CHOCOLATE THANDAI

Thandai is a perfect chilled milk drink which is served on special days and festive occasions like  holi festival in India signifying the onset of springs. It is made with lots of nuts and spices steeped in warm milk and then made cold before serving. It is my absolute favourite drink. As my family is chocoholic I tried to make it chocolate flavour and served it as a summer drink. Fusion cuisine is one that combines elements of different culinary traditions. Cuisines of this type are not categorised according to any one particular cuisine style and have played a part in a number of innovations. Here instead of boiling the milk, I soaked the nuts in water for 4-5 hours and then blend it in mixer and added to milk. The aroma of fennel seeds, cardamom, pepper and saffron rise a top dense flavour which refresh the spirit. This fresh, homemade thandai tastes absolutely heavenly, far superior to the readymade mixes available in the market. You can starin the mixture before serving if you want it smooth, but I like the coarse mouth-feel of ground nuts, so I didn’t strain. Thandai gives a cooling effect on the body and hence the name “Thandai”, which in Hindi means “cooling”. It is a great drink to serve to especially during summers in India when temperatures are 40 + degrees. You can make it in advance and keep it in refrigerator and consume it for next 2-3  days

 INGREDIENTS:
10-12 Almonds
10-12 Cashews
8-10 Pistachios
2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 teaspoon Peppercorns
2 tablespoon Melon Seeds
1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
4 Green Cardamoms
Few Saffron Strands soaked in 1 tablespoon water or milk
½ Cup Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
5-6 tablespoon Sugar
3 Cup Milk
Ice Cubes
For Serving:
1-2 Cashews, Almonds and Pistachios each, chopped for garnishing
1 tablespoon Chocolate Syrup

METHOD: [It makes 3 glasses of thandai]
STEP 1 – Soak all the nuts and seeds in warm water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
STEP 2 – Add fennel seeds, peppercorns and cardamom in a mixer pot and blend to fine powder. Remove and keep it aside.

STEP 3 – After 6 hours, take all the nuts in mixer pot and make a fine paste with it. Remove and keep it aside.

STEP 4 – Now for making thandai, take milk, sugar and ice cubes and blend well in a mixer pot.

 STEP 5 – Add the freshly blended powder, nuts paste

and saffron strands with saffron water [Reserve some strands for garnishing] in the milk and give it a nice blend.

STEP 6 – Chocolate thandai is ready, pour it in individual glasses, garnish with some chopped nuts and saffron strands

and serve chilled.

RESTAURANT STYLE DUM ALOO

Restaurant style dum aloo recipe with step by step pictures and video. Baby potatoes boiled , shallow-fried and then cooked in a tangy, hot and spicy curd based gravy. Dum aloo – there are many variations to this Indian classic curry. This dum aloo recipe, is traditionally prepared with tomato, yogurt and cream along with Indian spices and masala. DUM ALOO recipe is from north India and has mainly 3 versions -- kashmiri dum aloo, punjabi dum aloo and bengali dum aloo. The recipe shared in this website is my own version. 

 It is very popular curry that belongs to the Kashmiri cuisines. Kashmiri cuisine is rich and flavourful. The funny part though is that if you go to Indian restaurants they will have “Kashmiri Dum Aloo” on the menu and when you order it, you will get baby potatoes in a creamy, onion-tomato based curry which is nowhere close to how Kashmiri Dum Aloo should be.  I skipped adding tomato and cream and still the gravy looks so creamy.  Also there is no onions, no ginger garlic paste in my recipe. Shared my version of DUM ALOO and hope you must like it.

You are free to add or change any ingredient as per your choice. Let me know in the comment section, your version of dum aloo recipe. I would love to share it on my pinterest and instagram.

If you are looking for other potato (aloo) recipes, you can check them on my website. 

Here in my recipe, dum aloo is cooked with yogurt, ginger powder and few spices and while cooking on dum, the gravy almost absorbed in the potatoes and then the potatoes are served coated with spices and little fat and off course no gravy. The most important step is to prick the potatoes well and then shallow fried which helps the potatoes to absorb all the flavours and becomes spongy. If you are tired of eating the same old potato curry, then give this recipe a try…!!! Kashmiri Dum Aloo goes well with any Indian flatbread or steamed rice.  

If you tried this recipe, Click on the stars ★ in the recipe card to let us know your feedback!  You can also click the recipe pic and share on Instagram and Facebook with hashtag #Kalpana's La Cucina.

📌📌Watch the video recipe here 📌📌

INGREDIENTS:
10-15 Baby Potatoes [if you don’t have baby potatoes then use big ones cut into halves]
3 tablespoon Oil
7-8 Dry Red Chillies
300 gms Curd
1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
Spice Powders:
½ teaspoon Ginger Powder [adrak/ soonth powder]
½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder [haldi]
¼ teaspoon Asafoetida [hing]
Salt as needed
1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli POwder
Whole Spices:
3-4 Cloves [lavang]
3-4 Green Cardamom [elaichi]
1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds [dhaniya]
A piece of Mace [javitri/ jaypatri]
½ teaspoon Black Peppercorns [meera]
½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds [jeera]
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds [saunf]
1”Cinnamon [dalchini]

METHOD:
STEP 1 – In a pressure cooker boil potatoes with some salt for 2 whistles. Don’t overcook.
STEP 2 – After pressure released, remove potatoes from cooker, cool them and then peel them.

STEP 3 – Prick them with a tooth-pick or fork and keep aside.

STEP 4 – Now sprinkle some chilli powder, salt over it and rub it gently using your hands.

STEP 5 - Heat some oil in a pan, add few potatoes at a time and shallow fry them until golden brown in colour. Keep aside.

Making Fresh Spice Powder:
STEP 1 – Heat a pan and add all whole spices in it.

STEP 2 – Roast till you feel nice aroma.
STEP 3 – Transfer in to another plate, cool at room temperature 

and then grind them to make a fine powder. Keep this powder aside.

How To Proceed:
STEP 1 – De-seed the dry red chillies and keep them in a bowl.
STEP 2 – Heat some water and add to it. Soak them in hot water for about half an hour.

STEP 3 – Add the red chillies in mixer pot and blend to make a fine paste. If needed add 1 teaspoon water. Keep this paste aside until used.

STEP 4 – In a mixing bowl, add curd and whisk it well using a hand whisker. Add freshly ground masala powder with ginger powder in it and mix well.

STEP 5 – Now heat a pan with oil, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida in to it. Be careful otherwise spices get burnt.  

STEP 6 – Add whisked curd mixture and mix well. 

STEP 7 - Bring it to boil until oil separates. Keep stirring in between to avoid curdling of curd masala.

STEP 8 – Add fried potatoes in it, give a nice stir 

and close the pan with a lid.

STEP 9 – Cook until potatoes turn tender. Stir it in between to avoid burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

STEP 10 - Then add a very little water to make a thick consistency of gravy. Cook further for 3-4 minutes.

STEP 11 – Finely add crushed kasuri methi and mix well.Cook for 2 more minutes.

STEP 12 – Turn off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander and Kashmiri dum aloo is ready to serve.

Serve it with paratha/ roti/ naan/ steamed rice and enjoy.

HYDERABADI MUTTON KORMA

Korma is a traditional South Asian dish that is essentially a mildly spiced rich and delicious gravy seasoned with flavoursome spices, yogurt and a sinful amount of oil or ghee. As the name suggests, the mutton korma is a dish made with mutton pieces in a decadent textured gravy. Mutton Korma is a feast for meat lovers. This Mutton Korma is made old Delhi style having a very rich and flavourful gravy. The mutton pieces are very tender and fall right off the bone because mutton is slow cooked for almost 1 hour. The best mutton korma is mildly spiced and best served hot with tandoori roti. Follow the mutton korma recipe below to cook up a lavish meal to wow your guests….!!!

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Mutton
3 big Onions, finely sliced for making barista
3 Tablespoon Ghee
Sufficient Oil for frying Onions
1 teaspoon Kewra Essence
For Marination:
2 ½ tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds Powder
½ tablespoon Garam Masala Powder
½ tablespoon Red Chilli Powder
½ tablespoon Roasted Cumin Powder
4 tablespoon Curd/ Yogurt [thick]
1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
4 teaspoon Salt [adjust according to your taste]
Whole Spices needed:
2 Black Cardamom
3-4 pieces Cinnamon [1” piece]
3-4 Bay Leaves
4-5 Green Cardamom
2 Star Anise

METHOD:
For Marination:
STEP 1 – In a mixing bowl add all ingredients required for marination, mix well.

STEP 2 – Add mutton pieces in it and coat very well with the marination.

STEP 3 – Marinade it for 1 hour to overnight. If marinating for more timr then keep it in refrigerator for the said time.
For Making Birirsta:
STEP 1 – Slice the onions thinly and keep aside.

In a wide kadai, heat enough oil on medium heat.
STEP 2 – Add sliced onion in it and deep fry until golden brown in colour.

STEP 3 – Remove with slotted spoon and cool it to room temperature. This is called birista. Crush it with hands and use it as per your need. 

STEP 4 – Or you can make a paste by adding fried onions in a mixer pot with 2-3 tablespoon water. Blend to make a fine paste.

Keep this aside.

How to Proceed:
STEP 1 – In a non-stick pan, add ghee and all whole spices.

STEP 2 - Let it cook for 30 seconds and then add marinated mutton pieces with all the masala.

STEP 3 – Then mix it well and cook it for few minutes on medium-high flame till oil floats on the top.
STEP 4 - Cover it with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes on slow flame. Do not add water here. Stir it once or twice in between.

STEP 5 – Now after 30 minutes, add fried onion paste with ½ cup water and mix well. Cook it for 5 minutes.

STEP 6 – Add some more boiled water and adjust the consistency you need.
STEP 7 – Cover it again with lid and cook for another 20 minutes.

STEP 8 – After 20 minutes, gravy starts to thicken, check the mutton pieces.[if the mutton is tender it will take less time otherwise cook for more time until it is done.]  

STEP 9 – Add kewra essence when the korma is boiling, boil it for next 2-3 minutes.

STEP 10 – Switch off the flame and garnish it with chopped coriander and ready to serve.

Serve it with any Indian Bread and enjoy.

KOKUM SOL-KADHI

Sol kadhi is a well known cooling and popular drink from Goa and the konkan coastal belt. It is served as an appetiser and is good for digestion which traditionally is served with steamed rice or drunk at the end of meal. .You can also make it with a tempering of mustard seeds and dry red chillies but today I am sharing the easy and simple recipe. This is also known as 'KOKUM KADHI'. It is basically a curry made from Kokum and has coconut milk as a base. It is made by soaking kokum in warm water and later extracting the pulp similar to the tamarind pulp. Sol kadhi is a known for its digestive properties as it cools down the digestive system after having a spicy food. It is a delicious drink which is enjoyed by the people of all ages. Because of its light pink colour it is also jokingly reffered as " Soul Kadhi". This drink/ dish is perfect for hot and sunny days in the month of April  and May in Maharashtra when the mercury level is 43- 45 degrees at some places in Maharashtra.

INGREDIENTS:
For Kokum Concentrate:
1 Cup Water
10-12 Kokum Petals
For Fresh Coconut Milk:
1-1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
2 Cup Warm Water
Other Ingredients:
1 Green Chilli
1-2 Garlic Clove
½ teaspoon Black Salt
½ teaspoon Sugar
2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
Salt to taste
METHOD:
For Kokum Concentrate:
STEP 1 – Heat 1 cup water in a vessel with kokum petals.

STEP 2 – Bring it to boil and boil for 3-4 minutes.

STEP 3 – Stir it well and press it with a back of spoon to squeeze out all the pulp from kokum. Pulp it out as much as you can.
STEP 4 – Turn off the gas stove after 5 minutes and let it cool down to room temperature.
STEP 5 – Pour the kokum concentrate in a strainer; keep a bowl beneath the strainer.

The kokum shreds will collect in the strainer and you will get filtered kokum concentrate.

STEP 6 – Press the kokum shreds with a spoon so that the flavors are extracted well. Keep it aside until used.

For Making Fresh Coconut Milk:
STEP 1 – Add grated coconut, green chilli and garlic clove  to mixer pot with 1 cup of warm water. Blend the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 2 – Strain the milk using a strainer. Press and squeeze out milk from it.
STEP 3 – Put the leftover coconut remains in blander with another cup of warm water and blend it again for 2 minutes.

STEP 4 – Again strain and collect another batch of coconut milk.  Coconut milk is ready to use. [see notes]

How To Proceed:
STEP 1 – Now in a bowl, mix coconut milk with the kokum concentrate.

Mix it well.

STEP 2 – Add salt, black salt, cumin powder and sugar 

and stir it very well so that everything gets combined well.

STEP 3 – Garnish with chopped coriander and solkadhi is ready to serve.

You can serve SOLKADHI straight way or refrigerate and then serve cold.

  NOTES: * I have used fresh homemade coconut milk for my recipe. You can either make it at home or use the readymade one.