Lohri recipes: Harvest festival Lohri is celebrated in North India, especially in the state of Punjab. People gather together in the night and have a bonfire. They also offer rewri (sesame brittles), pop corn and peanuts to the fire. The festival also signifies the end of winter and beginning of spring. Usually it is assumed that after Lohri the cold will reduce. This gestival, we bring to you some mouth watering easy to make recipes. So go ahead, get busy in the kitchen to dish out a youmm platter.
Sarson ka Saag
Punjabi Sarson ka Saag is a favorite during the cold North Indian winters. Typically served with Makki Ki Roti, it is peppery, pungent and deeply nutritious.
Ingredients
1 bunch of mustard greens – cleaned & sorted
½ bunch of bathua or a small bunch
½ bunch of spinach or a small to medium-sized bunch
1 cup chopped tender radish greens
1 cup fenugreek leaves – optional
3 to 4 inches white radish root
Peeled and chopped radish root (2 to 3 inches), 1 cup chopped onions, 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes, 2 inches ginger (chopped) and 7 to 8 medium-sized garlic (chopped).
Directions
Wash the greens to get rid of the mud clinging to the stems. Add the greens to a 5 or 6 litre stove-top pressure cooker. Add other veggies
Season the greens using 2 green chilies (chopped), ½ teaspoon red chili powder, 2 to 3 pinches asafoetida (hing) & salt as needed.
Add 2 to 3 cups water.
Cover and pressure cook for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-high heat, or until the greens become soft. Wait for the pressure to fall naturally in the cooker and then only open the lid.
Let the greens mixture cool to room temperature.
Add some of the greens and their cooking liquid to the base of a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of maize flour (fine cornmeal).
Working in batches, blend to your preferred consistency.
Pour the greens purée in a deep-sided pot. Simmer for a good 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally so that the sarson da saag does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Check salt.
Once cooled, the saag can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
The saag is ready to temper. Heat ghee, add onions, ginger, green chilies and tomatoes. Lightly brown the onions.
Add about 2 cups of the cooked sarson ka saag to the tempering. Simmer for a few minutes until the saag becomes hot.
Serve the hot sarson ka saag straight away, preferably with makki di roti and jaggery .
Makke Ki Roti
Makki ki roti is an unleavened bread that can be made traditionally in a tandoor, or using a tawa. Makke ki roti is popular flatbread from the land of Punjab.
Ingredients
2 cups maize flour or fine cornmeal (200 grams)
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) and salt to taste.
Mix everything together with a spoon.
Heat 1 cup water in a separate pan till it comes to a boil. Add this hot water to the flour mixture.
Mix with a spoon. Cover and keep aside till the dough cools enough to handle.
When cool, knead to a smooth yet firm dough.
Directions
Make medium sized balls of dough, shaping them into a neat balls and flattening them slightly with your palm.
Sprinkle some maize flour on the rolling board. Place the dough ball on the rolling board. Then sprinkle some maize flour on the dough ball also.
Gently roll with a rolling pin into small- to medium-sized rounds. They should be roughly the size of a phulka or chapati, but not very thin. The roti should not break if you handle them carefully. If the rolling pin is sticking, add more flour as required.
Spread about 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee on a hot tawa or skillet or frying pan. Cook the roti both sides on medium to medium-high heat.
Drizzle a bit of ghee on the sides whilst cooking the roti.
Serve the makki ki roti hot with saag and jaggery cubes. Add some white butter on top of the makki di roti while serving.
Matar paneer
It is one of the most popular North Indian gravy-based curry. Prepared with the combination of paneer and green peas, it is typically served with naan, roti and poori.
INGREDIENTS
For tomato base
2 tbsp oil
2 onion (sliced)
4 clove garlic (crushed)
2 inch ginger
4 tomato (sliced)
2 tbsp cashew
for curry:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp cumin
½ inch cinnamon
3 pods cardamom
2 chilli (sliced)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala
3 cup water
1 tsp salt
1½ cup peas
200 grams paneer (cubed)
2 tbsp cream
1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed)
2 tbsp coriander (chopped)
Directions
heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. add 2 onion, 4 cloves garlic, and 2 inch ginger.
saute until the onions turn golden brown.
add 4 tomatoes, 2 tbsp cashew, and saute until the tomato turn soft and mushy.
cool completely, and transfer to a mixer jar.
grind to smooth paste without adding water.
to prepare curry, heat 2 tbsp oil. add 1 tsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin, ½ inch cinnamon, 3 pods cardamom and 2 chilli. saute until the spices turn aromatic.
keeping the flame on low, add ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and ½ tsp garam masala.
saute until the spices turn aromatic.
now add prepared gravy and cook well.
keep cooking until the oil separates from the gravy base.
further, add 3 cup water and 1 tsp salt.
mix well adjusting the consistency of gravy.
further, add 1½ cup peas and 200 grams paneer. mix well.
cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the peas are cooked well.
add 2 tbsp cream, 1 tsp kasuri methi, and 2 tbsp coriander.
finally, enjoy matar paneer with roti or rice.
Gur wale chawal
Gur wale chawal is a delicious dessert recipe prepared during festivals and special occasions. This is a simple rice recipe that you can prepare at home for your loved ones.
Ingredients
400 gm basmati rice
250 gm powdered jaggery
4 clove
4 cup water
100 gm ghee
1 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom
2 tablespoon flaked almonds
Directions
Boil the soaked rice
Wash the rice 4-5 times and soak for about 15-20 minutes. Then put a deep-bottomed pan on medium flame and add water to it. Bring it to a boil and add soaked rice in it along with cloves. Let the rice cook until they are tender and firm. When the rice are cooked, drain the water properly.
Now, put a saucepan on medium flame and melt ghee in it. When hot enough, add the jaggery powder. If you do not have jaggery powder available, you can simply cut the jaggery in pieces and add it to the pan. This will take a little longer time, but will give you the same taste.
Mix all the ingredients and cook
When the jaggery has melted completely, add the green cardamom powder along with clove rice. Mix the rice well with the melted jaggery, this will turn the colour of the rice a little brownish. Now, slower the flame and cover the pan with a lid, and let the rice cook for about 5-8 minutes.
Garnish with almonds and nuts of your choice. Serve hot.
Til ke laddu
It’s simple and healthy ball shaped sweet made with the combination of black and white sesame seeds. It is prepared especially during Lohri as a offering to god and goddess.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup white sesame seeds / ellu / til
½ cup black sesame seeds / ellu / til
1 cup jaggery
¼ cup water
2 tbsp peanuts (roasted & crushed)
2 tbsp cashews (chopped)
½ tsp cardamom powder
DIRECTIONS
in a pan dry roast ½ cup white sesame seeds and ½ cup black sesame seeds.
further in a pan take 1 cup jaggery and ¼ cup water.
keeping the flame on low stir well and dissolve jaggery.
further boil the jaggery syrup for 5 minutes.
now drop the jaggery syrup into a bowl of water and try to make a ball.
turn off the flame and add roasted sesame seeds.
also add 2 tbsp peanuts, 2 tbsp cashews and ½ tsp cardamom powder.
combine well making sure everything combines well.
now allow to cool for 5 minutes or till the mixture thickens.
grease hand with little ghee and prepare balls of size of your choice.
finally, serve til ladoo or store in a airtight container and enjoy for a month.
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