Thanks to all of you for the support for my previous post and all the feedback that you sent across about the right kind of grain on our plate.
My friend, Chef Bakshish Dean reached out to me talking about ancients varieties of wheat like Einkorn, Emmer and Sharbati. These are healthier variants, which are high in dietary fibre and protein, should keep you fuller for long and most importantly ideal for diabetics.
There is an urgent need to bring these back into the mainstream.
And its not just the varieties of wheat - how it is milled also has major impact. Always prefer stone rolled (chakki) as you get coarser yet more flavoursome floor with bran and germ intact. This has a significant effect on the ability to rise during the baking.
Right - on with this week’s newsletter …
Hand Te Maz (Dry Dandelion Leaves and Lamb Curry)
This week we are taking it up a notch with a delicacy that transports me back to my home - Kashmir, especially Kashmir in winters.
The winters in Kashmir were harsh and the entire valley was cut-off from rest of the world, with no supply of fresh and green vegetables. This had to be planned for, carefull. And thats why Kashmiri’s dried everything - from beans, aubergines (brinjals), tomatoes, chillies and even fish, so that these could be consumed during the winters.
Though the availability of fresh vegetables has improved dramatically, you can still find and feast on these fantastic dried vegetables.
My favourite is Dandelion. Dandelion is a flowering plant that grows in plenty in the wild. Its greens have often been used in Kashmiri cuisine and is considered to be rich in vitamins and minerals and is also prized for it medicinal value. The young leaves can be boiled, steamed or eaten raw though they have a slight bitter taste. Parboiling in couple of changes of water or soaking in baking soda decreases the bitterness. Like other vegetables Dandelion leaves called Hand would also be dried during the summer months and consumed during the winter months and Dandelion cooked lamb happens to be one of my absolute favourite dish..
Dandelion Leaves:
Dry Dandelion Leaves (100 gms), Mustard Oil (1/2cup), Asafetida (Heeng) (1/2tsp), Cloves (5nos), Black Cardamom (3-4nos), Cinnamon Sticks (3 pcs), Green Cardamom (3nos.), Salt (1/2tsp)
For lamb :
Lamb (8 to 9 pcs 500gms - from breast, saddle and shoulder.Each piece about 60gm), Mustard Oil (3tbsp), Turmeric Powder (1/2tsp), Salt (1/2tsp),
Spices :
Saunf (fennel seeds powder) (1.5tbsp), Ginger Powder (1/2tsp)
Finishing:
Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) (1tbsp)
Dandelion Leaves
Clean the Dandelion leaves and remove the dry stems.
Wash the Dandelion leaves a couple of time and ensure that there no sand or grit in the leaves.
Boil the washed Dandelion leaves in about one and half liter of water.
Strain and discard the discard the water.
Repeat the same process two to three times till the pungent and bitter taste of the Dandelion leaves has gone.
Make a fine paste of the blanched Dandelion leaves in the food process.
Heat the mustard oil to smoke point in a pot till the pungent flavor of the oil is removed and oil is odorless.
Cool the oil to medium hot.
Add whole spices and cook the whole spice till they crackle but do not brown them.
Add Asafetida and add the prepared Dandelion leaves paste.
Cook on simmering heat till the Dandelion leaves are nicely fried and oil separates out add salt and leave aside. (about 15 to 20 minutes)
Lamb
Heat mustard oil to smoke point to remove the pungent smell.
Cool to medium hot and add lamb.
Add turmeric powder and salt and cook lamb till it starts to brown and oil separates out.
Add the prepared Dandelion leaves to the meat
Add about ½ liter of water bring to boil.
Simmer till the lamb is soft and tender.
Once the lamb is tender and oil starts to separate out add saunf - fennel powder and ginger powder.
Finishing
Remove the extra oil floating on the top and finish with a table spoon of melted desi ghee and serve hot with boiled rice.
#OnePotRecipes - Chicken Roganjosh
By now you should all know that the aim here is to get things done quickly and get to a meal in less than an hour. This week we do Chicken Roganjosh and Pulao, which you can feast with rice or pulao.
Chicken :
Chicken Drum Sticks ( 6nos), Salt (1/2tsp), Yoghurt (2tbsp), Mustard oil - smoked and cooled (2tbsp), Asafoetida (1/2tsp), Cloves (5nos), Cinnamon Sticks (3 to 4 pcs), Black Cardamom (4nos), Green Cardamom (3nos), Bay Leaf (2nos)
Spices:
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder (1tbsp), Tomato Puree (4 tbsp), Saunf Powder (fennel Powder) (1.5tbsp), Ginger powder (1/2tsp), Garam Masla Powder (1/2tsp), Desi Ghee (clarified Butter) (2 tsp)
Rice:
Rice (1 cup), Water (1 cup), Milk (1 cup), Salt (3/4th tsp), Cumin Seeds (1tsp), Oil (2tbsp), Black Cardamom (2-3 pcs), Cloves (4-5 pcs), Cinnamon Sticks (2-3 pcs), Green Cardamom (2-3 pcs), Bay Leaf (1 nos.)
Garnish:
Green Coriander Chopped (1tbsp)
Chicken
Rub the chicken with salt and leaves aside for about 5 minutes.
Squeeze the water out of the chicken.
Beat the Yoghurt and rub into the chicken.
Take a pressure cooker of 4 litres capacity.
Add chicken, oil and rest of the whole spice (in the chicken section) and seal the lid.
Put the cooker on the burner and cook on medium heat till one whistle.
After one whistle turn off the heat.
Immediately cool down the pressure cooker under the running cold water(do not release the pressure by lifting the pressure weight you will lose the flavours and oil)
Open the lid and turn on the heat.
Cook the chicken on high heat till all the moisture has evaporated and chicken starts browning.
Add Red chilly powder and Tomato puree and cook for further one minute.
Add rest of the ingredients listed above under spices.
Rice
Soak rice for about 30 minutes in one cup of water,
Add the soaked rice along with the water to the separator dish of the pressure cooker ( if you do not have a separator dish of the pressure cooker take any stainless steel bowl of about one litre capacity about 5 “in diameter and 3 to 4 inches high).
Put all the ingredients mentioned under the rice category in the bowl and cover with a silver foil or a tight lid.
Place the container containing the rice inside the pressure cooker holding the Chicken.
Seal the lid of the cooker and put the cooker on the burner.
Once the cooker releases two whistles.
Lower down the heat and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the steam inside the pressure cooker subside.
Open the lid and with the help of a tong remove the container with the rice.
Your rice is ready to serve.
Garnish
Remove the chicken into your serving dish garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with the prepared pulao rice.
Cooking Tip of the Week.
Add a piece of raw papaya or raw pineapple while cooking your beans or meats they will cook faster.
And there is a tech tip as well - head here if you have any issues in receiving the emails. This should guide you to get it resolved. Otherwise you can always come here to this weekly blog.
Wow 👍
All of your dishes are quite mouthwatering. Very often I ell my wife to cook identical for me.