Lahori Aloo (Potatoes in Onion & Yogurt Gravy)

I have mentioned this before that my wife is a vegetarian and has a fondness for potatoes. Hence, I typically need to work overtime figuring out potato recipes to bring something different for her every now and then. This simple and evergreen recipe was just one of those tried in a hurry for her. You can find variations of the same being served in restaurants involving stuffing potatoes with a paneer (cottage cheese) filling or a moghlai version involving addition of a khus khus and/or cashew paste/coconut paste. I prefer the original version because it is simple to make and yet amazing to taste.

Lahori Aloo

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes, peeled - 500 gm
Onion Paste - 2 Tblsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tsp
Tomato Puree - 200 gm
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 3 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Oil - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Deep fry potatoes till almost done.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. As the cumin seeds start to crackle add in the onion paste. Fry till it starts to turn brown.
4. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 2 more minutes.
5. Mix the red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder with a little water to form a paste. Add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add in the tomato puree and cook till oil starts to separate.
7. Add in the yogurt and salt.Cook till a coating consistency gravy is formed.
8. Add in the potatoes. Cook till potatoes are done and the gravy has reduced to just coat the potatoes.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with puris.

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Kashmiri Akhrot Chutney (Walnut Dip)

Walnuts get their name from an old English term called wealhhnutu, meaning, foreign nut. It was called so as it was introduced to England from Gaul ( Present day France & Belgium and parts of Switzerland, Netherlands & Germany) and Italy. Apart from being an excellent source of protein they also have a higher Omega-3 Fatty acid content than other nuts and incorporating them in our daily diet can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Now the best walnuts are the Persian Walnuts or Royal Walnut, that comes from Balkans, Southwest & Central Asia. In English speaking nations they are also referred to as the English Walnut or Common Walnut. These walnuts are known for their delicious nuts. Other species include the Black Walnut, Butternut, Japanese Walnut & Hind's Black Walnut apart from various hybrids.
I spent a part of my childhood in Kashmir living in Srinagar in the Badami Bagh Cantonment. The entire areas was full of different trees. There were Mulberry, Apple, Almond and Walnut trees all around and being the naughty kids that we were, one could find us climbing those trees. Armed with a pen knife and a bag, it was good fun to have walnuts that were still not dried. The akhrot chutney was special as one of my classmates usually got it from home alongwith other Kashmiri goodies, needless to say his lunchbox was a much sought after item. I stumbled upon the recipe to make this dip some days back and since we were planning on a Kashmiri meal this chutney made its way to the dining table and once again into my life.

Kashmiri Akhrot ki Chutney

Ingredients:

Walnuts, shelled - 50 gm
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - To Taste
Yogurt - 60 ml

Method:
1. Put the shelled walnuts, salt and red chili powder in a grinder and grind until smooth.
2. Transfer this powder to a bowl. Add the yogurt and mix well.
3 Chill before serving.

Variation:

Akhrot Muli ki chutney (Walnut Radish Dip) -Add 60 gm shredded radish to this chutney. Mix well till the chutney coats all the shredded radish.

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Ticking for these Tikki's

Sticking to the theme of party snacks from my last post, this time I cater to the vegetarian crowd. Almost everytime, I put in so much effort planning on the meat and chicken part that the vegetarian folks tend to get missed out. They usually get the normal fare like paneer, potatoes and cauliflower for starters. Surprisingly there are so many options of giving the a new something, and it doesn't take too much time too.
Tikkis (Patties) are my favorite snack. The regular visit to the chaatwala are not complete without aloo tikki. This time however, I have totally avoided potatoes in this particular recipe and combined rice and yogurt. Summers are here, as I have been screaming every other post and what better than Yogurt.

Dahi Chawal Ki Tikki (Rice and Hung Curd Patties)

Ingredients:

Rice, boiled - 100 gm
Yogurt, Hung - 75 gm
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 Tsp
Cumin, roasted and crushed - 1 Tsp
Green Chilli, finely chopped -2
Coriander, finely chopped - 2
Ginger, finely chopped - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Oil- For Frying

Method:
1. Add all masalas, ginger and green chillies to the boiled rice. Mix well.
2. Add hung yogurt to this and mix well again. Add seasoning and mix again.
3. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape into patties.
4. Heat oil in a flat pan or tava. Fry patties till golden brown.
5. Take out on absorbent kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
6. Serve hot with mint chutney, onion rings and a slice of lemon.

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