Doon Chetin| Kashmiri Walnut Chutney

Have you ever tried out Doon Chetin, a walnut chutney in Kashmiri style? I tried it out at home recently, and fell head over heels in love with it, as did my family.

Making Doon Chetin (‘Doon‘ is Kashmiri for ‘walnuts’ and ‘chetin‘ refers to ‘chutney’) had been on my mind ever since our recent trip to Kashmir. I didn’t have an opportunity to savour this chutney in the course of our holiday, so I pledged to make it once I got back home. I made sure to pick up some Kashmiri walnuts (which are believed to be of high quality) and some shahi jeera (black cumin) that goes into the preparation of this chutney. I read up on the Internet, and was lucky to find an authentic Kashmiri recipe for the Doon Chetin. Like I said earlier, the chutney was made recently, and the rest, as they say, is history. I served it as a dip with home-made kuzhi paniyarams, and it was gone in no time at all!

The Doon Chetin combines some really unusual ingredients – fresh curd, black cumin, raw onion, walnuts, mint and the like. Initially, I admit, I did have apprehensions about whether I would like the taste. What if it tasted too weird? Well, I wouldn’t know unless and until I tried it out, right? So, try it out I did, and I am so glad I did – the Doon Chetin tastes absolutely amazing, rich and creamy, yet light and exquisite, the chillies and mint adding a zing to it, the walnuts contributing their nuttiness, with the faintest of sourness from the curd. Yumminess, I tell you!

Traditionally, the Kashmiris prepare Doon Chetin in a stone mortar and pestle, which gives it a slightly coarse texture. It is eaten with non-vegetarian kebabs or rice dishes, typically. I used a mixer to make the chutney and ground it smooth, which is fine since I was planning to use it as a dip.

Try it out, and I am sure you will love it too!

Here’s the recipe for the Doon Chetin.

Recipe Source: Keep Calm & Curry On

Ingredients (makes about 3/4 cup):

1. 1/2 cup walnuts
2. Salt to taste
3. 2 green chillies
4. 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
5. 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
6. 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
7. 1 teaspoon shahi jeera aka black cumin
8. 1/4 cup fresh thick curd

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a mixer jar.
2. Blend till smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
4. Serve as an accompaniment with tandoori dishes, fried snacks or rice dishes.

Notes:

1. For best results, use thick and fresh curd that is not too sour.

2. Adjust the number of green chillies you use, depending upon how spicy you want the chutney to be.

3. I used Kashmiri walnuts and shahi jeera to make this chutney. In case you don’t have access to them, you can use locally sourced variants for these two ingredients too.

4. Traditionally, this recipe uses Kashmiri red chilli powder, which is low on heat and adds a gorgeous reddish colour to dishes. I didn’t have any, so I used ordinary red chilli powder instead – which is why the colour of my Doon Chetin is not as beautifully brown as it is, traditionally.

5. You can add in a couple of cloves of garlic while grinding the Doon Chetin, too. I skipped it.

6. If you do not have shahi jeera, you can substitute it with ordinary cumin. However, shahi jeera adds a richer, deeper flavour to the Doon Chetin.

7. Dried mint powder can be used in the chutney, in place of fresh mint leaves. If you are using dried mint powder, use about 1 tablespoon for the above quantities of ingredients.

8. I wanted the Doon Chetin to be of a smooth texture, so I ground it in my mixer. You can keep the texture coarser, too, if you so prefer. You may even use a mortar and pestle to make the chutney, as is done traditionally in Kashmir.

9. Any leftover Kashmiri Walnut Chutney can be stored in a clean, dry, air-tight box and stored, refrigerated, for 3-4 days. Use only a clean, dry spoon for the chutney.

10. I served the Kashmiri Walnut Chutney as a dip alongside quick-fix kuzhi paniyarams made from idli batter. The two made for a wonderful, wonderful pair.

What do you think about this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

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This post is for the Ssshhh Cooking Secretly Challenge. I was paired by Priya Mahesh of @200deg for this month’s challenge, who assigned me the two secret ingredients of ‘Walnuts’ and ‘Curd’. Doon Chetin is what I decided to make, using these two ingredients.

I’m also sending this recipe for Fiesta Friday #230, co-hosted this week by Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.

 

 

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Walking Alongside The Almond Trees At Badamvaer, Srinagar

Badamvaer – prettiness is what meets your eye, wherever you gaze

It was love at first sight with Badamvaer, Srinagar, for both the husband and me. The moment we set foot inside the gates of Badamvaer and caught a glimpse of its prettiness, we were charmed. It was a rainy weekend morning when we visited, in the course of our holiday in Kashmir, and we were lucky to have this beauty almost all to ourselves.

This was the sight that greeted us, the minute we had stepped foot into Badamvaer. For some reason, this particular spot reminded me of a fairy garden straight out of Enid Blyton’s books.

What is Badamvaer, you ask? Popularly called ‘Badamwari‘, Badamvaer is the Kashmiri name is a gorgeous, gorgeous garden in Srinagar. Like the name suggests, almond trees abound in the place (‘Badam‘ refers to ‘almond’, while ‘vaer‘ is ‘garden’ in Kashmiri). I hear the garden comes alive in the spring, when the almond trees blossom. There are beautiful white blossoms everywhere, and the garden is a sight to behold. When we visited this May, there were no blossoms on the almond trees, but the place was still a sight to behold.

Multi-hued flowers in bloom, at Badamvaer

The story of Badamvaer begins with the Durrani Fort, a very famous tourist spot in Srinagar. The Durrani Fort stands regal on a hillock called Hari Parbat, on the outskirts of Srinagar. The fort shares space with a few Muslim shrines, a Shakti temple that is sacred to the Kashmiri Pundits, and a Sikh gurudwara.

The Durrani Fort sitting regal atop Hari Parbat, as seen from Badamvaer

It is believed that Emperor Akbar had plans of setting up a new capital around Hari Parbat, which is why he began construction of a fort here in 1590. However, the project was never completed. It was during the Durrani reign in Kashmir, under the reign of Shuja Singh Durrani in 1808, that the present-day fort was constructed.

Emperor Akbar had plans of building Naagar Nagar, a city around the foothills of Hari Parbat, which would house palaces and balconies for the royal family, residences for the noblemen of the court, and army barracks. Thanks to the downfall of the Mughal empire that began at around this time, the city never came into existence. In the year 1876, when Dogras ruled over Kashmir, the then ruler Ranbir Singh got the garden area (as per Emperor Akbar’s original plans, I suppose) planted with almond trees. Over time, the garden began to be known as Badamvaer or Badamwari, the garden of almond trees.

The almond trees that abound in Badamvaer aka Badamwari

Badamvaer used to be a popular picnic spot for Kashmiris in the 1900s, from what I understand. Slowly, though, the place fell into a state of neglect and disrepair, and local footfall kept reducing further and further. It was in the year 2007 that J&K Bank took up the project of bringing Badamvaer back to life. The garden was painstakingly cleaned up and landscaped all over again, a new lease of life handed to it. Over time, locals and tourists alike began to return to Badamvaer, and the Kashmiri picnics began happening here, all over again. The J&K Bank continues to undertake maintenance of the garden till date, and has done a really good job at it.

Inside Badamvaer aka Badamwari

Badamvaer boasts of some stunning landscaping and extremely beautiful flowers, which had us going all ga-ga.

I had never seen roses in this particular purple-pink before Badamvaer happened. Can’t get over just how pretty this shade is!

The huge climbing roses that are everywhere in Kashmir are present here as well, of course.

A much-coveted selfie and photography spot within Badamvaer, which the climbing roses have chosen to adorn

Apart from roses in many hues, the garden is full of exotic flowers that only a place like Kashmir can have in such plenitude.

Pansies are all over Kashmir, and so they were in Badamvaer too. Is it just me or can you spot a face in these flowers, as well?

Badamvaer also offers some lovely views of the mist-shrouded mountains that surround it.

The beautiful structure that houses a well, in the midst of Badamvaer

I wonder why Badamvaer is not as popular among tourists as, say, Nishat Baugh or Shalimar Baugh is. I never read about Badamvaer on any of the travel blogs I checked out, while researching for our trip – I am so thankful our tour operator suggested we visit this lovely haven! When we visited, there were absolutely no tourists around – just some locals and school kids busy picnicking. Well, good for us!

This part of the garden took my breath away, it was so beautiful on that sun-kissed, rain-drenched day. And, this school kid insisted on getting into my picture!

I love how Badamvaer has managed to retain an air of purity, of cleanness and freshness, how it is still untouched by commercialisation in spite of being such a gloriously beautiful locale. I really hope it stays that way.

We spent a good couple of hours in Badamvaer, just walking around, basking in the beauty all around us, soaking in the place.

An Indian mynah we spotted, nestling in one of the trees in Badamvaer

It is quite a huge garden too, one that deserves to be walked around leisurely and explored slowly, to one’s heart’s content.

A metal bridge running over a stream from a man-made fountain, in Badamvaer. Pretty, ain’t it?

Badamvaer was quite the weekend hang-out spot for locals from 2007 onwards (after the garden got a new lease of life) until recently, with dance performances and cultural programmes happening here. However, the performances have been temporarily put on hold as of now, considering the political unrest and upheaval in Kashmir in the last few months.

A fountain, in the midst of Badamvaer

Here’s hoping peace finds its way to Kashmir soon!

That’s the washroom in Badamvaer! Can you guess?

If Badamvaer is pretty now, I can only imagine just how gorgeous it would be with all those almond trees weighed down by white blossoms, in spring time. I hope to be able to return to this place some time, to see that phenomenon in person.

The husband and the bub, enjoying a leisurely walk in Badamvaer

So long, Badamvaer! I hope to meet you again, soon!

If you ever find yourself in Srinagar, don’t miss visiting this hidden gem. Highly recommended!

Tips for travellers:

1. A visit to Badamvaer can be combined with one to the adjacent Hari Parbat fort and Old Srinagar, where there is loads to see and do and explore.
2. There is a small entry fee that needs to be paid, to enter Badamvaer.
3. If possible, try to time your visit to Badamvaer with the blooming of the almond trees in spring – it is totally worth it, I hear.

 

 

Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi

By now, you guys probably know that our family is one of big khichdi fans. Khichdi often finds pride of place on our dining table, in different versions and flavours. We love experimenting with different types of khichdi!  The latest type of khichdi I prepared was a Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi, with chaat masala adding a lovely, refreshing, tangy flavour to it.

The Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi turned out absolutely beautiful! It made for a lovely change from the usual Vegetable Daal Khichdi we make with garam masala in it. I was in the mood to indulge and topped the khichdi with some grated cheese too, which elevated the dish to a whole new level.

I have used Rozana Sona Masoori Rice and Moong Daal from Popular Essentials to make this Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi. Popular Essentials is a Bangalore-based brand which offers a variety of groceries, and I have been trying out their products for some time now. I like the quality and taste of their products, the secure packaging and the super-fast delivery. Popular Essentials’ products are available on Amazon, in case you are interested in checking them out.

The chaat masala I have used in this khichdi is from Ciba Taaza, a brand that offers a variety of interesting Indian spice mixes, all made using traditional recipes. The masalas are made without any artificial colouring or flavouring agents or preservatives. I have been using spice mixes from Ciba Taaza for a while, and absolutely love their freshness, fragrance and taste. They are available on Amazon, too!

Now, let’s check out how to make the Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi, shall we?

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 3/4 cup rice
2. 1/4 cup moong daal
3. 1 small carrot
4. 1 small capsicum
5. 1/4 cup shelled green peas
6. 6-7 beans
7. 2-3 medium-sized florets of cauliflower
8. A 1-inch piece of ginger
9. 5-6 cloves of garlic
10. A few stalks of fresh coriander leaves
11. 1 tablespoon oil
12. 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing)
13. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
14. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
15. Salt, to taste
16. 1/2 cup turmeric powder
17. Red chilli powder, to taste
18. 2 tablespoons chaat masala or to taste
19. Cheese, as needed

Method:

1. Wash the rice and moong daal together thoroughly under running water a couple of times. Drain out the excess water.

2. Pressure cook the washed and drained rice and moong daal together with 3 cups of water, for 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Keep the cooked rice and moong daal aside.

3. Peel the ginger and garlic cloves. Chop the ginger into small pieces. Grind the ginger and garlic together into a paste, using a mixer, with very little water. Keep aside.

4. Peel the carrot and chop into finely. Chop the coriander, capsicum and cauliflower finely. Remove strings from the beans, and chop them finely too. Keep aside.

5. Grate cheese finely. Keep aside.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Add in the mustard seeds and let it pop. Add in the cumin and asafoetida, and let them stay in for a couple of seconds.

7. Now, add the chopped carrot, cauliflower, beans and capsicum to the pan, along with the shelled green peas. Add in the ginger-garlic paste. Cook on medium flame till the vegetables are cooked, but retain a bit of a crunch. You may even sprinkle some water on the veggies, if required.

8. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked rice and moong daal to the pan. Add in 1 more cup of water, salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and chaat masala. Mix well. Cook on medium flame for a couple of minutes, stirring intermittently. Switch off gas.

9. Serve the Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi hot, with loads of grated cheese and chopped coriander sprinkled on top.

Notes:

1. Ghee or butter can be used to make this khichdi too, instead of the oil I have used here. I have used just 1 tablespoon of oil, but you can use more depending upon your personal taste preferences.

2. You can use more or less chaat masala, depending upon your personal taste preferences.

3. I have used Amul processed cheese here. You can use any variety of cheese you prefer, in as much quantity as you want.

4. You can use any other veggies you want to, to make this Chatpati Vegetable Khichdi. I have used whatever I had handy in my kitchen.

5. Use more or less water, depending upon how grainy/soft you want the khichdi to be. The above measurements yield a well-cooked, soft khichdi.

6. I have cooked the vegetables and the rice-moong daal separately, instead of dumping everything into a pressure cooker. This ensures that the veggies retain a little crunch to them, and do not get overly mushy.

7. This khichdi can be served on its own, and does not really need any pickle, papad or raita as an accompaniment. Make sure you serve it hot, though, so the grated cheese you add on top melts and adds to the taste of the khichdi.

8. This post is in collaboration with Popular Essentials and Ciba Taaza Spices. I was requested by the brands to test some of their products. The opinions expressed about the products here are entirely my own, entirely honest, and not influenced by anything or anyone.

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I’m sending this recipe for Fiesta Friday #230, co-hosted this week by Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me in your comments!

Low-Oil Thai Green Vegetable Curry

It is no secret that the husband and I love Thai cuisine. We often choose Thai food when we go out for lunch, and I make Thai dishes at home quite often too. You will find a variety of Thai dishes – from Thai Tom Yum Soup and Thai Fried Rice to Thai Raw Papaya Salad and Thai Peanut Noodle Salad – on my blogs.

I have made what you would call ‘a cheat version’ of Thai Green Curry several times, substituting ingredients that I can get my hands on for the authentic ones. I would use lemon balm instead of lemongrass, for instance, or Indian ginger and paneer instead of galangal and tofu respectively. Recently, though, I went hunting for proper Thai ingredients like bird’s eye chillies, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, tofu and lemongrass, and a ‘proper’ Thai Green Curry came about. Of course, it tasted awesome – quite close to the Thai Green Curry we have sampled and loved in restaurants.

In case you have never tried making Thai Green Curry at home before, let me tell you that it is super simple. Just get together the right ingredients, and the cooking is a breeze! It is a super flavourful dish, too. What’s more, the curry can be made with just 1 teaspoon of oil – what more do you need from a dish, eh?

Here’s how to make Thai Green Curry with 1 teaspoon of oil.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

To grind to a paste:

1. A 2-inch piece of galangal, chopped
2. 2 tablespoons coriander stems, chopped
3. 1 tablespoon brown sugar or jaggery
4. 4 Thai bird’s eye chillies, chopped
5. 2 dry red chillies, each broken into two
6. 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn up
7. A handful of lemongrass leaves, cut up
8. 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled
9. 6-8 shallots aka small sambar onions, peeled and chopped
10. 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (sabut dhania)
11. 1 tablespoon cumin (jeera)

Other ingredients:

1. Salt, to taste
2. 1 cup thick coconut milk
3. A dash of lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon oil
5. 3 cups of mixed vegetables (babycorn, zucchini, capsicum, broccoli, carrot, beans)
6. 100 grams tofu, chopped into cubes
7. 2 kaffir lime leaves
8. A few Thai basil leaves

Method:

1. First, we will get all the vegetables ready. Peel the carrot and chop into batons. Remove strings from the beans and cut into batons. Cut the babycorn, zucchini, broccoli and capsicum into medium-sized pieces. Keep aside.
2. Grind all the ingredients for the paste together till smooth, in a mixer, using a little water. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan. Add in all the chopped veggies, 2 kaffir lime leaves, and salt to taste. Cook on low flame till the vegetables are cooked, but still retain a bit of a crunch. Stir intermittently. Sprinkle a little water every now and then, if needed, if you feel the vegetables are sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the paste we ground earlier, to the pan. Add in the tofu cubes. Keeping the flame medium, cook for 2 minutes or till the raw smell of the paste disappears.
5. Now, still keeping the flame medium, add in the coconut milk. Mix well. Cook on medium flame for 1 minute. Add a bit of water if you think the curry is too thick. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
6. Switch off gas, and add in the lemon juice. Roughly tear the Thai basil leaves and add them to the pan. Mix well. Serve the Thai Green Curry with steamed rice.

Notes:

1. I used a 200-ml store-bought pack of coconut milk to make this Thai Green Curry, which comes to just about 1 cup. Alternatively, you may make the coconut milk at home, too.
2. The kaffir lime leaves can be replaced with lemon zest. Similarly, the galangal can be replaced with Indian ginger, and the Thai bird’s eye chillies with Indian green chillies. Lemon balm can be used in place of the lemongrass, too. Paneer can be used in place of tofu, and Thai basil can be substituted for Italian basil. However, if you want the taste to be authentic, or at least close to authentic, please stick to the original ingredients.
3. Adjust the quantity of bird’s eye chillies that you use, depending upon how spicy you want the Thai Green Curry to taste.
4. You can use any other vegetables of your choice to make this Thai Green Curry. Green peas, mushrooms and cauliflower are some veggies that would go well in this curry.
5. It is important not to overcook the vegetables. They should be just cooked and should retain a crunch to them. Overcooked veggies will lead to a mushy, tasteless curry.
6. Ensure that you cook the Thai Green Curry on a medium flame only. Do not cook the curry too much after adding the coconut milk.
7. I have used jaggery to make the spice paste for this Thai Green Curry.
8. You can make a zero-oil version of this curry as well. Add about 1 cup of water to a pan, then add in the vegetables and cook till are done but retain a bit of a crunch. Then, proceed to add in the tofu, the green curry paste and coconut milk, and make the curry as outlined above.

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This recipe is for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop. The theme for this week is ‘Vegetables Cooked In 1 Teaspoon oil’.

I’m also sending this recipe to Fiesta Friday #229. The co-host this week is Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons.

Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup

The weather in Bangalore has been quite weird, lately. One minute, it is bright and sunny, the other the skies turn dark and it begins to pour. Winds bend trees one minute, and the next moment there’s a 360-degree turn in the weather, with calm, clear skies. With these weather changes has come lots of illness, minor and major. Many of the kids and parents in the bub’s school have been going through viral fever and sore throats, and the same is the case with our neighbours. The bub, hubby and I have been battling a nerve-racking cough that has been lingering on and on and on. It has been disturbing our sleep, giving us painful sides, generally keeping us restless and not in the mood to do anything. There have been a few bright spots in the midst of all this restlessness, including the days I made a beautiful Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup from scratch. 🙂

The hubby and I love ourselves a well-made bowl of Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup. We opt for it whenever we visit a Pan-Asian restaurant, or I resort to ready-to-use packets (which aren’t great for health, I know!). This time around, I took the pain of hunting for authentic Thai ingredients like galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, bird’s eye chillies and tofu, and made the soup from scratch. The effort paid off – the Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup turned out absolutely wonderful, quite close to the soup we have tried out and loved in restaurants. It was just the perfect salve for our tired throats, and we loved it so much that I went on to prepare it quite a few times over.

Why don’t you try making Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup, too? It is so apt for the rough weather changes that Bangalore is in the grip of, these days.

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

For the stock:

1. A handful of lemongrass leaves, cut up using scissors
2. A 2-inch piece of galangal, chopped and crushed with a mortar and pestle
3. 1 heaped tablespoon fresh coriander stems, chopped up
4. 2 Thai bird’s eye chillies, chopped up
5. 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn roughly
6. 4 cups of water

Other ingredients:

1. 1 teaspoon oil
2. A small piece of zucchini, finely chopped
3. 2 medium-sized mushrooms, finely chopped
4. 2 pieces of babycorn, chopped into rounds
5. A small piece of tofu, chopped into small cubes
6. A small piece of carrot, chopped into small cubes
7. 2 medium-sized florets of broccoli, chopped small
8. Salt, to taste
9. 1 tablespoon soya sauce
10. 1-1/2 teaspoon sugar
11. 1 Thai bird’s eye chilli
12. 2 lemongrass leaves
13. 2 kaffir lime leaves
14. A dash of lemon juice
15. Some finely chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

1. We will first make the stock for the Tom Yum Vegetable Soup. Take all the ingredients listed under ‘For the stock’ in a saucepan, and place it over high heat. When the water begins to boil, turn the heat to medium. Let the water boil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Then, strain out the leaves and other ingredients and keep the water aside. The water should have absorbed the flavours from the ingredients and should be greenish in colour.
2. Now, we will proceed to making the Tom Yum Vegetarian Soup. In a pan, heat the oil. Add in the chopped zucchini, baby corn, carrot, mushrooms and broccoli, along with a bit of salt. Saute on medium heat till the vegetables are partially cooked.
3. Now, add in the tofu and the stock we prepared earlier. Slit the Thai bird’s eye chilli length-wise and add them into the pan, as well as the lemongrass leaves (cut into large pieces) and the kaffir lime leaves (torn roughly). Let everything cook on medium heat for a minute.
4. Add in the soya sauce and sugar. Mix well. Taste and add salt if needed. Let everything cook together for a minute more.
5. Switch off gas and add the lemon juice. Mix well.
6. Remove the lemongrass leaves, the Thai bird’s eye chilli and the torn kaffir lime leaves. Ladle the soup, piping hot, into serving bowls. Serve immediately, garnished with some finely chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

1. If you don’t like very spicy soup, you can skip adding the Thai bird’s eye chillies to the pan (along with the tofu).

2. Use more or less of the bird’s eye chillies, depending upon how spicy you would like the soup to be.

3. A tablespoon or so of Thai red curry paste can be added to the soup, while adding the tofu, too, for extra flavour. I skipped that.

4. You can use ordinary powdered jaggery or palm jaggery to the Thai Tom Yum Vegetable Soup, instead of refined sugar.

5. Be careful while you are salting the soup. Soya sauce contains quite a bit of salt in it too, so it is better to add in a little less salt.

6. You can even add in garlic, tomatoes and shallots while preparing the stock for this soup. I like the soup without these ingredients, so I skip them.

7. Ensure that you remove the Thai bird’s eye chilli, lemongrass leaves and kaffir lime leaves from the soup before serving it.

Did you like the recipe? Do let me know in your comments!

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I’m also sending this recipe to Fiesta Friday #229. The co-host this week is Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons.