Magic Of Flavours

by Rajesh Tara

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A food enthusiast who weaves Food Stories about #MagicofFlavours. A weekend cook who loves to add twist to the recipes. Otherwise a full time HR Pro.
  • How To Make Peshawari Namkeen Gosht

    How To Make Peshawari Namkeen Gosht

    North West Frontier region has some rustic Mutton Dishes which are a delight for meat lovers. However, these are not very popular. Those who have tasted these, have become fans of these. Google for Namkeen Gosht or Namak Mandi Gosht Karadhai or Rosh. You would not find many recipes. All you get is a few YouTube videos of roadside eateries in that area which are making these and you try to figure out the recipe. I somehow cracked the recipe and tried. You also want to try? Its easy. Please read on…

    My go to person and friend for food, Chef Sanjay Pawar had once prepared the Namak Mandi Gosht Kadhai for me (had written a blogpost on it and the link to it is at the end of this post). My discussion with him revealed that recipes for Namkeen Gosht, Namak Mandi Gosht Kadhar and Rosh are quite similar with little variations. Even the recipe of each dish varies from place to place or home to home in the region. So, here I share the recipe for Peshawar’s Namkeen Gosht with two variations. Its quite easy and uses ingredients which are commonly available in the households.

    Namkeen Gosht

    Ingredients:

    • 500 Grams Mutton, washed and pat dried.
    • 3-4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
    • 1 medium size Onion, peeled and cut into quarters
    • 1 Medium size Tomato, cut into quarters
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped Ginger
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped Garlic
    • 2 Green Chilies, slit and deseeded
    • Finely chopped fresh Coriander Leaves
    • 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
    • Salt to taste ( I used 1 tsp)

    Cooking(Kadhai Method) :

    Heat Vegetable Oil in a Kadhai (wok) and add finely chopped Ginger. Stir it for few seconds only. Immediately, add Garlic and keep stirring. Once the aroma starts coming (in just about 10 seconds), add the Mutton and keep stirring continuously.

    Once the Mutton changes colour (3-4 minutes), add Salt and mix. Then add 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder and mix properly.

    Then add the quarters of Onion and Tomato and mix. Simmer the flame and cover it. Depending upon the size of the meat pieces, it would take around 30 minutes for the meat to get cooked. Keep on taking the lid off after about every 8 minutes of so and stir. After the first stir, the skin of the Tomato pieces would peel off. Remove those carefully. With the help of the spatula, gently mash the tomato pieces. After the second stir or so, you would see that the Onion and Tomato pieces would have melted completely.

    At this stage, check for the Salt and Black Pepper Powder. If needed, add and mix. Add the slit Green Chilies and mix. Add chopped Coriander leaves and mix. Your Namkeen Gosht is ready to be served and enjoyed.

    Cooking (Pressure Cooker Method) :

    Heat Vegetable Oil in a Cooker and add finely chopped Ginger. Stir it for few seconds only. Immediately, add Garlic and keep stirring. Once the aroma starts coming (in just about 10 seconds), add the Mutton and keep stirring continuously.

    Once the Mutton changes colour (3-4 minutes), add Salt and mix. Then add 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder and mix properly. Add slit Green Chiles and mix it.

    Then add the quarters of Onion and Tomato and mix. Close the lid of the cooker and cook on high flame till 2 whistles. Immediately after the second whistle, lower the flame and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Then switch off the flame and let the steam release on its own. After about 5 minutes, remove the lid of the cooker.

    You would notice that there would be gravy sort of liquid in the cooker. The skin of the Tomato pieces would have peeled off. Remove those carefully.

    Switch on the flame again and keep stirring to let the gravy dry a bit. However, do not let the entire gravy dry and leave a thick concoction which would have engulfed the meat by now. If there are tomato chunks, mash those with the help of spatula and mix.

    At this stage, check for the Salt and Black Pepper Powder. If needed, add and mix. Add chopped Coriander leaves and mix. Your Namkeen Gosht, with a thick gravy is ready to be served and enjoyed. You may garnish it with Ginger Julian and Fresh Coriander Leaves.

    This no-fuss Namkeen Gosht is quite easy and quick to prepare in your kitchen. No water is needed for it cooks in its own fat supported by onion and tomato. You would be surprised with the taste. It could be had as a snack or appetizer or with Rumali Roti or Ulta Tawa Parantha or any Parantha. Try this in your kitchen and you could thank me later. Till then….

    Bon Appetit !!

    Rajesh Tara

    MagicOfFlavours

  • Where To Eat In Jalandhar

    Where To Eat In Jalandhar

    Amritsar and Jalandhar, the two neighboring cities of Punjab are just about 80 kms apart. However, strangely though, while the food of Amritsar is very famous, one does not find food of Jalandhar being much talked about. Remember that Punjab is known for its rich and pure food. So, last week in Jalandhar, we had Amritsari Kulcha, Poori Sabzi, Chhole Bhature, Dal Bara, Fried Fish, Kharore, Dal Makhni, Gajar Halwa and so on. The list is long. I give here a broad itinerary for your Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in the city. Mind it there is yet more to explore which I shall, during my future visits.

    Even a search on the net does not throw many options in Jalandhar. Last week, I was in the city for about 24 hours and explored quite a few places with the help of my local colleagues, online friends and the net. We visited some famous and some not so famous outlets and the locals swear by the food they serve.

    Breakfast

    Poori Subzi at Gandhi Di Hatti

    Our first stop for breakfast was this outlet in Jalandhar Cantt. The place is famous for their Punjabi Poori Subzi. We were first served the Subzi. It had a clear demarcation of colours. The one half of the bowl had a fiery red colour while the other half was a golden yellow curry with a dash of Curd. It was a basic Aloo Subzi (Potato Curry) with Chhole, topped up with Methrey Ki Chutney (the red coloured). Unlike Delhi, this Chutney is a bit sweet. The curry was spicy and yet the hint of curd and the sweetness of the chutney balanced the spices. Fresh out of the Kadhai, the golden fried Poori was impressively inflated. It had a hint of stuffing with mild seasoning. Was a quite an enjoyable and satisfying breakfast. Besides the tasty Poori Subzi, they sever the typical Khatta-Meetha (Sweet & Sour) Gajar-Shalgam-Gobhi Achaar (vegetable pickle). That was the highlight for me and I would have had at least three helpings. Google Location: Gandhi di hatti

    Chhole Bhature at Oberoi Special

    Although I was looking for Punjabi Luchi / Katlama with Chhole which we could not figure out, so this outlet, recommended by quite a few in the city, caught our fancy. The signboard says, “Delhi Paharganj Wale“. Why would I eat Paharganj Chhole Bhature coming all the way from Delhi? But then our curiosity took us in. A relatively bigger sized flat Bhatura stuffed with Paneer and Dhania was served with dark brown Chhole. The Chhole were topped with a dash of Coriander Chutney. The Bhatura was fine to taste and Chhole, to my surprise, were quite good. The taste was even a shade better than Delhi. A quick chat with the second generation owner revealed that they had brought the cooks from Paharganj, Delhi to replicate the taste here in Jalandhar. Google Location: Oberoi Special

    Lunch

    Amritsar Kulcha at Swami Refreshment

    When in Punjab, Kulcha for lunch is always a good idea, provided one is able to lay hands on a no-frills version. We were taken to this eatery which was jam packed for lunch. We had a waiting of about 10 minutes before we were let in and allotted a table. Our order comprised Aloo Pyaz Kulcha, Aloo Kulcha and Lachhewala Kulcha followed by Lassi. The order came in quite fast and the aroma it gave was invitingly enough to attack the plate without any further wait. The plate comprised One big sized stuffed Kulcha topped with a stick of Butter, a lavish serving of Punjabi Chhole, the tangy watery Onion Chutney and Carrot Pickle.

    The Kulcha, fresh out of the Tandoor, was crisp and had a garnish of Sabut Dhania (whole Coriander). The outer crust led to a soft and silky inner which had a stuffing of Potato and Onion with a taste of Coriander and a lavish application of butter. The first morsel and it was like effortlessly melt in mouth, sign of a great Kulcha. The Chhole were typical mildly spiced Punjabi version done with soda. The Lacchewala version was again a stuffed Kulcha, with layers and hand crushed before serving so that one could pick up bite sizes morsels.

    The cold Sweet Lassi had a rich body and a thick Malai floating atop. Served in big Steel Glass, a trademark of Punjab, was so refreshing that despite the satisfying lunch, the Lassi was a welcome wrap up. Google Location: Swami Refreshment

    Evening Snacking

    Bara With Chhole at Shri Narayan Dass Ji Bare Wale

    I am told that this is an old establishment of the city started by the person after whose name the business is now run by his children and has few outlets in the city. The dish I tasted here was quite a revelation for me. The Vada or Bara or Bada is somewhat a cousin of the famous South Indian Vada, but with a Punjabi twist. It was closer to the Punjabi Urad Dal Bhalla but shaped in Vada style. Was flatter in shape as compared to the fluffy vada and yet had that customary hole in the middle. A bit pale in colour and did not have onions or garlic and was slightly high on Black Pepper. This crunchy outside and super soft inside Bara was served with Chhole (Chickpeas Curry). What a great combo !! The taste has to be experienced. I would recommend this as a must try, at least once, for sure. Google Location: Sh. Narayan Dass Ji Bare Wale

    Fried Fish at Fish Corner

    We had no problem in locating this place on the Cool Road as during the evening, there was a long queue of cars parked in front of the outlet. Since it was raining, we were served in the car itself. The service was pretty quick and the stuff was of great quality. Our Fried Fish portion had six large sized fillets of Sole Fish. The outer was super crisp which was not very thick and led the palate to a silky soft fish which had its own flavours. Served with runny green chutney and radish, the fish was a big hit with us. In no time, we demolished this portion and were ready to hit the next pitstop. Google Location: Fish Corner

    Gianni Kharore Wala

    This seems to be a famous place in the city. Located slightly off the main road, the place is yet easy to locate. It seemed that the place had a loyal fan following as there was rush of cars and the place was full inside. The straight faced Sardar ji, seemingly the owner-chef, on the counter was unwilling to listen to any request and would look towards you only when your turn comes.

    Our order naturally was Kharore Soup. Unlike Delhi, the Kharore Soup here was a thick broth having quite a few pieces of meat or the Paya (trotters). While the broth was quite spicy and was just ok, the mutton pieces were super soft and flavourful. The meat melted in your mouth, effortlessly and one could suck out the tasty bone marrow with out any difficulty. I personally was not very impressed with the soup but the mutton took my heart. Google Location: Giani Kharore Wala

    Dinner

    Aar Kay Vaishno Dhaba

    Please don’t get mislead by the term Dhaba in the name. It is a decent restaurant in the city which is quite popular with the locals. At around 930 in the evening, the place was full with families enjoying their meal. The staff seemed to be quite professional and each table was being taken care of by the supervisors.

    Our order comprised Dal Makhani with Lachha Parantha, Kadhi with Rice and was wrapped up with Gajar Ka Halwa or Gajrela, as they call it in Punjab.

    Dal Makhani was typical rich Punjabi Kaali Dal which was silky in texture, indicating that it was slow cooked. The golden yellow Kadhi had a velvety texture, was aptly tangy with a seasoning and a flavourful Pakora. The Gajar Halwa was well done and had granular texture which I like, but for me, it scored less on the Ghee quotient. Our dinner was quite satisfying as we got an authentic Dhaba taste in a decent setting. If you are looking to have some typical Punjabi Meal in a comfortable setting, then this is the go to place. Google Location : AAR KAY VAISHNO DHABA

    On our way back, we went to the famous Lovely Sweets, the iconic Halwai shop (turned into a huge business and educational chain) and got some stuff packed for home. We had just one day, so could explore only these many places. There is an outlet which serves one of the best Jalebi and sadly we had no time left to go there. Similarly, there is an outlet which is famous for its local ice cream and the kulfi and again we were short on time and had to give it a miss. I am sure, there are quite a few more. If you know of any such outlet, do share with me so that I could include it in my list for the next visit. Till then….

    Bon Appetite !!

    Rajesh Tara

    #MagicOfFlavours

  • Must Have Matar Kulcha And Kadhi Chawal In Delhi

    Must Have Matar Kulcha And Kadhi Chawal In Delhi

    If you love Chhole Kulche or Matar Kulcha to be precise. If you love Chhole Bhature or the old time Tawa Kulcha to be precise; and if you are fond of Kadhi Chawal. Then, you must visit this unassuming, make shift stall on a pavement in the posh New Delhi and you would be in for a surprise on many counts. In tune with the high end surroundings, this place serves you some good quality stuff. Where ? Please read on for the details.

    Khushi Ram Ke Chhole Kulche

    This might be a shorter food story as compared to my usual posts but I was so enamoured with this one that I had to dedicate a post.

    On a wintery weekend, when the fog engulfed our Delhi and the visibility was about few meters, we went to Mandi House, New Delhi to look for this stall. In the College Lane, on the back wall of the famous Lady Irwin College, young Kushi Ram sets up his stall every day. We reached there at around 9 in the morning and could see a few people already enjoying the stuff or were waiting for their order to be prepared.

    As we approached, we were warmly greeted by the smiling Khushi Ram. A closer look of his working table and we were impressed with the hygiene he maintained. Each and every item was neatly placed and kept absolutely tidy. He himself was very active and moved his hands in swift mechanised manner to prepare the order. Even moving a few steps away to pick up some stuff was in a quick movement. Had his mask on all the time (till I asked him to lower for the picture and went back again). Now let us talk about his food.

    Chhole Kulche / Matar Kulcha

    He informed that he would serve us Sooji Kulcha (as against the regular one baked with refined flour). That aroused our interest even more. But I must say that the actual hero was the Chhole or the Matar (pigeon peas) or Matara, what it is actually called. A peep into the vessel revealed freshly boiled, neatly stored, Matar in a pool of its broth. He quickly ladled out a couple of spoons in a small pan and started adding ingredients. What finally came out was a delight to look at. A typical bowl of golden Matara, ingulfed in spices, playing hide and seek with chopped tomatoes, onion slices and fresh coriander leaves. Gave the aroma of freshness of the Matara. First spoonful in the mouth and the flavours exploded on the palate. The Pigeon Peas were firm and yet soft like melt in mouth. The spices were well balanced and the variety of textures made the whole thing taste very good.

    The oval shaped Sooji Kulcha vanished in few seconds. It looked like a normal one and yet it was crisp on the out and yet the crust led into a soft interior. Was not heavy at all.

    The Tawa Bhatura was a thin crust bread with minimal oil on the surface. Resembled a Roti (Indian flat bread) and yet gave you that satisfying taste of Bhatura. In our school days, there were vendors who would have mounted all their set up on the carrier or the bicycle and serving same Tawa Bhatura. We had our Bhatura with the same Matara ( barring Tuesdays and Saturdays, he prepares a slightly runny Chhole to go with the Bhatura and Matara to go with the Kulcha.

    Khushi Ram also has Raita which he prepares in an earthen pot (pitcher). A peep into the pot revealed that it was a good quality Raita. He served us in a disposable glass. It was thick and made out of good quality Curd. Had Jeera and chopped Green Chili in it. Even in the cold early morning, it was a refreshing delight to enjoy.

    Kadhi Chawal

    So, on Tuesdays and Saturday, he makes Kadhi Chawal. So, we had to taste that too. I must say, the very look of the Kadhi was a killer. The golden yellow concoction had a silky texture and had a very well balanced tempering of spices. The pakora in it was of a good size, very full of flavours and super soft. The rice was of good quality and made a great combo. In our excitement, we shot a short video of us enjoying the Kadhi Chawal which garnered good number of views on my social media accounts.

    This is a hidden gem in the by lanes of Mandi House, a posh area in New Delhi. The stall may be serving street food but is of a very good quality. And Khushi Ram takes pride and displays passion in serving his customers. Do visit him if you are around. And if you know of more places like this, do share with me. Till then…

    Bon Appetite !!

    Rajesh Tara

    #MagicOfFlavours

    My previous blogposts on Chhole Bhature / Chhole Kulche :

    Chacha’s Rawal Pindi Chhole Bhature Is An Experience To Enjoy

    Chhole Kulche In Many Avtaars….A Drenched (Bheega) One Too !!