popular all across North India. While generally an accompaniment to the tea, it also makes for a perfect choice to satiate those little munchy-punchy cravings that we all have several times a day. Though these buttery flaky crackers are widely available in markets in a variety of shapes and flavors, the ones that I like the most are these triangular shaped mathris loaded with beautiful aroma and taste of dried fenugreek leaves. And yes! what makes them even more fascinating for me is that one black pepper corn fixed right in their centers. Ohhh... I just love the sight of it...don't know why 😁 If you too are fascinated about mathris like me and are usually concerned about the hygiene checks taken care off in the store-bought ones, do try your hands making these Tikoni Methi Mathris at home and I assure, you will never get them from the market again. Tikoni Methi Mathri | Methi Nimki | Fenugreek flavored Indian Fried Crackers

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

Born and grown up in a Punjabi family, I can only say that it is one fabulous dish which no Punjabi can live without; be it a casual holiday lunch, a fun family gathering or a formal festive dinner, Rajma Masala is a ' MUST ' on the table or else the menu is considered absolutely incomplete. With that being said, note that every household has its own version of this delectable delicacy, what I am going to share is the recipe I learnt from my mother over the years...not much of the fancy ingredients though, still with a whole lot of deliciousness in every bite. Do try it and don't forget to serve with a bowl full of plain/boiled rice and raita on the side which further makes it just an irresistible combination.   Punjabi Rajma Masala Ingredients Dry red kidney beans (chitra rajma) - 1 and 1/2 cups Onions (medium size, minced) - 2 Tomatoes (medium size, pureed) - 4 Tomato paste - 1/2 tbsp (optional) Ginger paste - 2 tsp Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp Turm