Simple Food: This is What I am Looking For …
Talking about home-cooked food, I am completely bowled over by the simplicity of food. I often wonder what it takes to make delicious food. Is it the training in hospitality. Often, it is the love and affection that makes food amazingly tasty and of course, the magic of one's hands.
Here, I present some main course dishes and a dessert that are etched in my memory.
Punjabi Dal Tadka
There is definitely some magic in this thick Punjabi Dal Tadka. The tenderly cooked dals, the sauteed onions and tomatoes, the mild flavouring of spices and of course the cherry, oh sorry, the tempering on top is the highlight of this recipe. Adding richness to the recipe is the tempering that's done in ghee. Really, changes the game altogether and the result is a delicious heavenly dal. I could slurp bowlfuls of this dal in every meal. Simply delicious.
Amritsari Fish
Think Amritsar and what comes to mind is the Golden Temple, Phulkari embroidered suits, dhabas, lassis and of course Amritsari Fish. You will often find these on the menu of bars and restaurants. The preparation is dry, like pakodas and is an excellent appetiser except that it has a sprinkling of chaat masala to spice up the preparation.
Litti Chokha
All my life I have known Litti Chokha to be a Bihari recipe. But recently on television, I saw two ladies cooking litti chokha on the ghats of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. Anyways, let's stick to the original information. This traditional dish is the identity of Bihar. A spicy-tangy filling, goes into the dough balls and they are grilled in charcoal or wood fire and served with chokha. Chokha is an accompaniment made from charred and mashed brinjals and tomatoes.
Kadha Prasad
The Kadha Prasad is a recipe and an experience very close to my heart. The reason being, this amazing wheat flour-based delicacy turned out just perfect after I followed the guidelines to the T. Honestly, I swear to God. Speaking of God, I had also read somewhere that this preparation which is offered as prasad to devotees in gurudwaras needs to be prepared by chanting a verse from their religious text. I did so too, oh yes, and after covering my head with a dupatta. On tasting the recipe, I was amazed that it had indeed turned out divine. The chanting worked.
Here, with these recipes, my search for simple, amazing recipes ends. I am sure you will love the recipes too. Do try these recipes using the links given.