Tag: Indian Food Recipes

OneWholesomeMeal’s vast collection of authentic Indian Food Recipes are easy to make. It is great for beginners. In addition, in complicated recipes, there is a stepwise description with images. This makes the recipe easy to follow.

Also, we share alternates to make it healthier, or vegan – covering all dietary requirements. Try these Indian dishes from today.

White Matar Sabzi
White Matar Sabzi
Categories
Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Chhena Poda | Cottage Cheesecake

Chhena Poda
Chhena Poda | Cottage Cheesecake

Indian desserts are known to be high in sugar. More often than not the unseasoned (read non-desi) palate this extreme sweetness is “not-so-suitable”. But the perception is about to change and how. Because my friends, I present to you Chhena Poda.

This melt in your mouth, extremely light on your palate (and your tummy), hitherto unexplored baked sweet wonder from Odisha will not only meet all requirements of the calorie counting global desi (and videshi alike) but, it also is the perfect adornment on your dessert platter this festive season for its gorgeous rustic looks. It is extremely easy to whip up with readily available ingredients. And the best part you ask? I am sharing the recipe just in time for your Diwali dinner.

Are you still wondering how to end your party on a high? Think no more and proceed to prepare chhena poda – a one hour wonder. Garnish it with almonds and pistachios and serve it warm with a side of vanilla ice cream or chilled on its own. I promise you, your guests will carry fond memories of your gala until the next one.

On this note, here is wishing a very happy Diwali to you and your loved ones. Spread brightness, love, and sunshine and most importantly stay safe!

Much Love

A

 

Chhena Poda

 

Chhena Poda

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Chhena Poda (Cottage Cheese Cake)

Ingredients

  • Milk- 2 litres
  • Lemon juice or vinegar- 2 teaspoons
  • Semolina (sooji)- 3 tablespoons
  • Sugar- ¾ cup (you can use refined or raw/brown sugar) + 2 tablespoons
  • Baking Powder- ¼ teaspoon
  • Ghee- 1 tablespoon +1 tablespoon
  • Cardamom powder- ¼ teaspoon
  • Pistachio (slivered)-2 tablespoons
  • Cashew nuts (chopped coarsely)-2 tablespoons
  • You can also add other dried fruits like almonds and raisins as per taste preference

Instructions

  1. Prepare a baking pan and line it with parchment paper and set aside. For best results use a square or rectangular pan
  2. Bring the milk to boil in a deep heavy bottomed pan. Turn off the heat and set aside for two minutes
  3. Then gradually add lemon juice/vinegar stirring between each addition till the milk slowly starts to curdle. Do not add all the lemon juice/vinegar at the same time as this would result in improper curdling and effect the taste of the final product
  4. You will see the cottage cheese(paneer/chhena) separate leaving aside whey (watery residue). Now strain the paneer through a strainer covered with muslin cloth such that all the cheese collects on the muslin. If you have used lime to curdle milk, pour 2 cups water over the strained cheese to wash away any trace of lime. Do not discard the whey as you might need some during the kneading process next.Press the chhena with a spatula to drain away any moisture and transfer to a deep wide bowl
  5. Add semolina (suji), half of the sugar to the chhena and 1-2 tablespoons of the whey and mix well with a spatula till a smooth pasty consistency is reached. Add the remaining sugar and mix well till all the ingredients are well incorporated. At this point the mixture would have achieved a thick pasty look
  6. To the above mixture add 2 tablespoons of whey, baking powder, dried fruits, cardamom powder and mix well
  7. To the baking pan 1 tablespoon ghee and spread evenly with a spoon. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over the ghee
  8. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and bake it approximately for an hour at 165 degree centigrade or until the edges start to leave the sides of the pan and the crust has browned well but not too dark
  9. Once done, bring it to room temperature, gently invert the tin to release the cake and cut into desired size
  10. Garnish with slivered pistachios and rose petals and serve with some vanilla ice cream or serve chilled as is.
https://onewholesomemeal.com/chhena-poda-cottage-cheesecake/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Mutton Curry Prepared In One Pot

Mutton Curry
One Pot Mutton Curry

Ask an Indian (who is a hardcore carnivore) what his or her favorite kind of meat is and more often than not the answer would be mutton.

While I am not a big fan of this meat myself, I totally understand why one would say so. It is quite versatile. One can make mutton curry, mutton cutlets, keema parathas, and what not with mutton. It is also very flavorful. However, a lot of the flavor is dependant on finding the right kind of meat and preparing it the right way.

When in Hong Kong we always struggle to find the right kind of mutton. Hence the India trips have to be made the most of.

The one-pot (pressure cooker) mutton curry, which my mother makes always, hits the spot. It is an extremely simple and foolproof recipe provided the ingredients, including the masala, are of good quality. In my experience, somehow the packaged masalas just do not do the trick.

I am sharing here the recipe for both – the meat masala and the garam masala prepared from scratch along with the mutton curry recipe. This is how my mum makes her garam masala. You might find it slightly different from the more commonly available recipes but it tastes just as good. Do give it a shot and I am sure you would love it. For vegetarians, you could use this meat masala in your regular curries like cauliflower, etc for that heady flavor and aroma.

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One Pot Mutton Curry

Ingredients

  • For Garam Masala:
  • Cinnamon- 4 two inch sticks of medium thickness
  • Bay leaves- 4
  • Black cardamom (badi elaichi)- 2
  • Green cardamom (choti elaichi)-4
  • Cloves- ½ teaspoon
  • Mace- 3 strands
  • Black cumin seeds (shah jeera)- ½ teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds (jeera)- ½ teaspoon
  • Black pepper (gol mirch)- ½ teaspoon
  • For Meat Masala:
  • Cumin (jeera) powder- 5 teaspoons
  • Black pepper powder- 5 teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder- 5 teaspoons
  • Red Chili powder- 2 teaspoons (you can reduce this amount as per taste)
  • Garam Masala (prepared as above)- 3 teaspoons
  • Coriander Powder- 12 teaspoons
  • For Mutton Curry:
  • Mutton or lamb (cleaned and cut into desired size pieces, preferably 2 inches long)- 1 kg
  • Onions, medium sized, sliced fine (preferably red onions of Indian variety)- 6-8
  • Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaf- 2 small
  • Cinnamon sticks- ½ inch
  • Black and green whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Star anise- 1 whole flower
  • Mace- One small portion
  • Black pepper- ½ teaspoon
  • Cloves- 4 pieces
  • Ginger paste- 2 teaspoons
  • Garlic paste-1 teaspoon
  • Green chili -3 or to taste
  • Red chili powder-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Garam Masala-2 teaspoons
  • Meat Masala- ½ teaspoon
  • Salt-2 teaspoons or to taste
  • Chopped coriander for garish- 2 tablespoons
  • Mustard oil or ghee- 2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. For Garam Masala:
  2. Dry roast the ingredients one at a time in a dry iron skillet, stirring continuously till they release a distinct aroma and set aside to cool
  3. Once the spices have thoroughly cooled, powder finely in a blender. In case there are any coarse pieces, pass the blended mixture through a sieve and blend again to achieve a perfectly smooth consistency
  4. Store in an air tight container in a cool and dry place
  5. For Meat Masala:
  6. Mix all the above ingredients well in a wide plate and store in an air-tight container in a cool and dry place
  7. When using this meat masala, you need not add turmeric, coriander and red chili powder separately in the curry
  8. For Mutton Curry:
  9. Heat oil or ghee in a thick-bottomed wok or pressure cooker
  10. Add the whole garam masala (cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, black and green whole cardamoms, star anise, mace, black pepper, clove) and roast until they start to release fragrance, then add the sliced onions. On a medium-high flame stir the onions for a minute or two (they do not need to turn brown), then add the mutton and keeping the flame on medium mix well for another minute
  11. Mix the ginger, garlic, green chili, garam masala, and red chili powder to a blender and blend to make a smooth paste. Add this smooth paste to the mutton and mix well
  12. Cover and cook until the meat is 80 percent done. If using a wok remove the cover and stir intermittently once or twice; uncovering it too often would delay the cooking time. If using a pressure cooker, cook with the lid on a high flame for 7-10 minutes, then release the pressure and take off the lid
  13. Give it a nice stir and add salt and cook on a medium-high flame till a desired consistency of gravy is achieved. You can adjust the amount of onions to achieve the desired consistency of gravy, more onions for a richer, thicker gravy
  14. Serve with steamed rice and side on salt-pepper-lime onions and cucumber

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 294 Nutrition- Protein/Monounsaturated fat/Iron/Zinc/Potassium/Vitamin B12 It does wonders for your- Muscles/Anemia/Stamina This is “My 1pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/one-pot-mutton-curry/

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Thekua | Whole Wheat Jaggery Sweets

Thekua
Thekua

I am home and so excited to share with you the recipe of Thekua, a popular Bihari sweet!

After a (thankfully) uneventful journey I am here in my quaint, sleepy little city of Bokaro and enjoying (read gorging) every (awake) moment. But in spite of all the fun and euphoria, I have not forgotten my promise which I made to bring to you some yumminess from this part of the world.  And if you have been following my stories on my Instagram feed, you might have taken a glimpse already.

So, let’s start on a sweet note. I bring to you the quintessential Bihari sweet – Thekua. Not only is this sweet a part of every major Hindu festival – Holi, Diwali or Chatth – but is also a part of every Bihari’s bag when they leave home for studies or work. It is a very strong emotional and tasty bond that we Biharis have 😉

Made with wholewheat flour, sweetened with jaggery and flavored with fennel seeds and dried coconut, these score over almost every packaged cookie in the market. Thekua can be prepared by either deep frying it in ghee or baking it. It is also the perfect accompaniment to your masala chai moments if you are looking for less sweet alternatives. Scroll down for the detailed recipe.

 

Thekua

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Thekua (Whole wheat-jaggery sweets)

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat flour- 250gm
  • Jaggery- 100 gm
  • Water- 4 tablespoons (for melting jaggery)
  • Shredded coconut- ½ cup
  • Cardamom powder- 1 teaspoon
  • Fennel seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Baking powder-½ teaspoon
  • Ghee (clarified butter) for frying- 2 cups + 2 (warm and melted) tablespoons for kneading the flour

Instructions

  1. Place the flour in a wide and deep dish suitable for kneading. Make a well in the center of the flour and add 2 tablespoons ghee. Mix the ghee with flour using both hands, rubbing the mixture between both palms for 10 minutes until both ingredients are well combined. At this point the flour will achieve a smooth talc like consistency
  2. In the meantime melt jaggery on a low flame with water, stirring consistently until a homogenous consistency is achieved. Turn off the heat and set aside till the jaggery-water mixture reaches room temperature
  3. Mix cardamom powder, fennel seeds and desiccated coconut with the flour
  4. Now, gradually add the jaggery syrup with one hand to the above mixture while continuously mixing it well with the other. Be carful to not add the entire syrup mixture in one go to avoid making the dough too wet and sticky. Once ready the dough should be relatively stiff
  5. Form the dough into small tennis sized balls and then pressing each ball gently between the palms make small diskettes. At this point you can make small patterns onto the diskettes using a toothpick or fork
  6. Heat ghee in a deep wok. Drop a tiny piece of dough into the hot ghee to check if it is hot enough for frying- the dough should rise up to the surface if the ghee is hot
  7. Fry the diskettes until dark golden brown on both sides and place on a kitchen towel to absorb excess ghee. The thekuas taste delicious even when hot or once cooled to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they keep well for a month or two.
https://onewholesomemeal.com/thekua-whole-wheat-jaggery-sweets/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Pepper Prawns Fry Kerala Style

Prawns Fry
Pepper Prawns Fry Kerala Style

Remember the Kerala style pepper prawns fry that went with the udon noodles a few posts back?

They were the yummiest Kerala style prawns adding the right amount of tang and crunch to the soft, gooey udon. Crazy as it sounds, the marriage between the Malyali prawns’ fry and Japanese udon noodles was a happily ever after with a touch of spice all along. How amazing is that!

The prawns were so great that I thought they were worth a deep dive. I mean just in case you would like to serve up just the prawns fry with no noodles. The best thing is there are so many ways to enjoy this dish. If you prefer the more traditional dish, you can serve them on a bed of bland rice. For something a little more western, these prawns also make for a great topping on canapes. You can put them on an almond cracker. Add a dash of lime and sprinkle of sesame and there you have the perfect finger food with your favorite cocktail. Speaking of cocktails, happy Friday folks!

Scroll down for the recipe. You may also want to check my recipe for prawns in coconut cream sauce.

Prawns Fry

 

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Prawn Pepper Fry

Ingredients

  • Prawns (cleaned and deveined)- 250 gm
  • Small onion (finely sliced)-1
  • Green chili (chopped fine)- 1 (go higher on chilies if you like it hotter)
  • Red chili powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Black pepper powder-1 teaspoon (freshly ground works best, but you could use packaged too)
  • Curry leaves- 3 sprigs
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoons
  • Freshly grated ginger and garlic-1 tablespoon
  • Salt-1 tablespoon to taste
  • Oil-2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Marinate the prawns overnight in a refrigerator or at least a couple of hours with green chilies, red chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, salt and freshly grated ginger and garlic. Take it out of the refrigerator a 15 minutes before cooking
  2. Heat oil in a wok and add sliced onions and curry leaves. Cook on medium heat till the onions are brown and aroma from the curry leaves fills your kitchen
  3. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes
  4. Add the marinated prawn-spice mixture and mix well. Cook on medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes till the spices are well incorporated and the prawns get a reddish brown hue
  5. Serve hot as finger food on thin crackers or mix with noodles as a complete meal

Notes

Calories (for 100gms)- 100
Nutrition- Protein/Vitamin B Complex/Iron/Potassium/Iodine/Phosphorous
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Blood/Bones/Teeth/Nerves
This is “My 1pm/8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/pepper-prawns-fry-kerala-style/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Chicken Dum Biryani With Beetroot Raita

Chicken Dum Biryani
Chicken Dum Biryani With Beetroot Raita

If I were to go on a diet and be allowed just one cheat meal in a month, that meal would be Chicken Dum Biryani.

When I graduated from just a “noodles-sandwich” cook to a proper cook, one of the first dishes I wanted to make was biryani. I tried quite a few (and I mean QUITE a few) but nothing would match the authentic Hyderabadi Biryani. My search finally ended with Chef Sanjay Thumma’s restaurant-style biryani recipe. It is one of the simplest and yet the best I have tried so far. I must have made it at least 20 times if not more in the last few years. Each time it is appreciated and licked clean off the plate by one and all.

With multiple attempts, I have tweaked the recipe a bit but even if you follow Chef Sanjay’s original one to the T, the results would be as good. Let the list of ingredients not intimidate you. It really is extremely simple! Give it a shot and you would be hooked, just like me! You may serve it with a tomato and onion raita. However, what you see in the picture is the chicken dum biryani with beetroot raita.

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Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients

  • Chicken (a mix of drumsticks and thighs)- 500gm (remove the skin off the drumsticks and dice the thighs in approximately 2 inch sized cubes)
  • Long grained basmati rice- 1.5 cups
  • Hyderabadi Biryani Masala (I use Shaan brand. Chef Sanjay makes fresh masala but I struggle to find lichens here so just use the packaged masala)-3 tablespoons+1 tablespoon
  • Cumin powder-1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
  • Red Chili powder-1/2 -1 teaspoon or as per taste
  • Turmeric powder-1 teaspoon
  • Fresh mint Leaves (finely chopped)- 3 tablespoons
  • Fresh coriander Leaves (finely chopped)- 3 tablespoons
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice- 2 tablespoons
  • Yogurt-3 tablespoons
  • Green chili (finely chopped)-2 or to taste
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tablespoons
  • Onion (1 medium)- Sliced fine
  • Tomato (1 small)- Chopped
  • Rose water-1 teaspoon (for fragrance only and doesn’t impact the taste so you can avoid if it doesn’t go well with you)
  • Kewra water-1 teaspoon (for fragrance only and doesn’t impact the taste so you can avoid if it doesn’t go well with you)
  • Whole garam masala (1 mace, 1 star anise, 2 centimeters long cinnamon bark, 1 big cardamom, 4 small cardamoms) wrapped and tied in a small muslin cloth
  • Bay leaf-2
  • Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
  • Saffron- 4-6 strands
  • Salt-1.5 tablespoon+1teaspoon+1 tablespoon
  • Vegetable oil- 2 tablespoons+1/2 tablespoon+1 tablespoon
  • Ghee- 1 tablespoon
  • Whole wheat aata for making dough to seal the wok (the method is called dum)

Instructions

  1. Marinating-The most important step is the marinating the meat overnight. If you perfect this step, 70% of the job is done. Take a large glass bowl and mix ingredients number 1-13 (except the basmati rice) well. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1.5 tablespoons salt. Mix again, cover and place it in the refrigerator overnight to marinate. Minimum 4 hours of marinating is recommended.
  2. Preparing the biryani- Keep the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. Soak the rice in water for an hour
  3. In a thick-bottomed wok (kadahi) add ½ tablespoon oil. Add sliced onion once the oil is hot and fry till golden brown. Keep aside half the amount for garnish later and to the remaining half add chopped tomatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes. Once the tomatoes are soft, add 1-tablespoon biryani masala and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the masala is cooked through and starts to leave oil. Add 1-teaspoon salt, mix well for 2 minutes and keep aside
  4. Bring 3 cups water to boil in a deep wok and add the soaked rice, 1/2-tablespoon oil and 1-tablespoon salt, bay leaves and cumin seeds. As the rice is previously soaked, it would not take long to cook. Please note that we are not going to completely cook the rice at this stage as it would further cook with the chicken during the dum process
  5. While the rice is cooking, place the marinated chicken in the same heavy bottomed wok which you used to fry onions making sure all the chicken pieces are uniformly touching the base of the wok and not overlapping each other. To ensure this please use a wide bottomed wok. We do not turn on the heat yet
  6. Once the rice is 70% cooked turn off the heat and with the help of a strainer, take the rice out and place it gradually over the chicken layer. Make sure you do not add any water from the rice to the chicken wok during the straining process. Please note that we are not draining the water out of the rice all at one go, rather taking rice out with a strainer gradually and adding to the chicken
  7. Once you have transferred the entire rice, make a small well on one side of the rice-chicken layer and place the muslin tied whole garam masalas. This would add more fragrance to your biryani
  8. Spread the previously cooked tomato-onion mixture, saffron, rose and kewra water and ghee on top of the rice evenly and seal. How you seal would vary based on the kind of wok you use. I used a Le-creuset, which has a heavy lid, so I just covered as usual and then sealed the edges using kneaded dough. If you are using a wok with a light steel lid then place the lid upside down and then seal with the dough to avoid any steam leakage. Please note that the dum process involves cooking the meat (and rice) in its own steam thus retaining maximum flavor of rice, meat and spices. Hence proper leak-free sealing is important (see here for tips to proper sealing- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUC_Ksz1oPg)
  9. Place a flat iron pan on high heat and place the above sealed wok on it. Let it cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to low, remove the pan and place the wok on direct heat. Let this sit for another 15 minutes before turning off the heat. Wait for 20 minutes before taking off the dough seal using a kitchen knife. Open the lid gradually as it would still be very hot with steam inside
  10. Serve hot garnished with friend onion, mint and coriander and onion-tomato raita. I served with some beetroot raita and raw onion rings drizzled with lime and salt

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 380 (please note that I have used more chicken and less rice hence controlling the total carb intake making it lower than a traditional biryani. You could also swap chicken thighs with breast portion to further reduce the calories)
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/Good fat
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Mood/Gut
This is “My 1 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/chicken-dum-biryani/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tangy Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut, Chana Daal

Tangy Cauliflower
Tangy Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut and Chana Daal

Are you tired of the same old cauliflower curry recipes and looking for a change? Then this tangy cauliflower with peanut-roasted chana (split bengal gram) daal is just the thing for you. Cauliflower is S senior’s (that would be my husband ;)) favorite vegetable and he wants to eat it all year-round. It is somewhat difficult for me to eat the same onion-tomato cauliflower curry each time. So this time I tried something new with the readily available ingredients in my kitchen and the result was this tangy cauliflower.

This dryish preparation goes well with hot chapatis but if you want to eat with rice then you could make the gravy slightly more watery. I also topped it with sprouted lentils for an added crunch and health. Try it out and do not forget to share your feedback.

If like S senior, cauliflower is your favorite vegetable too, do try out the Achaari Paalak Gobhi and the Tandoori Cauliflower & Nuts Pulaao.

Print
Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut-Chana Daal Masala

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower- 250gm
  • Potato, medium sized (optional)- 1 (cubed)
  • Roasted peanuts- ¼ cup
  • Roasted split Bengal gram- ¼ cup
  • Amchoor (dry mango powder)- 1 tablespoon
  • Sambhar masala – 1 tablespoon
  • Dried red chili- 2
  • Tomato, medium sized- 1
  • Onion, medium sized- 1
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoons
  • Cumin seeds- ½ teaspoon
  • Sprouted lentils-1/2 cup
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons or to taste
  • Turmeric- 1 teaspoon
  • Vegetable oil- 1.5 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Blanch the cauliflowers in salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until just soft, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. We do not want to make the cauliflowers too soft as they tend to break when mixing with the spices
  2. Blend the roasted peanut and split Bengal gram to a powder and set aside
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottomed pan or wok and when the oil is hot add cumin seeds and dried red chilis
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add onion and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until onions turn a golden brown and then add tomato and sauté for further 2-3 minutes
  5. Once the mixture starts to leave oil, it is done. Transfer into a bowl and set aside to cool
  6. In the meantime sauté the potatoes in the same pan until they are 70% cooked and set aside
  7. Blend the onion-tomato mixture to a smooth puree. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and add the puree when the oil is hot. Mix well and add the peanut-gram powder, followed by amchoor, sambhar masala and turmeric. Continue to stir the mixture on a low heat until all ingredients are well incorporated
  8. Add cauliflower and potato and keeping the heat low, mix well with the spice mixture. Cover and cook until soft. Add salt and half cup water if you prefer a curry
  9. Top with sprouted lentils and chopped coriander and serve with hot chapatis

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 95
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/Vitamins C, K, B6/Folate/Potassium/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/Immunity/Heart/Eyes
This is “My 8pm/1pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/tangy-cauliflower-roasted-peanut-chana-daal/

[kkstarratings]