Paneer Butter Masala | Restaurent and Dhaba Style | Tips To Make Perfect Creamy Gravy

I just happened to make this, because I wanted to use an open tub of fresh cream. Yes Paneer Butter Massala cannot be made without cream. If you want authentic real restaurant style gravy I will say please don’t skip cream.

How Paneer Butter Masala does taste like?

Very lightly spiced, tomato based gravy; thickened with cashews, cream and butter (ofcourse!). It is an indulgent dish, something in which you shouldn’t count calories or fat. For same reason it is also called as Paneer Makhani or Makhani Vale Paneer.

How to make restaurant style Paneer Butter Massala at home?

Yes, it is very easy to make restaurant style Paneer Butter Massala at home if you keep in mind the following tips.

-Do not overboard the gravy with spices and masalas. It has to be subtle. So if you use kitchen king masala power or any other spice powders, then stop it.

-Use nuts to thicken the gravy. Cashews are the best choice. You can use almonds too, but in that case soak the almonds and remove the skin. Again, do not go crazy with nuts too; you do not want super thick gravy.

-Put the paneer in the hot water and let it sit there for 20 minutes. This will soften the paneer and you will have that melt in mouth paneer cubes.

-Use butter and cream (full fat). There is no alternative for these too if you want good true paneer butter massala.

-To get that beautiful colour, use Kashmiri red chilli powder.

-Lastly use garlic, onion and tomatoes also in limited quantity. You do not want any of this to overpower the whole gravy.

How to make Dhabha style Paneer Butter Massala at home?

Okay, so those of you don’t know, dabha is a roadside restaurant in India. You will see so many dabhas on the highways, serving local cuisine. They are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day.

To make dabha style paneer butter masala you need to apply dhungar method or coal method. Here basically you heat up a piece of a coal till its red hot. Then place this charcoal in a steel bowl and place the bowl on the top of the paneer gravy. Add around ½ teaspoon of ghee on the coal and you will see smoke or fumes coming out it, immediately cover the pan with the lid and let it sit there for 2 minutes. Then remove the bowl and discard the coal. This method will give you that smokey paneer effect you get in the dhabha.

Is Paneer Butter Masala Healthy?

No absolutely not. Unlike other paneer dishes such as palak paneer or mutter paneer this paneer dish is loaded with calories and fat. It is not everyday kind of a paneer subji either –it is a royal treat that you can have once in a while.

What are variations to Paneer Butter Masala?

Over the years, trying paneer butter Massala at various places in india, UK and many European countries I have learnt some variations and I would like to share that with you all.

You can add makhane (fox nuts) in the gravy and it tastes good with paneer.

I have seen restaurants even adding peas (matar) with paneer gravy and it was a good twist too.

But my most favourite combination has been chunks of bell peppers in the paneer makhani gravy and in my recipe I have added it. (Feel free not to, but I promise there is something so magical about this variation).

Let us move to recipe now.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon oil

1 bay leaf/tej patta

2 green cardamom/elyachi

½ inch cinnamon stick/dalchini

5-6 cloves garlic/lehsun, roughly chopped

1 inch piece of ginger/adrak, roughly chopped

1 large onion/payaz, roughly chopped

3 large tomatoes/tamatar, roughly chopped

7-8 cashews/kaju

4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder

½ teaspoon garam Massala

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt to taste

¼ cup cream

Water as needed

250 grams paneer chopped

1 capsicum chopped into cubes

2 teaspoons kasturi methi

1 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, green cardamom and cinnamon. Let it sit in oil for 20 seconds. Reduce the heat to slow.

Add in chopped garlic, ginger and onion. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and cover it with the lid. Cook till onions turn soft and there is no raw smell.

Add tomatoes, cashews and around ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook again till tomatoes release the oil and it becomes soft and mushy.

Let the tomato mixture cool down and then grind it into smooth paste.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Throw the tomato mix in the butter. Add in it kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Mix it all well. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook again for 5 minutes till you gravy bubbling up and leaving oil on the sides.

After 5 minutes, slowly add in the cream and sugar. Mix and let it cook covered for 7-8 minutes. You must see shiny creamy gravy. Have a quick salt test to see if you need anything.

In the meantime on a separate pan, heat ½ teaspoon butter and sauté paneer cubes till you see some light golden colour on its skin (do not over roast the paneer). In the same pan also roast bell pepper (capsicum) till you see some cooked or burnt spots on its skin. Set both aside.

Throw in paneer and capsicum in the gravy. Add ¼ cup water. Let it simmer covered on slow heat for 5 minutes.

Finally add in kasturi methi and coriander leaves.

Serve with dollop of remaining butter on the top. And swirl of some fresh cream.

Dry Paneer Bhurji |Without Tomatoes|For Weight Loss|

Paneer as you know is the crowd pleaser ingredient for vegetarians. There are so many ways and recipes in which you can use paneer -right from starters to sides, to even desserts. Some of the paneer dishes doesn't even need any introduction such paneer dishes are either cooked at home or eaten at a dhabha as Mutter Paneer, Paneer ButterMassala and Palak Paneer.

Then are some paneer dishes that you always eat at a restaurant such as Kadai Paneer, Achaari Paneer, Paneer Tikka Massala and Paneer Kofta. Today I shall talk about Paneer Bhurji. What is Paneer Bhurji? Paneer Bhurji is a popular north Indian dish made with cottage cheese, with spices (massala) and with or without veggies. It is eaten with roti, paratha, naan, puri, kulcha, bhatura, bread, pav or as a side dish. It is also used as a stuffing for sandwiches, kathi roll, frankies, pitta bread, paratha and bread rolls.

Is paneer healthy? Can we eat paneer every day? Is paneer good for weight loss? After a quick google search and speaking to a friend who is a dietician and a nutritionist  I have come up to the conclusion that paneer is a power house of protein, healthy fats and is very low on carbohydrates. It is recommended for weight loss only if you make it in a healthy way that is not by deep frying and also using lots of vegetables in the process.

When I initially started cooking paneer bhurji, I saw so many recipes and videos of Sanjeev Kapoor, Ranveer Brar, Harpal Singh etc but slowly I understood that you need to decide as an individual what you want in your paneer bhurji. Paneer Bhurji is one such paneer dish that is super healthy and can be altered in so many ways. You can use onions garlic or not. You can use capsicum (I love to use) or not. Some people like it with gravy, I just prefer it dry. You can add veggies like corn, peas, spinach etc to make it even healthier.

You can put together fresh paneer from scratch for this recipe, I like to use store brought ones. In the market you will find two types of paneer-one will be soft white paneer and other will be slight yellowish paneer (bit hard, that looks like a block of cheddar cheese) -use that hard one for paneer bhurji recipe. Reason, because hard paneer is easy to grate and when it cooks it doesn't become a mushy mess. Also if you are using frozen paneer, give a good boil in the pan full of water, when it cools down-grate and use.

I use very basic daily spices and powders to make this. Also I don't like to use tomatoes as well. so Let's see how to make paneer burji.

Ingredients:

1 cup grated paneer

1 medium sized onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic grated

1/2 capsicum chopped

1 green chilli chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons oil                      

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon kasturi methi

1/4 teaspoon hing

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon garam massala

Red chilli powder as per taste

Salt as per taste

Coriander leaves for garnish

1/4 cup water

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, when it is hot add in hing and cumin seeds. Let it splutter.

On a slow heat add in garlic and onion. Cook till there is now raw smell and onions become soft.

Add in capsicum and cook it till it turns soft.

Add in grated paneer. Mix in all the spices-salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Also throw in green chilli. Mix well.

Add in water and lemon juice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes and mix in kasturi methi and garam massala. Mix and let it cook for another 2 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Notes:

If you want to have gravy, after onions, garlic and capsicum is cooked add in 2 chopped tomatoes. When tomatoes are done follow the remaining steps and paneer bhurji with gravy will be ready.

Some recipes call for pav bhaji or kitchen king massala, I just feel that these massala over powers the actual taste so I avoid using it. Feel free to add if you wish.

You can make stuffed parathas with this bhurji and also use it as stuffing for sandwiches and rolls.

Tiffin Wali Bhindi : Bhindi Massala: Okra Stir Fry

School time is the best time of our lives, ofcourse we realise that once we are in college. One of the fondest memories of school days-sharing tiffin boxes. We used to get 30 minutes recess and it was all about chit-chats and food. Tiffin box was always a surprise, and my mother made sure that every time it was a happy one.

We (my brother and myself) never got bread butter or jam butter in our tiffin box, it was always about paratha subji as mother believed that only paratha subji can suffice our hunger and give all the good energy for school. It was mostly plain paratha with any sukhi (dry) subji- aloo ki subji, pata gobi ki subji, gobi matar and beans subji.

Of all these options, I treasured and enjoyed most Bhindi Ki Subji, Okra Stir Fry and you can also call it as Massala Bhindhi. So the other day I was asking my mom over the phone about why Tiffin Wali Bhindi was so good and what special ingredient did she put in it? She replied-kuch bhi nahi (nothing). The simplicity of the subji makes it extraordinary. No onion, no ginger, no garlic, no garam massala- just 3 spices and get ready in jiffy.

This is tiffin wali subji, means it is ideal for packing it in your kids’ lunchbox or your husband’s tiffin. So, give makeover of dishes some rest and try this easy peasy full of flavours, good old style Tiffin Vali Bhindi a try.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped okra/lady finger/bhindi

2 tablespoons oil

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

½ teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirchi

1teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. When oil gets hot reduce the flame/heat to low.

Throw okra, turmeric powder and salt. Give a quick mix. Cover and cook till okra is half cooked.

Open the lid and add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Cover and cook again for 1 minute.

When okra is cooked completely mix in lime juice.

Serve.

Notes:

It is very important that you wash okra well. Make sure it is completely dry before you chop it and cook it. If the okra is not dry it will become mushy.
You can use amchur powder (dry mango powder) or dahi (yogurt/curd) instead of lemon juice.

Achari Paneer

Achari recipes are becoming very popular these days. Almost every Indian restaurant will have some achari dishes in the menu. Honestly it is a great way to bring twist to plain old simple recipes. Achari taste is robust of flavours. Easy but would give an impression that you have taken lot of efforts.

Achari or pickled spices are the mix of mustard seeds (rai), fenugreek seeds (methi), nigella  seeds (kalonji) and fennel seeds (saunf). These spices are not hot or spicy infact they are bitter in taste and have very strong aroma. You need to dry roast these spices and then use it, this then helps to give curry a very unique and piquant taste. I like to grind the roasted spices into fine powder, but you can use whole or coarse powder as well. 

Today I have made Achari Paneer, it is a dry (suki) vegetarian side dish with indian breads such as puri, paratha or chapati and goes well with rice and daal as well. Don’t let ingredients list intermediate you, this curry is indeed easy and worth all the steps.

More Achari Recipes:-

Achari Gobi 

Achari Bhindi

Achari Baingan

Achari Mirchi

How to make Achari Paneer

Ingredients:

(For Achari Massala)

1 whole red chilli

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/rai

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/methi dana

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds/saunf

1/2 teaspoon nigela seeds/kalonji

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

(For Gravy)

1 ½ cups paneer

1 onion medium size chopped finely

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

3 tablespoons yogurt/dahi

2 tomatoes

1 teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust as per taste)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

2 tablespoons oil + 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves to garnish
Kasturi Methi to garnish (optional)

Method:

Take all the ingredients listed in Achari spices and dry roast in the pan on very slow flame/heat. Let it cool down and grind into fine-corase powder.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the paneer and fry it. Make sure that paneer turns golden on all sides. Set the paneer aside.

Heat the remaining oil. Add ginger garlic paste. Sauté for one minute.

Add chopped onions. Saute for one minute or till onions are cooked properly.

Add chopped tomatoes. Throw in salt, turmeric, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Cover and cook till massala is cooked and tomatoes turned soft.

Take yogurt in a separate bowl. Mix in Achari massala. Whisk properly.

Slowly mix the yogurt mix into tomatoes gravy. Stir continuously for 1 minute.

Throw in paneer. Mix. Cover and cook till massla is well coated on paneer.

Garnish with kasthuri methi and coriander leaves.

Urad Dal Kachori: UP Vali Kachori: Aloo Ki Subji And Kachori

Aloo Ki Subji will be one dish that is popular in every household of India. However every state has got its own way of cooking it and serving it with. It’s served humbly with paratha or roti; served as a side with rice and dal. It is also paired with puri and batura, but the most royal match is when it is dished up with Kachori.

Those of you dont know, Aloo Ki Subji and Kachori combination is very popular in UP (Uttar Pradesh). From Ganga ghats in Banaras to Krishna’s home in Mathura to temples in Rishikesh and Haridwar this meal has stolen many hearts. It is a wholesome vegetarian meal, mostly served as breakfast or brunch near the temples and pooja places as a street food.

The simplicity and filling attributes make this dish very popular. Spicy and yet modest aloo ki subji is served with Urad Daal Stuffed Kachori. What makes it filling and perfect for breakfast are two things. a)Urad daal is heavy to digest, so you feel full very quickly. b) The kachori is made with maida (all purpose flour) and is deep fried. These two features make it so perfect for brunch as well.

What is kachori? Kachori is like puri but stuffed. The kachori we are talking here is different from Rajasthani Kachori also called as club kachori. Kachori in rajasthan are smaller and puffed up-served with chutney or as a chaat with dahi (yogurt) and meethi chutney. However these UP vali kachori are flat kachoris and are stuffed with urad dal instead of moong dal.

Aloo ki subji is also called as Mathura Ke Dubki Vale Aloo, Haridwar Ke Rassewale Aloo, Banerasi/Benarsi Aloo. Same way the kachori is called as Khasta Kachori, Kasta Bedvi Kachori.

Ingredients:

For Dough

1 cup all purpose flour/maida

2 tablespoons semolina/suji

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons oil

Water as needed

More oil for frying

For Stuffing

1 tablespoon oil

Pinch asafoetida/heeng

1/2 cup white lenthils/urad daal

1 green chilli chopped

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds/saunf

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds/sabut dhaniya

1 teaspoon grated ginger/adrak

1 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped

1/4 teaspoon garam massala powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirchi

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon black salt/kala namak

Method:

For dough-

Mix all the ingredients listed under dough category. Mix slowly water and start to form smooth dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

For stuffing-

Soak the dal for atleast 3 hours in the water. Then drain the water, wash the dal and keep aside.

Grind the dal coarsely with saunf and coriander seeds.

Heat oil in a pan. Add in it jeera, heeng. Let it crackle. Mix in turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, green chilli, adrak, garam massala and coriander powder. Mix for 10 seconds.

Mix this above massala mix in grinded dal. Mix well.

Mix in salt, black salt and coriander leaves.

Assembly-

Take a lemon sized ball of the dough, roll it out a bit. In the centre add in 2 teaspoon of stuffing. Take the edges of the rolled out dough and seal the edges.

With the roller pin (belan) flatten the stuffed ball.

Heat oil in wok, when hot, throw one kachori at a time. With the help of a spatula apply bit pressure and try to puff it. Flip and cook on the other side as well.

When you see it has become red. Serve.

Notes:

Feel free to use whole wheat flour/atta as well.

You can make moong (yellow mung) dal kachoris same way. Moong daal is bit lighter to digest.

Fry the kachori on mdeuim heat.

Aloo Tamatar Ki Subji For Puri Or Kachori

(This post has been updated with new pictures)

Read somewhere that the best things in life are free. A smile, sleep, hugs, kisses, laughter, family, memories- all these are at no cost. Isn't it priceless when a stranger smile at you in the train; or your husband hugs you when you are sad; or a child kisses a mother....nothing beats these emotions-correct?

It is good to be busy, to make excellent use of time but it is also imperative to spare a little time for the best free things :-) Same goes in cooking as well. When you walk through memory lane of your mother’s kitchen, what is that you remember? Did she always cook some exotic panner dish for you? Did she always use oven? May be yes, may be no. But I am sure most of the Indian mothers made simple basic things and we enjoyed it and now miss it the most.

Simple bhindi ki subji after a tough day at school; or sukha aloo in tiffin; or plain mango pickle rolled in parathas ...are the best.Aloo ka parathas or poha was all we needed for Sunday breakfast while watching Mogli or Malgudi Days on TV. Do you also believe that real pleasure of enjoying food is in eating simple meals? If yes, then today’s post will surly make you happy. I bring before you the most common and straightforward dish- Aloo Tamatar Ki Subji.

Aloo Tamatar Ki Subji (Potatoes Tomatoes Curry) which is paired with Puri (fried bread) or kachori (Stuffed fried bread) needs no introduction. People from Rajasthan, Bhiar and UP will surely know what I am talking about. The classic combination of potatoes and tomatoes with loads of massala when served with puri or kachori is a pure bliss- or simplicity at its best. Rain or shine, cold or hot days this paring can never go old or fade- will always stay- from generations to generations.

Compose this in your kitchen and recollect all the memories.

Ingredients:

4 medium size- boiled and diced- Potatoes/Aloo

3 medium size- chopped- Tomatoes/Tamatar

2- Green chilles/Hari Mirch

1 inch piece- grated- Ginger/Adrak

2 tablespoon Oil/Tel

1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida/Hing

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds/Jeera

1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds/Rai
1 bay leaf/Tej Patta
1 teaspoon kasturi methi

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder/Haldi

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder/Dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder/Lal Mirch

1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice

2 tablespoon Coriander leaves/Dhaniya

1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in kadai/wok and add mustard, bay leaf, cumin and asafoetida. Let the seeds splutter. Add slit green chillies, kasturi methi and grated ginger.

Mix turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam massala, salt with 4 tablespoon of water and make a paste.

Mix chopped tomatoes in the kadai and add the above spice paste. Mix well and let tomatoes cooked covered. Cook till tomatoes are mushy and soft.

Add 4 cups of water and potatoes. Mix well and let it boil covered for 10 minutes.

Finally mix in lemon juice and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Puri or Kachori.

Notes:

Adjust red chilli powder and garam massala as per your taste.

This is best when served with puri or kachori.

If in hurry, blend all the dry spices with tomatoes, ginger and green chillies.

Achari Bhindi Pyaz:Okra In Pickle Spices

I have a funny story to share today. Now, back in India we always knew Bhindi is called as Lady Finger-that is what we were taught in schools-right? After coming to the UK, one day I asked a grocery vendor if he has got some lady fingers in his shop. He quickly went inside and got me a pack of finger cakes (also known as finger sponges, mainly used in tiramisu). I was shocked and embarrassed at the same time, I did not know how to react at all, and thus I purchased that cake pack :-). I came back home and quickly searched on internet-it was then I came to know that bindhi is actually known as Okra ;)

From simple stir fried okra subji to exotic Bhindi Do Pyaza you can do so much with this humble vegetable. I have made oven roasted Bhindi also and if you fancy something marwadi then check Bharwa (stuffed) Bhindi recipe. Today, I gave okra a pickled taste.

Achari Bhindi Pyaz is robust of flavours. Easy but would give an impression that you have taken lot of efforts. Achari massala is dry roasted spice powder made by grinding the spices that are used in making pickle. Then, you need to use mustard oil (sarso ka tel) to bring that sour and authentic achari taste. I have seen people using yogurt (dahi/curd) in this recipe but I feel that it makes it very mushy and I personally don’t recommend it.

For me, Achari Bhindi Pyaz should be dry, coated with pickle massala and should have a bit of tanginess in the end. This is surely a crowd pleaser recipe.

Ingredients:

For Achari Massala

1/2 teaspoon fenurgreek seeds/methi dana

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds/saunf

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds/dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon onion seeds/kalonji

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds/rai

For Subji

250 grams okra/Bhindi

2 onions/pyaz

1-2 green chillies

2 tablespoons mustard oil/sarso tel

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric/haldi

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya powder

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirchi

1/2 teaspoon dry mango powder/amchur

Method:

For Achari Massala

On a low flame dry roast the ingredients till you smell good aroma. Approximately it takes 5-8 minutes.

For Subji

Chop Bhindi and pyaz lengthwise.

Heat oil in a kadai. When oil gets hot, add bhindi and pyaz.

Reduce the heat to low. Mix in salt and turmeric. Cover and let it cook for 8-10 minutes or till bhindi is half done.

Add in 1/2 teaspoon achari massala, coriander powder, red chilli powder and green chillies. Cover and cook again for 5 minutes.

Add in amchur powder. Mix. Cover and turn off the flame/heat.

Serve.

Notes:

Recently when my parents visited us my mother got me homemade achari massala and I used the same in this recipe. If you want a quick fix then I highly recommend using MDH Achari Massla which is easily available in Indian grocery stores.

Feel free to use some other oil as well, but mustard oil does bring the authentic pickle taste.

Make sure that okras are washed and dried well before using.

Aam Ki Chutney:Khati Meethi Kairi Ki Chutney:Instant Raw Mango Pickle

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer. A summer under a neem tree; a summer with comics like chacha chaudry; a summer with mangoes.

Raw mangoes, kacha aam, kairi or ambi whatever you might call it but if you are an Indian you can relate to that summer mango pickle scent-a memorable lane to your childhood. Huge sacks of raw mangoes were bought and all the ladies of the house would sit in the veranda and began to work on the pickle. Mangoes were washed, dried on an old bedsheet and finally chopped into wedges. Carefully achaar massala was mixed and later the pickle was filled into cheeni barni. Lots of sunshine, care and devotion would make that pickle, which we would relish all the year long.

Today it is also about raw mango- a sort of a pickle recipe, with the pickle spices but in a chutney form. Khati Meethi Aam ki chutney, is my all time favourite summer mango recipe. This recipe is similar to Aam or kairi ki launji (lonji, loonji) which is very popular in Bengal; mango chunks are coated into sweet and sour flavours with pickle spices.

Aam Ki Chutney is more like a jam or spread, a mashed version. Sweetness from jaggery (gud) and sourness of raw mangoes is balanced with aromatic fennel (saunf) and other basic indian spices. It is an easy peasy homemade pickle or aachaar or jam which is healthy and free of preservatives.

Serve it as a dip along with nachos, chips or plain papad. Spread it on parathas, bread or puri. It also goes well as a side with rice and daal.

Ingredients:

5 small raw mangoes/kairi

2 tablespoons oil

1 pinch asafoetida/heeng

1 tablespoon fennel seeds/saunf

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/rai

1/4 cup grated jaggery/gud/gur

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 cup water

Method:

Wash mangoes. Peel the skin. Discard the seed. Cut into medium pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil in pan. When oil gets hot add heeng. Add rai and jeera. Let it crackle.

Add in haldi and water. Mix.

Add mangoes and all the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes.

After two minutes, start mashing the mango pieces with the back of a spoon.

Taste. You might need to add more jaggery (depending on sour the mangoes are).

Let it cool down. Fill it in air tight container.

Notes:

You can use sugar instead of jaggery.

This stays well in the fridge for 1 week.

If you like it like launji where mango pieces are visible (kada or akha or sabut as well call it) then cut mango pieces into wedges and do not add water. Cook it on very slow flame, covered in a non stick pan.