We begin with week 2 and for this week I have chosen to cook Festival Recipes.
Raksha Bandhan is just around the corner. This is an Indian festival where sisters tie a holy thread to their brothers and in return, the brothers promise to take care of the sisters. I remember when I was young, my brothers used to tease me that I tie Raakhi just to get gifts and money. I used to howl a lot, but I guess it is a way to show the love between siblings. Years have passed by and now I send the Raakhi through courier. Time changes everything.

Here in my in-law’s house, my mother in law used to call her brothers for breakfast, my hubby’s sister too joined and my girls would also tie the Raakhi to their brother. It surely was a festival to celebrate, but it was always breakfast. The normal menu was a mix of cuisines, normally Punjabi and South Indian or Sindhi.

With time things have again changed. My mother in law is no more, the girls are married, so my sister in law prefers to call her brother. But going back to the old memories I decided to create a Raksha Bandhan Breakfast, a breakfast which we used to make a couple of years back.

Here is the menu

Idli

Dosa

Coconut chutney

Curry leaves and coconut chutney

Sambar

Amritsari Aaloo Kulcha

Dahi

Green chutney

Fruits

Kaju Halwa

For Day 1, I shall post the recipe for Amritsari Aaloo Paratha.
This is on the lines of an Amritsari Kulcha that we had in Amritsar. The actual kulcha is made of all-purpose flour and the dough is made like puff pastry dough. After kneading a layer of ghee is applied and then another layer is placed, again ghee is spread, like this, they make seven layers, and then a big ball is pinched out to make these kulchas. I skipped all the layering and made the kulcha with my chapati dough. It is the stuffing that is Amritsari style.

Boiled mashed potatoes are seasoned with salt and a special spice mix which I got from that kulcha wala. On examining the spice closely I noticed it had coarsely ground coriander seeds, coarsely ground black pepper, melon seeds, and some coarse cumin powder. I also added the Garam masala that I make. Fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chillies are also added to this potato mix. After the kulcha is cooked ghee is applied and the Amritsari spice mix and some Chaat masala are sprinkled. The paratha has a real special flavour, unfortunately, the clicks do not do justice to these delicious parathas.

Amritsari Aaloo Paratha

Ingredients

Chapatis dough for 2 chapati

Amritsari Masala

1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp whole black peppers
Roast the above and coarsely grind them, add 1/2 tsp melon seeds

Stuffing

2 large potatoes, boiled, mashed
2 green chilly, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Garam masala
1/4 tsp dry mango powder
2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Amritsari masala
Salt to taste

Method

Boil and mash the potatoes.
Add all the above spices and herbs and mix well.
Divide the dough into two balls.

Making the Paratha

Make two balls from the chapati flour.
Roll out one ball into a 6″ disc.
Apply ghee and sprinkle a little dry wheat flour.
Place one ball of stuffing in the centre.
Bring together the edges and seal them.
Dust the flour and roll into a disc about 8″.
Roast on a griddle till brown spots appear.
Flip and roast again.
Apply ghee and fry the kulcha on both sides.
Sprinkle the Amritsari masala and serve with curd, pickle. chutney or papad.

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