Tag Archives: Vegetarian Friendly

Papri Chaat

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Papri Chaat is a popular street food of South Asia, specially Pakistan and India. Both countries make them in different ways, Indians use curried chickpeas and raw ginger garlic paste in this recipe whereas Pakistanis use simple boiled chickepeas, this is the Pakistani version of Papri Chaat, do try this and make your day ….

Ayesha's Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups homemade papri or market papri (broken into small pieces)
  • 1 ½ cups boiled chickpeas
  • 1 onion chopped (large onion)
  • 1 ½ cup yogurt
  • 1 tbspn sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 – 2 tbspns tamarind chutney
  • 1 – 2 tbspns mint-coriander chutney (optional)
  • 1 tbspn chaat masala
  • 1 tbspn chopped coriander
  • 1 tspn roasted ground cumin seeds
  • 1 cup boiled dice peeled potatoes

Procedure:

-Beat yogurt, water and sugar until they form a smooth textured mixture.

-In a shallow glass dish, lay a layer of 2 cups of papri, then chickpeas, then potatoes, then half of the onions and then spread the yogurt mixture.

-Garnish with the rest of the papri, coriander leaves, onions, cumin seed powder, tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney.

-Sprinkle some chat masala on top and serve.

Achari Aalu (Potatoes in Pickle Masala)

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Achari aalu is my way of consuming potatoes…… People in Pakistan do make this dish but i dont know the recipe, this is my own recipe and its very quick and easy. Whenever I have made this dish, people have appreciated a lot, especially my sister. Do try this and enjoy the sour and spicy taste of Achari potatoes (potatoes in pickle masala) with pooris, naan, boiled rice or paratha.

Ayesha's Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 4 large potatoes (peeled and diced)
  • 1 medium potato boiled and mashed (no lumps)
  • 2 onions chopped in a food processor
  • 4 tbspns yogurt + ¼ cup water
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbspn red chilli powder
  • 1 tspn nigella seeds (kalonji)
  • 1 tspn turmeric
  • 1 tspn tamarind chutney (optional)
  • 4 – 8 curry leaves
  • 1 tspn cumin powder
  • ½ tspn saunf (fennel seed) powder
  • 1 tspn garam masala powder
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 tbspn ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tspn fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
  • 1 doda mirch (dried red chilli, bird’s eye chilli)

Procedure:

-Heat oil and fry ginger garlic paste in it for few minutes. Now add chopped onions and cook until they are brown. Add kasuri methi and fry for another few seconds.

-Now add all the spices except nigella seeds and mix well.

-Add diced potatoes and stir. Now add yogurt, nigella seeds, curry leaves and mashed potato and cook it covered on medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

-Dish out and serve with hot pooris, parathas or saada roti/ chapatti.

Soojhi Halwa (Semolina Sweet)

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Soojhi halwa is a pakistani delicacy which is widely served with pooris (fried bread) and parathas in breakfast. This is a popular dish of Lahore and people over there are crazy about it on weekends and other holidays. It is also very popular during the Month of Ramadan as it is very energetic, filling and nutritious but if you are on diet please dont eat it, it is very fattening, but trying this lavish dish once a month does not make any difference…… Enjoy!

Ayesha's Kitchen

Ingredients:

FOR HALWA

  • 1 cup soojhi/ semolina
  • Few slices of coconut (thin slices)
  • 6 – 8 sultanas (kishmish)
  • 1 cup desi ghee

FOR SHEERA/ SUGAR SYRUP

  • Few strands of saffron
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups of water
  • 4 – 5 green cardamom

FOR GARNISHING

  • Few almonds, pistachios and sliced coconut

Procedure:

-Melt ghee and fry sultanas until they are puffed and dark in colour. (do not burn them).

-Add semolina/ soojhi and stir fry it until the soojhi is dark in colour. Do not left it unattended because soojhi get black very quickly.

-Now strain and ad sheera (sugar syrup) to it and mix well.

-When halwa is of rite consistency dish it out and garnish with some slivered almonds and other nuts.

-Serve hot with pooris, parathas or as a sweet dish.

Mixed Vegetable Pakoras

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Mixed vegetable pakora is my own recipe. Its a very easy and less time consuming recipe…..

Ayesha's Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup besan (gram flour)
  • 1 tspn baking powder
  • ½ cup sliced aubergine/ eggplant
  • 1 green chilli sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped green coriander
  • 4 button mushrooms sliced
  • 1 potato thinly sliced
  • ½ cup paneer (small cubes)
  • Little spinach leaved chopped
  • ¼ cup sliced capsicum
  • ¼ cup chopped cauliflower
  • 1 tbspn coriander mint chutney
  • Some salt
  • 1 ½ tspn red chilli powder
  • ½ tspn turmeric
  • 1 tbspn dry coriander
  • 1 tspn cumin seeds
  • 1 tbspn fenugreek leaves
  • 1 onion sliced
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Some water for batter (around ½ – ¾ cup)

Procedure:

-Sift besan and baking powder.

-Slice all vegetables and put them in a mixing bowl.

-Add all spices and sifted besan.

-Add all spices and mix well all the dry ingredients with vegetables.

-Gradually add water and mix with your hands.

-Make a lump free mixture with vegetables.

-Keep aside for 30 minutes.

-Heat oil and add spoon full of batter in it. Keep them away from each other.

-When they are brown, take them out on an absorbent paper and serve hot with tamarind sauce and mint coriander chutney.

Outcome:

Tasty mixed vegetable pakoras are ready to serve.

Serving:

Serves 6.

Mattar Paneer (Peas And Home Made Ricotta In Creamy Tomato Sauce)(Restaurant Style)

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Matar Paneer is housewife’s style of romance with green peas…. Try this creamy tomato sauce based curry dish and enjoy the real taste of this vegetarian Indian delight…

Ingredients:

  • 500 gms of diced paneer
  • 2 cups boiled green peas
  • 2 medium onions chopped
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
  • ½ tspn turmeric powder
  • 1 tspn chilli powder
  • ½ tspn cumin powder
  • ½ tspn coriander powder
  • 1 tspn ginger and garlic paste
  • 4 – 5 pcs of raw cashew nuts
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tbspn butter
  • Some water
  • ½ cup cream
  • Some salt
  • Some green chillies chopped
  • Some fresh coriander leaves
  • ½ tspn cumin seeds
  • A pinch of fenugreek leaves
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cardamom
  • 1 pc of cinnamon stick
  • 1 small bay leaf

Procedure:

-Fry onions and cashew nuts for 2 minutes and add a bit of salt along with ginger garlic paste.

-When onion leaves the raw flavor, add turmeric and tomatoes. Cook the mixture on low heat.

-Put this in blender and blend. Add a bit of water if needed and blend this mixture into fine paste.

-Heat some oil in the vessel and add cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Fry for 30 seconds and add the blended paste in it. After simmering for about 2 minutes on medium heat add peas and let the sauce simmer again for 2 minutes. Not add all the other spices and mix well.

-After 2 minutes add cheese and cumin seeds and garnish with green chillies and coriander leaves.

-Serve hot with nan bread or chapattis and enjoy.

Outcome:

Tasty Mattar paneer is ready to serve.

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Tips:

-Add 4 – 5 pcs of cashew nuts, no more no less otherwise your sauce will not come out to the rite consistency.

Servings:

This will serve 4 persons easily.

Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea)

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Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea) is a lovely, smooth and silky hot beverage that is usually served in Pakistan on any happy occasion after meals. Do try this and make your day …

Ayesha's Kitchen

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 4 cups milk
  • A pinch of saffron strands
  • 2 tbspns jasmine tea leaves
  • 1 big cardamom
  • 1 big piece of cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 almonds
  • 4 green cardamoms crushed
  • Some salt
  • Sugar to taste
  • 1 small very small drop of pink food colour (OPTIONAL)

FOR GARNISH

  • Crushed or slivered almond
  • Crushed or slivered pistachios
  • Some mixed dried fruits

Procedure:

-In a saucepan, add all the ingredients given above except milk and for garnish and bring to a boil.

-Boil well for 10 minutes.

-Add milk and boil again.

-Strain this mixture and pour it into 4 cups.

-Place some mixed dried fruits on the saucer and garnish the tea with some crushed pistachios and almonds.

Tips:

-Use full cream milk for best results.

-Avoid using salted or roasted pistachios and almonds.

-Add a very little drop of pink food colour only if desired.

Servings:

This will serve 4 persons easily.