PANEER TIKKA PULAO

This festive season, surprise your loved ones with this exotic Paneer Tikka Pulao. The juicy paneer and vegetables are marinated in a dense blend of curd and spices, before being cooked on a tawa, and finally tossed in with the rice to make a finger-licking delicacy.

Ingredients

For the paneer tikkas —

1½ cups cottage cheese, cut into cubes

½ cup capsicum, cut into cubes

½ cup onion, cut into cubes

½ cup thick curd

½ cup gram flour (besan)

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

For the rice —

2 cups long grained rice (basmati), soaked for 15 minutes and drained

1 tbsp oil

½ tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves

1 bay leaves

1 stick cinnamon

Salt to taste

For garnish —

A spring of mint

2 tbsp fried onion

Method

For the paneer tikka

Combine the curd, gram flour, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl, mix well to prepare a marinade. Add the paneer, capsicum and onion to it, mix gently and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Arrange the paneer, capsicum and onions on skewer sticks. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on a non-stick griddle and cook the paneer tikkas for 4-5 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Remove from skewers and keep aside.

For the rice

Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan, add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon, sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds. When the cumin seeds crackle, add rice and salt, sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add 4 cups of hot water. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or till rice is cooked. Separate each grain of rice very lightly with a fork and keep aside.

Heat oil in another broad non-stick pan, add the paneer tikkas and rice, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 1-2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Serve immediately with fried onion and a sprig of mint.

MUTHI KEBAB

Muthi kebab is purely a Punjabi dish. Everyone will love these juicy kebabs. Serve hot with different kinds of dip.

Ingredients

500g meat mince

2 onions, chopped

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

3 chopped green chillies

2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

2 medium tomato, chopped

1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

1 tsp chat masala

1 tsp kebab masala

2 red pepper, crushed

½ tsp pomegranate seeds powder

1 egg

3 tbsp gram flour (pan roasted)

½ tsp cumin seeds powder

Oil for fry

Method

In a bowl, put minced meat and add all the ingredients except oil. Mix with your hands until well combined and let stand for 30 minutes to blend flavours. Now take a handful of the mixture and give them oval-like shape. Then heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the kebab until golden brown. Remove on a platter and serve hot.

DHUWAN DAHI GOSHT

Dhuwan dahi gosht is a Pakistani dish famous for its unmatched taste. Dhuwan dahi gosht is mutton cooked in a spicy yoghurt based gravy and then infused with a fragrant smoky flavour

Ingredients

1 kg mutton

1 cup yoghurt

½ cup clarified butter

8-10 green chillies

1 tbsp red chilli flakes

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds powder

1 tbsp mustard seeds powder

1 tbsp crushed fennel seeds

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

Salt to taste

Few coals

For garnishing —

Fresh coriander

Ginger slices

Method

Heat clarified butter in a pan over medium heat. Sauté ginger-garlic paste in it. When it turns golden brown, add mutton and cook for 10-12 minutes or until it starts to change its colour. Add yoghurt, green chillies, red chilli flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds powder, mustard seeds powder, crushed fennel seeds, salt and 2 glasses of water. Cover the lid and cook for 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Remove the lid and cook on high flame for 2-3 minutes.

Now fire up few coals and place on an aluminium sheet and place inside the cooking pot. Put few drops of oil and cover the pan. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove coal and dish it out. Garnish with fresh coriander and ginger. Serve hot with naan, paratha or rice.

GRILLED MUTTON CHOPS

Ingredients

6 large mutton chops

2 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp raw papaya paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp yoghurt

1 tsp dry red chilli, crushed

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp mustard paste

Salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for marination. Marinate the mutton chops in the mixture for 5-6 hours or overnight. Heat oil in a pan, discard the extra marinade and fry the mutton chops on both sides for 2 minutes each. Fry on high heat so that the juices get sealed. Remove from heat. Preheat the oven at 200° C. Place the rack near the top flame. Transfer the chops to a baking dish and bake in oven for 10 minutes. Turn the chops on the other side and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.

MURGH MAKHMALI

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut into 4 pieces

2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

4 garlic clove, peeled and minced

4 tomatoes, diced roughly

4 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ cup yoghurt

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, add yoghurt and chicken pieces, mix well. Keep aside for half an hour. In a large wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the ginger and garlic. Sauté for 10-15 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 2 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the tomatoes, chillies, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Remove the lid and cook uncovered until it thickens. Garnish with slices of fresh ginger, sliced chillies and fresh coriander leaves. Serve with warm rice, pulao or naan bread.

MUGHLAI BEEF FILLET CURRY

The beef yoghurt marinade creates a rich wonderful gravy and almonds add a Mughlai touch. It is especially perfect for beef lovers, on Eid.

Ingredients

1 kg beef fillet

20g fresh coriander

15g ground red chilli

1 tbsp hot spices

½ cup almonds and sesame paste

½ cup green masala (blend coriander leaves, mint and green chillies)

2 large chopped onions

250g yoghurt

3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp fried onions

4 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, put green masala, almonds, sesame paste and salt, mix well. Then, put the beef fillets into the masala mixture, marinate it for 1 hour. Heat oil and ghee in a pan, add onion and ground red chillies and fry it. Now add marinated beef fillet in it. Mix well and cover with lid, cook for 8-10 minutes. Add yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, hot spices and pinch of salt, stir and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat until tender. Add fried onions and cook for another 5 minutes. When it is done, garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice, naan or chapati.

THAI GRILLED WHOLE FISH

Ingredients

1 medium sized fish (red snapper, sea bass, sea perch or any other white fish), cleaned

Salt to taste

2 limes

For the sauce —

½ cup water

½ tbsp tamarind paste

3 clove garlic

1 tsp brown sugar

1 thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1 cup fresh coriander

2 tbsp fish sauce

½ red bell pepper (de-seeded and diced)

2 fresh red chillies, minced

Method

Prepare fish by rinsing it, then patting it dry. Make 2 to 3 diagonal cuts on the side of the fish with the knife. The cuts should be several inches apart. Squeeze the lime juice over and inside the fish. Sprinkle salt, mix and set aside while you prepare the sauce. Place water, tamarind paste, garlic, ginger, sugar, coriander, chilli and fish sauce in a food processor. Whisk well.

Pour the sauce into the saucepan. Add pepper and simmer over medium low heat for 6-8 minutes. Cover and keep warm while you cook the fish. Grill the fish on the barbecue. Do not flip the fish too early, allow it to cook at least 3 minutes before turning. Turn and cook the other side for 3 minutes more. To serve, plate the fish and pour the prepared sauce over. Garnish with fresh coriander and wedges of lime.

SHUFTA

Shufta is a traditional Kashmiri dessert, especially made during festivals and weddings. It is a mixture of various dry fruits and spices.

Ingredients

½ cup almonds

½ cup cashew nuts

½ cup raisins

½ cup pistachio

½ cup walnuts

10-12 dry dates

½ cup dry coconut, cut into thin slices

½ cup cottage cheese, cut into small pieces

½ cup ghee

2 cups sugar

½ tsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp cardamom powder

½ tsp dry ginger powder

Saffron, a pinch

2 tbsp dried rose petals

Method

Soak almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, pistachio and walnuts in enough water for 30 minutes. Soak dry dates in another bowl. Cut the soaked dates into small pieces and remove the seeds. Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the coconut till slightly browned. Remove in a plate. Fry cottage cheese pieces in the same ghee till slightly browned. Drain the water from the dry fruits and add them in the pan. Add the fried coconut. Add sugar, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, saffron, dry ginger powder and rose petals in the pan. Cook till sugar is dissolved. Serve immediately. If making it for later use, re-heat before serving

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

Ingredients

1 cup butter

2 cups cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

½ cup chocolate chips

4 tbsp peanut butter for spreading

1 tbsp mixed chopped nuts 

Method

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, cracker crumbs, sugar and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of a greased pan. In a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve.

RABRI MALAI ROLL

Ingredients

6 bread slices

2 litre milk for rabri

1 cup milk powder

1 cup milk for mawa

1 tbsp ghee

½ tsp cardamom powder

2 tbsp pistachios, chopped

Pinch of saffron

4 tbsp sugar

Method

Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan until it gets thick in consistency. Collect malai and stick it to the inner side of the pan. Now add sugar and saffron and cook till sugar dissolves in milk and switch off the flame. Rabri is ready, allow it to cool.

Now cut all sides of breads and flatten it by using a roller and keep aside. Heat ghee in a pan. Add one cup of milk and milk powder. Stir continuously and add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cook until the mixture gets thick. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool. Take the mixture in portions and make rolls out of them. Now take a bread and put that mawa on it and roll the bread while stuffing the mawa inside. Heat again ghee or oil in a pan. Fry the stuffed bread roll until golden brown. In a serving plate, arrange the fried rolls and put rabri on top of it. Sprinkle chopped pistachio and serve.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Food and Styling: RBR