Punjabi Recipes Archives - Susmita Recipes

North Indian Style Dahi Vada Recipe (Dahi Bhalle)

October 1, 2015 By susmita Leave a Comment

North Indian Style Dahi Vada Recipe (Dahi Bhalle)

Prep time

10 hours 30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

10 hours 50 mins

Dahi vada or Dahi Bhalle (in Punjabi) is a popular north indian snack and is an immensely loved recipe for festivals and special occasions. Dahi vada are dumplings or balls made from split urad dal which are deep fried and thereafter soaked in thick whipped yoghurt.

Author: Susmita Chawla

Recipe type: Snack

Cuisine: North Indian

Serves: 15-16

Dahi vada or Dahi Bhalle (in Punjabi) is a popular north indian snack and is an immensely loved recipe for festivals and special occasions. Dahi vada are dumplings or balls made from split urad dal which are deep fried and thereafter, soaked in thick whipped yoghurt.

I often make dahi vada at home during summers and also for our family get-together. They are thoroughly enjoyed at home and is finished in no time.

The North Indian Dahi vada and south Indian Dahi vada or ‘Thayir vada’ are more or less similar except that in the north Indian version the dahi vada is flavoured with sweet tamarind chutney and a combination of spices while in the south indian version the dahi/curd is tempered.

For making soft dahi vada, the urad dal has to be soaked for at least 5- 6 hours or more. After soaking, the urad dal has to be ground using as little water (1-2 tbsp) to make a thick and smooth batter.

The second thing I always do is to ferment the batter for about 4-5 hours. By fermentation the vada become very fluffy, spongy and airy. Many people just whisk the batter very well to impart fluffiness, however I feel the resulting vada by this method won’t be as spongy as the fermented one.

I usually prepare two batches of curd w.r.t their consistency – in the first batch the curd is mixed with some water and salt and its consistency is kept thin. This is especially important since the moist vadas almost soak all of this curd mixture and become soft. The second batch of curd is the thick whipped curd that is poured over the vada.

For making dahi vada, one prerequisite is to have sweet tamarind chutney in stock. I usually like to add chopped coriander, but one can also add green coriander chutney.

Ingredients for making Dahi Vada :

For preparing vada :

Split urad dal – 2 cups
ginger – 1 inch
Green chillies – 2-3
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp
Water – 1-2 tbsp
Oil – For deep frying

For the garnish :

Curd – 3 cups of thick curd
Cumin powder – 1 – 2 tsp (or as required)
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp (or as required)
Chaat masala – 1 – 1 1/2 tsp (or as required)
Black salt/Salt – As per taste
Chopped coriander leaves – 3-4 tsp
Sweet tamarind chutney – As per taste

How to make Dahi vada (Dahi Bhalle) :

Wash and soak 2 cups of split urad dal (lentils) in enough water for at least 5-6 hours.
Drain the excess water and grind the dal into a smooth batter adding little to no water.
Ferment the batter for 4-5 hours till the batter doubles its size and turns spongy.
Grind ginger, cumin seeds and green chillies to a smooth paste.
Add the ginger-chilli paste and asafoetida to the batter and whip it for 3-4 minutes till it turns fluffy. (You can even add raisins and chopped cashews)
Heat enough oil in a pan.
Wet your palms with little water and place a small amount of batter on it.
With a wet finger make a hole in between.
Now carefully sliding the fingers below the vada transfer the vada to the other hand.
Transfer the vada into hot oil. If the vada has the right consistency the vada will rise up on the surface of oil after 1-2 minutes.
Fry 4-5 vadas at a time from both sides till they turn crisp and golden.
Remove the vada from oil and drain it on a tissue.
Warm about 3 cups of water with a pinch of salt and immerse about 4-5 vada in it for 5-8 minutes.
After a while the vada will double up in size on soaking.
Squeeze out the excess water by pressing between your palms, making sure not to break the vada.
Arrange the squeezed vadas in a plate.
Whip about 1 cup of curd with 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt into a thin consistency.
Pour this thin curd mixture over the vada. Refrigerate it for about 10-15 minutes.
After 10-15 minutes of refrigeration, the vada will soak most of the thin curd mixture and turn soft. Now pour the thick curd over the vada.
Sprinkle some red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black salt and chaat masala.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Its better if you refrigerate it again before serving.
Garnish with sweet tamarind chutney and serve immediately.

Useful Tips:

One can add some raisins and chopped cashew-nuts for extra taste.
Grind the dal with as little water as possible. If the dal batter become too thin, it will absorb a lot of oil and will be very difficult to give proper shape to the vada.

Punjabi Kadhi with Pakora – How to make Punjabi Kadhi

August 6, 2015 By susmita Leave a Comment

Punjabi Kadhi is a delectable recipe that is made from sour yoghurt and gram flour. It is made in almost every north Indian state and each and every state has its own version and slight twist of taste. The main components i.e., the gram flour and sour yoghurt is same in all versions and generally the additions of spices and its consistency is what basically differs between them.

I being a south Indian had never tasted kadhi before marriage! I got the opportunity to taste it only after I got married to my punjabi hubby. My in-laws prepared it for me..and when I tasted it for the first time..I fell in love with this dish.

What I am going to share through this post is the punjabi kadhi that we usually make at home. It is usually more thicker and creamier than other versions of the same. We love to have fried pakoras in the kadhi and therefore, I will be sharing the recipe of the same. Preparing it is a bit lengthy process but at the same time its quite simple too.

Making this recipe is divided in two parts- one is to fry the pakoras, and the second is preparing the kadhi. For making the pakoras I usually prefer onions, since it lends a crunchier feel to the pakoras. You can even substitute onions with palak or methi. The yoghurt used for making the kadhi should be very sour, or it will taste a bit bland.

Some other punjabi recipes that I have shared in my blog are palak paneer, sarson ka saag, makke ki roti, punjabi chole.

Ingredients required for Punjabi Kadhi Recipe:

For the pakoras :

Onion – 2 bigg (sliced or chopped)
Gram flour/Besan – 1 cup
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Carom seeds/Ajwain – 1/4 tsp
Salt – As per taste
Water – As required

For the kadhi :

Sour yoghurt – 1 cup
Gram flour/Besan – 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – As per taste
Water – As required

For the tempering :

Ingredients for Tempering

Green chillies – 3 -4 (chopped finely)
Dry red chillies – 2-3
Curry leaves – 2-3 stems
Fenugreek seeds/Methi seeds – 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

How to make Punjabi Kadhi:

Making the pakoras :

Take 1 cup gram flour in a bowl.
Add enough water and mix it to make a thick batter.
Now add the spices and carom seeds.
Add the sliced/chopped onions.
Mix evenly and adjust salt. (If you like the pakoras to be crunchier, add little to no water and if you want softer pakoras, add a bit more water to the batter. However, the batter should not be too runny.)
Heat enough oil in a pan. Drop the pakora batter with a spoon or using your hands.
Deep fry until the pakoras are crisp and golden in colour.
Remove it on a blotting tissue to remove the excess oil.

Preparing the Kadhi :

Whisk the sour yoghurt in a bowl.
Add the gram flour, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Whisk it very well until no lumps remain.
Now add about 3 cups of water and again whisk it. The batter should be very thin and runny.
Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a wide and deep pan. Crackle mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Now add the curry leaves, green chillies and dry red chillies.
Add asafoetida. (This ingredient is very integral to this dish and lends a unique flavour to it, so never skip adding this).
Now add the kadhi mix. Add more water if required because it thickens very quickly.
Adjust salt.
Simmer on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes. It will now begin to thicken and turn creamier.
Add the fried pakoras. Simmer for further 6-7 minutes till the pakoras absorb some of the kadhi and turn soft. (Always add pakoras just before serving or else they will turn too soft and will break up).
Serve hot kadhi along with steaming rice and enjoy!!

Useful Tips:

Use only sour yoghurt for making kadhi.
Adding too much water to the pakora mix will not yield crispy pakoras.
Don’t skip adding asafoetida.

Punjabi Style Palak Paneer

July 10, 2015 By susmita Leave a Comment

Palak paneer is one of the famous paneer dishes which is quite subtle in its taste and yet easy to cook. Palak paneer is a Punjabi gravy dish in which paneer (cottage cheese) cubes are cooked in smooth creamy spinach gravy.

I am so fond of this dish that I never had enough of this recipe and relished it completely whenever my mum used to cook it. This dish is also a favourite at my in-laws home and whenever winter arrives I usually make it a lot at my home. The beauty of this dish is the organic green colour it has which is beautifully contrasted with white cubes of paneer.

This recipe doesn’t require much spices and the prominent flavour is imparted by garlic. The gravy should not be overcooked as it might ruin the green colour and impart a bitter taste to the gravy. Paneer can also be added without frying, but I usually like fried paneer to go along with this recipe.

For those who don’t wish to add paneer, paneer can also be substituted in this recipe with tofu.

Palak paneer is usually enjoyed with roti, poori or pulao complimented with onion slices and lemon wedges.

Ingredients required for Palak Paneer :

Spinach leaves – 1 large bunch
Cottage cheese – 3/4 cup (cubed)
Onion – 1 medium
Garlic – 8-9 pods
Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
Green chillies – 1-2
Tomatoes – 3-4 medium sized
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
Fresh cream/malai – 2 tbsp
Salt – As per taste
Oil – 2 tsp + for frying paneer

How to make Palak Paneer :

Wash the spinach leaves to remove any dirt. Thick stems should be discarded. I usually prefer using only the leaves.
Transfer the spinach leaves in boiling water and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes.
When the leaves turn soft, remove the leaves using a sieve or a slotted spoon. Don’t discard the broth.
Immediately transfer the spinach leaves in ice-cold water. This step ensures that the leaves retain its green colour.
When the leaves cool down, transfer it in a mixer grinder.
Grind to a smooth paste without adding water.
Meanwhile, soak the cottage cheese or paneer block in hot water for 10-15 minutes. This makes the paneer soft.
Dice the paneer. I have kept the pieces a bit long.
Deep fry the paneer pieces till they turn slightly brown at the edges.
Remove on a blotting paper and keep it aside. (You won’t see a blotting paper since I forgot to use it this time 😳
Grind together garlic, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste.
In a pan heat 2 tsp of oil.
Crackle cumin seeds.
Add chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes.
When the onions turns slightly golden brown, add the garlic-ginger-chilli paste and saute for a minute.
When the raw smell of garlic and ginger fades away, add the chopped tomatoes.
Cook the tomatoes till it becomes soft and starts to sweat oil.
Now add coriander, red chilli and turmeric powder and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Now add the spinach puree.
Add enough broth and mix evenly. The consistency of the gravy should not be too thick nor too thin.
Now add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and mix. Adjust salt. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the fried panner cubes and mix gently. Simmer for further 3-4 minutes.
Garnish with fresh cream and serve hot with phulka, paratha or rice.

Lauki Raita – Dudhi (Ghiya) Raita

June 18, 2015 By susmita Leave a Comment

Ingredients required for Lauki Raita Recipe:

Yoghurt/Dahi – 1 1/2 cups
Bottle gourd/Lauki – 1 cup (chopped and de-seeded)
Ginger – 1/2 ” piece
Green chillies – 1-2
Mint leaves – A small bunch
Roasted cumin powder – 1 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala – 1 tsp
Black Salt – 1/2 tsp
Salt- As per taste
Water – As required

How to make Lauki Raita:

Chop the bottle gourd/lauki into small pieces. Alternately you can also grate them.
Boil 1 1/2 cups of water with a pinch of salt.
Add the chopped bottle gourd and boil it until it is completely cooked and becomes soft. Drain and keep aside
Whisk the curd until it is smooth and creamy. Add about 1/2 cup of water and stir evenly.
Grind together mint leaves, ginger and green chillies in a grinder.
Add the ginger-green chillies paste to the curd mixture and mix.
Add all the spices and stir once again.
Now add the cooked bottle gourd to the curd mixture.
Mix well. Adjust salt and water consistency.
Lauki Raita or Dudhi Raita is ready. Serve it as a side dish for lunch and dinners.

Spicy and Tangy Punjabi Chole Masala with Tamarind

April 28, 2015 By susmita Leave a Comment

Spicy and Tangy Punjabi Chole Masala with Tamarind

Prep time

7 hours 15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

8 hours

Punjabi Chole Masala is a famous authentic recipe from Punjab. It is made from chickpeas or garbanzo beans cooked in a spicy and tangy gravy. Punjabi chole is famous for its dark coloured gravy. In thi sdish I have incorporated tamarind/Imli to impart the characteristic dark colour along with a tangy taste. Punjabi chole is perfectly complemented with bhature, poori or pulao.

Author: Susmita Chawla

Recipe type: chole masala

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4-6

punjabi-chole-masala-with-tamarind-cover-image

Punjabi Chole Masala is a famous authentic recipe from Punjab. It is made from chickpeas or garbanzo beans cooked in a spicy and tangy gravy. My mouth literally waters whenever I think of Punjabi Chole. Punjabi chole is perfectly complemented with bhature or poori and the feeling I get when I have these together is out of the world 😛 . Being enjoyed from generations and prepared in a variety of ways, this recipe has captivated the Indian cuisine like no other recipe has ever did.Chole recipe is quite a regular at my home and my hubby is specially fond of it.

I went through various blogs and adaptations of this recipe and each and everyone has a unique style and way for making this recipe. The most important aspect of making Punjabi chole is the dark colour of this dish. Usually the dark colour is imparted by boiling the chickpeas along with tea-bags or pomegranate seeds. But I have skipped both these items and included the humble tamarind/Imli. Yes! u heard it right..tamarind. Tamarind not only imparts a dark colour to the dish but also lends the dish a nice tangy taste that the punjabi chole is so famous for.

Punjabi chole also calls for the addition of freshly ground chole masala or chana masala. I have listed the ingredients for making chole masala. I have not included the photograph of the ingredients since I had stocked my chole masala earlier. I will definitely be updating it very soon. The masala can be ground each time or can be powdered in bulk and stored in an air-tight container for future use.

Also check out other punjabi recipes listed in my blog like Sarson ka Saag, Makki ki Roti etc.

Ingredients required for Punjabi Chole Recipe:

For pressure cooking:

Chick peas (Garbanzo beans/Kabuli chana/Chole) – 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Water – 2 1/2 cups
Salt – 1 tsp

For the gravy

Onions – 2 big (chopped finely)
Tomatoes – 3-4 medium sized (chopped finely)
Ginger – 1 1/2 ” piece
Garlic – 9-10 pods
Tamarind – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf – 1
Cinnamon stick – 1″ piece
Coriander powder – 2 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Kashmiri lal mirch powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Roasted cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder/ dry mango powder – 1/2 tsp
Chole/chana masala – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (chopped)
Salt – As per taste

For chole/chana masala (to be dry roasted and powdered)

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
Pomegranate seeds/anardana – 1 tbsp (optional)
Bay leaf – 1
Cinnamon stick – 2 (1″ piece)
Black peppercorns – 1 tsp
Cloves/laung – 1/2 tsp
Whole dry Red chillies – 3-4
Black cardamom – 2
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

How to make Authentic Punjabi Chole:

Wash the chickpeas 3-4 times and soak them overnight in 3-4 cups of water.
Next day, drain the water and add about 2 1/2 cups of fresh water and pressure cook the chickpeas with 1 tsp of salt . Cook for about 2-3 whistles and then simmer for about 10-12 minutes or till the chickpeas are cooked completely. Reserve the stock.
Check the chickpeas if it has cooked properly by mashing it with a finger.
Meanwhile soak 1 tbsp tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water. Dry roast the spices listed under the section for making chole garam masala and grind to a fine powder in a mixer.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan.
Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and chopped onions.
When the onions start turning golden brown add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.
Shift aside the onions and add the tomato puree and let it cook till the oil starts leaving the tomato mix.
Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, kashmiri lal mirch powder, turmeric powder and saute for few minutes on low flame.
Add 1/2 cup of soaked tamarind extract to the onion-tomato mixture and stir.
Meanwhile coarsely mash some chickpeas in a blender.
Add the boiled chickpeas along with the mashed chickpeas. Do not add water or the stock at this stage.
Mix gently so that the chickpeas are coated with the spices evenly.
Add 1/2 tsp of roasted cumin powder, amchur powder, 1/4 tsp of garam masala and 1 tsp of chole masala and mix evenly.
Add the stock. Add more water if required. Adjust salt.
When it comes to a rolling boil, simmer it and cook for further 10 minutes or till the gravy thickens.
Switch off the flame and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.
Your tangy and spicy Punjabi chole is ready. Serve hot with puri, bhature, phulka or rice along with onion slices and lemon wedges.