Dal makhni

Dal makhni is a popular Indian dish originated from the Punjab region. Dal makhni has a smooth, creamy and rich texture. It is universally recognized as a quintessential Indian dish and is served in a wide variety of eateries and restaurants. 

The main ingredients are whole black lentils (Sabut urad dal) , red kidney beans (Rajma), butter and full fat cream. Dal makhani usually tastes better the second day and that's why whenever I make it, I make it extra for the second day.

This delicious, creamy dish is usually made during marriages or special occasions as its very heavy.

Dal makhni goes well with rice, chapati or naan.

Preparation time - 45 min

Serves - Two

Ingredients - 

1. Whole black lentils (Sabut urad dal) - 2 cups
2. Red kidney beans (Rajma) - 1/2 cup
3. Red chilly powder - 1 Tb spoon
4. Chopped ginger - 1 Tb spoon
5. Chopped garlic - 3/4 Tb spoon
6. Finely chopped onion - 1
7. Finely chopped tomato - 1
8. Sliced green chilly - 2
9. Cumin seeds - 3/4 Tb spoon
10. Garam masala powder - 1 tea spoon
11. Butter - 4 Tb spoon
12. Oil - 3 Tb spoon
13. Cream - 1/2 cup
14. Cardamom - 2

Procedure - 

1. Wash and soak whole black lentils and red kidney beans overnight. After the soaking time, they will get double in size.

2. Pressure cook the lentils by adding half chopped ginger, salt and half red chilly powder in the same soaked water for 3 to 4 whistles. Add more water if required.

3. Once the steam from the pressure cooked is released, open the lid and mash the dal with hand churner. Keep aside.

4. In a deep pan or kadhai, heat oil and half a butter.

5. Once the butter melts completely add cumin seeds. Let it splutter nicely.

6. Add the remaining chopped ginger and garlic and stir on medium heat for 30 seconds. 

7. Now add sliced green chillies and whole cardamon. Stir on low flame for 30 seconds.

8. Add finely chopped onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown.

9. Add finely chopped tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are mashed and cooked well.

10. Add remaining red chilly powder and stir.

11. Add boiled dal and stir well.

12. Add 1/2 cup water, stir and cook the mixture on medium to low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

13. Add remaining butter, garam masala and salt (If required) and simmer for another 5 minutes.

14. Keep aside 2 Tb spoon fresh cream and add the rest in the dal, stir and cook for another minute.

15. Turn off the flame and garnish with remaining cream and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Chicken hariyali

As the name, this dish involves green leafy vegetables and spices marinated with chicken. Its an easy and mouth watering delight.

In this recipe I have used mint, coriander, fenugreek leaves and spinach. This legendary dish is rich and can be cooked on pan or grilled.

Marination time - At least 5 hrs

Preparation time - 40 minutes

Cooking time - 10 to 12 minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients -

1. Boneless chicken - 350 gms
2. Oil - 3 Tb spoon


A. For the green paste -

1. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
2. Mint leaves - 3/4 cup
3. Fenugreek leaves - 1/2 cup
4. Spinach - 1/2 cup
5. Green chilly - 2
6. Hung curd - 1/2 cup


B. For the spice marination -

1. Red chilly powder - 3/4 Tb spoon
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tb spoon
3. ginger garlic paste - 3/4 Tb spoon
4. Coriander powder - 1/2 Tb spoon
5. Cumin powder - 1/2 Tb spoon
6. Garam masala - 3/4 Tb spoon
7. Lemon juice - 1 Tb spoon
8. Kasuri methi - 1 & 1/2 Tb spoon
9. Salt


Procedure -

1. Chop boneless chicken into cubes.

2. In a bowl add chicken cubes. Add all the ingredients mentioned in Spice marination and mix well. Keep aside and cover with a lid for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile to make green paste, in a grinder add coriander leaves, mint leaves, fenugreek leaves, spinach and green chillies and grind into fine paste. Transfer it in another bowl.

4. Add hung curd in green paste and mix well.

5. Pour the green paste on marinated chicken and mix.

6. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 5 hours.

7. In a frying pan add 2 Tb spoon oil and once the oil turns hot add marinated chicken pieces one by one. Let it cook on low flame for a minute. Cover with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes.

8. Open the lid and turn the chicken pieces another side and add 1 Tb spoon oil. Cover with a lid for another 4 to 5 minutes.

9. Serve hot with a slice of lemon and onion.

Aloo paratha

Aloo paratha is a stomach filling and one of the most oftenly made in my family. The spiced aloo stuffing is stuffed in whole wheat bread, rolled and cooked on a pan. Using ghee or oil while roasting paratha gives a crispy and brownish spots on parathas.

A tip while kneading dough - Knead a smooth soft dough. This helps the aloo stuffing to stay intact and doesn't come out from the edges while rolling. I have experienced this myself.

If you are using previous day's dough, take it out of the fridge and let it rest till it reaches room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature start with your parathas.

Always boil potatoes completely and mash them properly as a small lump may cause your parathas to break.


Ingredients -

For stuffing -

1. Potatoes - 6 to 7
2. Coriander leaves - 3/4 th cup
3. Ginger paste - 1 Tb spoon
4. Garam masala - 1 tea spoon
5. Cumin powder - 3/4 th Tb spoon
6. Coriander powder - 1 Tb spoon
7. Green chillies -3


For kneading dough -

1. 4 cups whole wheat flour
2. Salt
3. Water as required
4. Oil - 2 Tb spoon


Procedure -

1. Knead dough, cover with a lid and keep aside.

2. Wash potatoes under running water. Boil them in a utensil or pressure cooker.

3. Peel and mash them and keep aside. I usually grate the potatoes so that there are no lumps left.

4. Grind green chillies and ginger.

5. Now add green chilly and ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and chopped coriander leaves in mashed potatoes and mix well.

6. Heat the tawa on medium flame and take a small ball (small onion sized) from the dough and dust it with flour and start rolling. Roll the dough into 5 cms and then add around 2 to 2 & 1/2 Tb spoon of aloo mixture in the center.

7. Now gently cover the aloo mixture by lifting the sides of the rolled dough and seal it tightly by pressing it gently at the center.

 8. Dust it again in flour and gently start rolling.

9. Once you roll the paratha, place it on hot tawa and apply ghee or oil. Flip the paratha and apply ghee or oil on another side as well. Parathas usually need more oil therefore it is necessary to apply more oil on both sides so that it becomes moist and crispy. A well made and well roasted paratha will puff up.

10. Once both the sides of parathas are roasted properly, serve hot with pickle, curd or butter.

Kaju katli

Kaju katli or Kaju barfi is the most popular sweet made with cashew nuts especially during festivals and marriages.

It is very important to use the exact proportion else your kaju barfi may not turn out well, though it takes very little time to prepare with easily available ingredients.

Frankly, making kaju barfi at home is not an easy task. I was successful only on my third attempt. On my first attempt, it was too sticky and the second time it turned out too dry. Finally, it was a success and tasted exactly like we get in the stores. I have not used silver foil or varak but if you wish to you can place it on the barfi.

Below recipe is the perfect way to make kaju katli at home.
Preparation time - 25 minutes

Serves - 4 (2 pieces each)

Ingredients (1 cup = 225 gms)-

1. Broken cashew nuts - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1/3 cup or as per your requirement
3. Water - 8 tbsp
4. Rose water - 1 & 1/2 tsp
5. Ghee / oil - 1/2 tbsp.

Procedure -

1. Grind half cup cashews in a clean, dry jar to a fine powder. Do not grind it continuously for more then 10 seconds as the cashews will start oozing oil in the jar. Open the lid and with a spoon stir the cashew powder. Scrape the sides of the jar and again grind it for another 5 seconds. Open the lid and check if the cashews are ground into fine powder. If not again grind for another 5 seconds.
(I used small jar for grinding as quantity of the cashew was less you can use medium jar as well)

2. Repeat the same process for the remaining cashews.

3. Remember that the cashew powder should not turn oily or sticky while grinding. It has to be dry fine powder.

4. In a kadhai or pan add water and sugar to make sugar syrup.

5. Keep the flame on high and let the sugar dissolve completely.

6. Once the sugar dissolves, turn the flame to low and immediately add finely ground cashew powder and stir. You will have a batter like consistency at first.

7. Keep stirring on low flame and once the cashew batter starts thickening, add 1 tea spoon rose water. Mix well.

8. After few minutes the mixture will start thickening and will reach below consistency.

9. This entire process from pouring the cashew powder into sugar syrup till thickening will take around 9 to 10 minutes.

10. Transfer the cashew dough in a plate or work area with a laddle. Let it cool half.

11. Once the cashew dough is half cooled add 1/2 tea spoon rose water and knead for 30 seconds. While kneading if the dough sticks to your hands apply ghee/oil and then knead.

12. Sprinkle a tea spoon milk and knead for another 30 seconds. (Sprinkle milk only if your dough is dry mine was a little dry) Kneading turns the grainy cashew dough to soft cashew dough. (If your dough still doesn't turn soft add more milk. But adding more milk would decrease shelf life of the barfis so once your kaju barfis are done refrigarate them)

13. While kneading, if the cashew dough releases oil, with a clean dry cotton cloth tap on the dough and sides of the dough. Just tap don't place the cloth on the dough completely as the dough might stick to the cloth.

14. Now grease your work area or plate with 1/2 Tb spoon oil and place the cashew dough on it. Slowly roll the dough. Remember not to roll it thin, roll it equally but thick. It has to be thisker then parathas.

15. Once the rolled cashew dough cools completely, cut into diamond size shape with a knife/butter knife.

16. Gently with a knife/butter knife remove the kaju katli pieces and serve or store it in an air tight container.

(If it becomes difficult to remove the kaju katli or breaks while removing, just gather the entire rolled dough together, knead for 10 seconds and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll again and cut into diamond shape. Remove gently with a knife/butter knife)