Virtual Party for Dhal Divas – Jan2021

Pandemic has brought me closer to my foodie community. I have learnt a lot without stepping out of my comfort zone. There have been so many series of Instalives that sometimes I have not been able to cope up and have caught up by watching IGTV (thank God for that)

Dal divas is celebrated by my food community every January but this year due to pandemic, the celebration happened online and it stretched over 11 days. This is initiated by @Rushinamg and with the help of her #11daysDhal team, I got to learn various types of dhal. 22 different dhals were discussed online. 

Generally speaking, I don't normally eat dhal everyday. I get confused with too much variety of food. For lunch, its normally only one cooked vegetable  with chappati or rice. Dhal, for eg Moong dhal is usually cooked when there are fried potatoes or bhindi fry. Then we have tidhali (combination of 3 dhals,) that I eat with chappatis, or Channa dhal with Pakwan or Tuddi channa dhal.  Sindhi curry is cooked on festive days or when there is family gathering.  

I was surprised by the diverse ways the dhal was cooked over 11days. the tempering with pure ghee made the dhal look so appetising. Some cooked dhal with meat (dhal ghosh) and some with fish heads(Bengali Maachar Maatha). Some roasted moong dhal before cooking, some sprouted the beans(Matkichi), some powdered the dhal(Kumaoni Ras) before cooking. Some dried the dhal to make Vadis and some roasted to make sweets(dal da Halwa). I could never have imagined that dhal had so many different ways of cooking and the method varied from region to region, North to South, East to West of India. There were  interesting discussions and I tried to watch most of the sessions

I was inspired to cook too. I contributed in a small way by cooking Rajma   You may watch the recipe of Rajma on my u-tube channel 

 

And also enjoyed khichdi seasoned with condiments from all over India at Tresind. 

 

This week I prepared Ragda, served it as street food with Patties and it was quite delicious

1. Soak the 2cups Ragda over night. 

2. Boil it with 5 whistles. 

3. In a pan, 2tbsp heat oil. 

4. Add 1tsp Cumin seeds, 2 Bay leaves, 2 Cloves, 2 Cardamoms and 1tsp Chana masala. 

5. Add 2finely chopped Onions. Fry till light brown. 

6. Add 2tbsp garlic-chili-ginger paste. 

7. Add 2 chopped Tomatoes. 

8. Add 1tsp turmeric powder, 2tsp coriander powder, 1tsp red chilli powder, 2-3 Kokum flowers. 

9. Cook till oil begins to separate. 

10. Add the boiled Ragda. 

11. Mix it well. 

12. Add 2glasses of water. 

13. Add salt as per taste. 

14. Let it boil. 

15. Lower the flame and simmer for 45 minutes. 

16. Garnish with finely chopped onions, lime juice, red chili powder, cumin powder and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 34 – Aparmita Sapru

Diet is the topic almost everybody talks about it, but so few really understand it. Some say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but for some skipping breakfast is significantly common, specially for those late risers. (If they wake up at 11am then what should be the lunch hour?, Is it better to eat brunch? ) People who work late nights have no proper timings for having their meals. The gaps between lunch and dinner are filled up with snacks like chips, biscuits, chocolates and other savouries. People who are always on the move prefer street food like Samosas, Pakoras, Batawadas. Some people fill their tummy with endless cups of tea. Many people eat their meals while watching TV or while reading messages on social media. In fact, children are encouraged to watch TV while eating so that their attention is diverted from food and too distracted to fuss over differently looking veggies.

There is not much attention given to the food they eat.

Only those people will enjoy their meal, who can relish the flavour with every bite, eat slowly and pay attention to what they are eating. Enjoying food means not just eating, it is also about relishing its  textures, aroma, presentations. Moreover, emotions play a very important part in our diet. Eating behavior is a complex process which is influenced by physiological, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. If we don’t pay attention to what we eat, and lead a sedentary life style, the result is the common heath problems that we may face in later years of our life.

Good food should be enjoyed, that which is healthy, that which is nutritious and delicious..

Home chef Aparmita Sapru shares some wonderful food stories that she has grown up with.

Aparmita Sapru (of The Shikara Fame) is born into a Kashmiri pandit family and grown up with the flavours & aromas of ' Dum Aaloo, Roganjosh, Kabargah, Methi Chaaman & Pheerni - to name a few. In her home, the finesse of cooking was discussed from the size of the potatoes to be used for cooking, to the temperature they should be fried at, to the technique of bhunoing the Roganjosh, food was expected to be cooked in perfection with a lot of love and patience added to it.

“Over the years, I imbibed the same love and passion for the cuisine. Also being an art curator, I can safely say that cooking is as cathartic as Art!” she admits

Having perfected a lot of Kashmiri delicacies, she frequently started inviting friends and family over for meals and was encouraged to start professionally, as authentic Kashmiri Cuisine is rare, almost non- existent outside of Kashmir.

Aparmita specialises in Kashmiri Cuisine. Food combinations, styles of cooking & unique food combinations is what makes Kashmiri Cuisine different. ' The Shikara' was conceived as an attempt to bring Kashmiri food straight from the 'Dastarkhwaana of Kashmir' to your plate!

North Indian cuisine has also been a part of her journey so has also been added as part of the menu. Best of both the worlds is what you shall get on her menu!

Sarson oil, ghee, saunth, saunf powder, heeng, yogurt and Kashmiri garam masala form the heart and soul of the cuisine, varying in terms of quan and timing, depending upon the dish being cooked. Almost all her dishes are garnished with a  dash of Kashmiri garam masala to give it that extra zing!

“I crave my mom's Pheerni.. Thick, creamy, with a velvety texture , light flavour of scented kewra water and that yummy out of the world taste! That is what I crave. The first taste of good food actually started from home.” Says Aparmita. “Mom was an excellent cook. Apart from Kashmiri cuisine, we had samosas , UP ki dal kachoris, gujiyas, matthis, pineapple pastries, puddings,dahi gujiyas, Rajasthani gattas, keema pao, all kinds of food! So, my eureka moments were with mom's cooking.. She used to cook an amazing variety of dishes!”

Aparmita Sapru is happy to share her Rajma Recipe

1. Take 1 cup Rajma. 

2. .Add 3 glasses water, 1tbsp mustard oil, salt and 1tsp turmeric. 

3. Pressure cook Rajma till tender. 

4. Heat ghee/ mustard oil in a pan. 

5. Add a pinch of asafoetida, 2-3 cloves, 1tsp cumin seeds, 1inch ginger and 1tsp garlic. 

6. Once garlic is fried, add 2 medium size onions. 

7. Fry till golden brown. 

8. Add 2 finely chopped tomatoes. 

9. Cook till the mixture gives off ghee from all sides.  

10. Add 1tsp red chilli powder. 

11. Add the mix to the boiled rajma. 

12. Add 1tbsp whisked curd and cook till the mixture is homogeneous. 

13. Add a dash of kashmiri garam masala . 

14. Add fresh coriander and green chillies. 

15. Rajma is ready to be served.

Aparmita Sapru can be reached on her Watsapp No is : 6262843699

Follow her Insta handle @the_shikara

Also via mail : theshikaraforu@gmail.com