Rajasthan ... The first thing that comes to our mind is the Camel , the ship of the dessert and a camel ride. The next is the Jaipur city with lot of arts and crafts shops and the beautiful Jaipur palace. Coming to rajasthani cuisine, Only fewer ingredients are available in this arid region and the scarcity of water and fresh vegetables has effect on their cooking. The main ( i can say, it is a must) ingredients are besan, cumin, fennel and ajwain. Almost all recipes call for Besan (Bengal gram flour). So, with just few ingredients, here is a delicious meal.
This is the Rajasthani Thali i prepared yesterday. Above picture: Clockwise from center- Missi roti, Rajasthani Kadhi, Papad ki sabji, Gatte ka pulao, Rajasthani sabji and on the right is the Payesh.
RAJASTHANI KADHI
RAJASTHANI KADHI
Ingredients:
For Kadhi
- Curd - 1 cup
- Bengal Gram Flour - 1/2 tbsp
- Water - 1/2 cup
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - as required
- Onion -1
- Cinnamon - small stick
- Cloves - 2
- Red chillies - 2
- Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Corriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Ginger - 1 tsp grated
- Curry leaves - few
- Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
For Pakodis
- Besan - 1/2 cup
- Methi leaves - 1/4 cup chopped
- Cilantro leaves - few chopped
- Green Chilli - 1
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - as required
- Oil - for frying
How to make it:
For Kadhi:
Beat curd and besan with 1/2 cup water until no lumps. Add turmeric powder and salt. Heat oil in a deep pan, add red chillies, cumin seeds, corriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, Cinnamon and cloves. When they splutter, add grated ginger and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the chilli powder and curd mix and cook on low flame until it thickens. Add the curry leaves, just before switching off the flame.
For methi pakodis:
Mix all the ingredients together with little water and make a soft dough. Heat oil in a pan, drop pieces of dough and cook until it becomes light brown. Take on to a paper towel to drain excess oil. Add the pakodis to the prepared Kadhi. Serve Hot!
For Kadhi:
Beat curd and besan with 1/2 cup water until no lumps. Add turmeric powder and salt. Heat oil in a deep pan, add red chillies, cumin seeds, corriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, Cinnamon and cloves. When they splutter, add grated ginger and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the chilli powder and curd mix and cook on low flame until it thickens. Add the curry leaves, just before switching off the flame.
For methi pakodis:
Mix all the ingredients together with little water and make a soft dough. Heat oil in a pan, drop pieces of dough and cook until it becomes light brown. Take on to a paper towel to drain excess oil. Add the pakodis to the prepared Kadhi. Serve Hot!
GATTE KA PULAO
Ingredients:
For Gatte
Ingredients:
For Gatte
- Besan - 1/2 cup
- Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Ajwain-1/2 tsp
- Curd - 1 tbsp
- Salt - as required
- Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
- Oil - for frying
- Rice - 1 cup
- Onion - 1 chopped
- Cardamom - 2 crushed
- Cloves - 2 crushed
- Cashews - few
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
- Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
- Garlic,Green chilli,Ginger paste - 1 tsp
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Ghee - 1 tsp
- Cilanto leaves - for garnishing
How to make it:
For Gattas:
Boil water in a large pan. Mix all the ingredients together and by adding very little water, make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into equal portions. Shape into a thin cylinder. Rub some oil over the rolls. Drop into the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into small bits and deep fry in oil.
For Pulao:
Cook rice with right amount of water. Let it cool. Heat oil and ghee in a kadai, add cardamom, cloves, cashews and cumin. When it turns light brown, add the onion and the chilli-ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smells goes off. Add the asafoetida, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Saute for a while. Add the gattas and salt. Add cooked rice and garnish with cilanto leaves.
For Gattas:
Boil water in a large pan. Mix all the ingredients together and by adding very little water, make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into equal portions. Shape into a thin cylinder. Rub some oil over the rolls. Drop into the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into small bits and deep fry in oil.
For Pulao:
Cook rice with right amount of water. Let it cool. Heat oil and ghee in a kadai, add cardamom, cloves, cashews and cumin. When it turns light brown, add the onion and the chilli-ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smells goes off. Add the asafoetida, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Saute for a while. Add the gattas and salt. Add cooked rice and garnish with cilanto leaves.
Above pic: Gatte boiling in water and cooled.
RAJASTHANI SABJI
This sabji has a combination of vegetables which is available during that season.
Ingredients:
This sabji has a combination of vegetables which is available during that season.
Ingredients:
- Green Peppers - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Onion - 1 chopped
- Carrot - 1 chopped
- Cauliflower florets - 1 cup
- Peas - 1/4 cup
- Potato - 1 cubed
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
- Ginger - 1/2 tsp shredded
- Sabji masala - 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - as required
- Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
- Curd - 1/4 cup
How to make it:
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds ginger and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the asafoetida, sabji masala, garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add salt and cook covered on low flame until vegetables are half done. Sprinkle little water if required. Add curd and cook until vegetables are just done and the curd dries up. Serve with rotis.
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds ginger and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the asafoetida, sabji masala, garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add salt and cook covered on low flame until vegetables are half done. Sprinkle little water if required. Add curd and cook until vegetables are just done and the curd dries up. Serve with rotis.
RAJASTHANI PAPAD KI SABJI
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Papads - 2
- Small onion - 2 chopped
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
- Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- Curd - 1 tbsp
- Ghee - 1 tsp
- Water - 1/2 cup
- Salt - as required
- Corriander leaves - for garnishing
- Curry leaves - for garnishing
How to make it:
Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters add cumin and asafoetida powder. Add onions and fry until light brown. Stir in the curd. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add 1/2 cup water and bring it to a boil. Break the fried (deep fried in oil) or toasted papads (toasted on a griddle by pressing it with a cloth or toasted directly on the flame using tongs) into small pieces. Add to the water and boil for 5 more minutes. Add corriander leaves and curry leaves and serve hot as a side dish for rotis.
MISSI ROTI
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour - 1 cup
- Besan - 1 cup
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Corriander powder - 1 tsp
- Ajwain - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - as required
- Ghee - for brushing
How to make it:
Combine all the ingredients except ghee in a bowl. Make into a stiff dough by adding little water. Divide the dough into equal portions and make evenly sized balls. Roll each ball into a round shape with a rolling pin. Heat a griddle, add the rolled dough and cook on both sides. Brush little ghee on the rotis. Serve hot.
Combine all the ingredients except ghee in a bowl. Make into a stiff dough by adding little water. Divide the dough into equal portions and make evenly sized balls. Roll each ball into a round shape with a rolling pin. Heat a griddle, add the rolled dough and cook on both sides. Brush little ghee on the rotis. Serve hot.
Here is a complete meal served hot!
Dear Archana passed me this lovely " Circle of Friends" award. I feel immensely delighted seeing the 100 acre woods gang. They are so sweet!
I would like to pass this award to Cham, Shama, Malar, Vidhas, Vibaas, Sriharivatsan, Hema, Jaishree, Happy cook, Asha, Sripriya, Varsha, Usha, Yasmeen and Veena.
