Kahwa ( Kashmiri Green Tea )

There is something innately special about teatime rituals. Some find it therapeutic or rejuvenating, others use it as an opportunity to bond and a few like me consider it as sacred. For me, those 15 minutes in the morning when I take my first cuppa set the tone for the rest of the day. The morning breeze accompanied by a silence that is broken only by the fluttering of the pigeons helps me reach a state when I strike a conversation with my inner self. And on most days, it is the only cherished 'me' time that I can manage to find.

There is no denying that tea is akin to a holistic experience. But being the tea addict that I am, I end up trying various flavours of tea on a regular basis instead of sticking to one. Every time I visit a hill station or a shop that sells gourmet tea, I never forget to pick up a new blend. And it happens quite often that the half finished packets end up in a corner of the cupboard as I move on to a new blend.

Recently it was post on Pintrest that got me all excited about trying out Kahwa. While I did look up quite a few recipes on the net, this one comes straight from Sanjay Raina who runs Mealability that specializes in Kashmiri cuisine. I did not have the Kahwa green leaves in stock so made it with some green tea leaves that I had picked up from Coonoor . 

Read on -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 

• 2 1/2 cups of water
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp green tea leaves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 green cardamom
• a few strands of saffron
• a few slivers of almond

Preparation - Bring to water to a boil along with sugar and the spices. Let it simmer for 5-7 mins.

Rub the tea leaves gently between your palms before adding to the water. Remove from flame and let it steep for 2-3 mins.

Strain into cups. Add the almond slivers. 

Serve hot.

Khaja / Pheni ( Happy Ratha Jatra to everyone )

Walking down the narrow lanes of Puri and turning on to the Bada Danda thronging with devotees, if there is one thing that is impossible to be miss, it is the 'Khaja' or 'pheni'. A crisp and flaky sweet that is a favorite of the Mahaprabhu, it makes it's presence felt right from the moment one enters Jagaanath Dham. Stacked in circular mounds or even heaped into baskets, there is so much of it in plain sight that one might just be mistaken into thinking that the copious quantities are meant to appease an army.

The parallel is apt though. Puri does witness an army of worshipers and tourists everyday. While most of them relish the Anna bhoja at the temple, the 'Khaja' is the dry or 'sukhila' Mahaprasad that they are able to carry back to their homes. And in large enough quantities to be able to distribute it among friends, relative and neighbors for sharing the Mahaprasad is considered to be a pious deed. Even my earliest memories about the Lord are tied up to this sweet that is delicately flavored with edible camphor.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tsp ghee
• a pinch of salt
• cold water to make a tight dough

for the syrup -

• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 pinch edible camphor

Additional -

• 2 tsp all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ghee
• sufficient oil for deep frying

Preparation -  Take the flour, salt and ghee in a mixing bowl. Rub together for 5 mins.

Add cold water little by little and knead into a pliable ball.

Smear a little ghee on the dough. And keep it aside for 30 mins.

Make a paste out of the 2 tsp flour and 1 1/2 tsp ghee.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.

Roll out each portion into a rectangular shape. 

Rub some of the flour-ghee paste on one such sheet. Place another sheet on it. Rub more of the paste over the second sheet. Roll into a tight cylinder.

Cut into 1 1/2 inch wide pieces. Roll out each into 5 inch long pieces. DO NOT make it too thin else it wont puff and turn flaky. 

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok.

Once it gets heated to a sufficient temperature, put in 2-3 pieces at a time. Fry on both sides till a golden brown and crisp.

Remove and keep aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Repeat the process with all the pieces. 

Keep them aside till completely cool.

For making a syrup, heat the sugar and water in a deep saucepan. Once the sugar melts and gets to a two string consistency, remove from the flame.

Dip the fried khaja in the warm syrup and remove immediately.  Sprinkle the powdered camphor all over the sweetened khajas.

Allow to cool down.

Serve warm. 

Store the rest in airtight containers and store up to 2 weeks .

Anar Gulab Sharbat ( Ramadam Special Collab with ADollopOfThat )

For the majority of foodies, Ramadan means a month long period of indulgence. From scouring for a treat in those tiny lanes that sell mouth watering kebabs and other delicacies to enjoying a full fledged meal at a friend's house, one does not leave any stoned unturned when it comes to making the most of this opportunity.

But for the people who actually observe the month long fast ( or 'roza' ), it is quite taxing to abstain from food and drink for almost 14 to 15 hours on an everyday basis. While it is supposed to help one develop the qualities of self control and abstinence, and the fasting does help detoxify the body, the whole process can leave one dehydrated and exhausted if one does not care to replenish ones energy reserves.

Hence the drinks also form an important part of the sehri and iftar meals as one needs to keep oneself hydrated. And if the weather is especially hot, it should additionally cool the body. Here is a very simple Ramadan drink that one can prepare in no time . Made with rose petals, pomegranate juice and a dash of Roohafza, this is one soothing concoction that smells heavenly.

Just in case the very description of this Sharbat leaves you with a whetted appetite, there is another delicacy to make it even more special. For my very talented friend Parinaaz is sharing the recipe for Quatayef, a luscious Middle Eastern pancake.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins ( standby time - overnight  or 8 hours )

Ingredients -

• 2 cups of deep pink rose petals
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 4 tbsp Roohafza
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• a few rose petals for the garnish
• a squeeze of lemon ( optional )
• sugar syrup as per taste

Preparation - Grind the rose petals in a blender and steep the paste in the hot water. Pop it in the fridge and let it stand for 7-8 hours. 

Strain into another jug using a fine mesh. Add the pomegranate juice and Roohafza. Taste and add more sugar syrup if required. 

If it is too sweet for your liking, squeeze in some lemon as well.

Pour into glasses. 

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and rose petals.

Serve chilled.

And here is the delicious Quatayef !!

Luni Poda Pitha ( Savoury Rice Cake from Odisha )

Raja Parba has come and gone. And has left behind a legacy of Poda pithas never witnessed before in Odisha. Every Odia lady with a presence on social media has as gone out of her way to reaffirm her pitha making skills and even hone them further. In the last three days, my Facebook, twitter and instagram feed looked more like a beautiful kaleidoscope with Pithas of various shapes and hues. And as an Odia, it makes me feel proud indeed to witness the ethnic food from my region getting it's fair share of appreciation.

The Luni Poda Pitha is a savoury version of the more popular Poda Pitha. 'Poda Pitha' literally translates into burnt cake as the batter/dough is wrapped up in leaves before being tossed over the dying embers of a dying wood fire. But that was in the days of yore. Nowadays pithas are being prepared in ovens or even microwaves by the tons. Yes, they do lack the smokey flavor but everything else is just amazing.

My version is loaded with veggies like cauliflower, carrot, tomato, capsicum and onions. The seasoning is fairly frugal with some crushed green chili, ginger, a few curry leaves and freshly chopped cilantro.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 1 cup skinless black lentil ( chopa chada biri )
• 2 cups rice  ( arua chaula )
• 1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower (small florets)
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot (small pieces)
• 1 small capsicum (finely sliced)
• 2 finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 large onion ( thinly sliced )
• 2 green chillis ( coarsely crushed )
• 1 1/2 inch ginger ( finely crushed )
• 3-4 tsp chopped cilantro
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

Preparation: Soak the rice and lentil overnight. Wash and grind into a fine paste the next morning. Allow to ferment for 10-20 hours depending on the climate.

Cooking - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok.  Toss in the cauliflower and carrot. Saute for 5-6 mins on a medium flame.

Next add the capsicum and saute till it starts getting a bit limp.

Switch off the flame and let the veggies come down to room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade for 10 mins.

Take a good quality ovenproof dish which is about 2 inches deep. Grease the container with 1 /2 tsp oil.

Add the sauteed vegetables and the remaining ingredients to the batter and mix thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Put in the oven and cook at 180 degrees for 30 mins. Then lower the temperature to about 150 degrees and bake for another 30 mins. Insert a toothpick to check if it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool down completely . Cut into pieces and serve with by itself or any curry of your choice.

Have a great Raja with the Poda pitha !!

Sugarfree Lau Poda Pitha

Pithas are the mainstay of Odia festive food. And Raja is just another occasion to reinforce the fact that we Odia's love our pitha . From the sweet to the savory, and from the frugal to the opulent, there is a pitha for every budget and every occasion.

Though I personally prefer the savory ones over the sweetened variety, the Lau Poda pitha is one of my favorite Pithas. And according to a story that dates back to my childhood days, I ended up burning my forearm trying to get it out of the hot oven, In fact I still have a burn mark (though it has lightened considerably over time) to vouch for the authenticity of this tale.

In those days, it was my grandmother who prepared the pitha and she used to make this one in a round electric oven with a glass window on top. The whole contraption used to glow red during the time it was being operated. And it was a real magnet for a curious kid like me. You can very well decipher the rest of the tale.

Quite easy to prepare and with the additional health benefits of bottle gourd puree, I opted for a Sugarfree version this Raja as my MIL is diabetic. But one can use sugar or jaggery as one pleases.

[ IMPORTANT - For more Pitha recipes, click HERE ]

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 1 3/4 cup Chaula chuna (rice flour)
• 3 cups Bottle gourd chunks
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup coconut slices
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp freshly pepper powder
• 1/5 tsp salt
• 6-7 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp ghee

Preparation - Peel and cook the bottle gourd pieces for 1 whistle. Once steam escapes, drain off the water and puree the boiled bottle gourd.

Cooking - Take the bottle gourd puree in a wok and cook it on a low flame for 4-5 minutes before adding the milk.

Once the mixture gets bubbling, add the rice flour, salt and sugar. Cook till it gets to a dough like consistency.

Remove from the flame before adding the cardamom powder, pepper powder, ghee and coconut slices. Mix in and keep aside till it reaches a bearable temperature.

Rub ghee on your palms and start kneading it thoroughly for 5 mins.

Grease a baking dish. Press the dough into it and drizzle some ghee on top.

Preheat for 10 mins at 180 degrees.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake at 180 degrees till a reddish crust forms.

Remove and keep aside till it cools down. Cut into pieces.

Serve cold. Tastes best the next day and can be refrigerated for up to one week.

Kala Khatta (Jamun) Mojito

Black Plums or Jamuns may be not be considered in the same league as the venerated Mangoes, but this summer fruit packs in quite a punch. Both in terms of taste and nutrients. In fact, it is one fruit that can take care of most of the disorders that are associated with the consumption of excess mangoes. For example, stomach pain and diarrhea are readily cured by drinking the fruit juice or even chewing on the tender leaves !!

But the single most therapeutic property of this fruit is the ability to keep the blood sugar levels in check. A fact that has been exploited to the hilt by Patanjali which manufactures the 'Jamun Sirka', a product that flies off the shelves at an alarming rate. Even my diabetic MIL vouches for the effectiveness of this product. 

Today's recipe is all about a flavor derived from this fruit which I must have eaten by the kilos during my childhood days in Rourkela. The Java plum trees are naturally abundant in the hilly regions. The very popular 'kala khatta' is a mixture of black plum juice, a strong squeeze of lemon, a good dash of black salt and some sugar to balance it out. For something that is considered synonymous with the very pedestrian ice lollies, the Mojito is a much needed haute makeover for this crowd-favorite.

Read on for the recipe -

Ingredients - 

• 12 Ripe Black Plums (Jamuns)
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp black salt
• 4 tsp sugar syrup
• chilled soda water
• a mixture of red chili powder and salt for rimming the glasses ( 1:4 ratio )
• 4 shot glasses
• 2-3 sprig mint leaves

Preparation - Using a sharp knife, remove the flesh from the ripe fruits.

Cut the lemon into two halves and rub the half over the rim of the glasses. Dip the glasses in the salt and red chilli mixture. Let it dry for a few minutes. 

In each glass, put some fruit, mint leaves and black salt. Muddle it nicely with a muddler.

Add the lemon juice, sugar syrup and fill the rest with the soda water.

Garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices if desired.

Serve immediately.

Parwal ke Meethey Paan

Just a few days back, my Instagram account (@swetabiswal) crossed the 1K mark . Nothing great about the numbers when compared to successful Instagrammers yet it is a personal milestone which i felt like celebrating. And going by the Indian way, we celebrate special occasions with something sweet . "Kuch meetha ho jaye" is what we say.Around the same time, I was running out of ideas to use up a big batch of 'parwal' that had arrived from Odisha. After exhausting all the savory dishes, I decided to make something sweet of out this summer vegetable.

Parwal ka meetha is a kind of sweet made from pointed gourd. Very popular in the Northern parts of India, it is something delightful and different. But not as daringly different as I like. When it comes to experimental cooking, I love to break all the rules. Hence, a further twist to this already different recipe.

Combining the desserts and meetha paan into one, the 'Parwal ke meethey paan' is not just a complete dessert in itself but so refreshingly different. Plus it is easy to prepare and stays good for almost a week. Tastes best when served chilled so make sure to prepare a big batch in advance before inviting guests to your home.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 10-12 Parwal/Potolo/Pointed Gourd

For stuffing -

• 100 gm mawa
• 1/2 cup mixed dry fruits 
• 3 tsp gulkand 
• 2 tsp mukhwas
• 2-3 tsp tutti-frutti

For the syrup -

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3-4 betel leaves
• few drops of edible green color

For final garnishing -

• 2 tsp mukhwas
• silver foil (optional)

Preparation - Peel the pointed gourd and make a slit along the length. Remove the pith.

Boil water in a saucepan. Once it gets to a full boil, dunk the pointed gourd and let it boil for 3 mins.

Around the same time, prepare the betel flavored sugar syrup. Take 3/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 4 betel leaves and the edible food color in a saucepan. Stir on a medium flame it the sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickens.

Strain the pointed gourd and add it to the flavored sugar syrup. Let it boil till soft. 

Remove from flame, strain the syrup and let the vegetables cool down. 

Put a non-stick pan on the burner. Add the crumbled mawa and keep stirring it constantly till it gets a brown hue.

Remove and mix in the rest of the ingredients (mentioned under stuffing).

Stuff a spoonful or so of the mixture into the parwal and garnish with mukhwas and/or silver foil.

Put in the fridge for an hour or two.

Serve chilled .