Masala Cook:: Indian Food, Indian Cooking, Indian Recipes & More

What is jaljeera?

North India’s long, hot and dry summers led to the development of several refreshing, healthy drinks with digestive properties. Jaljeera (jal = water, jeera = cumin) is a popular, easy-to-make cooler with herbs and spices common to most Indian kitchens. Cilantro and mint leaf pastes are combined with dry-roasted and ground cumin seeds, black salt (a.k.a. rock salt), a little lemon juice and sugar. Amchur or dried mango powder adds a sour tang to the mixture, which is diluted with plenty of water.

Serve a chilled glass of jaljeera with a sprig of mint. It can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

What is pani puri or golgappe?

Pani puri or golgappe belong to the “chaat” family of Indian street foods, savored for their tongue-tingling mix of flavors. The dish is said to have originated in the holy city of Benares, but is sold widely across north, west and east India under different names.

A plate of pani-puri typically consists of 5-6 small, spherical flatbreads called puris, fried crisp. The vendor cracks open the tops of the puris and stuffs in several ingredients like spiced potato pieces or chickpeas, chopped onions and coriander leaves. The puri is then filled with the “pani”, a thin soup of water, tamarind pulp, roasted cumin and chilli powder, rock salt and plain salt. The fun is in eating the pani-puri, which must be popped in whole, crunched and swallowed – not an easy accomplishment when the spices “explode” in the mouth!

What are paranthas in Indian Food?

Paranthas are unleavened, whole wheat flatbreads native to Punjab. Parantha dough is kneaded with a little oil as well as water. For a basic parantha, small portions are rolled out into round, triangular or square shapes and cooked on a griddle with a smearing of oil on both sides.

Paranthas are also stuffed with a variety of vegetables and herbs (mashed potato, grated cauliflower, radish, chopped fenugreek or mint leaves), paneer or minced meat. This hearty fare is traditionally eaten with a blob of unsalted butter melting on it or with a bowl of yogurt and pickle on the side. On chilly winter mornings, freshly cooked, stuffed paranthas make for a delectable brunch, washed down with a glass of lassi.

In the bylanes of historic Old Delhi, Paranthewali Gali is a street dedicated to this all-time Punjabi favorite, where for decades, a couple of tiny cafes have been dishing up the most amazing range of paranthas!

What is Dhokla?

Dhokla is a popular tea-time snack in Gujarati homes and one that’s widely sold in Indian sweet shops and fast-food restaurants. It’s healthy fare too, since it’s steamed rather than fried and is high in protein and fiber.

The basic ingredient which goes into dhoklas is split Bengal gram (chana dal) or gram flour. This is ground into a batter with spices (turmeric, ginger, green chilies) and a dash of sugar added for color and flavor. The mixture is fermented, poured into a thaali and steamed. When done, it looks much like a pale yellow sponge cake. A tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut is sprinkled on top. The “cake” is cut into pieces and served with tamarind or mint chutney. This is the traditional khaman dhokla.

Variations on the dhokla theme are a rice-and-lentil version called khatta dhokla (khatta = sour) and more modern experiments like vegetable dhokla and cheese dhokla. If ever there was a guilt-free snack, this is it!