Ajwain wali Gajar

With Winter bidding adieu, I was suddenly reminded of this recipe made by my Grandmother which she very lovingly prepared for the family. Beji, as we called her, was full of warmth and love and her sole mission was to feed her family very well. She was a wizard in the kitchen and would make sure not to waste anything. She had tonnes of patience to prepare everything from scratch and serve food fresh and hot. 

As a child I have memories of a small manji(cot) being laid in the sun which was used to dry the washed grains of wheat. Beji would get them ground to atta from the local chakki for rotis and all sorts of paranthas. I have no memory of her sitting idle. She was always found busy with something or the other. I remember her telling me stories of how she would knit sweaters at night so that the neighbour ladies would not copy the pattern. Stitching, knitting, cooking, she had the time and love for it all. 

She had the same consistent energy even after a shoulder dislocation. I remember with that stiff shoulder she still managed to do so many things. Her gentle face was always adorned with a sweet smile. She was truly my superwoman. 

Ajwain wali Gajar was my Beji's recipe which was served with soft Paranthas or as she would call 'Polae polae paronthe' as they were made with desi ghee. This recipe has no onion, garlic or tomato, the otherwise pillars of Punjabi cuisine. The sweetness and juiciness of the winter carrots along with the bitterness of the ajwain gives an amazing flavour to the dish. 

My Beji is no more but she is alive in my memories. Food is such a beautiful medium to keep stories alive.

Beji continues to live amongst us with her recipes. 

Last year I had shared my Beji's Matar ke chilke ki sabzi and pakode which will soon get featured on Rocky and Mayur's new food show.Will keep you all updated about it. 

As for now, while the winter carrots are still available in the market, do try my Beji's recipe.

Ingredients : For 2 servings

• 4-5 medium sized Gajar/carrots (Winter carrots are best)
• 2 tsp ajwain/Carom seeds
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
• salt to taste

Procedure : 

Peel and wash carrots and chop them in small cubes. 

(The only time consuming part of the recipe)

Take ghee in a kadai/ deep pan and add the chopped carrots.

Cook the carrots on low flame. It should take about 5-8 minutes for the carrots to cook.

Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well.

Add ajwain and mix and remove from flame. 

Serve with paranthas/rotis and with some raita.

Happy Carrot Indulging

Amrita

Matar ke Chilke ki Subzi aur Pakode-Grandma recipe

Matar ke chilke ki subzi

Matar ke chilke ke pakode

I have beautiful memories of my Grandmother, who we fondly called 'Beji', warming herself in the winter sun while her fingers working non-stop on one thing or the other. Either it was peeling loads of carrot to make her lipsmacking Gajar ka halwa or my favourite Gajar ki kheer, or peeling loads of peas which were used with all sorts of vegetables. She had some amazing recipes under her sleeves which she would love to rustle up for her family. And her mantra was no wastage. Almost everything that could be cooked was put to use. She would walk herself to the market and get vegetables and fruits picking the best with her experienced eyes. Every month, I remember, she would hand wash the wheat grains, cleaning them to be ground to flour for everyday use. I remember she would keep telling us, spend as much as you want when the thing is really important and save as much as you can when that thing is not very significant. Penny by penny, she saved to run her family and tend to it very lovingly. 

It has been about 10 years she left us for her heavenly abode but I still miss her. Miss her warmth, her love, her wise words, her sweet chatter and her amazing recipes. Time heals the pain of losing her but I think of her every now and then and wish I could have spent more time with her. She lives today through her recipes that I keep attempting which are far from mimicking that same flavour and taste. I am sure it was that extra dollop of love that went in each dish which made it so special.

Today I am sharing my Beji's special Matar ke chilke which she would use to make a subji and even make Pakode out of it every winter. 

How to peel the chilke:

Take out the peas from the pods and open it. Break a little tip from the top and pull it down. You will see a thin peel coming off. Try and bring it all the way down. If it breaks in the middle, try peeling from the other end. Throw the thin peels and save the chilke for use.

Chilke ki subzi 

Ingredients : For 2 servings

• 20 pieces of peas chilka
• 1 large potato, peeled and cut in bite size
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic pods, chopped
• 1 mediom sized tomato, chopped
• 1 green chilly, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure : 

Wash and pat dry matar ke chilke.

Chop them roughly in 1" pieces.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan/kadai and add the chopped onions. As they start changing colour add the chopped garlic and green chilly and cook for a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. 

As you see the oil separating from the masala, add turmeric powder and salt and stir well.

Add the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add a little water for the potatoes to cook. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes. 

When the potatoes are half done, add the chopped matar ke chilke. 

Cook for about 5 minutes or till well cooked.

Serve with roti or rice and dal.

Chilke ke Pakode

Ingredients : For 2 servings

• 10-15 Matar ke chilke
• 1 tbsp besan/chickpea flour
• 1 tbsp chawal ka atta/rice flour
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• a pinch of turmeric powder
• oil for frying

Procedure : 

Wash and pat dry matar ke chilke.

Cut them in 1 1/2" pieces.

Take besan and chawal ka atta in a bowl. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well.

Add water, little by little to get a dropping consistency of the batter. It should not be too thick or thin. 

Heat oil in a deep pan/kadai.

Drop the batter laden chilke in the hot oil. 

Cook till they get a light brown colour and drain on an absorbent paper.

Serve these crispy yummies with imli/tamarind chutney.

Matar chilka chaat

I experimented with the crispy pakodas and added them to my chaat along with chopped onions, chopped coriander, imli/tamarind chutney, dollops of curd and bhujia sprinkled on top. It was truly amazing.

Happy Chilka experimenting

Amrita