by Sadia Dehlvi
Winter Sweet Dishes
Winter sweets such as panjiri and satora are made with gond, edible gum crystal, semolina and dry fruits. These are mixed and made into small round balls, stored in jars and had in small portions. They help in keeping the body warm. Satora does not have gond and is softer. It is spread on large round trays, and cut in lauzaat, diamond shapes. Amma and Apa Saeeda made these but unfortunately I do not have recipes for them.
Maleeda
I associate maleeda with my childhood as Apa Saeeda made it for us in winter. She said the bajra, pearl millet, and gur, jaggery, would keep us warm. Gur is also beneficial for health. Apa Saeeda would bring fresh jaggery from her home in Baghpat. We loved maleeda and ate it as dessert. I often make it during winter for my family as it is not quite the dish to serve guests!
½ kg bajra flour
½ kg jaggery
6-8 tbsp desi ghee
Make regular roti using bajra flour, which is easily available. Sometimes, I send for fresh bajra flour from stores that have a chakki, flour-making apparatus. This is one way of ensuring that the flour is not stale.
Break the roti into one half inch or smaller pieces and add some desi ghee. Break the jaggery into tiny pieces as well. You could grate the jaggery, but I prefer it hand crushed. Mix the jaggery well with the roti and your maleeda is ready.
Anday ka Halwa – Egg Halwa
6-8 egg yolks
1½-2 litre milk
4 green cardamoms
3-4 tbsp desi ghee
Few strands of saffron
½ cup sugar or to taste
Anday ka Halwa is traditionally made with desi andey, farm eggs. Since these are not easily available, you could prepare it with regular eggs. At home, we use both the egg white and yolks and it tastes equally good. However, if you choose to cook it in the old authentic style, just use the egg yolks.
Heat ghee and add the crushed cardamoms and let them crackle for a minute. Beat the egg yolks along with the milk and sugar and add to the ghee. Adding a few strands of saffron will give it an exquisite flavour. If you don’t have saffron, use a pinch of saffron colouring. Cook on low flame till the oil separates from the halwa. Remember, keep stirring so that the milk does not curdle.
A view of the goolar tree from my balcony
Summer
As the leaves of the amaltas and gulmohar trees change their hues to yellow and orange, the heat intensifies in Delhi. Dry heat has never bothered the Dilliwalas as much as the humidity that follows during and after the monsoon months. I grew up hearing that Dilli ki loo, the hot dry Delhi wind, is healthy. Nani Amma said that the intense heat killed the unhealthy germs in the body. When the rains arrive, all kinds of viruses pollute the humid air.
Dilliwalas have quaint methods to prevent the intense heat from affecting them and of keeping hydrated. Abba would keep an onion in his kurta pocket to prevent heatstroke. If one of us suffered a heatstroke, onions were placed in the armpits. Fever resulting from excess heat was treated by boiling raw mango slices in water and sprinkling it all over the body.
Since Shama Kothi had long open corridors, large curtains made of khus reed covered the open areas. Spraying these with water transformed the harsh hot wind into a fragrant cool breeze. Even though we had refrigerators, we drank water from a surahi, earthen pitcher. A tin-plated copper katora, bowl, would be placed upside down over the surahi. Amma said that drinking water from a copper bowl had health benefits.
The change of season brought sparkling colours and scents to our home. The aroma of sandal, unaab, bazuri, gauzaban, falsa, bel and charon maghaz sharbet being made filled the air. These thirst quenchers were served mixed with a spoonful of tukhme rehan, tulsi seeds, to enhance their cooling effect. Amma boiled large quantities of barley, mixed it with the sharbet for us to drink through the day. Barley is said to have a cooling effect on the body.
Amma had planted a bel, wood-apple tree, near the entrance gate. She never lived to enjoy its fruit. When planting the sapling, she told Ammi that her grandchildren would benefit from the tree. We did, and enjoyed bel sharbet summer after summer. Fresh bel sharbet is such a wonderful, healthy treat in summer
Gonni, khirni, shahtoot and kaseru are some summer fruits which are now not easily available. When feeling nostalgic, I sometimes go to Maliwara and Ballimaran where one can find these.
I remember many kachnar trees around Diplomatic Enclave, near Shama Kothi. Apa Saeeda took us for evening walks where we gathered clusters of kachnar flowers that were strewn on street pavements. Apa Saeeda made delightful sabzi from these pink and white flowers.
Cooking sangri with mutton is probably exclusive to our community. Amma would send the gardener to pluck the fruit. Sangri trees are of moderate size and flower in March, its fruit are the shape of slender, long, cylindrical pods. Sangri trees can be sighted in Lodhi Gardens, some parts of Chanakyapuri and a few other areas where Delhi’s original flora still exist. Once abundant in the city, it is now listed amongst Delhi’s endangered trees.
The other day, while on a recipe-collecting trip to Choti Auntie’s, home in Civil Lines, I was served sangri salan. I asked her where she managed to get the sangri from, since I hadn’t seen eaten it in decades. It is available in a few mohlallas of the old city, where many families from our community live. She had it purchased from Haveli Hissamuddin Haider in Ballimaran. It must be bought from the vendors at dawn. If you are late, the sangri is sold out. Sangri is available in May for a short period of fifteen days and for `600 a kilo. But whatever the cost and the difficulty in acquiring sangri, Dilliwalas enjoy sangri salan at least once in summer. With Auntie’s recipe, I have begun to make sangri at home.
Goolar is another fruit cooked in our homes. Also a local Delhi tree, goolar are like small figs, distinctly arranged in clusters that grow on the tree trunk and main branches. Goolar trees fruit twice a year, once around mid April, and the second, just before the Delhi monsoon disappears.
Luckily, there is a goolar tree in the park right across my flat in Nizamuddin East. A tall tree, its branches almost touch the balcony. Although I have lived here for over ten years, making goolar sabzi never occurred to me. Not having eaten it in decades, I had forgotten its taste. While I was writing this book, Choti Auntie gave me the recipe and I resolved to try it.
I had my eyes on the growing clusters and had thought of getting Sabir to climb the tree. But before I could put this plan in action, I saw a young lad climb the tree and pluck all the fruit. He informed me that his Begum Sahiba had asked him to pick the goolar. He worked for Bushra, my neighbour, who belongs to the same community as me.
I requested that he ask Begum Sahiba to send some of the goolar sabzi for us. The delicious meal arrived just in time for dinner and has since become my son’s favourite vegetarian dish. Bushra continues to send me the sabzi frequently. This recipe comes from her. Now we split the goolar and I have begun to cook it regularly.
Goolar trees must be guarded in the season of Eid al Azha, as shepherd boys move around the colony looking to cut down the leaves, a favoured feed for goats. I usually allow these youngsters to prune the tree and take of a few small branches. Once, when I was out of town before the festive season, much to my horror, the tree was stripped of almost all its branches.
Kachnar Kali Salan – Flower Buds with Mutton
The Latin name for kachnar trees is Bauhinia Variegata. These trees are of two varieties. The flowers of one are pure white and the other are deep pink in colour. It is a medium-sized tree that can be seen on Delhi’s streets and in gardens. Kachnar is said to have many medicinal properties.
Kachnar flowers can be gathered from trees or bought in some vegetable markets of the old city. I buy them from the Punjabi Phatak in Ballimaran where many of the Saudagaran community reside. They are available for about two weeks from the middle of March. One can prepare a vegetable with just the petals or use the whole flower. Kachnar buds are cooked with meat.
½ kg kachnar buds
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½ kg meat
100 gm shelled green peas (optional)
Boil the buds in plain water for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and keep aside. Prepare the meat base with the basic salan recipe. Add the kachnar buds and peas to the meat when it is half done. Leave to cook on low flame till done. A handful of green peas are usually cooked with kachnar buds to reduce its kasail, slight bitter taste.
Photo: Arman Ali Dehlvi
Kachnar Bharta – Kachnar Crush
½ kg kachnar flowers
4-5 medium-sized onions, chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
¼ cup oil
300 gm curd, lightly beaten
¼ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Wash and boil the flowers in some water for 2 or 3 minutes and drain. Now blend the flowers in the mixer for a few seconds. Heat oil and fry the onions till translucent. Then add chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Fry for a few minutes till the oil separates. Now add the blended flowers and cook for about another 10 minutes and then add curd. Leave on low flame for 10 to 15 minutes till oil bubbles rise and your flower dish is ready.
Goolar Bharta – Goolar Crush
½ kg goolar
300-350 gm curd
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp corainder powder
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp raw green mango powder (amchoor)
¼ cup oil
Salt to taste
The goolar should be green, the overripe brownish ones are not for cooking.
Wash the goolar thoroughly and slice off the small stem portion. Boil them in a little water till they turn soft. You may also pressure-cook the goolar for one whistle. Now grind the goolar with the curd in a mixer into a thick paste. Heat oil and fry the onions till translucent and then add chilli powder, corainder powder,turmeric and salt. Fry for a minute or two before adding the goolar and curd mixture. Stir occasionally and leave on low flame for 10 to 15 minutes till oil bubbles rise. Just before turning off the flame, add the dried raw mango powder.
Khatti Meethi Aam Chutney – Sweet and Sour Mango Chutney
1 green raw mango
¼ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Boil the raw mango and separate the pulp. Now add the sugar, chilli powder and salt to the pulp. The chutney stays well in the fridge for a few days. The amount of sugar or chillies can be adjusted to taste.
Bhindi Salan – Okra with Mutton
½ kg okra
½ kg mutton
Prepare bhindi salan with the regular salan recipe. Make sure you buy small or medium-sized okra. The large ones are generally not used for salan. Cut the stem but be careful not to slice through the main part or else it will leave lace, sticky residue. Cook the meat till three-fourth done because okra take little time to cook. Now, add okra and two whole green chillies and cook on slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes till done. Don’t pressure the okra or it will break. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
Sangri Salan – Sangri with Mutton
1 kg sangri
½ kg mutton
Salt to taste
Wash and cut the sangri into 1" pieces. Boil the sangri in water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the water and keep the sangri aside. Prepare the meat base with the basic salan recipe. The quantity of curd, oil and other spices should be slightly increased as sangri requires more masala. Add the sangri to the meat when it is nearly done and leave on low flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nun Paani Achaar
Sangri salan is always accompanied by a fresh raw mango, salt and garlic chutney made in water. It is called nun paani ka achaar. Nun, the Urdu alphabet for ‘n’, stands for namak. Make a small quantity of it, for it is usually had with just this one dish. It requires no oil and stays for a few days.
1 raw green mango, peeled and cut into ½" pieces
¼ tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp Nigella seeds (kalonji)
½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
4-6 small garlic pods, whole
A pinch of turmeric
Mix with all other ingredients in half a cup of water and bring to a boil. Then lower the flame and leave to simmer for about 10-15 minutes till the mango is cooked.
Tindey Salan – Round Gourd with Mutton
½ kg mutton
½ kg round gourd
Tindey salan is regular summer fare. Prepare it with the basic salan recipe. Slice the tinda into two halves and add to the meat when it is half done. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Ghiya Gosht – Bottle Gourd with Mutton
1 kg bottle gourd
½ kg of mutton
Ghiya is also commonly called lauki. Slice the ghiya in oblong 1" pieces. Prepare ghiya gosht with the basic salan recipe. Ghiya is added to the meat when it is half done. Ghiya releases a lot of water, which is why one uses double the weight of the meat. Garnishing with dried mint leaves is a must. If you don’t have dried mint, then use fresh mint leaves. Ghiya gosht is best served with khushka, plain boiled rice.
Arvi Salan – Colocasia Root with Mutton
½ kg colocasia root
½ kg mutton
Prepare arvi salan with the basic salan recipe. Peel the arvis and keep them whole. It is important to remember that arvi is hard and needs more time to cook. Add arvi to the meat when it is slightly less than half done. You could pressure-cook for one or two whistles. Arvi salan is garnished with fresh chopped coriander leaves and served with a kachumar, that is a mixture of chopped onions, lemon juice and chopped green chillies.
Turiayan Gosht – Ridge Gourd with Mutton
1½ kg ridge gourd
½ kg mutton
1 small raw green mango, peeled, grated or finely chopped
2 medium-sized onions, finely sliced
Turaiyan is also called tori. Prepare the meat base with the basic salan recipe without using the curd. In turaiyan gosht, the vegetable is added before the meat is half done. This is to allow the meat to cook in the water released by the turaiyan. Unlike most salan, no extra water is required.
Cut the turaiyan into small rounds. After adding the meat to the masala, cook it for about 10 minutes till the oil rises. Now, add the raw green mango and raw onions along with turaiyan to the meat. Leave on low flame till done. You can also pressure-cook for one whistle and then leave on low flame. This is not a watery dish, so dry excess water. Garnish with dried or fresh mint leaves.
Bhuni Moong Dal – Dry Yellow Lentil
250 kg moong dal
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garlic paste
½ tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 black cardamoms
1" cinnamon
4-6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ cup oil
Salt to taste
Soak the dal for half-an-hour and no more. Heat oil and add all the spices and fry for a minute or two. And the dal and fry for a few more minutes. Add a cup of water and leave on low flame till the dal is cooked. The dal must not be watery or squashed and should remain whole. Garnish with chopped coriander, finely cut green chillies, shredded ginger strips and lemon slices.
Karela Qeema – Bitter Gourd Mince
Karela qeema is my favourite qeema and I make it all through the summer months, when karela and raw mangoes are in plenty. I find most people, other than Dilliwalas, don’t know about this dish. Most friends try it for the first time in my home and seem to love it. I now get requests for karela qeema all the time.
½ kg bitter gourd
½ kg mincemeat
2-3 medium-sized onions, golden fried
2-3 medium-sized raw onions, finely sliced
1 medium-sized raw green mango, peeled and grated
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garlic paste
¾ tsp ginger paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies, whole
2 tsp coriander powder
½ cup oil
Salt to taste
Scrape the karela with a knife till the dark green uneven skin comes off. Then place them in a bowl of water with a tsp of salt. Leave for at least half-an-hour. This helps remove the bitterness from the karela. Now slice the karela into half inch rings. Don’t throw the seeds. Fry karela rings along with seeds to a light golden colour and keep aside.
Heat oil and add the fried onions, garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt. Add a little water and fry for a few minutes till the oil separates. Now add the mincemeat and stir till the water it releases evaporates. Cook on medium flame for about 10 to 15 minutes till mincemeat is half done. Add half a cup of water so that the meat does not burn. Now add whole green chillies, raw onions, raw green mango and fried karela. Cover and cook on low flame till the mincemeat is done. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Qeema Bharey Karela – Bitter Gourd with Mince Stuffing
1 kg bitter gourd
1 kg mincemeat
Prepare the mincemeat with the kacha aam qeema recipe. Meanwhile, scrape the outer part of the karela and soak in salted water for half-an-hour. Slit the karela in the middle, remove the seeds. Once the mincemeat is almost done, stuff the karela with it and wrap a thread all around. Ideally, the karelas are sewn with a needle and thread. Heat a little oil, and leave the karela for 15 to 20 minutes on low flame till done. Flip the karela around once or twice to ensure that all sides are evenly browned.