India According to Gastronome by Choice

Happy Belated Diwali to all. Its been a great festive season out here in India and going by the crowds on the streets in Delhi and in the shops everyone was in the festive spirit. With work taking a backseat for a while and some time on my hands, I decided to make a culinary map of India and there were so many delights from each region to add that the space literally ran out. Now I could have taken the easy way out and just filled the map with one word, Curry, but that would not have been the India map according to me but to some one from outside India. Similarly, within India, being a North Indian ,I could have filled up loads of delicacies up north and then only added Idli and Dosa for whole of south, Dhokla and Vada Pav for West and Momos for East of India. And for someone down south of India, North would have meant only Butter Chicken and Whisky. But India is so much more. It is a pure gastronomical delight with varied cuisines across regions and some exciting culinary masterpieces, some of which in today's date have crossed over to a different region and assimilated so much in the day to day meals that it is impossible to figure out what the origin is. This attempt of mine is not only a very amateurish attempt at working on graphic software but documenting these culinary masterpieces and staples across regions. See it and enjoy it. I hope someday, I can look back at this and proudly declare as having not only eaten all of this but also cooked all of them up.

 Please click on the pic to see the enlarged map and culinary delights :)

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Old Delhi Food Trail - A Photo Essay (Part I)

Every once in a while I have this urge to try the real street food of Delhi and that is when I make my trip to Chandni Chowk. Over my last few trips, many of my friends have joined me to walk through the always crowded by lanes of Chandni Chowk, Chawri bazaar and nearby areas to savor some of the tastiest food available. The choices on display blow your mind and it is impossible to miss the food stalls and little shops as they cater to a thronging crowd of hungry visitors daily.

These are some of the images that I captured in between digging into tasty chaat and searching for some legendary food outlets.

Chandni Chowk - the mere mention brings up memories of some tasty chaat vendors and the best chaat in Delhi.

Bishan Swaroop

Sultan Kulle Wala

Ashok Chat Corner

Not just chaat, the area is brimming with snacks and food from everywhere.

Bombay Sandwich in Delhi

Panna standing at Nai Sarak has some tasty Moth Kachori..try it if you havent till now.

Incase regular kachoris are what you crave then make way to Jung Bahadurs Kachori shop

And how can you be in Delhi and not try Matra Kulcha. 

And talking of Matra, Rameshji in Kinari Bazaar serves the best Matra Kulcha in town.

A trip to Chandni Chowk will be incomplete without a mention of Parathewalli Galli. The atmosphere and the crowd eating there at any time is to be seen even if oily fried parathas are not your choice of food.

And it is impossible to roam the area and not catch the countless hawkers selling nankhatai.

Going to the old Delhi area and not making a trip to Karim's is totally unpardonable, unless you are a vegetarian. Famed for its mutton preparations, the lamb Nihari and tandoori roti for breakfast are a must do, though they even serve it in evenings for a few hours.

M in front of Karims entrance - should I order the Nihari, Paya, Qorma or all three ?

The Tandoori Roti and Nihari are a perfect couple :). Try it at Karims or Al-Jawahar. Which one is better? Well, the jury has been undecided for all these years.

This happens to be the breakfast crowd at Shyam Sweets. Try out their Bedmi Pooris.

 Enough of oily and calorie filled food...try the fresh fruit instead.

There is also a lot to satisfy your sweet tooth

Rabarhi

And how can one forget Daulat ki Chaat. Only available for a few months of winter, I cant wait for it this year. Another few weeks to go I guess.

And the Khurchan at Hazarilal Jain...yum!

And the best way to finish off everything you ate is by way of a thick lassi at Amritsari Lassiwaale near Fatehpuri gate.

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Apricot Chutney

Every year I wait for the short window of time when fresh juicy apricots start appearing on fruit stalls, and when they arrive I pick up as many as I can like a greedy kid wanting them all to himself. The season for fresh apricots is so short that you blink and you've missed it and then you wait for another year. Some may argue on why worry when the dried varieties are there in stores all year around, but my friend, a fresh juicy apricot is a thing of joy and the dried variety will always remain a distant cousin. The variety of dishes both sweet and savory that you can do with Apricots are endless and no matter what you try, I can vouch that you will not be disappointed.

The summers are here and so are the Apricots. I have already made a few trips to my fruit and vegetable vendor to pick up this juicy fruit and turn it mouth watering delicacies. This time, I bring you a simple recipe for an Indian Chutney (Relish) made with Apricots. I must warn you though, that this is only the beginning, very soon you will see more posts, but till then try this chutney out and till my next post enjoy the fruit as is. 

Apricot Chutney

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

Fresh Apricots, skinned, pitted and quartered - 200 gms

(To skin apricots, heat water in a large bottomed pan and drop in the apricots, as the water start to boil. Count till 7 and remove and put in an ice bath. The skin will peel easily now.) 

Onion, finely chopped - 1

Olive Oil - 2 Tblsp

Sugar, granulated - 57 gm

Honey - 58 gm

Raisins - 1/4 Cup

Cider Vinegar - 1/4 Cup

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp.

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

2. Add onions and saute till they turn translucent (4-5 minutes on low flame).

3. Add in the apricots and mix well. Cook for a minute.

4. Add in the granulated sugar and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes.

5. Add in the honey and cider vinegar. Mix well.

6. Add in the raisins and red chili powder. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes stirring, until the relish has thickened.

7. Take off flame and allow to cool.

8. Serve at room temperature or store in an air tight container ( in the refrigerator). It will stay for almost a week.

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Asafjahi Korma

The erstwhile Royals of India were known for their fondness for all the good things in life. Of these, music and food were the most patronized, and often used to showcase their superiority over one another. I think, it would be really good, even today to settle so many issues between nations or states over a culinary battle or a song duel. Only if it were this simple. Going back, the culinary secrets were often guarded closely, not even written down for fear of landing in the enemy hands, and many gastronomical gems have in the due course been lost, as they were not documented.

The Asafjahi's were a dynasty that ruled the state of Hyderabad (now in the state of Andhra Pradesh,India) since 1719 till India's independence. They were appointed the Nizams of Hyderabad (Nizam was a shortened form for Nizam-Ul-Mulk meaning Administrator of the Realm or Country) on behalf of the Mughal empire, and when the Mughal empire crumbled post Aurangzeb's(Mughal Emperor)  death, the Nizam's declared Independence and formed their own kingdom. The Asafjahi's were extremely fond of their cuisine and it is no wonder that Hyderabad even today is known for it's food. 

Though the Kulcha (Indian Bread) was the official emblem of the dynasty, it has got more to do with the legend that while on a hunting trip, the first Nizam was offered a Kulcha by a holy man. The Nizam could eat seven of those Kulchas, and thus it was prophesized by the holy man that seven generations of his family would rule the state.

Even though I stayed in Hyderabad for 2 years, I never ever came across the Asafjahi Korma, even once. Infact, there was a lot of the Asafjahi Cuisine that I did not sample, except of course the popular ones, whose cheap imitations are even available in Delhi. I'm sure the Asaf Jah's were keenly watching over me from their tombs, and wanted me to sample the real fare and do something with it. So, here I was, lazing around in Delhi, going through the newspaper, and I come across this recipe for Asafjahi Korma. One look at the photo and a quick read of the recipe, with all the richness bursting through the print had my taste buds on an overdrive. Though, it was from a book written by an erstwhile ruler on Indian Princely Cuisine, I also found the recipe on a few Pakistani sites (word by word similar). My version is a wee bit different in how I assembled it in the end and some more cooking. I liked it and hope you do too.

Asafjahi Korma


Ingredients:
Mutton/Lamb, boneless, cut into 1" cubes - 500 gm.
Yogurt, lightly hung (for about 2 hours) and whisked  - 250 gm
Onion's, chopped - 60 gm
Green Chillies, deseeded and finely chopped - 25 gm.
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp.
Black Peppercorns - 1/2 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Sugar - 6 gm
Ghee - 110 gm.
Ginger Paste - 12 gm
Garlic Paste - 12 gm
Almonds, blanched and sliced - 12 gm
Raisins - 12 gm
Coriander Leaves, washed and finely chopped - 1 Tblsp
Saffron, soaked in 2 tblsp warm water - A Pinch
Salt - To Taste


Method:
1. Heat half of the ghee in a pan. Fry the almonds and Raisins separately, one after another, till a golden brown color. Drain and keep aside.
2. In the same ghee, now add the chopped onions and fry them to a golden brown color. Add in red chili powder, garam masala powder, black peppercorns, sugar and green chilies. Add in 2 tblsp water and cook till water dries up.Take off the flame and allow to cool.
3. After the mixture has cooled down, put it through a food processor to make a paste. Keep aside.
4. Heat the other half of the ghee in the pan. Add in the ginger and garlic pastes and fry till they start to turn golden.
5. Add in the meat and salt. Bhunao the meat and add little water to cook the meat. Cook till meat turns tender and the water dries up.
6. Add in the onion-chili and masala paste. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add in the whisked yogurt and mix well. Cook till the oil starts to appear on the surface.
8. Add in the almonds, raisins, saffron and chopped coriander. Stir well. Simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat.
9. Serve hot with rice or bread.

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Jewels from Avadh (Part 3) - Aloo Gosht Ka Saalan (Mutton & Potato Curry)

Ah! the winters look like ending. Delhi winters are the most amazing weather that Delhi can have, even though at their peak you curse the cold. It has been a very busy month and a half for myself.And I still haven't had enough. There is a afternoon grill lunch being planned for the next weekend and of course the much awaited trip to Chandni Chowk to have the street food.

We had a perfect Sunday and an amazing lunch, of which the saalan was the highlight and then a trip to the India Art fair which ends today. I cannot wait for dinner which will culminate in a wonderful strawberry cheesecake and a late night movie.

Culinary gems from Avadh are the right items for a lazy afternoon meal. Even cooking them, requires so much of delicate love and affection that you do not feel that you have worked at all. The Aloo Gosht ka Saalan was one such gem. With my sons who crave for mutton more than chicken and my wife who is in love with potatoes, there was success written on this recipe when I first laid my eyes on it. 

Other Saalan's on this blog:

Mirch Ka Saalan - The Hyderabadi classic which is a must with the Gosht Biryani.

Makai Mirch Ka Saalan - A twist to the above

Lasan Ka Saalan - Garlic in thin coconut gravy ...a winter classic

Tamatar Aur Chana Dal Ka Saalan

Gobi Aur Mirch ka Saalan

Aloo Gosht Ka Saalan


Ingredients
Mutton/Lamb, pref. from shoulder, cut into 1.5" cubes - 750 Gms.
Baby Potatoes, washed, peeled and reserved in a bowl of water - 16
Clarified Butter (Ghee) - 90 Gm.

Whole Spices
Green Cardamoms - 6
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon (1") - 2
Bay Leaf - 2

Salt
Ginger Garlic Paste - 6 Tsp.
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp.
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Fried Onion Paste - 60 Gm.
Fried Garlic Paste - 15 Gm.
Cashewnut Paste - 20 Gm.
Melon Seed Paste (Magaz) - 15Gm.
Mutton/Lamb Stock - 6 Cups
Black Pepper, freshly powdered - 1/4 Tsp.
Green Cardamom Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
Cumin Powder - 1/4 Tsp.
Kewra - 2 drops

For Garnish
Ginger, cut into juliennes - 1"
Fresh Coriander, chopped - 1 Tblsp
Lemon Juice - 2 Tblsp

Method:
1. Cut the ginger into Juliennes and soak them in lemon juice. Reserve for garnish later.
2. Heat the ghee in a handi or a large heavy bottomed pan. Add in the whole spices and stir.
3. Ad the green cardamom changes color, add in the mutton/lamb pieces and salt. Increase flame to high and cook to sear meat for 2 minutes.
4. Reduce flame to medium and add in the ginger-garlic paste. Cook, stirring intermittently till moisture evaporates. (Around 5-8 minutes).
5. Whisk the yogurt with coriander, turmeric and red chili powder.
6. Take the meat off the flame and add in the whisked yogurt mixture, stirring at the time. Put back on flame and cook till the fat leaves the sides . (Around 6-7 Minutes).
7. Add in the fried onion and garlic pastes. Cook till fat leaves the sides. (Around 4-5 minutes).
8. Add the cashew and melon seeds paste. Mix well and cook for a minute.
9. Add in the mutton/lamb stock. Bring the gravy to a boil and add in the baby potatoes.
10. Mix well and bring the gravy to a boil again. Reduce flame to low an cover and simmer, stirring occasionally till meat and potatoes are cooked.
11. Remove the meat and potatoes and pass the gravy through a strainer. Put back on flame and cook till the gravy has a thin saucy consistency.
12. Add in the meat and potatoes. Sprinkle the black pepper, cumin, nutmeg powders and the kewra. Stir,adjust the seasoning and remove from flame.
13. Serve hot garnished with ginger juliennes and chopped coriander. 

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Corn Chaat & a Trip to the Qutab Minar

If there is one place on this planet where people love winters, it has to be New Delhi. After a hot and long summer season and hot,humid rainy season, the cold, foggy winters are a treat. Despite the cold, people are out on the streets and it is non-stop party season. This winters we decided as a family to go out every Saturday to one historical monument to showcase our heritage to our 2 boys. What better place to kick off than with the Qutab Minar, the logo of New Delhi and its most popular landmark.

I for one have a lot of childhood memories associated with the place. We stayed for 2 weeks in the tourist guest house situated inside the qutab complex. Everyday my sister and I would go out and roam the complex and play our games there. Of course, there was not too much of a crowd in those days and the security was non-existent. You could touch the monuments and even go inside the Qutab (Now you cannot touch some of the relics like the Iron Pillar and cannot go inside the Qutab). It was nostalgic to be there with my parents, my better half, my sister and her son and my two boys. It was a day long picnic and the tour was followed by a nice lunch in the gardens with the kids playing all around.

Legend has it that Delhi was composed of seven ancient cities (not counting the modernistic New Delhi), namely,

- Quila Rai Pithora (an extension of Lalkot)

- Mehrauli

- Siri

- Tuglakabad

- Ferozabad

- Shergarh

- Shahjehanabad

Lalkot was constructed by King Anandpal Tomar in the Eleventh Century. The Tomar Rajputs are,incidentally, credited with founding Delhi. Lalkot was more of a defense structure surrounding an area. One of his later successors, Prithviraj Chauhan (also popularly known as Rai Pithora) took over and extended lalkot for his city which he called Quila Rai Pithora (literally meaning the Fort of Rai Pithora).

Muhammad Ghori after various unsuccessful attempts succeeding in capturing Quila Rai Pithora in 1192 AD. He returned back to Ghazni (in present day Afghanistan) and placed Qutab-Ud-Din Aibak as his Viceroy in Delhi.After Ghori's death he enthroned himself as the Sultan of Delhi and thus started the Slave dynasty (He started as a slave purchased by the Ghori dynasty who rose through the ranks).In his short rule (he died playing polo in Lahore), Aibak started the construction of Mehrauli by demolishing all Hindu Temples and establishing Islamic structures in their place. He started the construction of the Qutab Minar as his Tower of Victory, but died after constructing the first storey. His son-in-law Iltutmish completed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th storey. After damage by Lightning, it's 4th storey was dismantled and reconstructed by Firoz Tughlaq. He also added a 5th storey to the structure. Later on restorations were also done by Sikandar Lodi.

Picnic food in India can be tricky. We could see some families around, complete with their pressure cooker and casseroles with tasty gravies around. There were also some with sandwiches and burgers around. I have always been somewhere in between, Picnic on a cold wintery afternoon (it was the coldest day in New Delhi in 6 years) for me means having a nice chaat,some bread pakoras or samosas, ending with some warm carrot halwa. There should be hot tea for company throughout the meal and a leisurely walk to digest the food later. For the chaat we decided to have a twist by making a Corn Chaat instead. It was really quick to make and stays well during tavel. You have an option of either mixing the Tamarind (Imli) chutney during the making of the chaat or give it alongside as an accompanying dip. I have tried both and found both working fine taste wise.

Corn Chaat
Makes 4 Portions


Ingredients:
American Corn - 3 Cups
Onion(large), finely chopped - 1
Tomato (Large), Chopped - 1
Coriander, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Green Chillies, finely chopped - 2
Peanuts - 1/2 Cup
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tsp
Anardana - 1/2 Tsp
Amchoor Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Black Salt - 1 Tsp
Tamarind Chutney - 1 Tsp
Mint Chutney - 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Cloves, powdered - 2
Potato Chips, crushed - 1/2 Cup
Potato, cubed - 1 (Optional)
Coriander - For Garnish

Method:
1. Steam the corn till soft and done. (Believe me, I have tried boiling it and it just doesn't taste right. Steaming does take a little longer but worth every single minute spent.)
2. Roast the peanuts till they begin to change color. About a minute on high flame.
3. Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. NOTE: You have the option of either adding the Tamarind and Mint Chutneys straight away or serving them on the side with the chaat.
4. Serve in individual plates or bowls.

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