SEVEN FOR THE 77TH

Independence is something to cherish and when it is as hard-won as India’s was in 1947, it is even more so. Throwing off the yoke of British rule after nearly two whole centuries was no mean feat and the entire nation united to get that freedom for themselves. So here we have a beautiful amalgamation of various food cultures from different states of India, adding the Tricolour in keeping with the spirit of the occasion.

SEMOLINA ROLLS WITH DESICCATED COCONUT

INGREDIENTS

 Semolina (sooji): 1 cup

 Milk: 1 cup plus ½ cup if required

 Ghee: 1tbsp

 Icing sugar: 1 cup

 Dessicated coconut: ½ cup plus for lightly coating the rolls

 Cardamom powder: ½tsp

METHOD

 In a kadhai dry-roast the semolina on low flame.

 Add milk and cook till it becomes dough-like.

 Remove from fire. If the dough is too hard you can add little more milk so that it becomes pliable.

 Now add desiccated coconut and icing sugar and cardamom powder and mix well till it is all combined.

 Place equal portions of the dough in 3 bowls.

 Add green food colour in one. Then add orange food colour in the second one.

 Now make small balls of each green, white and orange.

 Stick them together next to each other and roll into a cylindrical shape.

 Now steam the rolls for 3-4 minutes only.

 When cool, roll them in desiccated coconut.

TRICOLOURED SEMOLINA (SOOJI) IDLIS

INGREDIENTS

 Semolina (sooji)

 Curd: 1 cup

 Salt: 1tsp

 Water: ½ cup + ¼ cup

METHOD

 Mix the above ingredients well and keep aside for 10 minutes.

 Now mix a little more water to make idli-type batter, not too thick and not watery.

 Now put equally into 3 bowls.

 Now put green food colour in one and orange food colour in the other. Leave one white.

 Grease idli plate.

 In each bowl put 1tsp of Eno and mix well.

 Now in each individual idli bowl put green colour first on one side, then orange colour on the other side. And white in the middle.

 Steam the idlis for 15 minutes.

 Enjoy with sambar, coconut chutney and hot red chutney.

TIRANGA DHOKLA

INGREDIENTS

 Khatta dhokla mix (readily available): 1 packet

METHOD

 Make the batter as per the instructions written on the packet.

 Divide the batter into 3 equal bowls.

 Put green colour in one. Orange in the second bowl.

 Grease an aluminium baking round tin.

 First put the green layer in the tin.

 Steam for 5 minutes till it is slightly set.

 Then put the white batter over the green one and steam for 4-5 minutes till that sets also.

 Now put the orange layer on top of the white layer and steam till the orange layer is also cooked.

 Remove from the steamer and let cool for some time.

 Then temper with 1tbsp oil, green chillies, mustard seeds and a few curry leaves.

 Pour the tempered mixture on top of the dhokla.

 Enjoy with green and sweet tamarind chutney.

3 VARIETIES OF CHICKEN TIKKA KEBABS

HARIYALI KEBAB

INGREDIENTS

 Boneless chicken: 12-14 pieces tikka style

 Marinate with salt (according to taste), 1tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and 1tbsp of lemon juice for 1 hour.

 For the Hariyali paste

 Coriander leaves: 1 cup

 Mint leaves: ½ cup

 Garlic: 4 large cloves

 Green chillies: 2

 Yoghurt: 1tbsp

 Salt: To taste (remember, you have put salt in the marinade also)

 Cumin powder: ½tsp

 Coriander powder: ½tsp

 Garam masala powder: ¼tsp

 Lemon juice: 1tsp

 Oil: 1tsp

Blend all the above ingredients in a blender jar.

Now marinade the chicken pieces with the chutney for 1 hour.

TANDOORI KEBAB

INGREDIENTS

 Chicken pieces: Marinade as described in Hariyali Kebab.

 For the tandoori masala

 Yoghurt: 1tbsp

 Garam masala powder: ¼tsp

 Cumin powder: ½tsp

 Coriander powder: ½tsp

 Salt: To taste

 Red chilli powder: 1tsp

 Red Kashmiri chilli powder: 1½tsp

 Ginger-garlic paste: 1tsp

 Oil: 1tsp

 Turmeric (haldi): ¼tsp

 Lemon juice: 1tsp

 Chaat masala: ¼tsp

 Orange food colour: A little

Mix all the above ingredients well.

Now marinate the chicken pieces in this masala paste for 1 hour.

CHICKEN MALAI KEBAB

INGREDIENTS

 Chicken cubes: 12-14 pieces to marinate as described in Hariyali kebab.

For the sauce for the Malai kebab

 Yoghurt: 2-4tbsp

 Cream: 2-4tbsp

 Butter: 2tsp

 Fenugreek leaves dry and crushed: ¼tsp

 Black pepper powder: ¼tsp

 Ginger-garlic paste: 1tbsp

 Green chilli paste: Of 2-4 chillies

Mix the above ingredients with the chicken pieces and marinate for 1 hour.

METHOD

 Now for all the kebabs we will do dhungar (that is charcoal flavouring) separately.

 Take 3 small stainless steel bowls or make with aluminium foil.

 Place in the centre of individual marinade bowls.

 Put a burning piece of coal. Put ¼tsp of ghee. And cover the bowls for 5 minutes.

 To cook the kebabs, skewer the kebabs on wet sticks.

 Put oil in a skillet for shallow frying.

 Place the sticks.

 Cook on medium heat turning the kebabs once or twice till they are cooked yet soft and juicy.

 Garnish with sliced onions, lemon wedges and green chillies.

 Enjoy with rumali roti, parantha or just by itself.

TRICOLOUR VEGETARIAN PULAV

INGREDIENTS

 Boiled rice: 1 cup

 Paneer: 100g, cut into small cubes

 Capsicum: 1, cut into small cubes

 Onion: 1, sliced lengthwise

 Boiled vegetables of your choice (optional): 1 cup

 Tomatoes: 4, blanched, skin removed and pureed

 Coriander and mint chutney: 4tbsp

 Cheese: 2tbsp grated

 Oil: 2tbsp

 Garam masala powder: 1tsp

 Coriander leaves: 1tsp chopped

 Cinnamon sticks: 2 pieces

 Cloves: 2

 Green chilli: 1, chopped fine

 Garlic paste: 1tsp

 Cumin seeds: 1tsp

 Red Kashmiri chilli powder: 2tsp

 Butter: As required

METHOD

For the orange layer

 In a kadhai heat oil. Add cumin seeds and cloves.

 Now add sliced onions. Saute till golden.

 Add garlic and capsicum. Saute for a minute.

 Add tomato puree and simmer for a few minutes.

 Add garam masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder and green chillies.

 Mix everything well.

 Add grated cheese and ½ cup water. Simmer till cheese melts.

 Now add paneer and boiled vegetables (if using). Add salt according to taste.

 Cook till the gravy is slightly thick.

 Garnish with coriander leaves.

 Gravy is ready.

For the layering

 Divide rice into 2 bowls.

 In one bowl add coriander mint chutney. Mix well and the green layer is formed.

 Heat butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Let it splutter and pour over the white rice.

For the assembly

 First put the green rice. Level it.

 Now put the white rice over it. Level it again.

 Now pour the paneer gravy over the white rice.

TRICOLOUR PURI AND HING ALOO

INGREDIENTS

 Maida: 1 cup

 Oil: A little

 Baking soda: 1tsp

 Curd: 1tbsp

 Water: As required

 Oil or ghee: 1tbsp

METHOD

 Knead a dough with the above ingredients. It should not be too soft.

 Divide the dough into three bowls.

 Put green colour in one.

 Orange colour in the other.

 One keep white.

 Now make small rounds of all.

 On the work surface put white ball in between the orange and green. Let it stick one against the other.

 Now with palm of your hand press it down.

 Now roll the dough into a disc shape. You can use a cookie cutter to cut the discs.

 Fry in hot oil till it balloons up. Cook both sides.

 Remove and enjoy with potato gravy.

POTATO GRAVY

 In a pan add put 2tbsp ghee. Add ¼tsp hing, 1tsp cumin seeds and 1tsp crushed coriander seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

 Now to this add 2 finely chopped green chillies and 1tsp grated ginger. Saute for a few seconds.

 Now add ½tsp turmeric, 1tsp red chilli powder, 1tsp coriander powder and salt according to taste. Mix well.

 Now add I cup chopped tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes.

 Now add 4 boiled potatoes cut into small cubes. Does not matter if some crushes. (You can even crush with your hands straight into the masala).

 Now sauté the potaoes well. Do not mash them. Saute for at least 4 minutes.

 Now pour 4 cups water. And after one boil, on medium heat let it simmer for 15 minutes.

 Put ¼tsp garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves finely chopped.

 Potato gravy is ready to be served.

TRICOLOUR FRUIT PARFAIT

INGREDIENTS

 Kiwi chopped into small cubes.

 Whipped cream with little icing sugar (You can use hung curd if you do not have cream.)

 Instant oats: 2tbsp

 Orange segments

METHOD

 Add oats to the whipped cream.

 In a glass put kiwi.

 Layer with cream.

 Put orange segments over it.

 Chill the glass for 15 minutes.

 Enjoy.

Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. Youcan find her @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube