Less is more: Few ingredients full flavour

In the current lockdown scenario it is possible that one doesn't have a lot of ingredients so one has to improvise. I tried creating mango phirni , as mangoes are in season, and daal makhani - use whatever khade masale and dry spices you can find. So let's start cooking.

Daal Makahni: A favourite of people in Punjab and road-side dhabas, this take a lot of time to cook as one need to soak the pulses overnight as well as the starch in urad daal needs to be cooked properly. Try the below recipe and see how ti comes out for you.

Ingredients: Black whole urad daal ( soaked overnight) - 200 gms; Rajma ( soaked overnight) - 50 gms; Khada Masala: Cinnamon - 2 inch, Bay leaves - 2, Black cardamom - 4, Cloves - 10; Tadka: Tomatoes ( roughly chopped) - 6 small;Onion ( roughly chopped) - 2 small; Garlic cloves - 10; Ginger ( roughly chopped) -2 inch; Green chilli ( roughly chopped) - 4; Ghee - 1.5 tbsp, Oil - 1 tbsp, Turmeric - 1.5 tsp, Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tbsp; Dry spices: Coriander powder - 4 tsp, Amchur powder - 1.5 tsp, Dried ginger powder - 1 tsp, Garam masala - 1 tsp; White Butter - 50 gms; Fenugreek leaves ( dry roasted) - 3 tbsp; Coriander leaves ( finely chopped and stems) - for garnishing ; Cream - for garnishing

Steps:

1. Wash and soak black whole urad daal and rajma daal separately in ratio of 4:1 overnight

2. After letting it soak for 8-9 hrs , massage the urad daal thoroughly so that the rind( chilka) starts coming off

3. Now in a cooker add all the khade masala, pulses, salt, ginger juliennes and slit green chilli and water covering the daal at least by 1 inch; cook at medium flame for 7-8 whistles

4. Let the cooker de-pressurize naturally

5. While daal is cooking prepare the tadka ; blend the roughly chopped onions and rouhly chopped tomatoes/garlic cloves/ginger/green chilli separately

6. Add 1 tbsp of oil and then 1.5 tbsp of ghee in a wide pan on medium flame and add the onion paste in it

7. Once it has started caramelizing add the tomato paste and sauté well

8. Continuing sautéing till oil starts separating from the mixture. Now add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt as required

9. Now add the daal in the mixture and mix well

10. Keep on stirring and cook it in batches of 10 minutes until it’s well done with the lid on. Keep stirring in between

11. Once done add the dry spices and mix well. Now add roasted fenugreek leaves and mix well. You can also add chopped coriander leaves

12. Add butter ( white/unsalted preferred) and mix well for 5 mins

13. If you want to add cream then let the daal cool down and then add the cream and heat it again

Garnish with some cream, butter and enjoy with steamed rice, phulkas or lachha parathas!!

Mango phirni: Phirni is very famous in Punjab where it is made with coarse rice and milk. I tried adding seasonal flavour to it by using mango. Very few ingredients but extremely tasty. Try using a simple rice and not basmati or a pre-cooked one like sela.

Ingredients: Rice ( soaked overnight and roughly blended with 2 tbsp water) - 50 gms; Sugar - 100 gms; Milk - 1 ltr; Mango ( pulped) - 500 gms; Green cardamom ( crushed) - 3 tbsp

Steps:

1. Heat the milk on low flame

2. Once it has started simmering add the rice and keep on stirring

3. Add sugar and stir well for 10 mins

4. Add the mango pulp and keep on stirring for 5 mins

5. Add crushed cardamom powder and some saffron milk ( optional)

6. Keep stirring and let the mixture simmer on low heat until it is 1/3rd of initial volume

Garnish with some pistachio flakes and enjoy.