Palakwali Dal a side dish recipe from Punjab

A special dish from Punjab for all the Palak lovers and for those who want to have changes and variety of side dish.

Ingredients:

Palakwali Dal

Palak - small bunch
Green gram - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Red Chillies - 2 nos
Garllic pods - 8 os
Onion - 2 nos
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash and soak moong dal for about 15 mins. Pressure cook it with 1/2 spoon of salt and turmeric powder. Wash the Palak leaves and cut them into fine pieces.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, asafodeita, peeled and cut garlic pods and finely chopped ginger pieces. When the cumin seeds changes colour, add finely chopped onions and slit green chillies. Fry till the onions become soft and transparent. Add the palak leaves, salt and cover it with a lid. Reduce the flame and let the leaves cook thoroughly.

Mix in boiled dal and bring it to a boil. Remove from flame and add lemon juice to it. Serve hot with Phulkas and Chappatis. Can be served with hot rice and ghee too.

Recipe for Punjabi Mango Pickle

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 1 kg
Salt - 1/5 cup
Red chilli - 30 gms
Fenugreek powder - 3 tspn
Punjabi Garam Masala - 1 tbsp (optional)
Turmeric - 1 tbsp
Mustard Oil - 2 1/2 cups

Method:
Remove the seeds from the mangoes and cut them into big pieces. Mix all the spices together along with 1/2 cup of mustard oil. Rub the mixture on to the mango pieces. Ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Transfer the mango pieces to jar and pour the remaining mustard oil on top. Cover the jar with a clean thin cloth and leave it intact. Turn the mango pieces upside down every other day with a clean wooden laddle. The pickle is ready to use after 20 days. Stays good even for 2 years.

The mango should be kept covered with oil.

Recipe for Paneer Makhani

Ingredients:
Paneer - 500 gms
Butter - 75 gms
Garlic - 12 pods
Onion - 2 nos
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1 no.
Cinnamon sticks - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp
Punjabi Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
Fresh Cream - 3 tbsp
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:
Cut Paneer into 1 inch strips. Deep fry the cottage cheese in hot oil till it turns golden brown. Remove the excess oil. put them in warm water which is added with little salt. In a pan heat butter and when it melts add cloves, bayleaf, cardamom and cinnamon sticks. Chop the garlic into small pieces and add it to the pan. Grind the onion to a fine paste and add it to the pan and saute well. Add the ginger garlic paste to the pan and saute all the items well without burning them. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder. Mix well. Add tomato puree to it and cook for 2 mins. Add 2 cups of water to the pan and cover it. Cook for about 10 mins in low flame. Add salt and add another 1/2 cup of water if the gravy is thick. Add the fried paneer pieces and Kasoori Methi and cover and cook for 2 mins. Remove from flame and add fresh cream and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Recipe for Punjabi Garam Masala Powder

Many of the Punjabi dishes gets its flavour as this Punjabi Garam Masala is added to it. Find here how to make it.

Ingredients:
Dhania - 1/4 cup
Jeera - 1 cup
Pepper - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 6 to 8
Fennel seeds - 1/4 cup
Clove - 4 nos
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Black Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
Bay Leaves - 2 nos
Dried Ginger Powder - 1 tbsp
Nutmeg - 3 nos

Method:
Fry all the ingredients except ginger powder in a dry pan for a while till they are warm. Grind it together with ginger powder. Store it in an airtight container.

Onion and Tomato Paste - A Basic paste recipe for all North Indian Dishes

All the north Indian side dishes use this Onion and Tomato paste in the cooking process. This paste can be made and stored for almost 15 days in freezer. If there is party or if you are planning to make North Indian Dishes quite regularly, then this is the best thing one can make use of.

Ingredients:
Onion - 12 nos
Tomatoes - 18 nos
Oil - 6 tbsp

Method:
Cut all the onions and tomatoes into pieces.  In a heavy bottomed flat pan add oil and when hot add the diced onions.When they turn golden brown in colour add the tomatoes. Mash the tomatoes and stir well. Keep cooking till the oil starts coming out. Once done, remove from flame and let it cool. Use a hand blender to mash the mixture thoroughly.

Store in dry air tight containers so that it can be used when ever needed.

When you are cooking vegetables or meat based dishes. Finish off all the other cooking process like adding the spices, boiling and blending and add this paste at the end and stir well.

Benefits of using this paste:
Saves time and saves cutting of onions and tomatoes daily.
Uses less oil.
Vegetables or meat get cooked well in concentrated spices as the onion is added at the end in the form of paste.
The gravy is thick.

Recipe for Tandoori Potato/Tandoori Aloo

Ingredients
Baby Potatoes - 1 cup or 12 to 15 nos
Cream - 1 tbsp (optional)
Kasuri Methi - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Red Chillies - 4 nos
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Tandoori Masala - 2 tsp

Method:
Grind red chillies, ginger, coriander-cumin powder and Tandoori Masala powder. Wash potatoes nicely and pierce it with fork. Place the  potatoes on a microwave turn table. Arrange them in circle leaving place for water in the middle. Keep a cup of water in the center to prevent the potatoes from getting wrinkled. Microwave the potatoes in high for 5 minutes.

In a microwave bowl add oil and heat it for about 30 seconds. Add the grind paste and salt to the hot oil and mix thoroughly. Microwave high again for 1 min. Add the potatoes and mix well with the paste and microwave it high for about a min. Add cream and methi leaves and microwave it again for 1 minute.

Serve it as starter or as a side dish for Chappati.