Bhuna hua Gosht

Mutton has been an integral part of  the UP Kayastha meals. No celebration , big or small, is complete without a delectable mutton dish. The dish is usually prepared by the family patriach , on a slow fired 'angeethee' (coal fired stove), kept in the 'aangan' (courtyard) of the family home. The whole process would be much publicized, as it would be only on special occasions that the patriach would take time off from his busy , mostly academic , schedule. He would position himself in the center of the household , where he could be part of all the goings on, and also the family could appreciate him toiling over the 'kadahi' , all for the noble cause of taste. In this case , it would be my Grandfather, a lawyer by profession, who would be at the helm of affairs with his obedient errand boy, running around in circles, fulfilling his each demand, mostly of replenishing his tumbler of chilled beer.
The following recipe needs 1 day of planning. Cooking on a coal fire imparts a earthy flavour...if one is not able to cook on that , using a gas top is absolutely fine.

Bhuna hua Gosht

Serves 6
Preperation time
to marinate 24 hrs
to cook  40 mins

Ingredients:
Mutton (shoulder cut)              1 1/2 kg
Yoghurt                                   750 gms
Onions sliced thinly                  200 gms
Ginger shredded                      1 1/2 inch
Garlic minced  coarsely            2 tbsp
Green chillies chopped             3 tbsp
Green cardamom                     10
Cloves                                     7-8
Nutmeg grated                         1 tsp
Mace                                       1cm
Cinnamon                                 1.5 inch
Kashmiri mirch powder             2 tbsp
Corriander seeds                      10 tsp
Ghee (clarfied butter)                150 gms
Mustard oil                               2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Corriander leaves and jullienned ginger for garnish

Method:

• fry 1/2 of the thinly sliced onions in some oil, till brown, and keep aside
• dry roast separately for 1 min each, coriander seeds, green cardamom, cloves,and cinnamon
• combine all the whole spices and grind them into a very coarse powder
• in a large bowl combine yoghurt, minced garlic, shredded ginger, sliced onions, fried onions,mustard oil, dry ground spices , red chilli powder, green chillies
• put in a tight lid vessel, preferably a box and refrigerate 24 hrs prior to cooking
• take a heavy kadahi (wok)
• invert the marinated mutton in the vessel
• add salt
• cover and cook for 20 mins on slow fire, stirring every 3-4 mins
• remove lid
• increase the heat a little,stir
• reduce the liquid to less than half
• add the ghee
• keep stirring gently all the while
• the mutton should be cooked thoroughly by now and it should be dry
• remove and serve garnished with ginger julinnes and fresh corriander leaves

The "bhuna hua gosht" is best served with hot roti and some onion slices

Nutritive value : Yoghurt is rich in calcium, vitamins, proteins and probiotics. Marinating the mutton helps to tenderize it and aids digesting it too.

     

kathal ki biryani

There are a lot of members of the Kayastha community who abstain from meat, much against the notion that Kayasthas are totally non-vegetarians. The supermoms of the community would always prepare a vegetarian version of the popular non-vegetarian items on the menu, largely to please the vegetarian populace. "Kahal ki biryani" is one such effort. the die hard non-vegetarians, of course feel it is an insult to the  'Biryani' which should only be made of mutton.....but....mothers are always striving to strike a balance on the dining table. 'Kathal' is jackfruit, in this recipe it is used in it's raw form. peeling the jackfruit is an ordeal and it is always a good idea to get the peeling and cutting done by your vegetable seller. Choose the fruit carefully. It should be raw,hard to touch and on cutting should be off white with traces of light brown, in colour.
A process called "dhungaar" is used to impart an enchantingly earthy flavour to the biryani. I shall explain the process in detail.

KATHAL KI BIRYANI

Serves 4

Ingredients:

jackfruit(cut into1 1/2 inch pieces)  500gm
onions (chopped finely)                  200gm
ginger  grated                                 1inch piece
garlic paste                                     1tbsp
green chillies(chopped)                    4-5
corriander powder                          1tbsp
redchilli powder                              1 tsp
black cardomom                             2
cloves                                             3
cinnamon stick                                1 inch
dried apricots (soaked in water)      3
fried cashew nuts                            10
garam masala powder*                     2 tsp
yoghurt                                           1 1/2 cup
chopped fresh mint leaves                1/2 cup
chopped fresh corriander leaves       1/2 cup  
ghee (clarified butter)                      200 gm
long grain basmati rice                     500 gms
tomatoes (chopped into chunks)      1 1/2 cups
lemon juice                                      2 tbsp
saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk) 1 pinch
salt to taste

for dhungaar
charcoal                                             3 small pieces
clove                                                 1
ghee(clarified butter)                           2 tsp

Method :

• Parboil the rice with the whole cardomom, clove,cinnamon and salt . the rice should be 3/4 done.
• drain and keep in sieve.
• remove the whole spices from the rice
• heat ghee in a thick bottom pan
• fry the chopped onions till golden brown
• keep 2 tbsp aside
• grind the remaining fried onions to a fine paste
• fry the jackfruit pieces , few at a time, till golden. keep aside
• mix together , in a bowl, yoghurt,ginger paste, garlic paste, green corriander, mint leaves,green chillies, fried onion paste,garam masala powder.
• add the fried pieces of jackfruit
• keep aside covered for 15 mins
• reheat the ghee.
• stir in the corriander powder, chilli powder and salt into the ghee
• add tomatoes
• lower flame, cover pot and let the tomatoes cook till pulpy
• add the jackfriut along with the yoghurt mixture, stir to mix.
• spread this evenly to cover the bottom of pan
• cover this mix with the parboiled rice
• cut the soaked apricots into bite size pieces
• dot the rice with the dried apricots
• sprinkle the soaked saffron/milk
• sprinkle lemon juice
• pour 1 tbsp melted ghee over the rice
• "Dhungar" :- take a small metal bowl (steel katori)
• choose a deep bowl
• embed the bowl securely in the center of the rice. 
• light the charcoal pieces over flame, till they smoulder, blow off the ash
• put the smouldering coal pieces in the metal bowl
• put the clove on the smouldering charcoal pieces
• pour 1 tsp ghee on the smouldering charcoal
• it will start sizzling and smoking
• the dhungaar process should be completed at a very fast speed
• make sure that none on the ash/embers from the coal fall on the rice
• cover with a tight lid
• seal the lid with dough
• keep on minimum heat for 25 mins
• turn off heat , rest for 15 mins
• remove the bowl with the coal
• serve garnished with fried onions and fried chashews

This recipe is an excellent celebratory dish for vegetarians. Serve the Kathal Biryani accompanied with cucumber raita and kachumbar salad 

nutritive value : Fresh jackfruit has antioxident nature and is rich in vitamins A and C.Fresh jackfruit provides potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Potassium provides cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

Jackfruit can be a good bulk laxative because of its dietary fiber.

*garam masala powder is a spice mix readily available in grocery stores. choose a reputed brand

Do serve this "Kathal biryani" to non-vegetarians and see the look of pleasant surprise on their faces , as they polish off their plates

" SAKAUDA"

The rains are here and it's time , once again to have some hot , spicy and sinus opening food. "Sakauda" is a favourite in the Eastern UP region. Sakauda is dumplings made of fresh greens and the dumplings are dunked in a spicy broth. The broth is made of ingredients which prevent you from catching a cold and also help in opening up the sinuses.

Recipe for "SAKAUDA" 

Serves 6

Ingredients
for the dumplings :
finely chopped spinach                    2 cups
finely chopped green coriander       1/2 cup
finely chopped mint leaves               1/2 cup
finely chopped green chillies            1 tbsp
finely grated ginger                          1 tbsp
finely chopped garlic                       1 tbsp
besan (bengal gram flour)                1 1/2 cup
amchur (raw mango powder)          1 tsp*
salt                                                 to taste
sugar                                              1/2 tsp
soda bi carb                                   1/2 tsp
water                                              enough to blend the dumplings (approximately 1 cup)
oil                                                   enough to deep fry the dumplings
for the broth :
water                                             6 cups
hing (asafoetida) powder                1 tsp
jeera (cumin) seeds                        1 tsp
kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) 1 tsp
sonth (dry ginger powder)              1 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder                            1 tsp
garam masala powder                    1 tsp
amchur(dry mango powder)           1 tsp*
ginger paste                                   1 tsp
garlic paste                                    1 tsp
ghee (clarified butter)                     1 1/2 tbsp
salt                                                to taste
sugar                                             1 tbsp
for garnish
chopped coriander leaves              1 tbsp
chopped mint leaves                      1 tbsp
 lemon juice                                   2 tsp

* if raw green mangoes are available , one can use 1 cup of chopped green mangoes for the sourness and a added flavour

METHOD

for the dumplings

• take a large bowl
• mix all the dry ingredients of the dumplings in the bowl
• add water 1/2 cup and then a tbsp at a time to combine all the ingredients into a homogeneous mass (like a soft dough )
• check seasoning
• wet palm
• take one tablespoon mixture and form a ball
• form same sized balls , using the entire mixture
• heat oil, reduce heat to medium 
• fry the balls till golden, few at a time
• drain on absorbent paper

for the broth

• mix all the dry spices into a thin paste
• heat ghee in a large pot
• add jeera (cuminseeds), hing (asafoetida), kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), ginger paste, garlic paste
• fry on low heat for a minute
• add the dry spice paste
• fry for a further minute on low flame 
• add 6 cups of water
• bring to a boil
• if using raw mangoes, this is the stage, where to add them to the boiling broth
• add sugar and salt
• simmer for 2 minute 
• adjust seasoning
• add the fried dumplings
• simmer for 1 minute
• take off flame 
• garnish with coriander, mint leaves
• add lemon juice
• check seasoning
• the taste should have heat and tartness with a salty/ sugary undertone

serve the sakauda in a soup bowl, 4 dumplings each, floating in a cup of broth. served warm, best as an aperitif.

nutritive value :

cumin seeds are an excellent source of iron.

ginger prevents one from colds and flu.

Colocasia leaves fritters - " rickwanch "

RICKWANCH is a strange, unusual name......the origin of which is not certain......rickwanch is almost a year round treat...made of tender colocasia leaves....it can be served a s a snack or a side dish......this dish is becoming increasingly rare in most homes. We still cook it sometimes in fond memory of our childhood days. I do hope , once you've eaten this delicious treat, you would try and make it more often. A little effort, planning and time is required to make this dish, but the end product is well worth all the effort....enjoy 'rickwanch' with hot masala chai on a rainy afternoon.......

Recipe for Rickwanch

SERVES : 6

Prep time : 6 hrs
Cooking time : 1/2 hr

INGREDIENTS

tender colocasia leaves                              9 nos
chana dal (split yellow gram)                     100 gms
rice                                                          50 gms
turmeric powder                                      1/2 tsp
red chilli powder                                      1/4 tsp
amchur (dry mango) powder                    1/2 tsp
ginger paste                                             1 tsp
garlic paste                                              1 tsp
green chilli paste                                      1/2 tsp
garam masal (indian spice mix) powder    1/4 tsp
salt                                                          to taste
oil of your choice to shallow fry
I prefer using mustard oil for it's pungent flavour

METHOD

• Wash and soak chana dal (split yellow gram ) in 2 cups water for 4-5 hrs
• Wash and soak rice in 1 cup water for 4-5 hrs
• 45 mins before serving time drain the rice and dal 
• wash the wipe dry the colocasia leaves
• grind the rice and dal together to a fine paste. add very little water only if required to move the blender
• add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and all the dry spices and salt
• cut the thick stalk off the leaves
• lay one leaf vein side up on a board
• spread an even, thin layer of the dal/rice/spice mix on the leaf
• put another leaf on top of the spread vein side up
• take care to align the edges of the leaves carefully
• spread the spice mix in a thin layer over this leaf too
• repeat process with another leaf
• hold the edge of the leaves and make a tight roll, rolling away from you
• the roll should resemble a swiss roll
• make another roll with the remaining 3 leaves and the spice mix
• put the rolls in a steamer for 5 mins , alternatively microwave covered for 3 mins
• rest covered for 10 mins
• cut the roll laterally into 1 inch pieces making pinwheels
• heat a non stick pan, pour 1 tbsp oil 
• shallow fry the rolls on medium heat till the outer covering is brown
• serve hot

Nutritive Value

Colocasia leaves a rich source of iron.

Variation

One can make a mild tomato gravy and add the fried rolls to it, to make a delectable side dish to be served with steamed rice

 

Khichdi on Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti , popularly called ‘khichdi’ is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country, though the name of the festival may differ from ‘khichadi’ in UP, ‘pongal’ in TN, to ’bihu’ in the valley of Assam. It is a harvest festival. Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year on the 14th of January (with just a few exceptions when it is celebrated either on 13th or 15th of January)

Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun-God begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere and thus it signifies an event wherein the Sun-God seems to remind their children that 'Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya'- may you go higher & higher, to more & more Light and never to Darkness. We should gradually begin to grow in purity, wisdom, and knowledge, even as the Sun does from the Day of Makar Sankranti.

The movement of the Sun from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn zodiac known as Makar in Hindi, this occasion is named as Makar Sankranti in the Indian context.

Another well-known reference of this day came when the great grand-sire of Mahabharata fame, Bhishma, declared his intent to leave his mortal coil on this day. He had the boon of Ichha-Mrityu(death at his will) from his father, so he kept lying on the bed of arrows till this day and then left his mortal coil on Makar Sankranti day.
Kite flying is an inevitable part of the festival in Uttar Pradesh

Food is an integral part of all the celebrations in a typical Kayastha household of Uttar  Pradesh. Most prominent is the ‘Khichdi’ as the name of the festival suggests, which is essentially made of kali urad (split black gram), which is the 1st yield off the farm. ‘Khichdi is a mix of rice with different kinds of lentils, served with many accompaniments like different kinds of ‘bhartas’ (vegetable mash with spices),papad and generous dollops of ghee (clarified butter) and pickles. Things like til (sesame), gur (jiggery) and other fresh off the farm seasonal produce is added to the extensive menu. One will notice that all the things included in the meal are extremely helpful in preventing you from the harsh, north Indian cold weather.

Serves 6

Ingredients
Rice                                               500 gms
Black urad dal                                250 gms (split black gram, with husk)
Finely chopped onions                    ¾ cup
Thinly slice onions                           ½ cup
Finely chopped garlic                      2 tbsp
Finely chopped ginger                     2 tbsp
Finely chopped green chillies           1 tbsp
 Hing (asafoetida)                            ¾ tsp
Jeera (whole cumin)                         1 tsp
Whole dry red chillies                      2
Garam masala pdr                           1 tsp
Haldi (turmeric)pdr                          1 tsp
Cinnamon                                        1” pc
Black cardamom                             1 nos
Green cardamom                            4 nos
Black peppercorn                           10 nos
Clove                                              4 nos
Bay leaf                                           3 nos
Salt                                                  to taste
Mustard oil                                      3 tbsp
Ghee (clarified butter)                       generous individual helpings

Method

• Wash and soak the urad dal (split black gram) and rice , separately, for 3 hours
• Heat a large thick bottomed pan (the prepared dish is 3 times in volume of the raw ingredients )
• Add mustard oil and bring to smoking point.
• Fry thinly sliced onions with whole dry red chillies and drain on kitchen paper (this is for garnishing the khichdi)
• Lower heat and add in the remaining mustard oil, the jeera (cumin) , hing (asafoetida)
• Stir for half a minute
• Add chopped ginger and garlic
• Stir for a minute
• Add the whole spices (bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, peppercorns,cinnamon)
• Stir for ½ minute
• Add chopped onions, fry till pink
• Add turmeric powder.
• Drain the dal (lentils) and add
• Fry for a minute on high flame
• Drain rice and add to the dal
• Fry for 1 min
• Add ½ litre of hot water
• Add salt to taste
• Stir
• Cover and cook for 20 mins on low flame
• Stir, check for seasoning
• Add garam masala powder
• Garnish with the fried onions, whole red chillies, and freshly cut coriander leaves
• Dish out individual servings and pour generous amounts of melted ghee (about 1 tbsp per person)

Khchdi is traditionally served with ‘bhartas’ – spicy mashes of potatoes, aubergines etc and papad and pickles and some freshly chopped greens live radishes and carrots
               
Nutritional value
Hing :  This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment, and in pickles. It reduces the growth of indigenous microflora in the gut, reducing flatulence.