Aaloo Gobi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)

Aloo Gobi is a vegetarian Punjabi dish with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (Gobi) cooked in spiced until tender. Aloo Gobi can be served with various breads, such as rotis, parathas, and puris.

Ingredients

Cauliflower    1/2 kg (cut into small florets)

2 medium potatoes (cubed into bite sized pieces)

Onion    2 (sliced)

Tomato   2 (sliced)

Ginger    1 inch shredded

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoons coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red pepper powder

Pinch of Asafetida (Hing)

Salt (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

4 tablespoons cooking oil

3 tablespoons water

Green Chilli    5-6, sliced in long pieces

2 bay leaves

Fresh Green Coriander   1/2 bunch

1/4 cup water as needed

Cooking Directions

Heat oil in a pan sauté onion and cumin seed.Add ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Mix well. Now Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red pepper powder, Pinch of Asafetida, salt, 2 bay leaves and add 3 tablespoons water. Cut cauliflower in small florets and add.

Cut potatoes in small pieces and put in pan. . Mix well. Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Make sure to stir gently every 3 to 4 minutes.

When vegetable tender add coriander leaves and chopped green chillies and serve with roti and naan.

Aloo Paratha

Parathas are whole-wheat Pakistani and Indian flatbread. Parathas can be made plain or stuffed with many different fillings. This recipe uses the most popular filling – Potatoes. Aloo Parathas are perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup white flour (maida)

2 cup water (Use more as needed)

Salt: to taste

Potato Filling

3 medium potatoes

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 chopped green chili

2 tablespoons chopped green coriander

2 tablespoons chopped mint

1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)

1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (optional)

Also needed

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling

Oil to cook

Method:

Dough

Mix flour, salt and water together to make soft dough (if the dough is hard adding a little more water).Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make smooth and pliable dough. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling

Boil 3 medium potatoes with 2 cups of water. After the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium. Let the potatoes cook until they are tender.

Once tender, remove them from the water and let them cool down. Note: Do not cool the potatoes under running water because the potatoes will become too soft.

After the potatoes are cold enough to handle, peel the skin off and mash the potatoes. Mix green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds and salt to the mashed potatoes.

Making paratha

Divide the dough and potato mixture into 6 equal parts. The potato balls should be about 1 1/2 times larger than the dough balls.

Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Place the potato balls in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.

Let them settle for 3 to 4 minutes before rolling them.

Heat the skillet on medium high. To check if the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready. To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.

Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling. Roll the ball light handed in to 6-inch circles. Whenever the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both sides of the semi-rolled paratha.

Place the paratha over the skillet. After a few seconds you will see the paratha change color and puff in different places.

Then flip the paratha over. You should see some golden-brown spots on the topside. After a few seconds, spread 1 teaspoon of oil on the paratha. Again, flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula. Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides. Cool the parathas on a wire rack so they don’t get soggy.

Parathas can be served with Tomato Chutney, Plain Yogurt or Green Chilli pickle.

Sindhi Biryani

Sindhi Biryani

The traditional Sindhi biryani is full of aroma of green mint, chillies and coriander with all spice. Sindhi Biryani is a special meat and rice biryani dish originating from the Sindh province of Pakistan. Owing to its popularity, it forms one of the most consumed dishes of Pakistani cuisine.

Ingredients:

1 -1 1/2 kg mutton

4 cups basmati rice (soaked in water for at least 1/2 an hour)

1/2 kg potato (cut into large chunks)

2 cups oil

3 medium onions (sliced)

2 teaspoons garlic paste

2 teaspoons ginger paste

1/2 kg tomato (chopped)

10 -15 prunes

2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons red chili powder

10 cloves

8 green cardamoms

10 pieces black pepper

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 cinnamon sticks

4 black cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

250 g yogurt

3 teaspoons salt

6 green chilies

2 tablespoons mint leaves

2 tablespoons coriander leaves

1 tablespoon mint leaf (chopped)

3 bay leaves

5 lemons

3 cinnamon sticks

2 black cardamom pods

2 pinches orange food coloring

½ cup milk

Directions:

Slice the onion and fry it in oil until it is light brown. Take out 1/4 of it and keep aside.

Add Garlic, Ginger, tomatoes, prunes, salt, red chili powder, cloves, cardamoms, Black Pepper, Cumin Seeds, cinnamon, black cardamom pods and bay leaves to the remaining fried onions. Fry this until the tomatoes are tender and the water is dry.

Then add meat, yogurt and water (if desired) and cook on medium heat until the meat is tender and the water has evaporated. On other side boil the potatoes until they're half cooked.

Now, add green chillies, mint, coriander leaves, and the half boiled potatoes to the meat. Simmer for 2, 3 minutes. Your meat curry is done.

Boil the rice with salt, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and black cardamom and drain the water off when the rice is half done. Layer the curry with the rice in a pot in one on one layer. Add food color dissolved in milk, pour on top, fried onions, lemon and chopped mint leaves on top of the last layer.

Close the lid tightly making sure no steam passes out of the pot and cook on low heat until the rice is done. Gently mix it before serving. Serve with Raita.

Sindhi Pulao

Sindhi Pulao

Ingredients

Rice   1 lb

Mutton         1 lb

Onions         1/2 lb

Ghee  10 tbsp

Ground coriander   1 tbsp

Pepper corns         1 tbsp

Black cardamoms (whole) 2

Red chili powder  1 tbsp

Bay leaves   4-5

Cardamoms  8

Cumin seeds 2 tbsp

Almonds       2 oz (soaked and blanched)

Curd   1/4 cup

Salt    to taste

Directions

Wash and soak rice in water for 2 hour. Heat 5 tbsp ghee in a saucepan. Add finely chopped onions to hot ghee and fry until brown. Sprinkle a few drops of water and stir until onions are soft. Take out half the onions and keep on one side.

Put the mutton in the saucepan and stir until the meat is golden brown. Grind together coriander, 2 black cardamom, cumin seeds and cardamoms.

Add the curd, stir for 5 minutes, add the ground spices with salt and chili powder and cover the saucepan for a few minutes.As soon as the water dries, add more if necessary, and let it simmer until the meat is soft and the gravy is thick.

Put 3 tbsp ghee in another saucepan, add bay leaves and peppercorns, rice (the water from the rice should be preserved), 1/4 tsp cumin seeds,1 whole black cardamom and 1 level tsp salt. Stir for 2-5 minutes, and then add the remaining brown onions. Remove saucepan from the fire and put three quarters of the rice on a platter.

In the saucepan, put first a layer of rice, then cooked mutton, sprinkle with chopped onions and pistachios and repeat this process until the rice and meat are finished. Pour in the water in which the rice was cooked evenly so as not to break the layers, to 5/4 inch above the rice level. Cook and remove when the rice is almost done .

Sprinkle with more almonds and pistachios, cover with a tight lid and keep in a warm oven till serving time. Serve with riata.

Baba Ganoush

Here is a wonderful recipe for baba ganoush (also spelled baba ghanoush) a Middle Eastern eggplant dip. It is typically served with pita bread.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to garnish

2-3 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Parsley and cayenne pepper, to garnish

Directions:

Halve the eggplants and rub them with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Broil the eggplants in the oven until soft and mushy. Be sure to turn them as needed so that they cook all over and don't burn.

Remove the eggplants from the broiler and put them directly onto the exposed flame on a stovetop. Keep your eye on the eggplant. A couple of minutes will do for a nice smoky char.

 Allow the baba ghanouj to cool to room temperature. Once cool enough to handle, cut open the eggplant and scoop out the flesh, while trying to get rid of as many seeds as you can. Don't worry if you end up with some seeds in the flesh.

Add the eggplant to a food processor or blender, and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until almost smooth with a little bit of chunkiness.

Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, olive oil and cayenne pepper.

Serve with pita bread, crackers, toast, sliced baguette, celery, or cucumber slices.