Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Sabudana di Kheer (TAPIOCA PUDDING)
During the days of Navratri and just preceding Dusserah, the truly devout emulate the types of foods that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman ate while they were in exile. They had vowed to eat only foods grown in the forest, fruits, honey. Sabudana (large grain or pearl tapioca) is one such food and this recipe […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Arbi te Wadi di Turri (EDDOE ROOT & LENTIL DUMPLING CURRY)
This Punjabi recipe incorporates a special favorite ingredient – wadiyyan (sundried lentil dumplings) – with a vegetable that is seasonal but not often used – arbi (eddoe root). Made with a medium thick sauce, and eaten with hot rotis, the results are delicious! So, for those looking for an unusual recipe, below is a reprint […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Hari Mirch De Pakore (FRIED GREEN CHILLI FRITTERS)
What could be more tempting for the typical Indian palate than fried food and hot, hot chilli pakoras? One thing is for sure, so many Indians love hot, spicy food that there are contests even for the hottest chilllies in the country. Chillies come in many colors – green, purple, yellow, orange – depending on […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes- Aaloo da Parantha (POTATO STUFFED CRISPY FLATBREAD)
This has to be the most well-known Punjabi parantha, and one that several readers have asked to reprint. Among older desis in the US, a hot, crispy Aaloo da Parantha is a comfort food that brings back memories of home. So here is a reprint of this popular recipe with some additional information and directions. […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Sabat Moong te Palak di Daal (SPINACH & WHOLE MOONG LENTILS)
Daals are the mainstay of the Indian diet, whether you are in the north or south, east or west – providing much needed protein, especially for the multitude of vegetarians in the country – and each region has its own way of making them. So central are they to Indian life, there is even a […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Puri (Deep Fried Puff Bread)
Nothing beats the morning brunch than a plate of hot puris (fried puffed bread) and either channe (chickpeas) or turri aloo (curried smashed potatoes)! So here is a reprint of Mama’s Puri recipe which is a favorite of kids and grown-ups alike. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions There is one type […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Tamater te Piyaaz da Raita (Tomato & Onion Yogurt Dip)
By popular demand, here is a reprint of Mama’s Tamater te Piyaaz da Raita recipe, which is a tasty recipe for the summer months to eat with rice biryani, sabzi (vegetables) or simply with paranthas (crispy flatbreads). It is reprinted with some additional information and directions. Yogurt (dahin) has a special significance in Indian culture […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Bhaen De Kofte (Curried Lotus Root Balls)
In the West, bhaen (lotus root) is one of the most misunderstood vegetables – even among desi kids who have grown up in the US – and one that is seldom encountered in restaurants or grocery stores. In Asia, on the other hand, lotus root is commonly available in long stalks and is well known […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Karela Phittu (BITTERMELON CHIPS) with or without salt
Below is a reprint of Mama’s Kerela Phittu recipe which brings out the same flavor as the cooked vegetable but is much faster and simpler to cook. It is especially suited for new cooks as it will give them a chance to refine their skills with this vegetable before tackling the other karele recipes. It […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes – Torde Ande di Turri (Cracked Egg Curry)
Here is another simple Punjabi recipe that that comes in handy when suddenly lots of people pop in or you are in a bind for time. It is quite tasty and goes well with hot roti. So, by popular demand for those looking for an easy recipe, below is a reprint of Mama’s Torde Ande […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes- Bhaen De Pakore (FRIED LOTUS ROOT FRITTERS)
In India, bhaen or kamal di dandi (lotus root) are available most times of the year and in the Punjab, it is prized for its crunchiness and highly fibrous texture which allows it to be made dry or curried. You can even make bhaen pakore (fried fritters) and though it is not a common ingredient, […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes- Custard (Custard)
This is a recipe that is as British as it is Indian and has become ingrained in the landscape of Indian cuisine. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Custard recipe, which is a tasty sweet seldom found in Indian restaurants overseas but on the menu of many Indian restaurants in the Old Country? It is […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Jalebi (FRIED SWEET FLOUR SPIRALS)
Talk to a Punjabi about jalebis (sweet flour spirals) and he will immediately mention hot milk to go with it! Jalebis are a dish adopted from the Persians, but now so Indianized that it is claimed as our own. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Jalebi recipe, which is a tasty sweet seldom found in […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: ATTE DA HALVA (Whole Wheat Flour Halva)
Celebrations are a part of life and Punjabis mark each such occasion with some sweets, especially if it is an auspicious milestone, like a birthday, wedding, new job or any other piece of good luck. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Atte Da Halva recipe, which is a typical favorite sweet which can also double […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Aloo Baingan (Potatoes and Eggplant)
This is a simple Punjabi recipe that combines the much loved potato with the tenderness of an eggplant in a sautéed dish that cooks fast and goes well with hot roti. It is quite tasty and can be eaten with some yogurt or pickles to enhance the flavor. So, by popular demand, below is a […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Murghi Turri Wali (CHICKEN CURRY)
Although I am a vegetarian, this is the only non-vegetarian dish that I have ever made. Years ago, when my husband (who was also a vegetarian) and I were in the Indian Foreign Service, we would often have to entertain at our home and it was expected that there would be at least one non-vegetarian […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Nimbu aur Adrak da Achaar (LEMON & GINGER PICKLES)
With summertime in full swing, it is the perfect season to make pickles especially, lemons – or limes – which are so plentiful and cheap now. Below is a reprint of Mama’s Nimbu aur Adrak da Achaar recipe. A little of this pickle can add a zest in otherwise bland food. It is reprinted with […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Saddi Khoye di Burfi (Plain Congealed Milk Squares)
Every city in India has a halwai di dukan (sweet maker’s shop or confectionary) and most have now become fancy air-conditioned shops with glass display cases and tables to sit at. You can order from the huge variety of popular sweets that Indians love as well as many types of savory and spicy snacks aloo […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Dudh da Custard (Milk Custard)
India has been a destination for foreigners for many centuries, and especially Northwestern India which has been the place of many battles with invading hoards from ancient empires like the Greeks, Persians and Mongols and later by the Europeans: the British, French, Portuguese and Dutch. Each foreign culture left its mark on Indian cuisine, and […]
Mama’s Punjabi Recipes: Boondi da Raita (Chickpea Drop Yogurt Sauce)
By popular demand, here is a reprint of Mama’s Boondi da Raita recipe, which is a tasty recipe for the summer months to eat with rice biryani, sabzi or simply with paranthas. It is reprinted with some additional information and directions. Raita can loosely be translated as thinned yogurt dip – though it is not […]
