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Tag: Uttar pradesh

  • Malai Kulfi

    Kulfi dates to the Mughal era, when milk thickened with sugar and nuts was packed into metal cones and frozen in pots of ice and saltpetre brought down from the Himalayas. Lucknow, Delhi and Agra still have old kulfi shops, and in summer the kulfiwala with his red cloth-covered matka is a fixture of North Indian evenings.

    Unlike ice cream, kulfi is never churned or whipped. Milk is reduced for a long time until it is thick and slightly caramelised, giving a dense, chewy texture and a deep cooked-milk flavour. Cardamom, saffron and pistachio are classic, and malai kulfi celebrates the cream itself with little else added.

    It is served on a stick, sliced into rounds on a leaf plate, or with falooda and rose syrup. Making it at home takes patience at the stove but no special equipment. The secret is patience: slowly reduced milk gives the dense, caramelised texture that sets kulfi apart. Clay matkas give the most traditional look and a faint earthy aroma, but small steel cups or even paper cups work perfectly well.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineMughlai
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time75 minutes
    Total time90 minutes
    Serves8
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsfull-cream milk / sugar / cardamom / saffron / pistachio

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 litres full-cream milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
    • 2 tbsp pistachios, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp almonds, finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup khoya, crumbled (optional, for richness)

    Method

    1. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed kadai and bring to a boil on medium-high, stirring.
    2. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every few minutes and scraping the sides and bottom. Pull the malai that forms on top and on the sides back into the milk.
    3. Continue for 60 to 70 minutes until the milk reduces to about one-third (500 ml), turns pale cream in colour and coats the back of a spoon thickly.
    4. Add sugar and khoya and cook 5 to 7 more minutes until dissolved and the mixture thickens again.
    5. Stir in cardamom, saffron milk, pistachios and almonds. Switch off and cool completely, stirring now and then so no skin forms.
    6. Pour into kulfi moulds, small clay matkas or steel cups. Cover with foil and freeze 8 hours or overnight.
    7. To unmould, roll the mould between your palms or dip it briefly in warm water, then slide the kulfi out. Slice or serve on sticks.

    Tips

    • A wide pan reduces milk faster; a heavy base prevents scorching.
    • For a quicker version, add a tin of condensed milk to 1 litre milk and reduce for 25 minutes.
    • Kulfi keeps for 2 weeks in the freezer, well covered.

    Serve with

    On its own, or with falooda and rose syrup.

  • Rabri

    Rabri is the slow-cooked milk sweet of Varanasi, Mathura and the Braj region, where halwais reduce huge iron kadais of milk over wood fires and gently fan the surface so cream forms in layers. Those layers, or lachhas, are lifted onto the sides of the pan and folded back in at the end, giving rabri its distinctive flaky, lacy texture.

    The taste is pure milk, deepened by long cooking, sweetened lightly and perfumed with cardamom, saffron and sometimes rose water. Rabri is thick but spoonable, with soft shreds of malai throughout. It is served chilled in kulhads, clay cups that add their own earthy aroma. The flavour is gentle and milky.

    It is eaten on its own after a meal, or poured over jalebi, malpua or gulab jamun. It is a festive offering on Janmashtami and Holi in Braj, and a winter-evening treat across Uttar Pradesh. Making it at home takes time but little skill; the trick is a wide pan and patience. Buffalo milk, with its higher fat, gives the thickest rabri and the most generous layers.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineUttar Pradesh
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time95 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsfull-cream milk / sugar / cardamom / saffron

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 litres full-cream milk (buffalo milk is best)
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
    • 1 tbsp pistachios, slivered
    • 1 tbsp almonds, slivered
    • 1/2 tsp rose water (optional)

    Method

    1. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy kadai and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring so it does not catch.
    2. Lower to a gentle simmer. Do not stir the surface; let a layer of cream form, 2 to 3 minutes.
    3. With a flat spatula, gently push the cream layer to the side of the kadai so it sticks there. Repeat each time a new layer forms, occasionally fanning the surface to speed up the skin.
    4. Every few minutes, scrape the bottom gently to prevent scorching, without breaking the floating cream.
    5. Continue for 70 to 80 minutes until the milk reduces to about a quarter of its volume and the sides are thick with cream layers.
    6. Add sugar and stir gently until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Scrape the cream from the sides into the milk with the spatula, keeping the layers in pieces.
    7. Stir in cardamom, saffron and rose water, cook 2 more minutes and switch off.
    8. Cool, then chill for at least 3 hours. Serve in kulhads garnished with pistachios and almonds.

    Tips

    • A wide pan gives more surface area for cream layers to form.
    • Add sugar only at the end – added early it prevents good malai formation.
    • If time is short, a little khoya or milk powder thickens rabri faster, though the lachhas will be fewer.

    Serve with

    Chilled in kulhads, or poured over hot jalebi or malpua.

  • Jalebi

    Jalebi likely arrived in India from West Asia, where a similar sweet called zalabiya is described in medieval Arabic cookbooks. By the fifteenth century it was well established in Indian kitchens, and today it is the quintessential halwai sweet of North India, fried in great spirals in front of the shop every morning.

    Proper jalebi is crisp on the outside, with hollow tubes filled with warm syrup that bursts when bitten. The batter is fermented, traditionally overnight, which gives a slight tang that balances the sweetness. A little saffron or food colour gives the bright orange tint, and the syrup is scented with cardamom and a touch of lemon to stop it crystallising.

    It is eaten hot for breakfast with rabri or milk in Uttar Pradesh, with poha in Indore, and as a festival sweet on Dussehra and Independence Day. It is best within minutes of frying. At home, a squeeze bottle makes piping easy, and the batter can be fermented overnight so the jalebis are ready for breakfast. The syrup should be warm but not boiling, and the jalebis should be crisp before they go in.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineUttar Pradesh
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / sugar / ghee / saffron

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup maida
    • 1 tbsp fine sooji or 1 tbsp cornflour
    • 2 tbsp sour curd
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda (only for the quick method)
    • About 3/4 cup lukewarm water
    • A pinch of turmeric or a few saffron strands for colour

    For the syrup

    • 1 1/2 cups sugar
    • 3/4 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A pinch of saffron
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    For frying

    • Ghee or oil for shallow frying (about 3 cm deep)
    • A squeeze bottle or a thick cloth with a small hole

    Method

    1. Whisk maida, sooji, curd, colour and water into a smooth, thick batter, about the consistency of pancake batter that flows in a steady ribbon. Cover and leave in a warm place for 10 to 12 hours to ferment; it should be bubbly and slightly sour.
    2. For the syrup, boil sugar and water on medium until it reaches one-string consistency, about 6 to 7 minutes – a drop pressed between thumb and finger forms a single thread. Add cardamom, saffron and lemon juice. Keep it warm.
    3. Beat the fermented batter well for 2 minutes. If it has thinned, add a spoon of maida. (Quick method: add the soda now and use immediately.)
    4. Heat ghee in a wide, flat pan on medium, around 170 C. A drop of batter should rise steadily without browning instantly.
    5. Fill the squeeze bottle. Holding it just above the ghee, pipe 6 to 8 cm spirals from the centre outward, finishing with a cross stroke to hold them together.
    6. Fry 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until crisp and light golden. They should feel firm, not soft.
    7. Lift out, drain for a second, and drop into the warm syrup. Soak 30 to 60 seconds, turning once, then lift out. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Fry in small batches so the ghee temperature stays steady and every jalebi crisps evenly.
    • Too thin a batter spreads flat; too thick and it will not pipe smoothly.
    • Ghee gives the classic halwai flavour, but a neutral oil makes them crisper for longer.

    Serve with

    Hot with rabri or a glass of warm milk.

  • Mutton Korma

    Korma means braising, and the Awadhi mutton korma is one of the foundation dishes of Lucknowi cooking. Unlike the creamy, nut-heavy restaurant kormas, the classic version is built on yogurt and a paste of deeply fried onions, cooked slowly so the meat absorbs the spices and the fat rises to the surface.

    The gravy is a rich brown, thick and glossy, with a warm aroma of cardamom, cloves, mace and a few drops of kewra. Heat is moderate, and the flavour comes from properly browned onions and slow cooking rather than heavy spice. The mutton should be tender enough to pull from the bone easily.

    Korma is a dish for Eid, weddings and Sunday lunches, eaten with sheermal, tandoori roti or plain rice. Lucknow's famous Idrees and Wahid shops serve it alongside biryani. Like most braised dishes, it tastes even better the next day, so it is a good choice when cooking for a gathering. Leftover gravy is delicious mopped up with a crisp paratha at breakfast.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time80 minutes
    Total time105 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / yogurt / fried onions / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 750 g bone-in mutton, curry cut
    • 1 cup thick curd, whisked
    • 1/2 cup ghee or oil
    • 3 large onions, thinly sliced
    • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 4 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/4 tsp mace and green cardamom powder
    • 10 almonds, soaked and peeled (optional)
    • 1/2 tsp kewra water
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 1/2 cups hot water

    Method

    1. Heat ghee in a heavy pot on medium. Fry the sliced onions for 15 minutes, stirring, until evenly deep golden brown. Lift them out, leaving the ghee behind.
    2. Grind the fried onions with 3 tbsp curd (and the almonds, if using) to a smooth paste.
    3. In the same ghee, add the whole spices and let them crackle for 30 seconds. Add the mutton and salt and sear on high for 8 to 10 minutes until browned.
    4. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook 2 minutes. Lower the heat and add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric with a splash of water; stir 1 minute.
    5. Add the remaining curd gradually, stirring constantly, then the onion paste. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes until the masala thickens and ghee separates.
    6. Pour in the hot water, cover and cook on low for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mutton is tender and the gravy thick with ghee floating on top.
    7. Add garam masala, mace-cardamom powder and kewra. Cover and leave on the lowest heat for 5 minutes, then rest before serving.

    Tips

    • The colour and flavour of the korma come from the fried onions; uneven or burnt onions make it bitter.
    • Use goat meat from the shoulder for the best balance of fat and tenderness.
    • Pressure cooking (4 to 5 whistles) speeds things up; reduce the water to 1 cup.

    Serve with

    Sheermal, tandoori roti or plain basmati rice.

  • Bedmi Puri with Aloo Sabzi

    Bedmi puri is the breakfast of Agra, Mathura and Old Delhi, where halwais fry them by the hundred from early morning and serve them in leaf bowls with a thin, peppery aloo sabzi and sometimes a side of halwa or jalebi. In Braj, the region around Mathura, bedmi aloo is also a staple of temple festivals and weddings.

    The puris are made from wheat flour kneaded with a paste of soaked urad dal, fennel, coriander, ginger and chilli, which makes them crisp, slightly coarse and full of flavour. The aloo sabzi that goes with them is runny and spicy, with tomatoes, crushed potatoes, fennel, kasuri methi and hing, made to be scooped up.

    It is weekend and festival food, especially in winter. A bedmi aloo breakfast is heavy and is often followed by a glass of lassi or a cup of strong chai. The dough can be prepared the night before and kept in the fridge, and the sabzi made while it rests. It is a meal for an unhurried Sunday, eaten slowly with plenty of conversation and tea.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineUttar Pradesh
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time80 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientswhole wheat flour / urad dal / potato / tomato

    Ingredients

    For the bedmi dough

    • 2 cups whole wheat atta
    • 1/4 cup fine sooji
    • 1/2 cup skinless urad dal, soaked 4 hours
    • 1 inch ginger, 2 green chillies
    • 1 tsp saunf, coarsely crushed
    • 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • Water as needed
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the aloo sabzi

    • 5 potatoes, boiled and roughly broken by hand
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp saunf
    • 1/2 tsp methi seeds
    • 1 inch ginger, grated
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 3 tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp amchur
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 3 cups hot water
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Drain the urad dal and grind with ginger and green chillies to a coarse paste without water.
    2. Mix atta, sooji, saunf, coriander, chilli powder, hing, salt and oil. Add the dal paste and knead with a little water into a stiff dough. Rest 20 minutes.
    3. For the sabzi, heat oil in a pot on medium. Add hing, cumin, saunf and methi seeds; when the methi turns golden, add ginger and green chillies.
    4. Add tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes are completely mushy.
    5. Add the broken potatoes and mash a few against the pan. Pour in hot water, bring to a boil and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until the gravy thickens slightly but stays runny.
    6. Stir in amchur, crushed kasuri methi and garam masala. Garnish with coriander.
    7. Divide the dough into 20 balls and roll each into a 10 cm puri, slightly thicker than a regular puri.
    8. Fry in hot oil, pressing gently so they puff, for about 1 minute per side until golden brown and crisp. Serve hot with the sabzi.

    Tips

    • Keep the dough stiff; soft dough makes oily puris.
    • The sabzi should be thin, so the puri can be dipped. Add hot water if it thickens on standing.
    • Halwais add a little sooji to the dough for extra crispness – do not skip it.

    Serve with

    Pickle, a glass of lassi, or jalebi for a full halwai breakfast.

  • Lucknowi Chicken Biryani

    Lucknowi or Awadhi biryani comes from the nawabi kitchens of Lucknow, where cooks perfected the pukki style: meat and rice cooked separately and then layered and finished on dum. It is the opposite of the fiery Hyderabadi kacchi biryani, prized instead for restraint, perfume and the separate, delicately flavoured grains.

    The chicken is first cooked in yogurt and whole spices to make a light, aromatic korma-like base with its own stock. Parboiled basmati is layered over it with saffron milk, kewra, rose water, fried onions and ghee, and the pot is sealed with dough. The result is subtle and fragrant, with gentle heat and moist, tender meat.

    Biryani is the centrepiece of Eid, weddings and Sunday feasts, served with burani raita or a simple onion salad. In Lucknow, it would be followed by phirni or shahi tukda. The chicken base can be made a few hours ahead, and the rice parboiled just before layering, so the pot can go on dum while guests arrive. Opening the seal at the table, with the burst of saffron and kewra aroma, is part of the ritual.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseRice
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time75 minutes
    Total time115 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / basmati rice / yogurt / saffron / fried onions

    Ingredients

    For the chicken

    • 1 kg chicken, curry cut
    • 1 cup thick curd
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp white pepper powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 4 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 blade mace, 2 bay leaves
    • 1 cup fried onions (birista), crushed
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 cup water

    For the rice

    • 2 1/2 cups aged basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
    • 1 tbsp salt
    • 2 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp shahi jeera

    For layering

    • A generous pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk
    • 1 tsp kewra water
    • 1/2 tsp rose water
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 cup fried onions
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint
    • Atta dough to seal the lid

    Method

    1. Marinate chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, white pepper and salt for at least 1 hour.
    2. Heat ghee in a heavy biryani pot on medium. Add the whole spices and let them crackle for 30 seconds.
    3. Add the chicken with its marinade and the crushed fried onions. Cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, stirring, then add water, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked and the gravy reduced to about 1 cup. Stir in garam masala.
    4. Meanwhile bring 3 litres of water to a rolling boil with salt and the rice spices. Add the drained rice and cook 6 to 7 minutes until 70 percent done – the grain should break with a firm white centre. Drain.
    5. Spread the rice over the chicken in an even layer. Drizzle with saffron milk, kewra, rose water and melted ghee, and scatter fried onions and mint.
    6. Cover with the lid and seal the edge with a rope of atta dough.
    7. Place the pot on a tawa over high heat for 5 minutes, then lower to the minimum and cook on dum for 25 minutes.
    8. Rest 10 minutes off the heat before breaking the seal. Serve by scooping from the side so each portion has rice and chicken.

    Tips

    • Parboiling the rice correctly is the crucial step; overcooked rice turns mushy on dum.
    • Fry your own onions thin and slowly until deep golden; they flavour both the chicken and the rice.
    • The salt in the boiling water should taste like sea water – the rice gets no other seasoning.

    Serve with

    Burani raita, onion-cucumber salad and mirchi ka salan or a light korma.

  • Galouti Kebab

    Galouti kebab is the pride of Lucknow. Legend says it was created for Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula, who had lost his teeth but not his love of meat, so his cooks devised a kebab soft enough to melt in the mouth. Galouti itself means soft. Tunday Kababi in Aminabad, famous for a secret spice mix said to run to over a hundred ingredients, made it known well beyond the city.

    The secret is texture. Mutton mince is ground to a paste, tenderised with raw papaya, bound with roasted gram flour and perfumed with cardamom, mace, saffron, rose and kewra. The patties are shallow fried in ghee until a thin crust forms while the inside stays almost creamy. A puff of clove smoke adds the finishing touch.

    Galoutis are served as a starter at Awadhi feasts and weddings, traditionally with ulte tawe ka paratha, a thin, flaky bread cooked on an upturned griddle, and sliced onions with mint chutney. Making them at home takes time, especially the grinding, but the mixture can be prepared a day ahead and kept chilled. A pinch of the spice blend sprinkled over the cooked kebabs adds a final burst of fragrance.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time40 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton mince / raw papaya / besan / ghee / saffron

    Ingredients

    For the kebab mixture

    • 500 g mutton mince, with about 15 percent fat
    • 2 tbsp raw papaya paste (skin on)
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 tbsp roasted besan
    • 3 tbsp fried onions, crushed to a paste
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • A pinch of saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk
    • 1/2 tsp kewra water
    • 1/2 tsp rose water
    • 1 tbsp ghee

    For the galouti masala

    • 6 green cardamom
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 small blade mace
    • 1/4 nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp shahi jeera
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp dried rose petals

    To cook

    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 1 piece charcoal and 2 cloves for smoking (optional)

    Method

    1. Grind the galouti masala ingredients to a fine powder.
    2. Pass the mince through the fine plate of a mincer twice, or blitz it in a food processor in batches until it becomes a smooth, sticky paste with no visible fibres.
    3. Mix the mince with papaya paste, ginger-garlic paste, roasted besan, fried onion paste, chilli powder, salt and 1 1/2 tsp of the galouti masala. Add saffron milk, kewra, rose water and 1 tbsp ghee and knead 2 to 3 minutes.
    4. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, no longer – papaya will turn the meat mushy if left overnight.
    5. For smoke, heat the charcoal on a flame until glowing, place it in a small steel bowl set in the meat, add cloves and a few drops of ghee, cover for 5 minutes, then remove.
    6. With oiled hands, shape the mixture into thin patties about 6 cm across and 1 cm thick. They will be soft; chill them for 15 minutes if hard to handle.
    7. Heat ghee in a flat non-stick pan on medium. Fry 4 to 5 patties at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once very gently with a flat spatula, until a deep brown crust forms.
    8. Drain briefly and serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Fat in the mince is essential for softness; very lean mince makes dry, crumbly kebabs.
    • Roast the besan on low until nutty and slightly darker before adding.
    • Flip only once; the patties are fragile until the crust sets.

    Serve with

    Ulte tawe ka paratha or sheermal, with onion rings and mint chutney.

  • Shami Kebab

    Shami kebabs are found across North India and Pakistan, but Lucknow and Hyderabad claim them most strongly. Unlike galouti, they are made from boneless meat boiled with chana dal and whole spices, then ground together. The dal binds the mixture and gives the kebabs their characteristic soft, slightly grainy texture.

    A well-made shami is crisp on the outside and tender within, with a filling of chopped onion, mint and green chilli that adds freshness and crunch. The spicing is warm rather than hot: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and dried red chillies cooked into the meat itself. An egg helps the kebabs hold together in the pan.

    They are made in large batches before Eid and Ramzan iftars, frozen and fried as needed. Shamis are also served at tea time, tucked into bread rolls, or as part of a dinner spread with paratha and chutney. A tray of frozen shamis means a hot snack is always minutes away when guests drop by.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time80 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsboneless mutton / chana dal / egg / onion / mint

    Ingredients

    For cooking

    • 500 g boneless mutton, cut into small pieces
    • 1/3 cup chana dal, soaked 1 hour
    • 1 onion, sliced
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 6 dried red chillies
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns
    • 4 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom
    • 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf
    • 1 tsp shahi jeera
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 cups water

    For binding and stuffing

    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    To fry

    • Oil or ghee for shallow frying
    • 1 beaten egg for dipping (optional)

    Method

    1. Put mutton, drained chana dal, sliced onion, ginger-garlic paste, whole spices, salt and water in a pressure cooker. Cook 5 to 6 whistles until the mutton is very soft and the dal is mushy.
    2. Open and cook uncovered on medium heat, stirring, until all the liquid evaporates and the mixture is completely dry, 8 to 10 minutes. This step is crucial; any moisture makes the kebabs break.
    3. Cool, remove the bay leaf and cinnamon, and grind the mixture to a fine, smooth dough without water.
    4. Add the egg and garam masala and knead well. Mix the chopped onion, mint, coriander, green chillies and lemon juice separately for the stuffing.
    5. Take a lemon-sized ball, flatten it, place a teaspoon of stuffing in the centre, close and flatten into a 6 cm patty. Repeat.
    6. Heat a little oil on a tawa on medium. Dip each kebab in beaten egg if using, and shallow fry 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.
    7. Drain on paper and serve hot.

    Tips

    • If the mixture feels soft, add a tablespoon of roasted besan or breadcrumbs.
    • Shaped kebabs freeze well for 2 months – freeze on a tray, then bag them, and fry from frozen on low heat.
    • Grind in short bursts so the motor does not heat the mixture and make it pasty.

    Serve with

    Mint-coriander chutney, onion rings and lemon, or tucked into a paratha.

  • Seekh Kebab

    Seekh means skewer, and seekh kebabs reached North India with Central Asian and Persian cooks who roasted minced meat over open fires. In the bazaars of Lucknow, Delhi and Rampur they are cooked on long iron skewers over charcoal, the smoke drifting across the lanes in the evening, especially during Ramzan.

    The mince is kneaded with grated onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, mint, coriander and a warm spice blend, then pressed onto skewers into long, even cylinders. Over charcoal the outside chars and crackles while the inside stays juicy. A little fat in the mince and a brush of butter while grilling keep them moist.

    They are served as a starter or a meal, with rumali roti or ulte tawe ka paratha, sliced onions, lemon and green chutney. Leftover seekh kebabs make an excellent kathi roll the next day. At home, a charcoal grill gives the best result, but a hot oven or even a heavy tawa works well. The mixture can be made in advance and kept chilled for up to a day before shaping.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton mince / onion / green chilli / mint

    Ingredients

    • 500 g mutton mince (with some fat), minced twice
    • 1 medium onion, grated and squeezed dry
    • 1 tbsp ginger paste
    • 1 tbsp garlic paste
    • 3 green chillies, very finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp finely chopped mint
    • 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
    • 2 tbsp roasted besan
    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp salt
    • Melted butter for basting
    • Chaat masala and lemon to finish

    Method

    1. Squeeze every bit of water from the grated onion in a cloth; wet onion makes the kebabs slide off the skewer.
    2. Combine the mince with all the ingredients except the butter and chaat masala. Knead vigorously for 5 minutes until the mixture is sticky and holds together.
    3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour; cold mince binds better on skewers.
    4. Divide into 10 portions. With wet hands, wrap each portion around a flat metal skewer and press it into an even sausage about 12 cm long. Seal the ends well.
    5. Grill over medium-hot charcoal, or in an oven preheated to 240 C on a rack, for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes and basting with butter, until browned with charred spots.
    6. Without skewers, shape into logs and cook on a lightly greased tawa on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, rolling them so all sides brown.
    7. Slide the kebabs off, sprinkle with chaat masala and squeeze lemon over.

    Tips

    • Mincing twice gives the fine texture that clings to the skewer.
    • Do not over-grill; the kebabs are done when firm but still springy to the touch.
    • Chicken mince works too – add a beaten egg white to help it bind.

    Serve with

    Rumali roti or paratha, onion rings, lemon and mint chutney.

  • Malai Kofta

    Malai kofta is a vegetarian take on the meat koftas of Mughlai cooking, developed in the kitchens of Awadh and later popularised by North Indian restaurants. The name refers to cream, both in the gravy and, in many old recipes, in the kofta mixture itself, which makes the dumplings exceptionally soft.

    The koftas are made from grated paneer and boiled potato, bound with a little cornflour and stuffed with chopped cashews and raisins before being fried golden. They should be crisp outside and soft enough inside to break with a spoon. The gravy is a mild, silky blend of tomatoes, onions and cashews, finished with cream and a touch of sugar.

    It is a special-occasion dish for weddings, Diwali and dinner parties. To keep the koftas from turning soggy, the gravy is poured over them just before serving rather than simmered together. The koftas can be fried a day ahead and the gravy kept in the fridge, so the final assembly takes only minutes. Serve it with plain naan or a light peas pulao, since the dish itself is already very rich.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineMughlai
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / potato / cashew / cream / tomato

    Ingredients

    For the koftas

    • 200 g paneer, finely grated
    • 2 medium potatoes, boiled, cooled and grated
    • 2 tbsp cornflour, plus extra for coating
    • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tbsp chopped cashews
    • 1 tbsp raisins
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the gravy

    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 bay leaf, 3 green cardamom, 3 cloves
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 3 tomatoes, chopped
    • 15 cashews, soaked
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1/4 cup fresh cream
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Mix paneer, potato, cornflour, green chilli, salt and garam masala and knead lightly into a smooth, crack-free dough. Divide into 12 portions.
    2. Flatten each portion, place a few pieces of cashew and a raisin in the centre, close and roll into a smooth ball or oval. Roll lightly in cornflour.
    3. Heat oil to medium-hot, about 170 C. Fry one test kofta first; if it breaks, add a little more cornflour to the mixture. Fry 3 to 4 at a time, turning gently, for 3 to 4 minutes until evenly golden. Drain on paper.
    4. For the gravy, heat butter and oil on medium, add the whole spices, then onion. Cook 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
    5. Add ginger-garlic paste for a minute, then tomatoes, cashews and a splash of water. Cover and cook 10 minutes until very soft. Cool and blend smooth, then strain.
    6. Return the puree to the pan with chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and 3/4 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes on low until creamy and glossy.
    7. Add sugar, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi, then stir in the cream and heat through.
    8. Arrange the koftas in a serving dish and pour the hot gravy over just before serving. Garnish with a swirl of cream.

    Tips

    • Squeeze excess moisture from the paneer and use potatoes boiled a few hours ahead; wet mixture causes koftas to split in oil.
    • Do not overcrowd the kadai – the oil temperature drops and koftas absorb oil.
    • Koftas can be fried up to a day ahead and reheated in a warm oven.

    Serve with

    Butter naan, kulcha or peas pulao.