If
you are craving for some fancy five-star meals during Navratri but in two minds
whether to step out or not because of the pandemic, try out these easy homemade
recipes customized exclusively for you from the top chefs of the country.
Khatta Meetha
Pumpkin by Executive Sous Chef Ramit Kohli, Taj City Centre, Gurugram
* Ingredients
400 grams pumpkin, 1 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp dry mango powder, 1 tbsp oil, 1 to 2 tsp sugar and rock salt or sendha namak as required
* How to make the
recipe:
-Peel and chop
the pumpkin.
-Heat oil in a
pan.
-Crackle the
cumin seeds first.
-Add the
pumpkin, sugar and salt.
-Stir and cover
the pan and simmer the pumpkin pieces till they are softened.
-There is no
need to add water as the pumpkin will get cooked by its own juices.
-In case the
water dries up, then add about 2-3 tbsp water and cook the pumpkin.
-Keep on
checking at intervals and if the water continues to dry, then add a few tbsps
of water again.
-Ensure that the
pumpkin should not get mushy.
-Add the mango
powder and simmer for a minute.
-Lastly season
with roasted cumin powder and black pepper powder.
-Garnish with
coriander leaves
* Kesari
Sabudana Kheer by Chef Paramjeet Oberoi, Masala Art, Taj Palace, New Delhi
* Ingredients
cup sago pearls, 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 litre full fat milk, A few whole cardamom pods, crushed and Saffron, as desired
* How to make the
recipe:
– Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water for
about 10 minutes.
-In a bowl of water, soak the sago peals for
about 15 to 20 minutes
– Combine the milk with sugar and crushed
cardamom in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil.
– Add the soaked sago and mix well.
– Add half a cup of water to ensure the mixture
does not get too thick. Allow it to boil until the sago becomes soft and
transluscent.
– Add the saffron extract.
– Allow the kheer to cool down.
– Garnish with saffron strands and serve.
* Makhana Paneer
Curry by Chef Jashan, Taj Mahal, New Delhi
Ingredients
1 cup puffed
lotus seeds (fox nuts/ makhana), 150 gm paneer –
cut into 1” flat pieces and sprinkled with 1 tbsp of any fasting flour, ½ tsp cumin
seeds (jeera), ½ tsp salt, or
to taste, 1” piece ginger
– grated, 1 green chilli –
chopped, ½ tsp pepper
powder, 1½ cups milk, 1 tbsp chopped
coriander leaves, 4-5 cashews
* Grind to a paste
with a little water
· How to make paste: 1 tbsp melon
seeds (magaz), 3 tbsp green
pistachios – blanched and peeled, Seeds of 2 green
cardamoms (elaichi), 1 green chilli, ¼ cup chopped
coriander leaves
* Method: –
– Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add puffed lotus
seeds. Stir fry till golden.
– In the same pan, roast cashews on medium heat
till golden. Keep aside for garnish.
– Keeping aside two pieces of paneer, pan fry
the rest of paneer to a golden colour.
– Heat 2 tbsp oil in the kadhai. Add cumin
seeds. Let it turn golden. Add grated ginger and green chilli. Stir till ginger
turns brown.
– Add the green paste and stir for 2 minutes on
low heat till dry and oil separates. Add milk, stirring continuously. Boil. Add
salt and pepper. Reduce heat.
– Add fried paneer & makhanas to the gravy.
Crumble 2 pieces of paneer and mix in the gravy.
– Cook on low heat till the desired
consistency is reached.
– Serve garnished with fried cashews, green
chillies & fresh coriander sprig.
Navratra Special Recipe
by Chef Rubal Pupneja, Jr. Sous Chef, Samrat Hotel
* Navratra Special Aloo
Tikki
*Ingredients (FOR TIKKI): Boiled Mashed
Potato : 200 gms; Chopped Green
Chilli : 1`/2 tsp; Chopped
Ginger : ½
tsp; Kuttu Ka Atta ( for binding) : 3tbs; Chopped
Coriander : ½
tsp; Senda Namak : To Taste; Oil: To Deep Fry
For Saunth Chutney : Amchoor : 50 gms; Gur : 80 gms; Fennel : ½ tsp; Roasted
Cumin : 200 gms; Black Peppercorn Crushed: ½ tsp; Senda
Namak: A pinch
For Mint Chutney : Mint : 50 gms; Coriander : 20 gms; Green Chilli : 1-2 No; Lemon
Juice :
½ tspSenda
Namak : To
Taste
For Garnish and Plating : Beetroot Juliennes :
10 gms;
Pomegranate
Seeds : 20 gms; Beaten
Yogurt : 100 ml;
Chopped
Coriander : ½ tsp
Method Of Cooking :
· In a bowl we take Mashed
Potatoes, then subsequently add chopped ginger , chopped chillies , seasoning ,
kuttu ka atta and mix them well to make a mixture out of it
· We divide the mixture
into equall proportion roundles.
· Made the medallion shape
( tikki shape) out of this roundles.
· Deep fry them in kadai to
Golden Brown colour
· For Plating in a plate we
spread some beaten yogurt on the plate , place the tikkis over it .
· Topped with saunth, green
chutney and beaten yogurt .
· Garnish with chop
coriander, beetroot juliennes and pomegranate .
·It is ready to serve
