The Mystic Cradle with an amazing heritage, Uttar Pradesh

A land of culture and colorful (literally and figuratively speaking!) festivals - take a look at one of my posts from nearly a year ago... Rang Barse... Holi Hai!, traditions from an era bygone, tons of history, agriculture - an expansive region nourished by the fertile plains around the Ganges river, cuisines - the state boasts of three distinct cuisines and a sprinkling of one-offs (!!), and tourist spots - from ancient temples to national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, historic places, spectacular architectural marvels, massive forts, and scenic beauty, the state is rich in every sense.... ever heard of the Taj Mahal :)? Uttar Pradesh leaves a long-lasting impression on anyone that has experienced the sunsets at the ghats of Varanasi after waking up long before dawn to attend the puja (prayers) at Chitrakoot. This massive state can stupefy the lovestruck, the devout and the nomad alike, and promises an all-sensory satisfaction.

Clockwise, starting top left: The Taj Mahal, the Ghats at Varanasi (Benaras), Holi celebrations, paddy (rice) fields

• The Taj Mahal. A love story. An enormous mausoleum complex commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his beloved wife. The famed complex is one of the most outstanding examples of Mughal architecture, which combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences, with the ivory shimmering marble structure, the Taj Mahal, at its center. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, it remains one of the world’s most celebrated structures and a stunning symbol of India’s rich history.

• The Ghats at Varanasi. Frequented by the people including early morning bathers, priests, people practicing meditation and yoga, students and tourists. The eternal crematorium located at Manikarnika Ghat - it is believed that the person that is cremated at this place attains salvation from the cycle of birth and death. For centuries, pilgrims have traced the perimeter of the city by a ritual parikrama (circumambulation) paying homage to shrines on the way. The devotee, accompanied by a priest, recites a sankalpa (statement of intent) and performs a ritual at each stage of the journey.

• Varanasi. One of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. One of the holiest cities for Hindus. As per Hindu Shashtras (religious texts), dying at Kashi (or Varanasi) is the path to nirvana. We say goodbye to our loved ones and perform the last rites here...

• The world's largest human gathering, clocking at 120 million (aaahhhhhhh!!!)... the Kumbh Mela. A major pilgrimage and festival, it is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain). The Kumbh Mela is marked by a ritual dip in the waters, and is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass feedings of monks or the poor, and a brilliant entertainment spectacle!

• Home to many a Indian literary legend. Kabirdas, Tulsidas, Surdas, Premchand.

• And then there's Amitabh Bachchan :D... I know I know... but, couldn't resist mentioning him... he is one of the greatest Indian cinema stars of all times!

I left the food out from the list above coz I was going to embark on a detailed narrative on that front... this is one state the kids are somewhat familiar with (and have visited the famed sites and experienced some of this food, thank goodness for that!!!). A brilliant blends of three regions in this state, the cuisine is as diverse as its topography is a result of the influences of varied cultures and rulers who ruled the state since ancient times. The wide variety and diversity in the taste, flavor, and mode of preparation are broadly distinguished by its distinct food zones with each having a specialty of its own: the Oudh region, Western Uttar Pradesh and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Many of the Uttar Pradesh cuisines have been heavily influenced by the Mughlai cooking style alongside the Nawabi style of cooking. This has resulted in food recipes that are blessed with some of the best flavors and royal-est of ingredients from across the spice palate... the origins of some of the food preparations are said to go way back to the times of Lord Krishna!!

• The Kebabs. Having given a host of kebab varieties to the country as well as the world over. Kakori kebab, Galawat kebab, Pasanda kebab, Boti kebab and not to forget the famed Shami kebab.

• The Koftas. Prevalent in the vegetarian as well as in non-vegetarian fare, a combination of minced meat(or vegetarian)balls set in a spiced creamy gravy.

• The Allahabadi Tehri. Uttar Pradesh’s signature rice dish, the Tehari is a one-pot meal of rice, vegetables, and spices the taste of which lies somewhere between Pulav and Biryani, the main point of difference being its preparation in mustard oil and the inclusion of red chilies in the crushed form.

• The Chaat. One of the most loved specialties of Uttar Pradesh, the Tokri Chaat and the Khashta Kachori Chaat - the latter a tangy, tempting and very filling chaat preparation, comprising of a puffed fried pastry that is stuffed with moong dal (yellow lentils) filling and is to be eaten with tomato, onion toppings along with varied chutneys.

While this should've been staggered over a few days, so we could relish, rub our bellies, relish some more... we ended up doing a tasting menu of sorts... and enjoyed the leftovers for a few days thereafter!

• The starters included Tokri Chaat (a popular chaat snack from north India, potato baskets topped with cooked garbanzo beans, yogurt, and a medley of chutneys), Reshe Wale Shami Kebab (said to have been created for a toothless Lucknowi Nawab, soft & luscious mince meat mixed with lentils, chickpeas, and other favorite requisite spices);

• Followed by Baigan ki Lonje (a souped up version of baby eggplants, sautéd with a flavorful paste of crispy onions and roasted whole spices), Nargisi Kofta (a divine Mughlai dish prepared with boiled eggs, coated with minced meat mixed with spices and deep-fried, simmered in a thick, creamy gravy), Paneer Pasanda (a rich and delicious recipe of shallow fried stuffed paneer sandwiches in a smooth, creamy onion-tomato based gravy), Rasedaar Aloo, Poori ke Saath (comfort food at its best, this is a simple potato preparation, with the gravy spiced up with kasoori methi and amchur flavors), and a side of Tehri (one for the vegetarians, a milder version of a Biryani, Tehri is a rice preparation, full of wholesome veggies of your choice!);

• And finally Kulfi (a delicious dairy based dessert, made from rich milk and cream, with its origins dating back to 16th century India) for dessert!

Tokri Chaat

What you'll need:

• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and grated

• Dahi vada (I took my precious stack from my Mom’s kitchen)… recipe another time…

• 1 can garbanzo beans; 1 tsp cumin pd; 1 tsp dry mint leaves; 1/2 tsp black salt pd

• 1 roma tomato, diced; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 2 green chillies, finely chopped

• Mint chutney; Tamarind chutney; Papri (bought from the Indian store); fresh cilantro, chopped; 5-6 tblsp beaten yogurt, beaten with 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black salt, 1 tsp dahi raita pd (or roasted cumin seeds, ground to a coarse pd), 1/2 tsp red chilli pd

• Sev (fried potato vermicelli), for garnish

For the Tokri (the potato basket!): Wash the grated potatoes in cold water coz you want to remove the starch in the potatoes so they're not sticky... wash them a few times, line on paper towels and let dry for 30-60 minutes. You want the potatoes to be absolutely dry, else when you put it in the oil, there'll be a bunch of spluttering - not pretty at all!

Heat oil on medium-high heat. Take your tea strainer and put a handful of the grated potatoes in it. Spread the grated potatoes a little to the side as well - make sure you have a thick layer covering the whole inside of the tea strainer. Note that a thin layer will break the moment you try to remove the fried bowl from the strainer. Put the other tea strainer on top of it, and immerse in the hot oil. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. When you see the potato-bowl browning remove the top strainer and leave the bottom strainer with the basket in oil till the whole bowl is evenly browned. Once done, overturn the strainer and gently tap to release the bowl. Repeat this for the rest of the grated potatoes.

For the Garbanzo beans: Strain the beans and gently fold in the mint leaves, salt and cumin pd with the beans... no cooking needed here!

And then the assembly! Take a potato-bowl/tokri. I would add a bit of each ingredient and in this order: chickpeas (the garbanzo beans mix), the dahi vadas, tomatoes, onions, green chillies, yogurt, a generous serving of the tamarind chutney, a little of mint chutney, a sprinkle of each-red chilli pd, roasted cumin powder and dahi raita pd. And in the end, garnish with cilantro and sev. You could use a spoon, but feel free to get dirty and use your hands to partake in the eating festivities!

Shami Kebab

What you'll need:

• 1 lb lamb mince; 1 cup chana daal (black gram lentils), soaked for ~2 hours

• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped; 6-7 garlic cloves; 1” ginger, coarsely chopped; 4 green chillies chopped

• 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp turmeric pd; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 1/2 tsp coriander pd; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli pd

• 8-9 sprigs of mint leaves; 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped; 4 red chillies, finely chopped; 2-3 tblsp oil

Take ALL of the ingredients included in the first three bullet points, plus 2 cups of water and mix well to combine. Place the mix in a pressure cooker, and apply pressure for approx. 15 mins (after the pressure has been built up). Release the pressure, and the next step (and this may take 30-40 mins) is to make sure there is no water remaining in the mix... so I had to keep stirring the mix, while using the ladle to mash and blend the mix at the same time! You want to dry up the water as much as possible.

Next, once the mixture has cooled down, add in the chopped mint leaves, chillies and cilantro and mix well with the dried shami kabab mix. Heat some oil in a pan, and making round thick discs of the kabab meat, place the kababs in the pan, cooking these on both sides for about 4 mins each on medium heat. Lay these out on a platter and serve with a side of pickled onions and a chutney of your choice! And then there's the rumali roti option - check out BreadsofHindustan.com for the how-to on rumali roti!!

Baigan Kee Lonje

What you'll need:

• 1 big eggplant, or 1 lb baby eggplants (~9-10 of these)

• 4 dry red chillies; 2” cinnamon stick; 3-4 cardamom pods; 6-7 cloves

• 1 tblsp oil; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 2 tsp sugar; 1” ginger piece, coarsely chopped; 4-5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper pd

• 2 tblsp ghee (clarified butter)

Dry roast the red chillies, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves in a pan until the spices start giving off their aroma... shouldn't take more than 2-3 mins. Set these aside to cool for a bit. Next, heat 1 tblsp of oil, and drop in the sliced onions. Saute these until they become a little translucent, and then add in the sugar. Let the onions caramelize along with the sugar until they turn crispy medium brown. Turn off the heat.

In the meantime, cut the baby eggplants into halves longitudinally, and soak in water with a bit of salt so they don't brown while waiting for the spices to get prepared. Now the spice paste: drop the roasted spices, the caramelized onions, ginger, garlic and the salt/pepper, with 2-3 tblsp of water, and run it through a high powered blender to make a paste. Drain the water from the eggplants and pat them dry... spread half a tsp of the paste on each half eggplant. Heat the ghee and gently place each eggplant, skin-side down, in the pan, and let it cook on medium heat for a good 7-8 mins. Then, gently turn each of these over and cook on the other side for a similar amount of time. Cover the pan with a lid for 5 mins after, and let the eggplants simmer until these are fully cooked. Serve hot as an appetizer or as a side!

Nargisi Kofta

What you'll need:

• 5 hard boiled eggs

• 1lb lamb mince; 4 green chillies, finely chopped; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 2 tsp ginger garlic paste; 2 tsp all purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 egg, beaten

• Oil for frying the kofte

• For the gravy: 1 red onion, chopped and made into a paste; 2 tomatoes, diced and made into paste; 2 tsp ginger garlic paste; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp turmeric pd; 1 tsp coriander pd; 1/2 tsp red chilli pd; 1-2 tblsp yogurt

• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

For the lamb mince shell, mix the mince with the chillies, onions, ginger/garlic paste, flour, salt, and the garam masala. Once the ingredients are nicely blended, add in the half of the egg and mix in thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 5 portions. Take one of the portions in your hand, and using your palm, encase a shelled boiled egg with the mince mixture, ensuring that the egg gets fully encased in the lamb mince. Set aside and repeat for the remaining eggs.

Heat the oil for frying the kofte in a small deep pan. Once the oil is heated, use the remaining egg to coat the kofte, and gently lower the kofte in the oil. Fry these on medium heat until nicely browned all over - you want to initially do this over a low/medium flame to ensure that the meat gets cooked through. While the kofte are frying, lets get the gravy going. Fairly straight-forward. Heat a couple tblsp of oil, and drop in the red onion paste once the oil is hot. In 2-3 mins, add the ginger garlic paste, and saute until lightly browned, and then add in the tomatoes and spices. Saute for a few minutes until the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Finally add in a cup of water and the yogurt, mix well and cook covered for 7-8 mins. Once the gravy is ready, cut the kofte in half, and lay these out on your serving platter... gently pour the gravy on top of the kofte and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot!

Paneer Pasanda

What you'll need:

• 1 lb paneer, sliced into 1/2" thick 2x2" cubes; a little extra grated paneer, 2 tblsp; 1 tsp mint chutney; 1 tblsp coriander chutney

• For the paneer coating: 4 tblsp besan (gram flour); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp turmeric pd; 1/2 tsp red chilli pd; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp cumin pd

• 1 tblsp ghee (clarified butter); 1/4 tsp asafoetida pd; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 green chillies, finely chopped; 1 red onion, finely chopped or made into a paste; 2 roma tomatoes, diced or made into a paste; 1 tblsp ginger garlic paste; 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

• Oil for frying; Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat sufficient oil in a pan. Cut the paneer into slices as described in the ingredients section, and mash the remaining paneer with the mint and coriander chutneys. Spread this mixture on a slice, covering it with another slice of paneer. Mix the ingredients for the coating separately to make a thick batter.

Dip the paneer triangles in the batter and deep fry till lightly golden. Drain on absorbent paper. To make the gravy, heat oil in a nonstick deep-ish pan. Add the ghee and once heated, drop in the cumin seeds and asafoetida pd. Wait for the cumin seeds to crackle, and then in goes the onion paste. Saute. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then the green chillies for a couple minutes. Add the tomato purée and mix well. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. and finally all the remaining powdered spices and the kasoori methi.

When you’re ready to chow, gently lay out the pasanda on the platter and pour the gravy over… a few cilantro leaves to garnish and you’re all set!

Rasedaar Aloo, Poori ke Saath

What you'll need:

• 3 large russet potatoes, cut into 1” cubes (you can also boil the potatoes, peel and keep ready for cooking!)

• 2 tblsp oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1/4 tsp asafoetida pd

• 1 red onion, finely chopped; 1 tomato, diced; 1 tblsp ginger garlic paste; 3 green chillies, slit length-wise; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

• 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp turmeric pd; 1 tsp coriander pd; 1 tsp kasoori methi

One of the easiest and by far one of yummiest street foods! Heat the oil and when hot, add in the cumin seeds and asafoetida pd… you’ll note that the gravy prep is kind of following a pattern… just a couple minor variations here and there! Once the cumin crackles, add in the onions and sauté until golden brown. Then the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Wait for the raw garlic smell to disappear, about 2-3 mins, and then add in the green chillies and the powdered spices. Let the spices roast for a couple minutes. Add in 2 cups of water, and then add in the potatoes. If you’re using the boiled potatoes, just break these with your hands and add to the gravy… cook covered for about 12-15 minutes on medium heat if you’re using the raw potatoes… and just 5-7 minutes if you’re using the boiled ones. Garnish with cilantro and you’re ready to have this treat with hot pooris!

Tehri

What you'll need:

• 1 large russet potato, cubed; 1 cup cauliflower florets; 1/2 cup green peas

• 2 tblsp ghee (clarified butter); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 small green chilled, chopped fine; 1” piece of ginger, finely grated

• 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp turmeric pd; 1/2 tsp red chilli pd; 1 tsp coriander pd; 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1 1/2 cup rice, soaked in water for about 20 mins; additional 3 cups water for cooking

Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker (I use my Ninja Foodie), and once the ghee has melted, add the cumin seeds. Next, add the potatoes when the cumin seeds start crackling, and saute these for a couple minutes, so that they turn very lightly brown. Now add in the cauliflower and green peas, and saute for another 4-5 minutes. Add in all the remaining ingredients (the spices, green chillies and the ginger), and let the spices give out their flavors, approx in ~3-4 minutes. Finally, add the rice and the 3 cups of water, and pressure cook for ~6 minutes after the first whistle (or after the pressure has built up in the Ninja Foodie).

Release the pressure after 10 minutes, if it hasn't done so naturally... serve the Tehri hot with Dahi Raita on the side!

Kulfi

What you'll need:

• 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup evaporated milk; 1/2 cup condensed milk

• 1 tblsp slivered almonds; 1 tblsp pieces of pistachios; 1/4 tsp cardamom pd; 1 slice white bread

Sooooooooooo simple, and the results - as brilliant as the yield from the traditional recipe! In fact, tastes that much yummier since the effort was like 1/100th in comparison :)... Here goes: Break the slice of bread into small pieces, and then put all the ingredients listed into a blender. Pulse the mix 4-5 times, and then blend on a low rpm for 3-4 minutes. If you have kulfi cones, pour the creamy mixture into the moulds... alternately, you can pour the mixture into a glass bowl (that will survive in the freezer). Make sure you tap the bowl (or the cones) gently so that there are no air bubbles remaining, top it off with some almonds and pistachios, and freeze for 8-10 hours. Serve this brilliance after a meal, or during the day, or whenever you pass by the freezer... no rules defining the "when:!!!