Navratri Special

Aloo singhade ke dahi vade.

A clutch of interesting Navratra recipes for you

On the occasion of Navratra, Chef Gautam Mehrishi of the Zee TV show Khana Khazana has prepared for viewers the following recipes. You can also watch Chef Gautam prepare them on the channel this Saturday at 12 noon which will be repeated at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the same day. The name of the episode is

Dhania barfi.

DHANIYA BARFI

Serves 2-3 persons

Equipment needed: pan, bowl

Preparation time: 20 mins – 22 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins – 30 mins

Ingredients

1/4 cup melon seeds

1 cup coconut powder

1 cup coriander powder

1 tbsp cardamom powder

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp desi ghee

Method

Firstly, roast the melon seeds in a pan. Now, take out the roasted seeds in a bowl. Next, roast the coconut powder in the already used pan. Mix the roasted coconut in the melon seeds. After this, roast the coriander powder in the pan.

Meanwhile, mix the cardamom powder in the melon and coconut mixture. Now, mix the roasted coriander powder in the melon seeds mixture.

Next, caramelise sugar in the pan. After this, mix desi ghee in the prepared caramel. Now, mix the coriander mixture in the caramel and shape them.

Coat the shaped barfi’s in the remaining coriander powder mixture.

Garnish the prepared barfi’s with cardamom powder.

ALOO SINGHADE KE DAHI VADE

Serves 4 persons

Equipment needed: 2 bowls, pan

Preparation time: 20 mins – 22 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins – 20 mins

Ingredients

8 tbsp sweet yoghurt

1 tsp cardamom powder

3/4 tsp coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns

Sea salt to taste

Oil for frying

For vade base

4 boiled potato

3/4 tsp green cardamom

2 tsp coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns

4 tsp water caltrop flour

Sea salt to taste

For garnish

Mint leaves

Coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns

4-5 cardamoms

Method

Firstly, mash potato, green cardamom, coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns in a bowl.

Now, mix the water caltrop flour in it and make vadas.

Next, deep fry the vadas.

Meanwhile, mix the sweet yoghurt, cardamom, coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns along with sea salt in another bowl.

Coat the fried vade with the prepared yoghurt mixture.

Garnish the vade with mint leaves, coarsely ground black cardamom and black peppercorns along with cardamoms. Serve.

KUTTU CHILA

Serves 2 persons

Equipment needed: bowl, pan

Preparation time: 15 mins – 20 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins – 20 mins

Ingredients

4-5 tbsp buckwheat flour

1 tbsp deseeded and finely chopped green chilli

To taste sea salt

2 tsp desi ghee

For garnish

Desi ghee

Deseeded and finely chopped green chilli

Yoghurt

Mint leaves

Method

Firstly, mix buckwheat flour, chopped green chilli, sea salt and yoghurt in a bowl to prepare a batter.

Now, heat desi ghee in a flat pan and cook the prepared batter on it.

Repeat this process to make one more chila.

Garnish the prepared chila with desi ghee, chopped green chilli, yoghurt and mint leaves.

Serve.

Chef's corner: Ravi Kumar - For a feast after the fast

The Hindu :October 11, 2013

A paneer dish for those fasting during the Navratra

The nine-day Navratra period is coming to a close. And by now, some you might be tired of having boiled potatoes and saboo dana ki khichiri.

Following is a recipe sent to us by Chef Ravi Kumar of Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi.

And if you are willing to visit the hotel in central Delhi, the dish is available as part of “Navratri Khaas” at its Café Uno till this Sunday.

Paneer Hara Korma

Ingredients

100 gms paneer cubes

100 gms curd, beaten,

20 gms each of green chilli, mint and coriander leaves, roughly chopped,

1 gm shahi jeera

1 gms roasted cumin powder

1 gms green cardamom powder

15 gms fresh coconut, grated,

Salt (sendha namak) to taste

Ghee for frying

Method

Dice the paneer evenly, and keep it aside. Wash and clean the mint, coriander and green chillies.

Beat the curd, add grated coconut and the chopped ingredients. Blend it all until smooth.

Heat ghee in a pan, add shahi jeera and let it crackle.

Add the blended mixture and cook it over low flame.

Once the moisture is absorbed and little oil floats on the gravy, add the diced paneer and slowly simmer it well.

Add the cumin and cardamom powder.

Adjust the seasonings.

Serve hot.

About the chef

Ravi Kumar is Executive Sous Chef, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi. Chef Kumar has over 18 years of experience, having worked in prestigious hotels chains in countries like the USA and the U.K. and some of the top-notch five star luxury hotel chains in India. His specialty is French cuisine. Over the years, he has also acquired a flair for Mexican, Italian and Oriental cuisine and its exotic flavours. A creative person by nature, apart from churning out various gastronomic delights and intense research on various cuisines, he loves photography and indulging on the delicious recipes made by his mom.