North Indian Cuisine:
A typical North Indian meal will consist of an assortment of items. They include chappatis, paratha or pooris (unleavened flat breads), pilafs, dals, mild curries made in ghee, thick, creamy dals, vegetables seasoned with yogurt or pomegranate powder, greens such as spinach and mustard greens cooked with paneer, North Indian pickles, fresh tomato, mint, cilantro chutneys and yogurt raitas. Hot, sweet cardamom milk is very common before going to bed. North Indian desserts and sweets are made of milk, paneer, lentil flour and wheat flour combined with dried nuts and garnished with a thin sheet of pure silver. Nimbu pani (lemonade), and lassi (iced buttermilk) are popular drinks of the North. Tandoori cooking is a North Indian specialty. Tandoori chicken, naan, tandoori roti, and tandoori kebabs are a hit in most Indian restaurants.
Northern Indian cuisine has the following main schools of cooking:
Kashmiri, Punjabi , Rajasthani, Marwari, Gharwal and Pahari, UP, Awadh or Luchnawi.
-Kashmiri Cooking - The piece de resistance in the wazwan, the traditional 24-course banquet with many cooking ways and varieties of meat - some in curry, some dry, some pounded in various sizes. These are carefully made by cooking overnight by the master chef, and his retinue of wazas. When I traveled to Kashmir with my family we were invited to a Wazwan given for a wedding. We were made to sit on the floor in fours and share the meal out of a large metal plate called the trami. The rice was in a mound in the center which was quartered for the four who sat around the trami. There was also an earthen pot of freshly made yogurt and chutney for us to share. The meal began with a ritual washing of hands at a basin called the tash-t-nari, which is taken around by attendants. We were served seekh kababs of 4 varieties - methi korma, tabak maaz, safed murg and zafrani murg, and the first few courses. Seven dishes are a must for these occasions-- Rista, Rogan Josh, Tabak Maaz, Daniwal Korma, Aab Gosht, Marchwangan Korma and Gushtaba.
-Punjabi Cooking - Sarson ka saag, originates from Punjab. This dish of mustard greens simmered and slow cooked over goes along with rajma, kali ma or lentils and served in dhabas or roadside stalls which many say has the best food in Northern India. The dishes are served with unleavened bread of cornmeal or wheat and a dollop of butter or with steamed basmati rice.
-Rajasthan Cooking - Gram flour or Besan is a major ingredient in Northern India and is used to make some of the delicacies like Khata, Gatte Ki Sabzi and Pakodi. Powdered lentils are used for Mangodi and Papad. Bajra and corn are used all over the state for preparations of Rabdi, Khichdi and Rotis. Sweets include Laddoos, Malpuas, Jalebies, Rasogullas, Mishri Mawa, Mawa Katchori , Sohan Halwa, Mawa and many more
- Uttar Pradesh Cooking - Most families in Uttar Pradesh eat vegetarian food. Banaras, India's holiest city is in UP, famous for it's bazaars full of 'jalebis', sweetmeats and a myriad variety of 'kachoris.' The 'pethas'
-Awadh style of cooking are world famous for its tender meat dishes and excellent sweets.
-Lucknow is known world wide for its biryanis and different meat preparations. Nihari and naan, a mutton dish served for breakfast is one of the dishes that must be tasted to believe it.
More North Indian Recipes
Aloo Palak Recipe
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt. Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander. Put in a mixer, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth. Keep aside. Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown. Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds. Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender. Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes. Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates. Add spinach and potatoes. When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice. Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida. Pour over the vegetable and mix gently. Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.
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Navratana Kurma (Korma) Recipe
1 small apple
1 banana
2 slices pineapple
10-15 cashewnuts
20 raisins
2 glaced cherries for decoration
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 tbsp. ghee
2 cups peas boiled
1 large carrot chopped and boiled
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup Yogurt
1/4 cup malai(cream)
3 tbsp. butter
salt to taste
Dry Masala:1 tsp. cuminseeds
2 tsp. khuskhus (poppyseeds)
1 tsp. cardamoms
Wet Masala:1 large onion
1/4 cup coconut shredded
3 green chillies
Grind the dry and wet masalas separately. Chop all the fruit fine. Heat ghee and fry cashews, drain and keep aside. Add butter to ghee and heat, add the wet masala and fry for 2 minutes. Add the dry masala and salt and fry 2 more minutes.Add the carrots and peas, mix together Yogurt and cream and add to gravy. Allow to thicken a bit, add fruit, cashews and raisins and boil till the gravy is thick and the fat separates. Garnish with grated cheese ,coriander and chopped cherries. Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha.
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Palak Paneer Recipe
Spinach - 500 gms
Onions - 5 medium sized
Garlic - 2-3 flakes
Cooking oil - 6-7 tbsps
Cummin seeds - 1 tbsp
Paneer - 150-200 gms
Salt to taste
Garam Masala, Geera Powder, Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp of each
Cook the spinach in water. Drain the water and then make puree of the spinach leaves. Cut 4 of the onions finely and saute them till transparent. Grind the other onion and the garlic flakes to a fine paste. Add this paste to the sauteed onions. Also add the puree and the spice powders. Add some water if necessary. Let it boil for a minute or two. Cut the paneer to cubes of desired size (preferably not too small). Fry this in oil till golden brown. Add this paneer to the prepared palak. Serve hot with rice or rotis.
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Cabbage Kofta Curry Recipe
For Koftas
1/2 medium size Cabbage Shredded
2 tbsp Besan or all Purpose flour
Oil for frying
For Gravy
1 medium sized onion
a Piece of ginger
1 Cardamon
1 cinanamon stick small
1 clove
1 spoon jeera
1 spoon dania
2 medium sizes Tomatoes
Take the shredded Cabbage in a bowl, add flour & make small round balls with the same. Deep fry the balls in the hot oil & keep aside .In a seperate pan heat 1 tsp of oil & add bay leaves & the paste, salt according to taste & little bit of sugar. Let the paste cook till the oil seperates. Can add little water if the paste is too thick. Switch off the flame add the koftas & Cover till Serving. Before serving garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
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Coconut Baigan Masala Recipe
1/2 kg brinjal (small size)
3-4 onions (cut in big pieces)
2 tbsp of grated coconut (dried)
1 whole garlic
ginger 2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
small lump of tamrind
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp jeera
Take all the ingredients grind it at once in mixer, do not add water. Add 2 tbsp of oil in pan and heat it, put the mixture in the pan. Fry the mixture properly. Take of the pan from stove and let it cool. Take the brinjal slit it into four, fill the mixture in the brinjal. Pour 2-3 tbsp of oil in kadai, heat it and then put the stuffed brinjal, cook it. Add little water to the brinjal. Put small piece of jaggery to taste if required. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Coconut brinjal masala is ready.
Easy Indian Curries
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Vegetable Kurma(Korma) Recipe
2 cups Vegetables
2 Onions cut length-wise
2 Green chilies cut length-wise
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
one pinch Turmeric powder
1/ 2" Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
2 tablespoons Coconut powder
1 teaspoon Khus-Khus (poppy seeds)
1/ 4 teaspoon (3 cloves) Garlic
1 A small piece of Ginger
Put a reasonable sized vessel on the range and heat oil. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add onions and green chilies and fry till onions turn brown. Add garlic & ginger paste and fry for a minute or so. Add vegetables and fry for about three minutes. Add Water (about a cup or two). Let the vegetables and turmeric powder cook. Add coconut paste, khus-khus, salt and wait until cooked. Cook on low heat.
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Vegetable Curry Recipe
1 cup Vegetables
1/ 2 teaspoon Coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon Chili powder
1/ 4 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 large Onion
1/ 2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad Dal
2 cups Tomatoes-crushed
Mix the garlic, coriander and the chili powder along with salt and place it aside. Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and heat. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. The mustard seeds will split and the oil may spill. Be careful when you are doing this. Wait until the mustard seeds stop making any noise. Add onions and fry until the onions turn brown. Add the vegetables, the mixture of step one and the crushed tomatoes. Fry for about five minutes, if you are using canned vegetables. Otherwise cover the pan and let the vegetables cook. (This might take about 10-15 min.)
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Okra (Bhindi)- Ladies Finger Curry Recipe
1/2 Kg okra
2 small Onions
2 small Tomatoes
1/ 4 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
Red pepper (optional)
Oil for frying
Wash the okra and dry it thoroughly. Cut the heads and cut into small circles. Chop the onions and tomatoes separately. Deep fry the okra until dark brown. Remove from heat and set aside. Pour out some oil. Add turmeric to hot oil. Add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the fried okra, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and bake at 250 F for 15 minutes or cook in a pressure cooker for about half an hour.
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Green Gram Curry Recipe
1 cup green grams
Raisins 50 Gms
100 Gms Grated coconuts
3 Tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste
1 tsp corn flour
1 tsp Lime juice
1 tsp garam masala
½ cup coconut milk
To grind:
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1 tsp green chillies
1 tsp dry ginger powder or a small piece of ginger
½ tsp turmeric powder
30 Gms cashew nuts
1 tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Pressure cook green grams. Add grated coconut into boiling water and keep aside for five minutes. Filter the grated coconuts with a muslin cloth. Keep the coconut and coconut milk separately. Grind the coconut with other ingredients under the grinding section. Heat ghee in a pan and add masala and fry fry for five minutes. Add some water if necessary. Add green grams and cook for five minutes. Add garam masala and corn flour mixed with some water. Add lime juice before serving and serve hot with coriander leaves.
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Yogurt Korma Recipe
Potatoes ¼ kg
Fresh broad or butter beans seeds ¼ kg
Beans seeds ¼ kg
Onions 3
Yogurt 1 ½ cup
Garam masala ¼ tsp
To grind
Coconut ½
Cashew nuts 8-10
Poppy seeds 2 tsp
Green chillies 7
Cut onions into long thin pieces. Dice potatoes into one inch square pieces and cook in pressure cooker along with butter beans using just enough water to cover it. Grind other ingredients with some water. Heat ghee and fry onions till translucent. Add the ground masala, cooked vegetables without water and beaten yogurt to it. Add garam masala just before removing from fire.
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Easy Greens in Curry Gravy Recipe
4 cups spinach chopped, washed and drained
1 cup bottle gourd grated
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
2 tsp. wheat or millet flour
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. cheese grated (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 pinch soda bicarb
1/2 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
3 tbsp. oil
Take spinach in a large vessel, add gourd and soda. Toss to mix. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. water all over it. Cover and put to boil on high, for 3 minutes. Cool in a plate or run under tap water to cool. Put in a mixie, add chillies, flour and a few pinches salt. Run till semi-smooth. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, stir. Add cinnamon clove powder, and stir. Add onions, stir fry till light pink. Add blended spinach mixture, all other ingredients except cheese Stir and allow to cook till thick or 3-4 minutes. Add prepared vegetable at this stage. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes more. Garnish with grated cheese before serving.
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Vegetable Curry in Yogurt Recipe
1 cup fresh Yogurts
1/2 cup fresh cream
1 tsp. grated cheese or paneer
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. cashewnuts broken
1 tbsp. peanuts husked & lightly roasted
1 tsp. khuskhus seeds soaked in 2 tbsp. milk for 1 hour
3 green chillies
1 piece ginger
1 tsp. coriander finely chopped
1 slice dayold bread white
1 tsp. sugar
3-4 canned cherries (optional)
salt to taste
1/5 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1 tbsp. ghee or oil
Grind together in a dry mixer, cashew, peanuts and bread. Grind together in a wet mixer, onion, ginger, chillies, khuskhus with milk. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add onion mixture, saute for 3-4 minutes. Add Yogurts and cook, stirring continuously till whiteness of yogurts disappears. Add milk, bring to a boil, add sugar, salt, dry mixture, spice powder, cream. Stir gently till boil resumes. Add vegetables, etc. at this stage. Cook covered for few minutes till thickened. Garnish with grated cheese, coriander and cherries.
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Sindhi Sabzi( Sindhi vegetables) Recipe
1 each - carrot, capsicum, onion, small cabbage,potato, brinjal, tomato, ladysfinger (okra)
100 gms. french beans
1/2 bunch each spinach, coriander, khatta (3 leaved) greens.
1/2 bunch any other leafy greens.
1 cup green gram dal
1/2 cup horsegram dal (channa dal)
4-5 green chillies
2-3 flakes garlic
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
3 tbsp. oil
1/2 tbsp. ghee
2 pinches asafoetida
Clean and wash dals. Clean, wash and chop all vegetables except the tomato. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add all the vegetables, spinach and dals. Mix well, add enough water to cover the contents. Add all masalas and mix. Place whole tomato on top, cover and pressurecook for three whistles.
Cool the cooker, open and handblend the contents. Heat 1/2 tbsp. ghee add a pinch of asafoetida add to the mashed vegetable. Serve hot with paratha or steamed rice.
From the land of bhangra, comes rich and delicious curries.For people of South Indian, a taste of Punjabi food can be had from the numerous "dhabas" along highways. Punjabi recipes are usually comprised of vegetables and plenty of food grains.
Enjoy delicious curries of Punjab with the following recipes ;more recipes are being added from our huge collection.
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Dhingri Matar Recipe
1 cup shelled peas
25 gms dry white meshrooms(button mushrooms may be used)- washed and soaked overnight
3 medium sized tomatoes
4 tbsp oil
4 cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
coriander to garnish
For the paste ( grind to a paste)
1 piece ginger
6-7 flakes of garlic
1 onion
2 red chillies- deseeded
Grind as a powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp of cardamom
1 tsp cumin seeds
Wash mushrooms thoroughly ans soak overnight. next morning wash agian 2 or 3 times. Cut it into 1/2 inch pieces and discard any hard portions. light roast on a tawa dhania , jeera and cardamom. cool and powder finely.Put tomatoes in boiling water, rremove the skin and puree.
grind onion, garlic, ginger and red chillies to a paste. heat oil in a pan. add cloves and cumin seeds. wait for a minute.Add ground onion masala paste, salt and turmeric powder. stir fry till onion turns golden brown and seperates from oil. add tomato puree. cook till dry and oil seperates. ass mushrooms to the fried masala, lower the heat and stir for 4-5 minutes.add peas and stir for another 1-2 minutes on low flame.add powdered dry masala of jeera, dhania and cardamom. mix well.
add enough water to get a gravy. boil and simmer covered till the peas get cooked and the oil seperates.
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Cauliflower Stalk Curry Recipe
4-5 small cauliflower pieces
1 large onion finely chopped
1" piece ginger chopped
2 tomatoes chopped finely
1 green chilli chopped
1 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 tbsp oil
Cut off the head of the cauliflower. From the stem, remove the side leaves, leaving 1-2 soft leaves at the top. peel the hard stem a little from the lower end. cut each stalk into 4 long pieces. soak the stalks in a pan full of hot water for 5- 0 minutes. was well to remove dirt. scrub well in between side leaves.
heat oil; add onions and cook till light brown. add ginger and fry for a minute. add masalas; dhania powder, garam masala, red chillli powder, salt and turmeric powder. cook for 2-3 minutes till the masala turns brown. add tomatoes and green chilli. cook on medium flame for about five minutes, till the tomatoes are well blended and the oil seperates. add the stalks and stir fry for five minutes. cover and cook on low flame for 30-35 mintues till the stalks are cooked; occasionally put 2-3 tbsp of water on the lid, which makes the water hot as it seeps in. cook stirring occasionally till crisp and tender. do not overcook them and make it soft , otherwise it'll not taste good.
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Mattar Paneer Recipe
1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped
1 inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 tbl veg. oil
paneer (plus 2 cups of the whey)
1 whole dried red pepper
1 tbsp. ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
3 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and minced
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 cups shelled fresh or 2 packages frozen peas
Put the chopped onion and ginger into a blender or food processor along with 1/3 cup water and blend until you have a smooth paste. Leave paste in the blender container. Heat oil in a heavy 10 inch wide pot over a medium flame. When hot put in the pieces of paneer in a single layer and fry until golden brown on all sides. This happens pretty fast. Remove to a plate. Put the dried red pepper into the same oil. Within two seconds, turn the pepper over so that it browns on both sides. Now put in the contents of the blender (keep your face averted as the paste might splatter).
Fry, stirring constantly, for about 10-12 minutes, or until paste turns a light brown color. Add the coriander and turmeric and fry, stirring, for another minute. Put in the minced tomatoes. Stir and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes turn a dark, reddish brown shade. Now pour in two cups of the whey. Add the salt and the black pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Lift cover and put in the paneer pieces and the peas. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the peas are cooked.
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Masoor Dhal & Onions Recipe
(Mushoor dhal pyaj)
2/3 cup masoor dhal
1 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. salt or to taste
Coriander leaves -small bunch
Pre-cook the lentils using three cups of water. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for five minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and another three cups of water and turmeric powder, heat till the mixture starts boiling, season with salt and turn off the heat. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
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Methi Aloo Recipe
250 gms small potatoes(washed and scrubbed well)
4 tbsp mustard oil
3-4 flakes garlic
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp cooking oil preferably mustard oil
salt to taste
Remove the stems of methi and chop the leaves finely. Rub one tsp of salt and keep aside. wash and scrub the potatoes if not already done. Do no peel them. If small potatoes are not available medium potatoes can be used (3-4) and cut into 1" cubes.Wash methi several times in the water. Strain it. heat oil until it smokes. reduce the flame. add garlic, when it changes colour, add potatoes. cook for five minutes. add methi, turmeric powder salt, garam masala and red chilli powder and mix well. Cook covered for 15-17 minutes, till the potatoes are cooked. Uncover and cook for five more minutes. serve hot with rice or chappathis.
