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In Drinks

Jal-jeera (Jeera Pani) (Sweet and Spicy Cumin Water)

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Jal-jeera or Jeera Pani is a drink made with spicy, sweet, and tangy ingredients. Chilled, it is a refreshing drink in hot summers and has many health benefits. I got this recipe from one of the many parties we attended when my husband served in the Indian Air Force. Recipe exchanges were never precise, and you would get, “Just put a little bit of this and a little bit of that.” It was up to one to create their exotic version and adjust it to one’s taste. So, while we may have served the same drink, it always tasted a little different.

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Jal-jeera (Jeera Pani) (Sweet and Spicy Cumin Water)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 10
Jal-jeera or Jeera Pani is a chilled, refreshing Summer drink made with spicy, sweet, and tangy ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tsp dried ginger powder ("Sonth" in Hindi)
  • 2 tbsp rock salt (kala namak, black salt, so called due to its darker hue—you can buy this at any Indian or health food grocery store)
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste (heaped )
  • 1 tsp mint paste (about 20 fresh mint leaves)
  • ⅛ tsp chili powder (or to your taste)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar or jaggery (or gur, found in Indian grocery stores)
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp chaat masala (optional—found in Indian grocery stores)
  • Dash of black pepper, roasted cumin, and garam masala

Instructions 

  • Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil on medium heat while stirring often to dissolve the sugars.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Continue to stir occasionally.
  • Do a taste test. (FYI - Indians don't use the same spoon to taste and cook. It is considered 'jutha,' a word that conveys food contaminated by double dipping).
  • Adjust ingredients to your taste.
  • Strain the mixture into a glass jug (pitcher). Add the lemon juice. Stir and chill.
  • When chilled, pour in glasses, and serve garnished with mint.      
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: jal-jeera, jeera, pani
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In Main Dishes

Khichdi (Rice and Lentil Porridge)

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A tasty one-pot meal that is satisfying, khichdi is one of my comfort foods. It is a porridge or thick soup made of rice and lentils. This was Mama’s go-to meal for us as kids anytime we were sick and had lost our appetite due to the antibiotics. She also gave it to us if we had an upset tummy, as khichdi is easy to digest.

I fix it to take a break after overindulging in too many fatty or fried foods!

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Khichdi (Rice and Lentil Porridge)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
A tasty one-pot satisfying meal, khichdi is a comfort food made of rice and lentils.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup rice
  • 1 cup yellow lentils (dhuli moong dal)
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 inch ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric (haldi)
  • 1½ tsp salt

Tadka (Tempering)

  • 1 tbsp desi ghee, butter, or oil
  • ½ tsp cumin (zeera) seeds

Garnish

  • 2 tsp desi ghee or butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley leaves (optional)

Instructions 

To Cook

  • Pick and clean the rice and dal of any grit.
  • Wash the rice and dal thoroughly.
  • Soak for 30 minutes to reduce stove-top cooking time.
  • Strain and put the rice and dal into a deep heavy bottomed cooking pot.
  • Add water, ginger, turmeric, and salt.
  • Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook partially covered as rice and lentil expand when cooked, and the broth might overflow.
  • Stir in between to avoid burning.
  • Simmer covered until rice and dal are well blended and tender—approximately 25-30 minutes.
  • The consistency should be like a  porridge or thickish soup. (You can also add less water if you want it on the firmer side).
  • Remove the pot from the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.

To Tadka (Temper)

  • Heat the desi ghee, butter, or oil in a small frying pan.
  • Add the cumin seeds (be careful of oil splatters).
  • As soon as the cumin starts to splutter (30 seconds), turn the heat off. Pour into the cooked broth.
  • Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors of the tadka.
  • Pour into a serving dish or individual bowls.

To Garnish

  • Garnish with the desi ghee or butter and chopped cilantro leaves.
  • Serve with plain yogurt, Indian pickles, or papads (lentil wafers) from your local Indian grocery store.

Notes

1. You can start with the tempering, then add all the other ingredients and cook. This works well when using a manual or electrical pressure cooker. Just follow the cooking times on the manual and reduce the water to 3 cups.
2. If the khichdi gets too thick, you can adjust the broth by adding more hot water.
3. You can also substitute red lentils or split green moong bean lentils for the yellow lentils.
4. Different styles of khichdi involve vegetables and more spicy tempering—recipes I shall share later.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: lentils, porridge, rice
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In Main Dishes

Masala Kheema Tikka (Spicy Mince Patties)

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I am running late! The guests arrive in about an hour for cocktails, and I still have to shower and get ready. I have decided this morning to add meat tikkas to my long list of items for the cocktail party this evening. If you live in a military camp or cantonment area with your squadron or unit, you end up hosting, at the very least, one cocktail and one dinner party a month. Since it is on a reciprocal basis, you end up attending several in a month!

With everyone being so close-knit, you cannot leave anyone out for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. You invariably end up with at least 40 people at each party. If you are stationed in a big city, it is different because with distances, the pace slows down, and it is easier to meet at clubs or restaurants.

I instruct the cook as to how I want the meat tikkas finished and plated. She tells me to go get ready she will take care of it. I think she hates me hovering around!!

The table is already set with all the other snacks. The bar is stocked, the ice is ready in the bucket, and the glasses for the drinks and soft drinks are all laid out. The fresh flowers from the garden make a beautiful centerpiece. Everything looks in order. My husband is at the bar reorganizing his stock of liquor. I rush to get ready.

Tikkas in India can be chunks of marinated meat or ground meat or mashed vegetables seasoned with spices and shaped into cutlets.

Masala Kheema Tikka is a savory blend of onions, ginger, garlic, and spices formed into patties and grilled.

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Masala Kheema Tikkas (Spicy Mince Patties)

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Masala Kheema Tikka is a savory blend of onions, ginger, garlic, and spices formed into patties and grilled. 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef (30 % fat gives you a nice juicy tikka)
  • ½ large onion (minced fine)
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1½ tbsp fresh coriander (finely chopped)
  • 1 Serrano chili (finely chopped - optional, to your taste)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp chili powder (or to your taste)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ⅛ tsp clove powder
  • ⅛ tsp cinnamon powder
  • ¼ tsp black pepper powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp dried green mango powder (amchur)
  • 1 tbsp oil

Garnish

  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp chaat masala (optional)
  • ¼ small onion (sliced)
  • 1 green chili (whole or split in half)
  • 1 lemon (sliced thin or quartered)

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with all the other ingredients except lemon juice, chaat masala, and oil.
  • Knead until the ground beef mixture is well blended. About 4-5 minutes.
  • Divide the ground beef mixture into golf-sized balls and form them into round burger-style patties. You should get about 8-10. I size them less than the regular burger size, but you can size them any way you want.
  • Set aside in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. You can also leave it overnight if you want to prep ahead.
  • Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet, griddle, or grill on medium heat. Grease with the oil using a paper towel or brush.
  • Place the tikkas on them and cook for approximately 8 mins, turning them halfway through until well browned and cooked. I like mine well done, so I tend to char them a bit!
  • Place on paper towels to soak up any excess oil or fat.
  • Move them to a serving dish and sprinkle them with a little lemon juice and chaat masala powder.
  • Garnish with chopped lemon and slices of red, white, or vinegared onions.
  • Serve with mint chutney,  mint yogurt chutney, or a chili sauce, along with tandoori or naan bread, paratha, or roti. You can also use pita or any other flatbread. 

Notes

 
 
I occasionally fix our family Indian-style burgers with hamburger buns, chutney, thinly sliced raw or grilled onions, and tomatoes.
 
Make them a little smaller when serving them for cocktails. Adjust your cooking time accordingly.  
You can add a teaspoon of store-bought tandoori or seekh kebab spice powders. These are available at an Indian grocery store. Most readymade powders are super chili hot,  so use them carefully if you are not used to chili-heat.
The tikkas can be grilled or baked in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done. Be sure to flip them halfway through.
You can also Air Fry them. Spray the Air Fryer tray or basket with oil. Heat for 5 minutes. Place tikkas on a basket or tray and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning them midway.
Heat varies on stoves, ovens, and fryers, so keep an eye on the tikkas to ensure they do not get burned.   
Course: Main Course, Non-Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: beef,, ground beef, spicy

 

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In Main Dishes

Lobia Lentil Curry (Black-Eyed Peas)

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Our second-youngest sibling is a picky eater. Not only that, she takes forever to finish her food! I recall a day when we sat chatting around the dining table. Aunt Dolly was visiting. She watched while my sister ate a banana. Finally, she said, “For goodness sake, finish that thing, you have taken 45 minutes already!” We all laughed at her exasperation! Today, I am fixing her lobia curry, one of the few lentils she enjoys.

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Lobia Lentil Curry (Black-Eyed Peas)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
A delicious lentil curry made with black-eyed peas simmered in a tomato spicy sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
  • 2½ tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 medium onions (peeled and chopped very fine)
  • 1 medium green Serrano chili (optional)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste ( or 1 8 oz can tomato sauce)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste (or bottled)
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste (or bottled)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp tumeric powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (more or less, according to your taste)
  • 4-6 cups water (or more, depending on the amount of gravy you want)
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves, for garnish)

Whole Spices

  • 1 large black cardamom ( )
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 4 peppercorns

Instructions 

To Prepare

  • Pick and clean the black-eyed peas of any grit. Rinse well 4 times. Cover with 5 cups of water and soak overnight. When ready to cook, rinse through a sieve. 

To Cook

  • Heat oil in  4-6 quart cooking pot over medium heat. Add the whole spices, wait 30 seconds, stirring once or twice, and then add the onions. Sauté till ¾ brown, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the masala, garlic, and ginger. You can mix these all together with a little water before adding them to the pot. Stir for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the ginger, garlic, and masalas don't stick and burn.  
  • Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the black-eyed peas and water. Cover and cook until tender. Approximately 35-40 mins. If the water starts to dry up during the cooking process, add a little more hot water.
  • When nearly done, use the back of your ladle to mash some peas against the side of the pot to make a thicker gravy. Cook for another 3-5minutes.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro. It tastes good with plain boiled rice or any Indian-style pilaf.

Simple Tadka / Tempering

  • A simpler tempering can be done with just:
     1 medium onion chopped,
    1 large tomato chopped
    ½ tsp turmeric
    1 tsp cumin powder  
    Chili powder to your taste.
    Sauté the onions and tomatoes, and then stir in the powders and pour the mixture into the boiled beans.  

Notes

You can boil the beans separately and then add to the onion-masala mix. You can also use canned beans. Rinse them before use. Since they are already cooked, it cuts the cooking time in almost half.
You can also use frozen black-eyed peas which, again, cook faster.
Cook them till they are soft but not mushy.
When using an electric or manual pressure cooker, I suggest  you cook the beans for less than the time indicated in the instruction booklet. When all the pressure is released, remove the lid and then return it to the stove top to simmer it for another 10-15 minutes until the beans are fully cooked, and the gravy has a nice consistency. If you do that, the beans don't end up a gooey mess. Once you start to gauge the cooking time in the pressure cooker,  you will not have to do that.    
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: lobia, black-eyed peas, lentils
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In Dessert

Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

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Gajar Ka Halwa/Gajrela or Carrot Halwa (a sweet, creamy, rich pudding from Punjab, with the aromatic taste of cardamon) is a dessert that is a popular dish served at festivals. It is a warm dessert and is best enjoyed in winter. It is an easy dish with few ingredients but not a quick one (unless you use a pressure cooker). Like most halwas, it requires attention while cooking. Being a warm dish, it was a perfect dessert for cold winter days. The carrots in this recipe are regular store-bought carrots rather than the sought-after deep orange carrots normally found in wintertime in Northern India.

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Gajar ka Halwa

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Gajar ka Halwa is a creamy, rich dessert with the aromatic taste of cardamom.

Ingredients

  • 10 medium carrots
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 whole green cardamom
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground green cardamom powder
  • 1 tbsp golden raisins
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 12 blanched almonds (save half for garnish)

Instructions 

  • Scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush and peel them.
  • Using a hand grater or food processor, grate the carrots.
  • Transfer the grated carrots, milk, and whipping cream into a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil on medium heat. About 10 minutes.
  • Add the whole cardamom and cardamom powder. Simmer on medium-low, occasionally stirring, until 75% of the milk is reduced. About 20 minutes.
  • Add the sugar and golden raisins. Stir in half the nuts. Cook for another 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, but the halwa is still moist.
  • Carefully transfer the cooked dessert to a serving dish and garnish with the rest of the nuts. Serve hot or warm.

Notes

You can use sautéed cashew nuts instead of almonds. If you are not sure of nut allergies when serving to guests, you can omit cooking the halwa with the nuts and just serve them on the side.
You can also garnish with silver foil to get that traditional, authentic feeling!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: carrots, dessert, pudding
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In Bread

Bread Uppama

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Sometimes I get into the mood to bake bread, and I take the easy route. Years ago, when volunteering at our church thrift shop, I picked up an almost brand-new bread machine for less than half the market price. Now when the mood hits for fresh homemade bread, I pull it out and go for it! Today I have a half loaf lying around— a product of five days ago. I decide to fix  Bread Uppma for breakfast.  Most Indians refer to bread as ‘double roti,’ or simply bread.

Bread uppma is great for breakfast or a tea-time snack. It is savory and tangy, and, of course, who doesn’t love bread!!

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Bread Uppama

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Bread uppama is great for breakfast or a tea-time snack. It is savory and tangy, and, of course, who doesn't love bread!!

Ingredients

  • 12 slices bread (preferably stale, toasted, and cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 Serrano chili (chopped one whole red chili optional—to your taste)
  • ½ tsp black mustard seeds
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 1 cup onion (chopped finely, yellow or red)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped-about 1 cup)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp lemon or lime juice (only)
  • ½ cup cocktail or sautéed peanuts or cashew nuts
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (washed and chopped, for garnish)

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat.
  • Add the chopped green chili or red chili. Stir a couple of times and add the mustard seeds. Be careful as they splutter.
  • Give it less than 30 seconds, and add the curry leaves. Stir and add the onions.
  • Sauté the onions for about 6 minutes until they are translucent and start to turn reddish in the corners.
  • Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the oil starts to surface.
  • Add your choice of nuts (optional) and give them a stir.
  • Now stir in the toasted bread cubes until they are nicely coated with the onion and tomato mixture.
  • Add a ¼ cup of water. Lower the heat and cover the skillet. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the lid, sprinkle the juice of half a lemon/lime, and stir. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Remove to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Notes

You can add the nuts as a garnish as well. 
If you are gluten-free, you can make it with gluten-free bread.
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: semolina, uppama
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