While the Harvest festival marks the beginning of the Harvest season and is celebrated all over the world, India celebrates it by the names of Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri depending on the region. While Sankrati and Pongal are mostly used in south India, Lohri is the term used in Punjab. It is a much loved festival to mark the end of winter. So, get ready to wave winter a bye and welcome summer! Here are some lip smacking recipes by Chef Aman Tandon of Pride Hotels, Pune, to mark the occasion.
Punjabi Pindi Chana Zyka
Ingredients:
1 cup chickpeas (kabuli chana)
1 tea bag or 1 tbsp black tea leaves tied in a cheesecloth
21/2-inch ginger, 3/4th of it shredded finely for garnish
2-3 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
2 tsp garlic, finely crushed
2 green chilies, sliced
3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 – 1tsp red chili powder or as per taste
Salt To Taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
finely chopped coriander leaves
Method:
1. Soak Chole in water overnight or for about 6 hrs.
2. Cook the chole with salt and enough water in the cooker for about 20 minutes or till fully done.
3. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
4. Finely chop the remaining ginger. Heat oil and sauté onions till golden, then add garlic and chopped ginger and green chilies. Sauté for 5 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder and sauté over low heat until the oil separates.
6. Add chole, the reserved cooking liquid, salt and half of the coriander leaves. Simmer uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed.
7. Add a pinch of garam masala and serve pindi chana sprinkled with the remaining garam masala, coriander leaves and shredded ginger
Bhutteyan De Kebab
Ingredients:
2 cups Corn kernel
1/2 cup potato boiled
2 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated
2 chopped green chilli
2 tsp chopped ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1 pinch mace powder (javitri)
Few leaves fresh mint
salt to taste
3-4 tsp refined oil
Method:
1. Grate the corn.
2. Add all the ingredients to it and mix well.
3. Divide the mixture into equal portions and make barrel shaped kebabs.
4. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and shallow fry the kebabs over medium heat until crisp golden color.
5. Serve with mint chutney.
Patiala shahi kukkad
Ingredients:
4 tsp chana masala
4 cup plain wheyed out yoghurt
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. minced ginger root
1/4 tsp. chili powder
700 g chicken whole
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients except chicken. Reserve 1/4 sauce mixture. Pour remaining over chicken in shallow dish; turn to evenly coat both sides of each chicken. Refrigerate 2 hours to marinate.
2. Heat barbecue to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Grill chicken 24 min. or until done (170°F), turning and brushing occasionally with reserved sauce mixture.
Undhiu a’ la kiev
Ingredients:
6 – 8 cloves garlic
3 – 4 baby brinjals
6 -8 potatoes small
1 tsp turmeric powder
5 tblsp oil
100 gms yam (kand)
25 – 30 broad beans (sem fali)
4 green chillies
2 tbsp coconut scraped
a pinch asafoetida
2 raw bananas
1 cup coriander leaves
2 inch ginger
1 tsp mustard
For Muthiya
1/4 cup Bengal Gram Flour (besan)
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Fenugreek Leaves (methi)
1/2 inch Ginger
1 – 2 Green Chillies
1-2 Oil to deep fry
Flour for dredging
2 eggs, lightly beaten – OPTIONAL
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
OIL for deep frying
Method:
1. Wash, take off peel and dice potatoes, yam and raw bananas.
2. Wash brinjals and slit them into four without cutting the stem.
3. Make a paste of garlic, green chillies and ginger and mix cut coriander.
4. Mix all the muthiya ingredients except oil and prepare a firm dough.
5. Divide into small portions and shape each into one-inch long, half-inch thick rolls.
6. Deep fry in hot oil, remove and keep aside.
7. String beans and cut into one-inch long pieces.
8. Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed handi, mix in asafoetida and mustard seeds.
9. When mustard seeds start to crackle, mix in ground masala and broad beans.
10. Put the rest of the vegetables in layers one on top of the other.
11. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder.
12. Stir fry for five minutes on high flame.
13. Pour out one cup of water, cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) on a very low heat for 10-15 minutes.
14. Mix in fried muthiyas and again simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 15 minutes.
15. Shake the vegetables occasionally but do not use a spoon to stir.
16. Take out the cooked undhiyu and cool the mix.
17. Place the undhiyu mix in a blender and mince. Divide into 8 equal portions.
18. Cut the butter into six finger-shaped pieces. Place a piece in the middle of each undhiyu mix, and roll up in envelope fashion.
19. Dredge each roll lightly with flour, dip into the beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs. Refrigerate one hour or more so the crumbs will adhere.
20. In a fryer with enough oil to completely cover the bombe. Heat until each undhiyu bombe/cutlets gradually brown on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper and serve with traditional accompaniments
We hope that you have a wonderful time with your loved ones as you share these delicious dishes with them this Lohri. Wish you a very Happy Lohri, Sankrathi and Pongal!
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