Category: Dinner

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DAAL MAKHANI (BLACK LENTIL CURRY)

Both of my children start pre-school today. I have been with them for 3.5 years straight with a couple hours away here and there. I’ll be honest and say I’m a mix of emotions today. I’m excited for them because they are so ready for this and I am too. But I’m also a tiny bit sad because it means my babies are growing up. I haven’t cried yet though :)…there’s still the rest of the day though *LOL*

Today’s milestone calls for some comfort food, a staple dish in every Kashmiri home, especially in the colder months- daal makhani (black lentil curry), which reminds me of my mom. I used to love eating this (with boiled eggs!) after coming home from a long day at school & work. Passing along the tradition to my kids, and now you all through this recipe! Note: I don’t show the boiled eggs here because of my daughter is allergic.

A single pat of butter is placed on top of the daal as a finishing touch, which was a trick passed down to my mom from her mom. The word “Makhan” literally translates butter. I LOVE BUTTER. Little known fact about me 🙂

DAAL MAKHANI (BLACK LENTIL CURRY) RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 cups Black lentils
4 cups water
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Coriander, ground
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Thadka (oil seasoning)
3 tsp Unsalted Butter, cold
1 tbsp Black seeds (Kolonji/nigella)
2 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin

Preparation:

  1. Add the water, lentils, garam masala, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt to a pot, stir and boil on medium heat on stove. Leave uncovered and stir occasionally.
  2. Cook lentils until soft, approximately 40 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, make the thadka (which is the flavourful oil seasoning for daals)
  4. In a large pan on medium heat on stove, add in the cold butter. Allow to melt.
  5. Add in the thinly sliced garlic cloves and watch closely-once they are light golden add in the black seeds and sauté for 2 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Once the daal is done, take the thadka (oil seasoning) and carefully pour on top of the daal.
  8. Top with cilantro and one pat of butter and serve with warm naan!

Want to make this daal in the instant pot? HERE’S HOW:

Instant Pot: Add the water, lentils, garam masala, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt to a pot, stir and close lid of instant pot. Seal the sent. Select the ‘Multigrain’ button which automates to 40 minutes or so. Continue on with the recipe.

TIP: if there is too much water, just boil it off (sautee button on instant pot). If daal is too dry, add more water. ENJOY!

 

I hope you’ll try this recipe out and let me know how it turns out! It As always, let me know if you try out this recipe by tagging me @kashmirifoodie #kashmirifoodie, I would love to see your beautifully delicious creations!

xoxo

Tabassum 

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BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE

Hey guys, long time no chat. To be honest, I’ve been completely overwhelmed with life. I’ve been transitioning my kids to preschool and it’s been a lot of running around getting everything they need to succeed. I think I’m finally ready. Kudos to all the moms who successfully got their kids back to school a few weeks back, it’s no easy feat!

One thing that always calms my nerves is baking. And there is nothing like a crumble on a cool crisp day. In fact, crumble is the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert in the cooler months, perfect for the upcoming season. True story…stated by me 🙂

 

So why did I choose blueberries? To be honest, I had a pint in my fridge and if I didn’t use it, it would’ve spoiled. But no food wastage here folks, take your leftover fruit and make a crumble dessert out of it! Yay!

This blueberry crisp was incredibly easy to put together:

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup tbsp Brown sugar
1 cup Large flake oats
1/3 cup Flour
1/4 cup Walnuts chopped
1/3 cup Unsalted butter cubed, cold
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place blueberries in baking pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, cold cubed butter and brown sugar. Mix together with hands, forming crumb topping.
Place this crumb mixture overtop of the blueberries.
Bake for 35 minutes (until golden brown)
Serve warm and top with vanilla ice cream or as is!
Enjoy!

I hope you’ll try this recipe out and let me know how it turns out! My kids absolutely loved this crumble for breakfast which was a total mom win for me! As always, let me know if you try out this recipe by tagging me @kashmirifoodie #kashmirifoodie, I would love to see your beautifully delicious creations!

xoxo

Tabassum 

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Spicy Baked Salmon

If you’re crunched for time, this spicy baked salmon is the perfect dinner for you. It comes together in just 1o minutes (with a little pre-planning!) and is a family favourite around here.  It’s simple, wholesome and pairs great with a variety of sides! and hey, my toddlers love this salmon so this recipe is a total mom win 🙂

Remove the frozen salmon from the freezer in the morning before you leave for work OR thaw your salmon, marinate and bake right away!  Either way, it’s a pretty low maintenance kind of dish!

Ingredients:

2 Wild Pacific Salmon Fillets

3 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp raw organic honey

1/4 tsp red hot chilli powder (laal mirch)

1 tsp vegetable oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Coat the baking dish with the vegetable oil

Pat dry the salmon with paper towel. This will remove excess liquid.

Place salmon into the baking dish

Combine the soy sauce, honey and chilli powder together

Pour the mixture over the salmon

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes

Once done, there may be excess glaze on the baking sheet, spoon this over the salmon a couple of times for extra flavour

Serve with salad or any side of your choice

Dinner’s ready!

 

 

Happy to help!

Let me know if you try out this recipe and which milk you chose to use! I usually reply to emails within 24 hours 🙂

xoxo

Tabassum

@kashmirifoodie

 

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Dairy Free Iced Coffee

Summer is here…and so is Iced Coffee!

Hey/salaams! So I took some much needed time off after Eid as I was feeling a bit burnt out (ummm hi I wrote two e-cookbooks in less than a month!) but I’m back now!

I love summer and I love coffee. I just don’t like drinking hot coffee on a hot summers day though….cuz hello I’ll be a sweat ball LOL.

SO! I’ve been experimenting with iced coffee and guys- I love it!!! So easy to make and super delicious!

Dairy Free Iced Coffee!

I have recently started reducing the amount of dairy that I consume and I am just loving coconut milk and/or sweetened condensed coconut milk.  So yum.

Here’s the recipe:
1 cup freshly brewed coffee (I used my Nespresso machine to brew my usual coffee but you can use any coffee- even instant!)
2 tbsp sweetened condensed coconut milk
Handful of iceMethod:
1. Brew your coffee and place in fridge to chill. I brew mine and chill overnight.
2. Add in the condensed coconut milk
3. Mix together and add in ice.
4. Enjoy your iced coffee on a hot summers day :)Notes:
-any dairy can be used but you may need to add sugar
– sweetened condensed coconut milk is sweet so no need to add additional sugar
-the coconut milk gives this coffee a hint of coconut flavor which I love!
-I have also tried this with leftover condensed milk and it was incredible…however the calories in it increase with the additional sugar. Definitely worth trying !

Happy to help.

Let me know if you try out this recipe and which milk you chose to use! I usually reply to emails within 24 hours 🙂

xoxo

Tabassum

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Vegetable Pulao using Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice

Pulao has always been a staple in our house. I grew up eating more pulao than biryani. I think it might be a Kashmiri thing. Anyways,  the subtle yet flavour packed rice has been my favourite for many year and now it’s a highly requested dish by both of my toddlers. While we love beef pulao (recipe in my Ramadan eBook here) I like to change it up from time to time and make a vegetable pulao, especially when serving it with a main meat dish (re: kofte or a mutton dish)

This recipe comes together very fast, in under 30 minutes, which is essentially why I love it. 

Pre-soaking the Handi Handi rice is essential to this recipe but don’t worry I’m not talking hours, I just soak the rice for 15 minutes or the time it takes to makes the masala part of the recipe. The Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice is the perfect rice to use. The long grains soak up the water, reducing cooking time a tad bit. First, I rinse the rice until the water turns clear after washing. Then I soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes prior to cooking (that’s when I brown the onions and sauté the spices!)

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice

1 tsp Handi Pink Hemalayan Salt

1 tsp Handi Garlic and Ginger Paste

4 cups water

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

6 black cloves

2 black cardamom pods

1 bay leaf

1 tsp whole black pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 star anise

1 small onion, sliced thin

1 small cinnamon stick

                                                                                                         1 tbsp coriander seeds

                                                                                                    1 tbsp fennel seeds

 

 

Preparation:

  1. In a pot fry onions until very dark brown (but not burnt) 
  2. Take onions out, and put in mortar and pestle and grind 
  3. In the same pot add in the spices and fry until fragrant, about a minute or two
  4. Add in the Handi garlic and ginger paste
  5. Add in the frozen mixed vegetables and sautée for a five minutes
  6. Mix well for a few mins 
  7. Add 2 cups pre-soaked rice (but remove liquid by drawing the rice before adding to pot)  to 3 cups water when it boils first add in crushed onions 
  8. Add in Hand Pink Salt Grains (ground up using the mortar and pestle) and cumin seeds to taste 
  9. Cook on medium high heat until water evaporates 
  10. Cover and put in oven at 350 for 30 minutes 
  11. Optional-remove large pieces of whole spices at this point before serving
  12. Enjoy!

 

 

 

All of the products I’ve used can be found on the Handi Food Products website: https://www.handifoodproducts.ca

Handi ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvJipWgS1Wg

 

I would love to see your Ramadan creations so don’t forget to tag me on instagram @kashmirifoodie

 

Happy cooking!