Winter is the time for indulgence. The markets are brimming with colorful root vegetables, and seasonal winter produces like cauliflower, beetroot, strawberry, carrot, radish, mustard greens, turnips, green peas, and sweet potatoes. Whether you like a bowl of gajar halwa or gobi paratha, here is our collection of some moreish dishes to prepare this winter.
-
Roasted Cauliflower Curry:
This aromatic cauliflower curry makes for a hearty meal. Start with roasting the cauliflower florets with a touch of oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sauté some garlic and ginger in olive oil. Add cumin, coriander, star anise, ground turmeric, along with some tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the roasted cauliflower, and 200 ml coconut milk. Allow to simmer in gentle heat for 15 minutes and add a handful of green peas. Finish with some chopped cilantro. Ladle a spoon of this warming curry on a bowl of steamed brown basmati rice. You can also serve this with yogurt flatbreads.
-
Gajar Halwa:
A warm bowl of gajar halwa is worth the wait for the winters. Start with grating some red carrots. Simmer the carrot mix in full-fat milk with some cardamom pods. Heat ghee in a pan and add the carrots. Cook for 30 minutes until the carrots are tender. Stir in sugar, flaked almonds, cashews, raisins. Finish with some chopped pistachios.
-
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry:
Start with sautéing ginger, garlic, and onions in coconut oil. Add a halved cinnamon stick, a sprig of thyme, chopped green chilies, and yellow curry paste. Add 1 tsp of coriander powder, curry powder, and sweet paprika. Add the sweet potato and coat it in all the spices. Add salt, pepper to taste and pour in 200 ml of coconut milk. Add 200 ml of vegetable stock and let it on a gentle simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Add in 300 gm of cooked chickpeas and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir in some fresh spinach leaves. Finish the stew by adding chopped coriander leaves and a splash of lemon juice. Serve the curry with a bowl of steamed brown rice. Brown rice benefits the health as it’s high in fiber and essential minerals.
-
Palak Paratha:
Palak paratha is a delicious way to include green leafy vegetables in your diet. Rinse the spinach leaves well and blanch them in salted boiling water. Puree the spinach in a blender. Add the puree in whole wheat and knead to form a pliable dough. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Roll out the dough into round paratha shapes. Fry them with 1tsp of oil in a tawa. Serve with curd and pickle.
-
Beetroot Kebab:
Beetroot is root veg rich in antioxidants and other essential nutrients. You can make these kebabs with shredded beetroot, and tofu. In a bowl mix together grated beetroot, tofu, garlic, rock salt, and amchoor. Make round shaped patties and fill them with chopped cashews. Coat the patties in crushed oatmeal and shallow fry them in olive oil. Serve hot with pudina chutney.
Indulge in these delicious and hearty winter dishes. This is also the perfect season for making jams, pickles, preserves to store them for the summer months.
