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Tag: Uttar pradesh

  • Shahi Paneer

    Shahi means royal, and shahi paneer belongs to the Mughlai tradition of Awadh and Delhi, where court cooks favoured rich, nut-thickened gravies perfumed with cardamom, mace and flower waters. The vegetarian version became a staple of North Indian weddings, where it often sits beside dal makhani on the buffet. It still holds a place of honour on festive menus.

    Compared with paneer butter masala, it is paler, nuttier and more aromatic. Onions are boiled or gently cooked without browning, blended with cashews and melon seeds, then simmered with curd, cream and whole spices. The taste is mild, slightly sweet and creamy, with a floral finish from kewra or rose water and a pinch of saffron.

    It is a celebration dish for Diwali dinners, family functions and guests, served with naan, sheermal or a fragrant pulao. A small portion goes a long way because it is rich. Because the gravy is mild and nutty, it also balances a spicier dish such as kadai paneer or chole on the same table. The onion-cashew paste can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated, leaving only a short simmer before serving.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineMughlai
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / cashew / onion / curd / cream

    Ingredients

    For the white paste

    • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
    • 15 cashews
    • 1 tbsp magaz (melon seeds), optional
    • 2 green chillies
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 cup water

    For the gravy

    • 300 g paneer, cubed
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 bay leaf, 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick
    • 1/2 cup thick curd, whisked
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A pinch of mace powder
    • A pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
    • 1/4 cup fresh cream
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3 to 4 drops kewra water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Simmer onions, cashews, melon seeds, green chillies, ginger and garlic in 1 cup water for 10 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Cool and blend to a fine, smooth paste.
    2. Heat ghee in a heavy pan on medium-low. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
    3. Add the onion-cashew paste and cook on low, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens and ghee starts to separate. Do not let it brown.
    4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the whisked curd, so it does not split. Return to low heat and cook 4 to 5 minutes.
    5. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar with 1/2 cup water. Simmer 5 minutes.
    6. Add the paneer, saffron milk, cardamom and mace powders. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
    7. Stir in the cream and kewra water, heat through without boiling, and serve garnished with a few slivered almonds or pistachios.

    Tips

    • Keep the heat low throughout; browning the onion paste turns the gravy beige and changes the flavour.
    • Whisk the curd until completely smooth and add it off the heat to prevent curdling.
    • Kewra is strong – a few drops is plenty.

    Serve with

    Butter naan, sheermal or saffron pulao.

  • Keema Matar

    Keema matar is a much-loved home dish in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Lucknow, Kanpur and Aligarh, where Awadhi and Mughlai traditions shaped everyday Muslim and non-Muslim kitchens alike. It is the dish for a quick Sunday dinner, a tiffin with parathas, or stuffing into a pav, and winter peas make it especially good.

    Minced mutton is browned in ghee or oil with onions, then cooked down with ginger, garlic, tomatoes and a mix of whole and ground spices until the masala clings to the meat. Green peas add sweetness and colour. The finished dish is semi-dry, rich and aromatic, with a hint of kasuri methi or fresh mint.

    At a glance

    RegionUttar Pradesh
    CuisineAwadhi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton mince / green peas / onion / tomato

    Ingredients

    • 500 g mutton keema, washed and drained
    • 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
    • 3 tbsp ghee or oil
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 4 cloves
    • 3 green cardamoms
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 large onions, finely chopped
    • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • 3 tbsp curd, whisked
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1 cup hot water
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander and mint

    Method

    1. Heat the ghee in a heavy kadhai on medium heat. Add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
    2. Add the onions and fry for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
    3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
    4. Add the keema and raise the heat to high. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up lumps with the spatula, until the meat loses its pink colour and the moisture dries up.
    5. Add tomatoes, turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powders and salt. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the tomatoes break down and oil appears at the edges.
    6. Stir in the curd and cook for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup hot water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes (or pressure cook for 2 whistles).
    7. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes until they are tender and the keema is semi-dry.
    8. Finish with garam masala, crushed kasuri methi, coriander and mint.

    Tips

    • Ask the butcher for keema from the shoulder with a little fat; very lean mince turns dry and grainy.
    • Browning the keema well on high heat before adding tomatoes gives a deeper, meatier flavour.
    • Add frozen peas only in the last 3-4 minutes so they stay bright green.

    Serve with

    Hot parathas, tandoori roti or pav, with onion rings and lemon.

  • Raag Darbari

    Ranganath, a history postgraduate, comes from the city to recover his health in Shivpalganj, a village in Uttar Pradesh where his uncle Vaidyaji lives. Vaidyaji is an Ayurvedic physician in name, but his real practice is power: he controls the village college, the cooperative society and, through allies, the panchayat. Ranganath's idealism wilts as he watches how things actually get done.

    The novel follows a parade of characters: Vaidyaji's sons, the strongman Badri and the swaggering student leader Ruppan, the hanger-on Sanichar who is installed as a puppet village head, the harried principal and squabbling teachers, the police, the clerks and the litigants who spend their lives in court. Every institution of the new republic is shown being bent to faction and self-interest.

    Published in 1968 and awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1970, the book is wickedly funny line by line, with an irony that never lets up. It has been read as the definitive portrait of rural India's political culture, and much of it still feels current. Gillian Wright translated it into English, and a television serial was made in the 1980s.

    Book details

    AuthorShrilal Shukla
    First published1968
    Original languageHindi
    Translated byGillian Wright
    GenreLiterary fiction
    TypeFiction
    Pages (approx.)340
    SettingShivpalganj, a village in Uttar Pradesh, 1960s
    AwardsSahitya Akademi Award 1970

    Themes

    • Corruption
    • Rural politics
    • Decay of institutions
    • Education system
    • Disillusionment

    Who should read it

    Anyone who wants to understand, and laugh bitterly at, how power works in small-town India.

    If you liked this, try

    • Batatyachi Chaal
    • Aadha Gaon
    • Godaan