For The Winter Palate

Indian winters vary in strength widely across different parts of the country. But for a country obsessed with sweets, delicacies made with winter vegetables and spices are a must-savour.

Palak Paratha

You’ll need:
• 250g spinach leaves
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

Palak Paratha: How to prepare

• Boil a cup of water and over cleaned and washed spinach leaves. Blanch for 5 minutes.
• Drain off the water and puree the spinach leaves; let the puree cool for a couple of minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, add flour, carom seeds, fennel seeds, and salt, and mix well.
• To this mix, add 1 tbsp oil, and the spinach puree, along with the chopped chili.
• Knead the mixture to make a smooth dough.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls, and dust with a little flour.
• Brush the dough into a small disc and add a few drops of oil.
• Fold into a semicircle, and brush with more oil.
• Fold this into a semicircle and press the edges together.
• Brush with a little flour and flatten with a rolling pin.
• Heat a Tawa, and place the paratha on it, cooking on one side till little bubbles start forming.
• Flip it over, and brush 1 tsp oil on one side, flipping after 15 seconds or so.
• Cook till it is golden brown and crispy.

Bhindi Pakoda

You’ll need:
• 10 ladies fingers (bhindi)
• 2 green chili, finely diced
• 1 inch ginger, julienned
• Curry leaves, a few, chopped
• 1⁄2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1⁄2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• A pinch of asafoetida powder (hing)
• 3⁄4 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1⁄4 cup rice flour
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• Oil for deep frying

Bhindi Pakoda: How to prepare

• Wash, and wipe clean the ladies’ fingers, ensuring there is no moisture on it. Chop finely.
• To this, add the green chili, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric powder, chili powder, and hing.
• Add besan, rice flour, and salt.
• Mix well, without adding water.
• Squeeze the ladies’ fingers while mixing, in order to ensure that the dough stays moist.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and add small ball-sized pieces of the dough to it.
• Fry on medium flame, until the pakoras are golden-brown and crispy.
• mixing spoons.
• Use a little vegetable oil to coat your palms; take a small portion of the warm mix and mold into medium-sized balls. Do this until the mix is finished.
• The laddoo is best served at room temperature.