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Festive Savouries
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Niru Gupta
"Well-known for her easy-to-make and delicious recipes, she also hosted the popular TV show - Khana Khazana. When not writing books and columns Niru acts as an in house chef for Ndtvcooks and demonstrates recipes for the Channel from time to time".Visit "http://www.niruskitchen.com" for more information Have a question? Click here...
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While celebrating festival this year try some spicier, sweet and ready to eat mouth-watering cuisine.
Zarda/Meethe Chawal
Ingredients
1 cup (210 g) sela chawal (parboiled rice), picked, washed and soaked for about an hour
1 1/4 cup (300 g) sugar
4 cups water
1 tsp yellow colouring, optional
2-3 laung (cloves)
4-chhoti elaichi (green cardamoms)
10-12 raisins
5 almonds shredded
1/4-cup (60 g) ghee
Dough to seal and a little fat to grease the lid
Method:
- Bring the water to a boil and add the drained out rice, yellow colouring, laung and elaichi. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer till the rice is almost cooked (about 12 minutes).
- Drain the rice and rinse twice-in cold water and leave in a colander to drain.
- In a heavy based pan, heat the ghee and fry the raisins and the almonds and sauté till they change colour a little. Remove the nuts and keep aside and add the rice in the same ghee and mix well.
- Grease the edge of the lid and line a rolled string of dough along it. Grease the dough a little too, so that the dough does not stick to the vessel.
- Lower the heat, remove half the rice and sprinkle half the sugar, and then layer the rest of the rice and the rest of the sugar over it. Put the lid on to seal and place the pan over a griddle (tawa) over low heat for about 1/2 an hour.
- Break the seal and serve garnished with the raisins and the nuts.
Raan Massallam
Ingredients
1 leg of mutton (about 1 kg)*
2 cups dahi (yoghurt)
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup chopped katcha papita (raw papaya)
1 tsp chilli powder
2 medium (250 g) onions, sliced fine
Ghee to fry the onions
4-chhoti elaichi (green cardamoms)
10 laung (cloves)
2 badi elaichi (black cardamoms), seeds only
1/2 tsp broken pieces of dal chini (cinnamon)
1/4 tsp grated jaiphal (nutmeg)
2 blades javitri (mace)
1 tsp kala jeera (black cumin seeds)
2 tsp khus khus (poppy seeds)
1 tsp kewra water (vetivier) -- optional
Kneaded dough to seal the saucepan
2 tbsp malai (clotted cream) for garnish
2 tbsp blanched chopped almonds
Method:
- Make deep cuts into the meat on both sides, like a cross design - for marinade to seep through.
- Mix the dahi, ginger, garlic, papita, salt and pepper well together. Smear this mixture all over the leg of mutton and leave to marinate overnight or 6 hours at least.
- Heat enough ghee in a broad pan or kadahi as will take in the onions comfortably (the onions should be covered with the melted ghee). Add the chhoti elaichi and when it changes colour add the onions in it and fry till brown and crisp. Lift off half of the onions and grind them to a paste along with the laung, badi elaichi, dal chini, jaiphal, javitri, kala jeera, and khus khus.
- In the remainder of the onions, add the meat and turn around to seal the juices, over high heat. Cover, lower the heat and cook till the meat is tender, turning every half an hour.
- In case the meat gets tender before the liquid dries up, increase the heat, adjusting it such, that it should cook through and the fat should separate about the same time.
- When tender, add the ground onion paste and the kewra, seal the lid with kneaded dough (which is oiled before applying to the lid) and leave over very low heat over a griddle (tawa) for about 1/2 an hour. Alternatively, cook in a moderate oven for 1/2 an hour.
- Serve garnished with the cream and the almonds.
*Ask the butcher to remove all the fat, and bend it at the knee.
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