Tag Archives: The Joys of Nepalese Cooking

SPINACH PAKODA पालक पाकोडा

in Recipes.
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Ingredients
2 cups of the leaves of spinach
1 cup of gram flour (besan)
2 green chillis chopped or 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 large onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of water or as required
Oil for deep frying

Process
Wash and clean the spinach leaves well.  Cut thickly or use they are.  Mix all the ingredients in gram flour and beat well.  It will become a thick paste.  Mix the spinach leaves.  Beat again.  Add more water if needed.

Heat the oil in frying pan until smoke starts to come.  To make the pakoda crispy, mix a tablespoon of the heated oil in the gram flour.  Fry small balls in the oil until they become light brown.  Adjust the heat accordingly.

Serve hot with a tomato and chili sauce.

Serves
3-4 persons.

MINT CHUTNEY – पुदिना को अचार

in Articles, Features.
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Mint leaves are not used for making chutney in Kathmandu Valley where they grow wild, but they are generally used in the Terai region of Nepal.

Ingredients
1 cup of green mint leaves
2 small garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoonful of chili powder or 1/2 green chili
1 teaspoonful of salt
2 tablespoons of mustard oil
1/2 teaspoonful of fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoonful of turmeric
Juice of one or two lemons

Process
Grind mint leaves and garlic in a mortar.  Add salt and chilis.  Squeeze one or two lemons for juice.   Heat the mustard oil in a small frying pan and fry the fenugreek seed till they become black.  Add the turmeric and turn with a spoon.  Now add the mint and garlic mixture.

Time required 10- 15 minutes

Mixed Vegetable Pulao – Nepali: तरकारीको पुलाउ – नेपाली

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spices

This type of mixed vegetable pulao is occasionally prepared, especially for feasts and in picnics.  It is a very rich dish.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of rice (basmati or masino/fine)
3 tablespoons of ghiu (clarified butter)
1 cup of cauliflower pieces
1/2 a cup of peas
1 carrot thinly sliced
1 onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 green cardamoms  or 2 black cardamoms
6 black peppers
2 cloves
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 a green chili
1 or 2 bay leaves
3 cups of hot, boiled water
small quantity of chopped coriander leaves

Process
Soak the rice in water for five minutes.
Wash and drain the water from the rice.
Heat the ghiu and fry the onions till they are brown.
Add all the spices.
Add all the vegetables and cook for a few minutes.
Add the rice, salt and green chili.
Fry the rice till it is dried and looks brownish in colour.
Pour three cups of hot water (2.5 centimeters above the level of the rice).
Cover and boil gently till the rice grains become tender and the vegetables are cooked.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

bon appetit