Churdkani, Kumaon

Introducing another Kumauni dish, Churdkani made of black soy beans. I remember my childhood days when my mother often used to make churdkani and teaming it with rice made a very healthy lunch.

This iron and protein rich dish is one of the popular dal especially on weekends.  The black soy beans called bhatt are cooked in an iron kadahi and the slow cooking takes in iron from the vessel making the dal further black. Fried red chillies are a common accompaniment and who can withstand not adding a spoonful of ghee! Nothing could be more satisfying than a bowl of chudkaani.

Ingredients:
1 cup bhatt
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chopped ginger or ginger paste
salt to taste

Tempering:
1 tbsp ghee
a good pinch of hing
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp jambu
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Bhatt: Before I tell the method of making chudkaani, let me explain what bhatt is.

They are black soy beans and form the basis for dishes as churdkani, rus and bee. They look very similar to the black beans used extensively in Mexican dishes but the taste is very different. Like all lentils, they are high in protein and fiber.  Since, this dal is cooked in an iron wok, the iron content in the dish gets highly increased. They are used in Nepal as well and callled bhatt maas.

Method:
Pick bhatt, wash them and lay over a towel to dry them.

Dry roast them in an iron wok. After some time, you hear crackling of the beans and they start splitting.

A close-up of the split beans

the outer skin splits

Originally, the beans are then cooked in an iron kadahi but I, to save time pressurize them with some water.

cooked beans

Pressurize for one whistle and let the pressure drop by itself.
Meanwhile, in an iron kadahi, add a spoon of oil preferably mustard oil.  Add chopped onions, saute till transparent.

Add 3 tbsp of whole wheat flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder.  Stir till the raw smell of wheat flour goes away and the spices are roasted.

Add cold water and mix them thoroughly.  Transfer the beans from pressure cooker along with water. Add ginger, salt to taste and let the mixture boil for approximately 20 minutes or till it becomes thick.
The dal would now have become more black.
Some people like to add soaked rice paste to the dal. For this, skip adding wheat flour, let the dal cook and later add rice paste with some water. Cook till thick.

For tempering :
In a tbsp of ghee, add asafoetida, jeera, jambu, garam masala......

Pour the tempering over churdkani. Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves.

Serve with rice, salad and fried red chillies.

Sunday lunch

My Notes:

• Never add hot water to the flour mixture, it will become a solid mass.  So, first put cold water, mix the flour and then add the beans along with liquid from pressure cooker.
• Rice powder paste can also be added as a thickener.
• I often add a tablespoon or two of oats while the dal is simmering.
• If you like garlic, add some while sauteeing onions.
• Some times people add tomatoes as well along with onions.

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Kandy is the second largest city after Colombo. It is also a UNESCO heritage city because of the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) which houses the tooth of Buddha.

We preferred to travel by train. The journey by road we heard is picturesque but takes 3 hours and we had to return the same day so the trian seemed the best option.

(the train to Kandy- I merged two photos to depict the full length of the train, inlcuding the EXPO car)

The train chugged off. My husband and I roared with laughter when the train soon started swaying and jumping on the tracks, it was a disney world ride :)

Paddy fields along the route

Going uphill the Kandy hills

The train passed through thick growth of trees, betal leaves entwined tree trunks, jackfruit and the ubiquitous coconut and areca nut palms.

Decorated Kandy railway station

Welcome to the city sign outside railway station

Mahanuvara means a "great city" which is the name synonymous with Kandy. This place had been the capital in earlier days.

Huge Buddha image outside the railway station

Clock tower, important landmark in Kandy

Plaque giving the details 

Temple under a Peepal tree

Queens Hotel

This British time hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Sri Lanka and over looks the beautiful Kandy lake.

Kandy lake

Temple of Tooth Relic

inside the temple

lighting lamps

It is customary to wear white clothes when visiting a temple. Also, lotus flowers are usually offered at temple along with incense sticks. Wearing white clothes signifies a purity of mind, body and soul.
Lighting a lamp signifies elimination of darkness from life and presence of light of joy and happiness around one.

entrance to Vishnu temple

Bo tree inside the temple 

There are 4 places in four corners where people pray and offer water to the tree.

Beautifully arranged flowers on the roadside 

It was time to return to the railway station.  On the way, I stopped at Cargill's, one of biggest supermarket chains in Sri Lanka. I bought buffalo milk curd set in an earthern pot. It was very refreshing to beat the blazing sun.

decorated market place

Vesak lanterns 

railway station on our way back

view from top of Kandy hills

The journey soon came to end. We were very tired by the time we reached our hotel.  I would have wished to see more around Kandy but given the constraints of time, I feel it was a good one day trip.

Pista-elaichi Kulfi

Kulfi is an Indian sub-continent frozen milk dessert made by reducing full fat milk till it is thick and creamy. It is then sweetened and flavored usually with pistachios and cardamom or saffron, almonds and pistachios or rose water. The flavors are endless. I happened to eat jackfruit and coconut kulfi some time back. It was a different flavor but not something which I would like to make.

There are a few differences which I find between an ice cream and kulfi. Since, kulfi is made with full fat milk, there is no need to add cream.  The milk is thick and dense, it freezes into a smooth soft texture. Ice creams not only need to be aired but some thickening agent needs to be added.  Lastly, one advantage I find kulfi has over ice cream is that I can re-freeze melted kulfi and it gives me the same outcome, both in taste and consistency.  Ice creams once melted go waste, you cannot freeze them again.

The recipe which I am writing below uses both evaporated and condensed milk.  Since, my evaporated milk is not full fat, I need to add whipping cream but sadly I did not have whipping cream at home so made use of malai.

Ingredients for basic mixture:
1 can (12 fl.oz) evaporated milk
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1- 1 1/2 cup of whipping cream or malai

for flavoring:
15 pistachios
3/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

Take a pan and empty the evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.  Sweetness depends on your taste. I usually go with not more than 3/4 of the can but I have also added the whole can depending on how sweet my guests might like it. 

Mix both types of milk well.

I did not have whipping cream so, substituted cream malai which is the cream removed from top of boiled raw milk.  I decided to sieve it so that the kulfi does not have lumps of cream.  I also added the left over milk solids to milk mixture. This way, it became a homogeneous mass and gave an impression of reducing the milk by boiling :)
If, you are using cream, then whip it lightly and fold in the milk mixture. Do not over beat or it would turn into butter!
Cream gives a smooth texture to kulfi. You can put 1/2 cup more for a creamier kulfi but do not exceed or else the kulfi tastes only of cream.
This is the basic kulfi mixture.

To the basic kulfi mixture, add flavorings of your choice and enjoy a large variety.

For pista-elaichi, I would suggest, not adding pistachio powder but adding pounded ones. The kulfi looks pretty with green specks in between.

Add cardamom powder and pistachios to the pan. Give it a good stir.

Kulfi molds given by my MIL, I treasure them.  The material is so good and the caps fit in perfectly !  I bought a few some time back and either the caps would not fit in properly mess up the whole work.

Fill in the molds, just leaving enough space for the kulfi to expand on freezing.
Put them in the freezer to set.
For removing the kulfi from molds:

Dip the mold in water to losen the sides and remove with a butter knife.

Slide on to a serving dish.....

garnish with chopped pistachios.
Enjoy before it melts :)

My Notes:
If you do not have kulfi molds, dont worry. Put the mixture into a glass ware, cover it tightly with an aluminium foil and freeze. The purpose is to freeze kulfi quickly without giving it time to develop crystals.
You can use any aluminium container also but make sure to cover it.
Chill the cream and also the beater before beating.

kheere ka raita, Kumaon

Raita is a very common accompaniment to any Indian meal.  Cucumber raita is commonly made in most households, but the raita prepared in Kumaun is a little different.
Mustard paste is added to the raita and left for some time for it to become more pngent and tasty.  Also, it makes the raita more thick and creamy.
The trio combination of aloo ke gutkey, kheera raita and poori is a very popular quick meal in Kumaun.
This is always a must in any festival cooking.

Ingredients:
1 cup full fat yogurt
2 big cucumbers
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder or raita masala
1/4 tsp sugar, optional
salt to taste
chopped green chillies or green chilli paste, according to taste
coriander leaves

ingredients needed

Method:
Peel and grate cucumber.
Squeeze it well to remove water.  And so  your energiser drink is ready  :)
Beat yogurt to make it smooth.

mustard paste

 Make a paste of mustard with little water.

Add cucumber, green chillies, mustard paste, roasted cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt.

Mix everything properly. Check seasonings.

Garnish with coriander leaves and put it in refrigerator for the mustard to develop its zing.

My Notes:
Adding a little bit of salt along with mustard makes grinding much easier.  You can also add mustard powder.
Add a little bit of milk if the yogurt is sour or let drain the water from yogurt for some time.