Jewels from Avadh (Part I) - Guncha-O-Bahar

The very mention of Avadh, brings memories of nawabs, tehzeeb and some delicately spiced, aromatic and tasty cuisine, dum pukht being the most famous. Although these days Avadh is synonymous with Lucknow, the Avadh region comprised of Balrampur (near Nepal border), Barabanki, Gonda, Allahabad, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Faizabad, Lucknow(the capital) and extended till Unnao. Under the patronage of the nawabs, the cuisine was taken to an entirely new level. Some of the famous culinary delights from the region include the melting galouti kababs, the kakori kababs, Sheermal, Taftan, Tunde mian's famous kababs and ulte tawe ke paranthe. The lucknowi biryani and the Hyderabadi Biryani have long fought a battle for the best there is to offer, with each camp boasting of several million die hard fans.
The vast variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in the Avadh cuisine are complemented by the rich variety of ingredients used. It is fairly common to be find Kewra (Screwpine essence), Khus and Gulabjal being used in the cooking as it is find abundant use of nuts and other dried fruits like apricots and raisins being used.
The Dum Pukht cuisine, which entails cooking the food in its own steam over a slow fire, is said to have evolved in Avadh and perfected in the kitchens of the nawabs.

Guncha-O-Bahar

Ingredients:
Cauliflower, cut into large florets and washed - 1 Kg
Onions, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Turmeric - 1.5 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 Tblsp
Malt Vinegar - 6 Tblsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 7 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder - 1.5 Tsp
Almond Paste - 5 Tsp
Tomato Puree - 1 Cup
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Khoya - 120 Gm
Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
Fennel Powder - 2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
Gramflour - 1/3 Cup
Garam Masala - 1/2 Tsp
Saffron - 1 Tsp
Milk - 1 Tblsp
Ghee - 6 Tblsp
Oil - For deep frying
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Blanch the cauliflower florets in water with Lemon juice, 1 Tsp turmeric and salt. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
2. Mix 1 tsp red chili powder with ginger garlic paste, salt and malt vinegar. Marinate the blanched cauliflower florets in this mixture for 30 minutes.
3. Mix cumin with the gramflour. Dust the marinated florets with this.
4. Deep fry the dusted cauliflower florets till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.
5. Whisk the yogurt and add in khoya paste, remaining turmeric (1/2 tsp), fennel, coriander powder, red chili powder (1/2 tsp) and salt.
6. Heat ghee in a kadhai. Add in the onions and saute till light brown.
7. Add tomato puree and the almond paste. Fry till the fat leaves the masala.
8. Add in the yogurt mixture. Cook till the gravy achieves a sauce like consistency.
9. Add the garam masala and stir. Take off flame.
10. In a shallow baking dish, arrange the fried florets. Pour the gravy on top.
11. Sprinkle saffron soaked in milk and cover with a silver foil.
12. Cook on Dum in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
13. Tear the foil on the dining table and serve hot from the baking dish.

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Cauliflower Curry

There has been a long silence on this blog. I have since my last post hardly felt like entering the kitchen and most of my free time has been spent catching up cricket on TV. Though there has been a lot of eating out at restaurants, no dish worth mentioning out here has made its way out of the family kitchen. Till today. Finally, despite the summer heat encouraging me to continue in the cool environs of the house and avoid the kitchen heat, I made it to the kitchen and tried my hand at something.

Cauliflower Curry Ingredients:

Cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets - 1
Onion Paste - 200 gm
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 20 gm
Cashew Paste - 100 gm
Poppy Seed Paste - 50 gm
Tomato Paste - 100 gm
Coconut, grated - 20 gm
Red Chili Powder - 10 gm
Turmeric Powder- 5 gm
Cumin Powder - 10 gm
Coriander Powder - 10 gm
Bay Leaf - 1
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 100 ml

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add in the bay leaf.
2. Add in the onion paste. Saute till golden brown.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste.
4. Add the red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder & turmeric powder.
5. Add the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add poppy seed paste & cashew paste.
7. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the cauliflower florets. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add the grated coconut.
10. Add 1 cup of water. cook and bring to boil.
11. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add salt.
12. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from flame and serve hot.

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Tandoori Gobhi ... (Tandoor roasted Cauliflower)

Having a vegetarian in the house ensures that the veggies are not neglected ...ever. Especially, if the vegetarian is my wife...who doesn't like Paneer and goes drooling over potatoes and cauliflower. This love for Cauliflower prompted me to make some Tandoori Gobi one fine evening. She doesn't like it too browned and loves it a little crunchy, hence I took it out a little early. You could keep it for some more time to get that color.

Tandoori Gobi

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 Cut into big florets

For the Marinade:
Hung Curd - 1 Cup
Gram Flour (Besan) - 3 Tblsp
Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 Tblsp
Onion Paste - 2 Tblsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Oil - 1 Tblsp
Grated Cheese - 1/2 Cup
Cloves, Nutmeg, Cumin, 1 black cardamom, Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Tsp each, powdered and mixed together
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Boil water with salt.
2. Add Cauliflower Florets. When the water starts to boil again, remove from fire and drain after 2 minutes. Refresh under running water.
3. Mix all Ingredients for the marinade well in a bowl.
4. Add florets in the marinade and mix well to coat florets evenly. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. To grill either skewer the florets or put in a well oiled baking dish. Preheat the oven.
6. Grill in hot oven/tandoor/microwave at 200 deg. for 30 minutes.
7. Serve with Onion rings and mint chutney.

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