Get a little bit of Old Delhi to home with this recipe. (Photo: Shalini Rajani)
Have you missed your favourite street food during the lockdown? I have been amazed at the deluge of social media posts where women, men and even kids tried their favourite cuisines right in their kitchens. From exotic dishes to even daunting recipes of desi jalebis and other Indian delicacies, we saw thousands of talented chefs created in a span of a few days.
No matter how tough it gets, we humans (especially Indians) can adapt to any uncertainty and even the new normal won’t stay new for long. We find ways and we move on.
During the first lockdown, I ran a live Instagram campaign for 21 days and the cooking activity gave me many new friends and memories. And the icing on the cake was ‘Quarantine Cuisine’, my first e-book that compiled all the experiences, featuring 84 recipes and amazing ideas from 24 golden kitchens of India.
I’m sharing one of my favourite recipes today from the book, a recipe given by Madhu Jain from Gurugram, who cooked Live with me. She is known for her Old Delhi specialities. Today, I tried my hands at her recipe and it turned out to be the perfect lunch for my family. I also added Khatta Meetha Kaddu (Sweet and Sour Pumpkin), a chutney with methi dana (fenugreek seeds) and tempered buttermilk. The book holds many such easy, no-fuss recipes.
These days, life sometimes seems a dark tunnel with no light at the end, but if you just keep moving forward, you will end up in a better place. Let’s pray that we become a stronger nation and support each other in every way because gradually, we are understanding what it means to be a self-reliant India.
Read more for the step by step recipe of Chandni Chowk special Nagori Aloo and enjoy a virtual trip to the lanes of Old Delhi with your loved ones.
Chandni Chowk Special Nagori
What’s Old Delhi without Nagori Aloo, right? (Photo: Shalini Rajani)
Ingredients: (makes 40 pieces)
1 cup – Semolina (sooji)
½ cup – Whole wheat flour (you can use refined flour too)
½ tsp – Salt (according to taste)
½ tsp – Carom seeds (ajwain)
3 tbsp – Oil
½ cup – Lukewarm water
Refined oil for frying
Method:
1. In a bowl, mix sooji, flour, salt, ajwain and oil together.
2. Slowly add water and knead it into a tight dough.
3. Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth and leave it for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, knead it into a smooth dough by adding a few drops of water.
5. Roll out small nagoris (tiny puris) and fry them when oil is really hot.
6. Serve hot. Traditionally Nagori is served with aloo sabzi (recipe given), raita, pethe ki sabzi and halwa.
Chandni Chowk Special Aloo Sabzi
Ingredients:
4 – Medium sized Potatoes
2 tbsp – Oil
1 tsp – Cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp – Coriander powder (dhania powder)
1 tsp – Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp – Red chilli powder (or according to taste)
2 tsp – Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
½ tsp – Green chilli paste
2 tsp – Salt (according to taste)
4 tsp – Fenugreek seeds chutney (methi ki launji)
1 tsp – Raw mango powder (amchoor powder)
½ tsp – Garam masala
¼ tsp – Asafoetida (heeng)
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:
1. Boil the potatoes and peel them.
2. Break (don’t cut) and roughly mash potatoes with hands and add them to 2 cups of water.
3. In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, dhaniya powder, kasuri methi, haldi, red chilli powder and green chilli paste and fry the masalas on a medium flame.
4. Add the potatoes along with the water. Water should be ½ inch above the potatoes.
5. Let it boil for 10 minutes without covering the pan.
6. Now add salt, methi ki launji, amchoor powder, garam masala and heeng. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
(Shalini Rajani is the founder of Crazy Kadchi and holds innovative and healthy cooking workshops for all age groups.)