Dussehra, a profoundly significant festival celebrated across India, symbolizes the ultimate victory of good over evil in the legendary tale of Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana and the rescue of Sita. Food plays an integral role in the festivities, as people from different regions of India prepare and relish a variety of dishes with their friends and family. As we revel in the spirit of Dussehra, why not embark on a culinary journey that transcends cultural boundaries and unites us through the language of flavour? We bring you a selection of recipes from podcasts like Simple Recipes with Sajeev Kapoor and Desi Delicacies on Audible, for you to indulge in. From sizzling street food gems to elegant culinary creations, these dishes offer a passport to the heart of global cuisine. So, fasten your apron strings, sharpen your knives, and get ready to savour the world, one delicious bite at a time.
Creamy Pesto Pasta [From Simple Recipes with Sajeev Kapoor on Audible]
Ingredients:
(Pesto)
- Fresh basil leaves 1 cup + 1 to garnish
- Pine nuts 1 tbsp
- Parmesan cheese grated 1 tbsp
- Garlic 5-6 cloves
- Olive oil 1/2 cup
- Salt to taste
- Black peppercorns crushed 1 pinch
(Pasta)
- Macaroni pasta boiled – 3 cups
- Olive oil – 2 tbsps
- Butter mushrooms sliced – 10-12
- Garlic crushed – 10-12 cloves
- Red chilli flakes – 1 teaspoon
- Corn kernels boiled – 1/2 cup
- Cherry tomatoes halved – 10-12
- Salt – 1 pinch
- Black peppercorns crushed – 1 pinch
- Parmesan cheese grated – 2 tbsps
Method:
- To prepare pesto, blend Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, and crushed black peppercorns until finely ground.
- Then, add garlic cloves and continue blending. Incorporate basil leaves and olive oil, grinding to create a coarse paste. Transfer this mixture to a bowl.
- For the pasta, heat olive oil in a deep non-stick pan. Sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned.
- Stir in red chili flakes and the pesto; sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add white sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Add corn, cherry tomatoes, boiled macaroni, salt, and crushed black peppercorns. Cook for a minute, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a sprig of basil, and serve immediately.
Soya Falafel [From Simple Recipes with Sajeev Kapoor on Audible]
Ingredients:
- Soya granules soaked – 1½ cup
- Chickpeas soaked, boiled and ground – 1 cup
- Oil for deep-frying
- Fresh mint sprigs – 4-5
- coriander leaves roughly chopped – 1 cup
- Green chillies – 2
- Garlic crushed – 1 tbsp
- Ginger finely chopped – 1 tbsp
- Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper powder to taste
- Chaat masala – 1½ teaspoon
- Onions finely chopped – 2 medium
- Salt to taste
- Chapatis leftover – 4
- Green olives sliced for topping
- Black olives sliced for topping
- Fresh mint sprigs for garnishing
(Salad)
- Onion – 1 medium
- Green capsicum – ¼ medium
- Tomato – 1 medium
- Fresh coriander sprigs – 2-3
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt to taste
- Green olives – 2-3
- Black olives – 2-3
(Dip)
- Thick yogurt – ½ cup
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Garlic paste – ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Heat oil in a kadai.
- Blend soya granules, chickpeas, mint, coriander, green chillies, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, pepper powder, and chaat masala to make a coarse paste. Add salt and onion, mix.
- For the salad, slice onion, cut capsicum into strips, and tomato into strips. Add coriander, lemon juice, and salt and mix.
- For the dip, mix yogurt, lemon juice, garlic paste, and salt.
- Shape the soya mixture into 16 balls and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes. Drain.
- Transfer the salad to a bowl, add olives. Place on one side of a serving plate.
- Put the dip in another bowl and place it on the other side of the plate. Garnish with mint and place falafels in the center. Serve immediately.
- Place chapatis on a worktop, spread salad on one side, add a falafel in the center, drizzle with dip, top with olives, roll, and serve hot.
Vegetarian Bun Kebab [From Desi Delicacies on Audible]
Ingredients:
- Potatoes (peeled and boiled) – ½ kg
- White onion – 1 medium
- Red onion – 1 small
- Green chilli, chopped – 1
- Salt to taste
- Garam masala – 2 tsp
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
- Ground coriander – ½ tsp
- Eggs – 2
- Mayonnaise – 3 tbsp
- Lettuce leaves and tomatoes, for garnish
- Yogurt – 100 gm
- Fresh or dried mint leaves – 1 tsp
- Garlic paste – 1/4th tsp
Method:
- In a bowl, mash the peeled and boiled potatoes together with the chopped red onions, white onion, green chilli, salt, lemon juice, ground coriander and half the garam masala.
- Now make burger patties sized cakes or kebabs out of the mixture.
- Beat the eggs and dip these potato cakes in it. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry these cakes. Flip in the middle so you heat on each side until golden brown. Take them out and place them on a plate.
- For the yogurt dip, in a bowl, add the yogurt, salt, mint, the other half of the garam masala, and the garlic paste. Mix well.
- Spread some mayonnaise on one side of the potato kebab and on top, layer the sliced tomato and sliced lettuce. Cover it with the burger buns, and serve with 1 tbsp of yogurt mixture at the side of the plate for dipping.
Sweet Rice Zarda with Orange Peels [From Desi Delicacies on Audible]
Ingredients:
- Uncooked white rice – 2 cups
- Orange food coloring – ¼ th tsp
- Grated or julienned orange zest – 2 tsp
- Whole cardamoms – 4 to 6
- Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
- White sugar – 1 ½ cups
- Double cream – 1 ½ tbsp
- Raisins – 1 tbsp
- Chopped walnuts – 1 tbsp
- Slivered almonds – 1 tbsp
Method:
- Cover the rice with water in a bowl and leave to soak for about an hour before draining off the water.
- Bring a large saucepan of five cups of water to boil. Then add the food coloring and half the cardamom pods. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat, and cover and simmer until this is tender (about 20 minutes).
- Fry the remaining cardamom pods in oil in another large pan over a low heat for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the cooked and drained rice along with the sugar.
- Cover the pan and cook for five minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, raisins, walnuts, almonds, and orange zest. Serve immediately.
