Mixed Sabzi - Mixed Vegetables Masala

While growing up in Pakistan, mixed vegetables masala was always a winter delight. Peas and carrots were winter vegetables and hence their availability back then was seasonal, unlike today when almost everything is available year round in Pakistan and elsewhere. 

This vegetable stir fry with a tomato gravy is a simple, pleasurable and back to basics home cooking enjoyed in Pakistan in short chilly winter days with sunny afternoons.  Hope it cheers up your dinner table where ever you cook it.

Ingredients:

Oil – 4 Tbsp

Potatoes – 2 Cups (Diced)

Carrots – 1 Cup (Diced)

Peas – 1 Cup (Frozen or fresh)

Tomato Puree – 1 cup (Freshly made- with a green chili)

Ginger/Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp

Mustard Seed (Rai)– 1 Tsp

Cumin Seed (Zeera) – 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana) – 1 tsp

Chili Powder – 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp (adjust to taste)

Green Chili – 1-2 chopped

Water – 1 – 2 cups

Curry Leaves – Few

Dried Kasuri Methi – 1 Tbsp

Fresh Coriander – Handful (chopped)

Butter – 1-2 knobs

Method:

1. Heat oil in the pan and add ginger/garlic paste,whole cumin, mustard seeds and Fenugreek Seeds.
2. Once the ginger/Garlic changes color slightly add tomato puree.
3. Cook till oil separates. Now add chili powder, salt, turmeric and cumin powder. Cook for 30 secs.
4. Add diced potatoes and carrots. Cook for 2 mins on high heat. Add about a cup of water and curry leaves.
5. Let it boil on high heat and then immediately lower the heat to a medium simmer. Cover the pan and cook till potatoes and carrots are almost done. Add peas (The peas I use are cooked in 5 mins hence I add them in the last).
6. Add around ½ cup of more water. Let it gently simmer till everything is cooked through and there is a bit of liquid and oil at the base of the pan.
7. Add kasuri Methi and cook on slowest heat for 3-4 minutes with lid on the pan. Mix it and switch off the stove. Add fresh coriander, chopped green chili and knobs of butter and serve hot with a chappati and mint chutney. 

Lahori Murgh Channay – Lahori Chickpea and Chicken Curry

I was introduced to Lahori Murgh Channay after i moved to Lahore in 2003. My Lahori work colleagues somehow made it their mission to feed (Read: force feed) the new girl with authentic Lahori food. Those who know Lahore would know that no other urban city in Pakistan can compete and match the Lahori hospitality. Lahoris show their love and affection towards outsiders and visitors by feeding and overfeeding them with the best of the punjabi food which is rich, meaty & spicy.  

My Lahore born mother's cooking is clearly inspired by Punjabi food due to her roots. I am sharing this recipe from my mother’s kitchen where i have also added my two cents. This is a must try with boiled basmati rice or Roghni Naan.

Ingredients:

Oil – 6 Tbsp

Chickpeas – 600 gms (cooked)

Chicken – 450 gms (6-8 pieces)

Onions – 3 Medium (finely chopped)

Tomatoes – 4 Medium (Pureed)

Garlic/Ginger – 1 Tbsp

Cumin – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds(Rai)– 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana) – 1 tsp

Nigella Seeds(Kalonji) – 1 tsp

Green chili – 1 medium

Red chili – 1(Use more green chili or chili powder if you cannot find fresh red chili)

Chili Powder – ½ tsp (adjust in accordance with the use of green & red chili)

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp (adjust as per your taste)

Water – 700 ml

Fresh Curry Leaves –  few (if you can find them)

Amchoor – Dried Mango powder – 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:

1. Heat Oil in the pan and fry onions till light brown.
2. Add ginger/Garlic paste. Cook for 30 sec.
3. Now add chicken and cook it for 3-4 minutes till the chicken changes its color.
4. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds. Cook them for about a minute. Deglaze the pan with 100 ml of water. It ensures that the seeds don't burn.
5. Add tomato puree, salt, chili powder, turmeric and Cumin Powder. Cook till the water dries up and oil comes out on the sides.
6. Add drained chickpeas, one green chili and a few leaves of Curry Leaves (optional) and mix thoroughly.
7. Add 700 mls of water,  mix it and let it boil on high heat for 5-7 minutes.
8. Now reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pan.
9. Take a cup of chickpeas from the pan and mash them in a plate with a fork. Add the mashed chickpeas to the curry. This will thicken the gravy.
10. Simmer for around 20 mins till the curry has reduced to about ¾ of the water and has thickened.
11. Once you remove the pan from heat, you can add a tablespoon of dried mango powder to give the curry a slight tanginess. The curry tastes fabulous without Dried mango powder as well.
12. Garnish with fresh Coriander.

Khageena

An associate from my former university who is currently working on his PhD thesis on Pakistan asked me if I could share a simple and basic recipe from Pakistani kitchen that he could try. As I sat and thought about it, it took me a while to come up with it. This was the first thing I learnt to cook as a 13 year old. Nothing fancy!  Just the Pakistani version of spiced scrambled eggs that is eaten with homemade chappati or toasted bread. It’s called Khageena. 

Ammi would cook this for a quick lunch or dinner when her fridge would be empty of the groceries or we had just returned from a long journey. It takes about 15 mins to prepare and is delicious. This one is for you Captain Kirk.

Ingredients:

Eggs – 4

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Onions – 1 Large (finally chopped)

Potato – 1 small or ½ medium sized (finally chopped in small pieces)

Tomatoes – 2 Medium (finally chopped)

Green Chilies – 2 medium

Cumin – ½ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp (adjust as per taste)

Chili powder – ½ tsp

Cumin Powder – ½ tsp

Fresh Coriander for garnish (chopped) – a handful

Method:

1. Break the eggs in a bowl and beat them lightly. Keep aside.
2. In a frying pan heat the oil and add chopped onions and potatoes. Fry for 7-8 mins till the onions are translucent and potatoes are almost done.  
3. Add Cumin and tomatoes. Be careful as the tomatoes will splash. Add around ¼ cup of water to it. This will help the tomatoes to breakdown. .
4. Add green chilies, salt, chili powder and cumin powder to the mixture and wait for the water to dry.
5. As soon as the water is gone, add eggs and mix. Cook the eggs and keep mixing till the eggs are done and the mixture resembles minced meat.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Remove from the heat and serve with roti or bread.

Allo Gosht & Thunder Cats

I was about 13 when Pakistan's first private television channel - NTM started broadcasting. Thunder cats became my favorite cartoons back then. The Thunder Cats used to be aired around dinner time. Meaning all of us siblings will be fixated around the tv while having dinner. Ammi gave up on trying to station us at the dinner table while our favorite cartoons were on. Our favorite dinner was potato and meat curry served with a paratha while watching our favorite cartoons. Life was perfect!

It still amazes me how a 13 year old could eat parathas without any guilt or even a remote thought of weight gain. Now i feel that even the thought of having a buttered paratha adds couple of pounds to ones waist. I am sharing my favorite curry recipe in the loving memory of my favorite cartoons, guilt free Paratha eating and being a 13 year old.  At the same time i am thankful to the cosmic forces for letting my generation grow up without Hanna Montana. 

Maryam this is for you. Thank you for sending me down the memory lane.

Potato and meat curry can be served with pea pulao, home made chappati - flat bread or buttered paratha. 

Ingredients:

Mutton – 250 gms (6-7 pieces)

Onions – 250 gms (4-5 medium – finely chopped)

Tomatoes – 150 gms ( 3 medium – pureed)

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp

Potatoes – 350 gms (3 Medium – peeled and diced)

Oil – 5 Tbsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Methi Seeds/ Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Cinnamon sticks – 2 (2 inch each)

Black Cardamom – 2 pieces

Chili Powder – ½ tsp (adjust to taste)

Cumin Powder – ½ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp (adjust to taste)

Water – 3 ½ cups

Garnish: Dried Methi(dried fenugreek leaves)- ½ tsp, garam masala (2 pinches), chopped coriander.

I use pressure cooker to cook the meat as it reduces cooking time. If you want to do it without pressure cooker, it can take up to an hour for cooking the meat alone. 

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add onions and let them become translucent.
2. Add ginger/garlic paste, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black cardamom and fry for a minute.
3. Now add meat and fry till it changes color to brown.
4. Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Now add 350 ml ( 1 ½ cups) of water and put the cover on to pressure cook.
6. The pressure cooking time for the meat depends on the meat itself. I needed about 15 minutes of pressure cooking to cook the mutton I had. (You might need more or less).
7. After 15 mins depressurize the cooker under cold water and open it.  Check if the meat is tender or not. (If it is not done yet then pressure cook it further for 5-10 mins. Replenish with a little bit of more water.)
8. Once the meat is tender then remove the meat from the cooker and let it rest in a plate while you work on the gravy. This ensures that the meat does not break down in further cooking.
9. Now increase the heat and dry up the water in the mixture. It should become thick and the oil should come out on the sides (see the photo).
10. Now add potatoes and the already cooked meat. Add 450ml (2 cups) of water and let it boil on high heat.
11. Once it starts boiling reduce the heat and let it simmer. The aim is to cook the potatoes and the oil comes up on the surface. It can take between 15-25 mins(see the photo).
12. Once done garnish with dried methi, 2 pinches of garam masala and fresh coriander leaves.

Achari Bhindi - Okra

Okra/Lady Finger - Bhindi is a seasonal vegetable in Pakistan. Its available during the peak summer season and is regularly cooked for lunch in Pakistani household. While posted in various cities around Pakistan, my mother's  home garden would regularly feature okra. As much as i love eating Okra, plucking it from the plants is no fun for a kid. The plant grows pretty tall for a kid to deal with. It also has small spikes all over its stem which can prick your hand. I was never happy to lend a hand in that activity. Ammi likes to use the bhindi that is same size as the index finger. She always insisted that this length ensured that the bhindi was tender and tasted better. 

I confess my favorite way to cook and eat okra is with minced meat or with goat meat. I will share those versions in future. Acharai bhindi/Okra is a delightful way of cooking and enjoying an all vegetarian meal. I am using fresh Okra but frozen okra can be used as well. It just takes a bit longer to cook. 

Achari Bhindi is served with home made chappati - flat bread and salty lassi drink in peak summers.

Ingredients:

Okra/Bhindi – ½ kg (cut in small pieces). 

Vegetable Oil – 5 Tbsp

Tomatoes – 2 large (Sliced)

Onions – 1 Large (Sliced)

Lemon – 1 Large

Ginger/Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp

Cumin/Zeera – 1 tsp

Mustard seed/ Rai – 1 tsp

Nigella Seed/ Kalonji – 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds(Methi Dana) - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat a pan and add oil.
2. Add Okra/Bhindi to it and saute on high heat till the stickiness goes away and the okra becomes lightly brown. It will take around 10-15 mins. Fresh Okra will take less time, Frozen one takes longer to get rid of slimy stickiness.
3. Once the okra is brown, add ginger Garlic Paste and cook it.
4. Now add sliced tomatoes along with all the spices.
5.  After 3 minutes add sliced onions and let it cook for 2 more minutes.
6. Add a half cup of water and mix. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 8-10 mins over low heat. The aim is to soften the tomatoes and onions.
7. Once the tomatoes and onions are well done, increase the heat to reduce down the extra water  completely. The dish is done once the oil comes out on the sides.
8. Switch off the stove and add juice of one large lemon. Garnish with fresh green chilies and serve with roti.

Whole Masoor Daal / Kali Daal

Whole masoor daal somehow always reminds me of scorching summer of Pakistan. In ammi's house, it was especially cooked in peak summer season. Coming home from school and finding out our favorite daal was for lunch being served with boiled aromatic basmati rice made the siblings very happy. The daal and rice are usually served with a mango pickle and mint & yogurt chutney. 

I am sharing this recipe for my favorite lentil while remembering my school days in Pakistan, unending summers, 40 degrees centigrade and an afternoon nap.

I have used a pressure cooker to cook this lentil as it reduces cooking time considerably. This lentil can be cooked without a pressure cooker as well which will take around 60 mins if pre-soaked. 

Ingredients:

Water – 3 cups (750 ml)

Oil – 3 tbsp

Whole Masoor Lentil – 1 cup

Ginger/Garlic paste – 1 Tbsp

Cumin – 1 Tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Red Chili powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Dry Mango powder / Amchoor powder – 1 tbsp (optional)

For Tarka : Oil Tempering 

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Garlic – 4-5 cloves

Cumin – ½ tsp

Rai seeds/Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Dry Red chilies – 3 Whole

Green chili – 1-2 chopped

Curry leave – 6-7 fresh (optional)

Coriander leaves – Handful chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Wash & soak Lentil overnight. It will become more than double in size.
2. Heat oil in pressure cooker and add ginger garlic paste. Let it brown.
3. Now add cumin seeds, cumin powder, salt and chili powder. Cook for 30 sec.
4. Drain the lentil and put it in the pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water. Put cooker’s lid on for pressure.
5. Overnight soaked lentil will take 10 mins. Ensure heat is medium.
6. After 10 mins of pressure cooking open the pressure cooker (I do that by putting the pressure cooker under cold water. it condenses the steam in the cooker quickly). The Lentils might require around 3/4th of a cup of more water after pressure cooking. Mix and boil further for 5 mins.
7. Add the dry mango powder and mix.
8. Now prepare the Tarka by heating the oil in a frying pan.
9. Brown the garlic, add cumin, mustard seeds, green chilies, dry red chilies. Pour over the Lentil.
10. Garnish with Fresh coriander.

Channa Daal & GT Road

Whoever has traveled on GT Road in Pakistan knows what a driver hotel or a Manji hotel is. Four words: Truck drivers, plenty of Manjis(Punjabi word for beds), karak doodh patti and affordably epic desi food. That’s where all the long haul trucks make stops to eat, drink and rest before heading to another stretch of their tiring trucking journeys. The GT Road or The Grand Truck road is South Asia’s oldest and the longest road originally built to link eastern & western regions of sub-continent. The road was rebuilt by Sher Shah Suri in 16^th Century. This road is still an integral part of road network in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. 

Before Islamabad – Lahore Motorway was built in 1997; GT Road was the only way to get in to Rawalpindi from any other part of Punjab. My only living grand parents lived in Rawalpindi and regardless of where we were posted in Pakistan due to my father’s job, summer holidays were spent with my grandparents in Rawalpindi meaning traveling on GT Road was a must. At Lala Musa on GT Road (half way between Lahore and Rawalpindi) there was (and still is) a truck restaurant named Mianjee restaurant. The place is known for its Channa Daal(Chickpea Lentil) and parathay. I have never forgotten the taste of that daal/Lentil. It has taken me many attempts in kitchen and a lot of effort to come up with a taste for Channa daal close enough to Mianjee’s daal. 

Here is the recipe. This version of daal is served with home made chappati - flat bread or Tandoori Roti.

Ingredients:

Channa Daal (Chickpeas Lentil) – 1 cup (washed and soaked in water overnight)

Onions – 2 finely chopped

Tomatoes – 3 medium sized (Pureed with 2 green chilies)

Ginger/Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp

Cumin (zeera) – 1 tsp (Partially crushed in pastel mortar)

Cinnamon – 2-3 sticks

Black Cardamom – 2

Dried Red Chilies – 2 (whole)

Curry Leaves – 6-8 fresh or 4-5 dried

Red chili Powder – ½ Tsp

Turmeric – ¼ Tsp

Salt – ¾ Tsp (Adjust more as per taste)

Dried Kasuri Methi – ½ tsp

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Water – 500 ml

For Tarka – Butter, Onions, Cumin, mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, Coriander.

Method: 
Soak 1 cup of Chickpea Lentil in water over night. It will swell up and become more than 2 ½ cups. Drain the water before cooking.

1. In a pan heat oil. Add onions and let them brown.
2. Now add ginger garlic paste, Cumin, Dried whole chilies, Cinnamon and cardamoms.
3. Fry till ginger garlic paste becomes golden.
4.  Now add tomato puree and cook for 3 – 4 mins.
5. Then add salt, chili powder and turmeric and cook for another 2 mins.
6. Add chickpea Lentil and mix.
7. Now add 500 ml of water and half of curry leaves and let the lentils boil on high heat. 
8. As soon as it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan for 30-35 mins.
9. Mix from time to time and check the amount of water as well as the tenderness of the Lentil.
10.  This lentil takes a long time to cook and soaking it overnight considerably reduces the cooking time.  If the lentil still has a bite after 30 mins of cooking then add 200 ml of water. Let it simmer on low flame till it is completely cooked and Lentil is soft.
11. Leave some liquid as the gravy. The Lentil will soak it up later as it cools down.
12. Now sprinkle Dried Kasuri Methi and mix the daal.
13. Dish the daal/Lentil in to a bowl.
14. Do a tarka on daal with the ingredients mentioned earlier. Butter is the magic ingredient here.