NEW DELHI :
The month of Ramazan has entered its last leg and thus it is possible that the items on the Iftaar table at dusk must be getting mundane. Here, Awaz-the Voice spoke with Zohra Seeme, author of “Zaykah India ka” and founder of NGO Social Pride Welfare Society about how to pep up the Iftar platter for the family.
“I learnt cooking after I got married..”, was Zohra Seeme’s reply to how and when she learnt how to cook. Zohra said as shewas distributing ration on behalf of Mahila Panchayat (an NGO she collaborates with) to the needy when Awaz the Voice reached her for a tete-a-tete.
Here’s her top dishes that can be tried this Ramazan:
Potato-Chicken Patty: potatoes boiled and mashed properly are used as a base that are then filled with minced meat of either chicken or mutton. Minced meat or keema that is prepared by roasting it with bare minimum spices and a dash of onions till cooked properly.
Chane ki dal ke pakodas with Keema (Gram flour fitters filled with minced meat): preparing the gram flour dough by kneading it with a bit luke warm water, add salt to taste, take small portion, roll it flat, fill it with minced meat (as done with potato chicken patty) and just deep fry it or bake it (whatever suits you best).
Zohra says, “I was the youngest at my place, thus I never touched a thing, but after I got married, my partner ate less but rich food, thus my journey of preparing food started..” “I don’t particularly follow any book, I believe in intuition rather..”, she replies when asked about her mantra behind the delicious recipes.
She adds, “I make up mind as and when I enter the kitchen, I try to think of flavours in my mind and when they click, I try to lay them on the dining table..”
Asked about some oil-less, health conscious recipes she says, “ well, there’s Ghugni (a local name for chana dal soaked overnight and prepared with a dash of lemon, salt, black pepper, and finely chopped onions, tomatoes..”
A healthy potpourri can be prepared by taking sprouts of your choice(soak black gram, green lentils, yellow gram overnight), and just add lemon, salt, black pepper and salad of your choice.
When asked about an all time favourite recipe of her kids she says, “I prepare chicken roast, that is one recipe that is loved by all..”
Here’s the recipe: boil the preferred choice of meat with salt, garlic, ginger and water. Separate the water from the meat when tender. Add a pinch of fine flour (maida), edible food colour and either pan fry or deep fry the same. When done it is served with preferred salad dressing.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Women / by Shaista Fatima, New Delhi / April 24th, 2022