Unique vegetarian recipes from the North

India - a land of sights to behold, cultures to soak in and cuisines that will take you straight to taste central! Today we explore North and North West India through a few of the most delectable vegetarian dishes that are unique and fairly uncommon here in the South.

These recipes are simple in the sense that they are not from hotels or restaurants but straight from the kitchens of our North Indian readers and can be easily made in your kitchen too:

Gatte ki sabzi

Gram Flour Dumplings In Tomato Gravy

(Good For 5 people)

This famous Rajasthani dish is generally found in a gravy made of curd, but this recipe calls for the gram dumplings to be bathed in a tomato gravy- giving it a spicy twist! The dish is best served with hot tandoori parathas.

Ingredients
For the Dumplings:
2 cups of besan (Gram flour)
2tbs of methi leaves (Fenugreek leaves)
½ tsp baking soda
1tsp red chilli powder
1tsp Ajwain seeds (Carom seeds)
Salt to taste
Water to bind and boil
Oil for frying
For the Gravy:
1kg tomato - chopped
2tbs vegetable oil
500gms onions chopped
2tsp ginger, grated
15 to 20 cloves of garlic
2tsp garam masala
Salt to taste

Preparation
In a bowl, add the besan, methi leaves, baking soda, red chilli powder, ajwain and salt; with enough water to form a semi firm dough. Knead it for 5 minutes or till the dough comes together. Let the resultant dough rest for 1 hour
Once rested, roll and cut the dough into 1 inch thick cylinders
In a deep pot, boil water. Suspend the dough balls into the water and allow them to cook till they pop up to the surface. Spoon them out and place them on a cloth to dry
Fry the boiled dough balls in very hot oil. And let them cool. The gatte are ready
In a fry pan add oil. When hot add the ginger and garlic
When the ginger garlic becomes fragrant, add the onions and let them turn pink
Then add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes
When the tomatoes are soft, add salt and garam masala
To the gravy add the gatte
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot !

Mangodi Kadi

Moong Bean Fritters In Curd Curry

(Good for 5 people)

Straight from the kitchens of Uttar Pradesh, to yours - is this tangy delicious recipe. The fritters are like pillows of flavor floating in a tasty yellow curry. Served best with hot layered (laccha) parathas, this dish can even be enjoyed with rice!

Ingredients
For the Mangodi:
1 cup moong daal (Moong Bean Pulse), Soaked overnight
1/4 tsp heeng (Asafoetida)
Oil for frying
For the Kadi:
5 tomatoes
1tbs ginger
3 green chillies
2tbsp ghee
250gms of curd
1tsp haldi (Turmeric)
1tsp dhaniya Powder (Coriander Powder)
1/2tsp garam masala
½ Degi Mirch (Red chilli powder)
Salt to taste

Preparation
Mince the soaked dal, without any water to form a grainy mixture
Use a hand mixer, to further mince the minced daal along with a pinch of heeng. Mix, till the mixture is fluffy and nearly doubles in volume (it will take 7 to 10 minutes)
Take 2 tablespoons of the minced daal aside to make the kadi
Fry the minced daal in hot oil to make the fritters. Once out of the oil, place the fried fritters in water, so that they remain soft
In a mixer grinder, mince the tomatoes, ginger and green chillies
In a large bowl, whip together the curd, haldi, salt, garam masala, degi mirch and dhaniya powder. Keep aside
In a fry pan heat the ghee. Once hot, add the tomato mixture and cook
Add the curd mixture to the tomatoes in the fry pan and allow the curry to become rich. Add water if necessary
Once the kadi, is ready add the fritters
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Sindhi Kadi

Vegetables in Tamarind & Pulse Curry

(Good for 5 people)

A staple in Sindhi kitchens, this kadi is sumptuous and delicious. It is served with deep fried crispy potato wedges (cut thick in circles) spiced with dry mango powder and chilli powder; called “Tuks” and basmati rice.

Ingredients:
1½ cup Arhar daal (Yellow split Pigeon peas)
1tsp haldi (turmeric)
2 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp of besan (Gram flour)
5pcs kokum (Garcinia)
2 carrots, julienned
100gms French beans, julienned
200gms drumsticks, chopped
3 tomatoes, grated
1 cup Imli water (Tamarind water)
Salt to taste

Tadka:

2tbsp ghee

1tsp Rai (Black mustard seeds)
5pcs Kashmiri red chilli, whole
1tsp Methi dana (Fenugreek Seeds)
1tsp red chilli powder

Preparation
In a pressure cooker add the daal with 4 cups of water, salt and turmeric. Allow it to cook for 1whistle, then lower the heat and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes.
Once the pressure cooker opens, mince the daal using a hand blender (mattha karo)
In a brass cooking pot, heat ghee. When hot, add the besan. Stir and cook till the besan turns brown.
Add 2 cups of water to the besan. Then add the daal and the grated tomatoes along with the vegetables
After 2 minutes add the kokum and let it come to a boil. Lower the gas
Add the tamarind water to the daal
To prepare the tadka; in a small pan heat the ghee. To it add the Kashmiri lal mirch, methi dana and rai. Switch off the heat and add the red chilli powder. Immediately add the tadka to the daal.
Let it cook for 5 more minutes
Serve hot with crispy “Tuks”!

Gud ke chawal

Jaggery Rice

(Good for 5-7 people)

A Punjabi delicacy, this dessert is pure indulgence and the perfect end to every Indian meal. Luckily it can easily be made within the sanctity for our homes!

Ingredients:
1¼ cup basmati rice
2 ½ cup yellow jaggery, chopped
2 tbsp ghee
2big cinnamon sticks
5pcs laung (Cloves)
1tsp elaichi powder (Cardamom powder)
100gms Almonds, shredded

Preparation
Boil the rice till it is a minute away from being done. Strain and keep aside
In a fry pan add the ghee. When hot, add the cinnamon, laung and jaggery
Stir constantly and allow the jiggery to melt
Add the cooked rice and elaichi powder. Mix well
Continue tossing and mixing till the mixture dries up
Garnish with the chopped Almonds and serve.
These recipes are so very easy that even if you’ve stepped into the kitchen for the first time in your lives, you’d be able to execute them to perfection! So go on and make them today for your friends and family and do tell us how they turned out !