Punjabi Thali

MENU FOR THE THALI

Aloo Paratha /Chole/Jeera Pulao/Malai Paneer/Raita/ Sooji Halwa

Aloo Parantha
2 cups plain wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
warm water to make dough
1tsp oil
Filling
1 cup boiled potatoes (mashed)

1/4 cup boiled peas crushed
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chopped green chillies
1/4 cup fresh chopped coriander leaves
1/4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1/4tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt
1-2tbsp oil

Preparation

Prepare a soft dough combining salt, warm water, oil and flour.

Set aside.

In a pan add oil and cumin & carom seeds.

When they starts spluttering, add ginger and chillies. Fry for a minute, add mashed potatoes and peas, turmeric, salt and saute well.  Add chopped coriander leaves. Keep aside.  

Once it cools down, it is filled in to the dough, rolled into paranthas and fried till done on  the tava  just as you make your usual parathas.

Chole

Ingredients2 cup kabuli chana soaked overnight
1 tea bag
1 large tomato chopped
1 large finely chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. ginger grated
3 green chillies chopped
1/3 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 tbsp.thick tamarind extract
3-4 tbsp. oil.  Salt to taste
For Garnish
1 small onion sliced into rings
chopped coriander leaves
whole green chillies

Preparation

Pressure cook the chick pea along with one tea bag and 2tsp salt, for not more than 3 whistles.

Keep the chickpea aside after discarding the tea bag . 

In a deep bottomed pan add oil, once it heats up add cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cloves.

Once you see them splutter, add ginger, garlic paste, green chillies, chopped onions and fry well till onion turns translucent.

Next add finely chopped tomatoes, turmeric, all the other masala powders and cook till the oil separates from the tomato mixture.

Now add the cooked chick peas.  Once the chana gets well coated with all the masalas add some of the water from the boiled channa.  Next add the tamarind extract and mix well.

Keep on low heat for about 5 minutes and remove.

Garnish with onion rings, chillies and chopped coriander leaves.

Jeera Pulao (with green peas)

Ingredients2 cups long grain Basmati rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 onion chopped fine

2 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star Anise
Salt
41/2 cups water
4-5 tbsp oil or ghee

Preparation

Soak the rice for 30 minustes. After 30 mins wash the rice and drain the water and keep aside.

In a non-stick vessel add oil .  When the oil heats up add cumin and allow it to splutter. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and star anise to the oil till you get a nice aroma.  Next add the onions and fry till  it browns a bit, add the rice and fry till rice is well coated with the spices and onion.  Next add the peas.  Mix gently so as not to break the rice grains.   Now add water and salt. Give it a gentle stir and cover the vessel with lid and cook till the rice is done.

MALAI PANEER

Ingredients1 cup paneer cubes (cottage cheese)
10 Cashew nuts
1/4 cup milk cream
1 cup chopped onions
2 tomatoes
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2-3 chopped green chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2-3 cloves
1 Bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

1 star Anise

1/2 tsp garam masala

2-3 tbsp oil

1/4 cup water

Salt

Coriander leaves for Garnish

Method

In a blender combine cashews and tomato to make a thick puree. Keep aside. In a deep bottomed pan heat oil , add cumin seeds. While they splutter add cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf and star anise. When you get the aroma of the spices, add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and fry. Then add onions and fry till translucent. Add Paneer cubes and fry for 2 minutes. Now, add the cashew-tomato paste, turmeric, salt and garam masala and fold in together all the ingredients.  Add 1/4 cup water as the cashew paste intends to thicken. Simmer the heat and add heavy cream.  Leave the gravy on medium low heat for 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Raita

Ingredients
1 cup thick yogurt
1 cucumber chopped fine
1 small onion chopped fine
finely chopped green chillies
finely chopped coriander leaves
roasted Jeera (cummin) powder
salt

PreparationBeat the yogurt well, add all the ingredients except cumin powder. Garnish with cumin powder and serve.

Sooji Halwa

Ingredients
1-cup semolina (Sooji)
1/2 cup sugar
1cup ghee
1/2 cup milk
1tbsp cashews
1tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
ghee for frying cashew nuts and raisins

PreparationIn a deep, heavy bottomed pan warm up the clarified butter, add semolina . Fry continuously till the color changes to light brown. Keep the heat on medium. Once the mixture is well fried, add sugar and milk and stir continuously so that no lumps are formed. Stir gently until the milk is fully absorbed and the mixture comes to an halwa consistency. Separately fry cashews, raisins and add it to the halwa.