The winter season is here and it’s the perfect time to wear your favorite woolen clothes, sip cups of your favorite coffee/tea, slip into your warm and snug blankets and of course indulge in a wide variety of winter food items. Many of us experience increased hunger pangs during the winter season, since the weather causes a drop in our body temperatures and stimulates our appetite. However, eating allows body to produce heat and keep it warm as well as cozy. So, there you are! Now, you have the perfect reason to enjoy a wide variety of delicious winter food items that are packed with healthy nutrients.
Sarson ka Saag/Makki ki Roti with homemade butter
Oh yes, the very thought of hot & spicy Sarso ka Saag with some extra clarified butter(ghee) or home-made butter (makkhan) on it, brings a smile on my face. Made with sarson or (mustard green) the dish is full of health nutrients and antioxidants that are excellent for your body. Sarso ka saag is mounth-watering delicacy of the Punjab and Rajasthan region of India. However, during the winter season, the dish is prepared in almost all homes across the country. The saag can be best enjoyed with makki ki roti (Punjabi style bread made up of corn meal). The dish is topped with lots of ghee and home-made butter and enjoyed with friends and family members.
Spicy & Exotic Mooli Kofte
In India, we all love our kofte (round shaped balls made of vegetables or meat). In fact, our kofte are made up of a wide variety of vegetables such as lauki (bottle gourd), cauliflower, mixed vegetables, paneer and a number of other vegetables and even meat. But, when it comes to enjoying the winter season, mooli ke kofte has its own special space in our menu. As one of the special winter food items, Mooli ke Kofte is made up of mooli or white radish, peanuts, gram flour, salt, red chilies, onion and coriander leaves. Each of the above ingredients are combined together to prepare kofte (round shaped balls) and deep fried as well as added to a special curry, made up of garlic, ginger, onion and tomato paste all fried together in cooking oil. Add to this a pinch of turmeric, salt and garam masala and simmer for a while to serve your delicious mooli ke kofte during lunch/dinner time.
The Amazing Gobhi Matar Keema
Keema is usually made up of ground or minced meat such as the beef, lamb, poultry and pork meat. But, in India, we like to prepare keema of different vegetables as well as soyabeans or soybeans. One such special Keema dish is made up of minced Gobhi (cauliflower) and minced Matar (Green Peas). It is a dry dish that is served with roti or paratha (Indian flat bread made up of whole wheat flour). The dish can be easily cooked in 15-20 minutes using a pressure cooker and has an amazing taste. Simply, heat some oil in a pan and add tomatoes, onions, ginger garlic, turmeric powder, corriander powder and red chilli powder as well as garam masala to it. Saute it for a couple of minutes, add minced gobhi and matar and place a lid on it to allows the dish to absorb the incredible flavors. The yummy gobhi matar keema is best enjoyed with paratha.
Tangy & Tasty Shalgam Bharta
Yet another exciting winter special food recipe that you must indulge in is the tangy & tasty Shalgam Bharta (Mashed Turnip). Made up of mashed shalgam, tomatoes, coriander leaves, green chillies, onion, garlic and ginger, this mouth-watering dish almost melts in your mouth. The recipe is simple to parepare and best enjoyed with roti or paratha. In order to prepare your tasty & tangy Shalagm Bharta, you need to heat some oil in a pan and add onion and garlic to it. Saute the ingredients for a while and then add ginger, tomatoes, green chillies to sauté them for another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the shalgam as well as some salt and cover it with a lid to allow the dish to cook on its own. Top the dish with some coriander leaves and allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes. That’s it! Your Shalgam Bharta is ready to be served!
So, what do you have to say about these winter special food items and what are you planning to prepare next?
-Puja Bhardwaj
