RAG Demo

Tag: Yogurt curry

  • Gatte ki Sabzi

    Gatte ki sabzi is one of the cleverest dishes of Rajasthan. In a desert where fresh vegetables were scarce, cooks turned gram flour into dumplings and simmered them in curd, both pantry staples that kept well in the heat. It is now a regular in Marwari homes and on Rajasthani thalis everywhere.

    The gatte are made from besan seasoned with ajwain, chilli and a little curd and oil, shaped into logs, boiled until firm and sliced into rounds. They are then simmered in a curd-based gravy tempered with cumin, hing, fennel and red chilli. The gatte are soft yet firm, absorbing the tangy, spicy gravy, which is thin enough to soak into rice or roti.

    It is eaten with phulkas, bajra roti or rice, often as part of a thali with dal and kadhi. It is also a popular dish during Jain and fasting-adjacent meals when cooked without onion and garlic. The gatte can be boiled a few hours ahead and kept covered, so the final cooking takes just fifteen minutes. Keep the gravy thin; it thickens as it stands.

    At a glance

    RegionRajasthan
    CuisineRajasthani
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / curd / ajwain / red chilli

    Ingredients

    For the gatte

    • 1 cup besan
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • A pinch of hing
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 2 tbsp curd
    • 1 to 2 tbsp water

    For the gravy

    • 1 cup curd
    • 1 tsp besan
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 3 tbsp oil or ghee
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp saunf
    • 2 dried red chillies
    • 1 tsp ginger paste
    • 1 green chilli, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Mix besan with all the gatte spices and salt. Add oil and curd and knead with a spoon of water into a firm, smooth dough.
    2. Divide into 4 portions and roll each into a log about 1.5 cm thick.
    3. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, slide in the logs and cook on medium for 12 to 15 minutes. They are done when they float and look slightly glossy, with small bubbles on the surface.
    4. Lift out, reserve the cooking water, cool the logs for 5 minutes and slice into 1.5 cm rounds.
    5. Whisk curd with besan, coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric until smooth.
    6. Heat oil in a kadai on medium. Add hing, cumin, saunf and dried red chillies; when they crackle, add ginger paste and green chilli for 30 seconds.
    7. Lower the heat and add the curd mixture, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil, about 4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved gatte water and salt.
    8. Add the gatte and simmer 10 minutes until they swell slightly and the gravy thickens. Finish with garam masala, kasuri methi and coriander.

    Tips

    • The gatte dough should be firm; soft dough breaks while boiling.
    • The besan-flavoured cooking water gives the gravy body – do not discard it.
    • Shallow-fry the sliced gatte until golden before adding for a richer version.

    Serve with

    Phulkas, bajra roti or steamed rice.

  • Chana Madra

    Madra is a cornerstone of Himachali dham, the traditional festive meal served on leaf plates at weddings and temple fairs in Chamba, Kangra and Mandi. It is cooked by botis, hereditary Brahmin cooks, in large brass vessels over wood fires, and the dham menu would be incomplete without it. Cooking it is a matter of pride.

    The dish is defined by yogurt slowly cooked in plenty of ghee with whole spices: cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and sometimes a pinch of nutmeg. There is no onion, garlic or tomato. The gravy is pale, creamy and mildly tangy, coating soft chickpeas, and the aroma of ghee and cardamom fills the kitchen. Kidney beans or a mix of vegetables can be used instead of chana.

    It is eaten with steamed rice as part of the dham, alongside dishes like rajmah, kadhi and meetha bhat. At home it is made for festivals and special lunches. It is rich, so a small helping is enough. The key is slow, patient cooking of the curd in ghee, stirring constantly so it does not split. Leftovers keep well for a day in the fridge and can be loosened with a splash of warm water when reheated.

    At a glance

    RegionHimachal Pradesh
    CuisineHimachali
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschickpeas / yogurt / ghee / cardamom

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup kabuli chana, soaked overnight
    • 1 1/2 cups thick curd
    • 1 tbsp besan
    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 4 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
    • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A pinch of nutmeg
    • 1 tbsp chopped raisins (optional)
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the chana with 3 cups water and salt for 1 whistle on high and 15 minutes on low until soft but holding shape. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
    2. Whisk the curd with besan, turmeric, coriander powder and chilli powder until completely smooth.
    3. Heat ghee in a heavy kadai on medium. Add hing, cumin, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves and let them sizzle 30 seconds.
    4. Add the drained chana and fry in the ghee for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring gently, until lightly coated and fragrant.
    5. Lower the heat to the minimum. Pour in the curd mixture slowly, stirring constantly in one direction.
    6. Keep stirring on low for 8 to 10 minutes until the curd comes to a boil and thickens without splitting.
    7. Add the reserved chana water a little at a time to reach a medium-thick gravy. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes until ghee shows on the surface.
    8. Finish with black pepper, cardamom powder, nutmeg and raisins. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Besan stabilises the curd; constant stirring until it boils does the rest.
    • Do not skimp on ghee – it is central to the flavour of madra.
    • Try rajma madra or a mixed-vegetable madra with the same method.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice, as part of a Himachali dham.

  • Kashmiri Yakhni

    Yakhni is the gentle counterpart to rogan josh in Kashmiri cooking. The name comes from a Persian word for stock or broth, and the dish is a yogurt-based curry so pale and mild that visitors are often surprised it belongs to the same cuisine. It is a fixture of the wazwan and of everyday Kashmiri homes, both Muslim and Pandit.

    There is no chilli and no turmeric. Instead the flavour comes from mutton stock, fennel, dry ginger, green and black cardamom and a final scattering of dried mint. Yogurt is cooked slowly until it becomes silky and stable. The taste is soothing and fragrant, with a gentle tang and plenty of meaty depth.

    Yakhni is served with plain steamed rice, often on the same table as rogan josh so diners can balance mild with spicy. Vegetarian versions use lotus stem (nadru yakhni) or bottle gourd. Because it is mild, yakhni is also a favourite with children and older family members, and it is a comforting dish in the cold Kashmiri winter. Dried mint and fennel are the flavours that make it unmistakably Kashmiri, so do not leave them out.

    At a glance

    RegionJammu and Kashmir
    CuisineKashmiri
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time80 minutes
    Total time95 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / yogurt / fennel / cardamom / dried mint

    Ingredients

    For the mutton

    • 750 g bone-in mutton pieces
    • 4 cups water
    • 4 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom
    • 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the yogurt gravy

    • 2 cups thick curd
    • 1 tsp cornflour or 1 tbsp besan (to stabilise)
    • 3 tbsp ghee or mustard oil
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp shahi jeera (caraway)
    • 2 tsp saunf powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp sonth (dry ginger) powder
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • 1 tsp dried mint, crushed
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Put mutton, water, whole spices and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, skim the scum, then cover and simmer on low for 50 to 60 minutes until tender (or pressure cook 4 whistles). Strain and reserve the stock.
    2. Whisk the curd with the cornflour until completely smooth.
    3. Heat ghee in a heavy pot on medium. Add hing and shahi jeera and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
    4. Lower the heat, add the curd and stir continuously in one direction for 6 to 8 minutes until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly. This prevents curdling.
    5. Add fennel powder and dry ginger, then gradually pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the reserved stock, stirring all the time.
    6. Add the cooked mutton pieces and simmer uncovered on low for 15 to 20 minutes, until the gravy is creamy and coats the meat.
    7. Stir in cardamom powder and dried mint, check salt and rest 5 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Keep stirring until the yogurt boils; once it has boiled it will not split.
    • Full-fat curd gives the best texture; low-fat curd tends to separate.
    • Leftover stock makes an excellent base for pulao.

    Serve with

    Plain steamed rice, with rogan josh or haak on the side.