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Dietician Sheela Seharawat

It is a fact that food is seasonal, just like clothes and other things. With the onset of winter, it is time to enjoy all those that we have refused to in summer, food that are thick, hot, nourishing and healthy. One of the greatest thing about winter is that you get a lot of vegetables and products that are fresh and appetizing, and you are devoid off in other seasons.

Mentioned below are a few healthy and easy winter recipes that you are sure to enjoy:-

1. CHOLEY PALAK ( CHICK PEAS WITH CARROT)

Ingredients:-
Choley (Garbanzo beans or Chick Peas) - 250 Gms
Spinach (fine chopped) - 3 Cups
Tomatoes (medium chopped) - 2 Nos.
Adrak (Ginger) - ½ Pcs.
Green Chili - 1 No.
Cooking Oil - 3 Tsp.
Hing (Asafoetida) - ¼ Tsp.
Jeera whole (Cumin seeds) - 1 Tsp.
Dhania powder (Corriander) - 1 Tsp.
Haldi powder (Turmeric) - ½ Tsp.
Red pepper powder - ½ Tsp.
Salt - to taste
Garam Masala - ½ Tsp.

Cooking method:-
Soak the chick peas overnight in water, drain and rinse. You can use canned chick peas also that are pre-soaked and ready to use.
Make a puree out the tomatoes, green chili and ginger.
Heat oil in a pan and once hot add the cumin seeds and asafetida. Once the cumin seeds starts crackling, add the tomato, chili and ginger puree, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and the red chili powder to it. Cook the ingredients for two to three minutes till the tomato mixture separates from the oil and the quantity reduces to half.
Add chopped spinach, salt and 1 ½ cup of water. Allow it to cook, covered for four to five minutes on medium heat.
Add the chick peas and lightly smash the peas with the rest of the gravy with a spatula. Add more water as required by you and allow it to cook for seven to eight minutes on low heat. Add the garam masala by sprinkling on the top.

Choley palak is best enjoyed with homemade roti or chapatti or even plain rice. It is a delicious and healthy vegan food option and is also gluten free.

2. GAJAR MATAR (CARR0TS WITH GREEN PEAS)

Ingredients:-
Carrots dices in ½ inch sizes - 2 Cups
Potato cobed in ½ inch sizes - 1 Cup
Green peas - 1 Cup
Cooking oil - 2 Tsp.
Carom seeds (ajwain) - 1 Tsp.
Whole red chilies - 4 Pcs.
Coriander powder (dhaniya) - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder (haldi) - ½ tsp.
Salt - to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.

Cooking method:-
Heat oil in a pan over medium fire, add carom seeds. Ensure that the oil should be very hot or else it will burn the carom seeds and it will lose flavour.
Add whole red chilies and turmeric and stir for few seconds.
Add the carrots, potatoes and green peas and stir well to mix.
Cover the pan and allow it to cook for about 10 minutes for the vegetables to turn tender. Remove lid and stir occasionally till it’s done.
Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and stir once to mix.
Serve hot and enjoy.

3. MALAIDAAR METHI MATTAR

Ingredients:-
Cream or malai - ½ Cup
Methi leaves chopped - 1 Bunch
Boiled green peas - 1 Cup
Ghee or butter - 3 Tsp
Cumin seeds - ½ Tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste

Powder together:-
Cardamom - 1 No.
Cinnamon stick - ½ inch
Cloves - 2 -3

Paste together:-
Onion - 1
Khus khus (poppy seeds0 - 1 Tsp
Sugar - 1 Tsp
Cashew nuts - 1 ½ Tsp
Curd - 1 Tsp
Green Chili - 2-3
Ginger - ½ Pcs

Cooking method:-
Immerse methi in salted hot water for 5 minutes, wash under running water and remove the excess water and set aside.
Beat the malai or cream in a bowl until smooth and set aside.
Heat the ghee in a kadai and add the asafoetida and cumin seeds to it.
Add the paste to it and mix properly, frying it for 2 -3 minutes.
Add the powdered spice and salt to the mixture in the pan.
Add the peas, methi leaves, malai and all the other ingredients and cook it till the gravy thickens.
In case the gravy thickens too much, a small amount of milk could be added to set the gravy.
Serve hot and enjoy.

4. HOMEMADE CHICKEN IN MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:-
Chicken breast - 2 Pcs
Button mushroom sliced - 1 Cup
Onion chopped - 1 large pc
Garlic clove chopped - 4 pcs
Thyme leaf dried - 1 tsp
Red chili flakes - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Corn starch - 2 tsp
Butter unsalted - for cooking
Salt - to taste

Cooking method:-
Wash the chicken breasts and mash it with a meat shredder. Ensure that the thickness is about 1 ½ inches.
Marinate the chicken with salt and pepper. Put a dollop of butter on a skillet or a griller or a hot plate and place the chicken and pan sear the chicken for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan and in the same pan add the chopped garlic and sauté until tender.
Add chopped onions and sauté until caramelised, then add chopped mushrooms, salt and dried herbs and cook till the mushroom loses all its moisture.
In a separate bowl mix milk and corn flour and mix well till both combines well. On a reduced flame pour the mixture and swirl well till the sauce starts thickening.
Switch off the heat and add the chicken breasts to the sauce and allow it to soak well. Cover the pan allow the chicken to rest in the sauce for some time.
Take out the chicken with some sauce and serve.

Chicken in mushroom sauce is best enjoyed with bread toast or garlic breads.

5. CHICKEN SAARU

Ingredients:-
Chicken with bone - 300 Gms
Red chili powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ Tsp
Poppy seeds - 2 Tsp
Cooking oil - as required
Salt - to taste

Ingredients to be grinded:-
Onions - 2 nos
Fresh coconut grated - 2 Tsp
Garlic cloves - 4
Ginger finely chopped - 1 inch
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 4
Dry red chilli - 4
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Cooking method:-
Dry roast the poppy seeds and keep it aside.
In a separate preparation add cloves, cinnamon and dry red chillies. Roast them well and keep aside.
Add 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add ginger, garlic and onions and roast all till the onions turns translucent.
Add grated coconut and cook them till it turns light brown. Allow the same to rest for some time and then ground all to a smooth paste with a little water.
In a pressure cooker add a little oil, roast cook the chicken with turmeric and chilli powder.
After about 5 minutes add the grounded paste and stir well. Check for oil, add water and pressure cook for till two whistles.
Turn off the fire and serve hot after some time.