Kashmiri Recipes
RECIPE NO. 78
'Chaamani Qaliya'
(E-'Qaliya' of Domestic Cheese) (H-'Panir ka Qaliya')
| 1. 'Panir' |
1 Kg |
| 2. Milk |
1 Cup |
| 3. Broken Dry Ginger, or Sliced Green
Ginger |
10 gm |
| 4. Aniseeds, whole |
10 gm |
| 5. Salt to taste |
1 to 2 tsps |
| 6. Asafoetida |
a pinch |
| 7. Turmeric |
2 tsps |
| 8. Curd |
1 cup |
| 9. Aniseed Powder |
2 tsps |
| 10. Ginger Powder |
1 tsp |
| 11. Mustard oil |
1 tsp |
| 12. Cumin Seeds |
1 tsp |
| 13. Cloves |
3 nos |
| 14. Caraway Seeds |
1/2 tsp |
| 15. 'Garam Masala' |
1 tsp |
| 16. Green Cardamom |
6 nos |
| 17. Black Cardamom, Cinnamon and Black
Pepper Powders, each |
1/2 tsp |
Dice, with a sharp knife, the 'Panir'
into about 3/4" cubes.
In Kashmir, for preparing 'Qaliya',
earthenware cooking vessels (a 'Deg' to cook 2 to 3 kg. 'Panir'
and a 'Leij' for quantities up to 1 kg.), are usually used. The
baked clay imparts a special aroma to the 'Qaliya'. However, where
an earthenware vessel is not available, a steel or a tinned copper or
brass 'Patila' is used.
1. In a 'Kadahi', deep fry, on
medium heat, the diced 'Panir' in the Mustard oil, till it turns golden
yellow, and the edges of the pieces fry a little brown. While frying, keep
on turning the diced Cheese with a perforated ladle (H - 'Jharna'),
so that it is fried uniformly. Take out the fried Cheese, after draining
the oil by means of the perforated ladle. Remove the 'Kadahi' from
the stove.
2. Now, in a 'Patila', of about 3
litres capacity, boil for half an hour, the fried Cheese, in a litre of
water, after adding to it, the cup of Milk, broken Dry Ginger or sliced
Green Ginger, the Aniseeds, Turmeric, Salt and half a pinch of Asafoetida.
3. Strain the Soup through a colander or a cloth,
and keep it in a bowl. Sort out the Cheese pieces and keep in another
bowl, and throw away the boiled Ginger, Aniseeds and other sediments; left
in the colander or the cloth.
4. To the strained Soup, add the Curd, Aniseed
and Ginger Powders, after mixing these with a spoon, or churning with a
small churning stick (H - 'Biloni) into a homogenous sauce.
Pour this into the 'Patila' or an earthenware vessel, after washing
its inside. Resume heating it, and keep on stirring with a steel or wooden
ladle, so that the Curd does not crack and separate, till it comes to a
boil. Add the boiled Cheese pieces, and let boil for another 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile alter straining the oil left over
from frying of the Cheese, to remove any sediments, heat it again in the 'Kadahi',
and add to it Cloves, Cumin Seeds, and the remaining half pinch of
Asafoetida. Stir till the Cumin Seeds and Cloves get a little fried, but
not charred, and add this oil along with the Spices to the boiling Cheese.
Stir and let boil for five minutes more.
6. Add Caraway Seeds, somewhat crushed Green
Cardamoms, the Black Cardamom, Cinnamon and Black Pepper Powders, and also
the 'Garam Masala'. Mix gently with the steel or wooden ladle, and
let the pot, after covering it with a lid, simmer on very low heat for
another 10 minutes. 'Chamani Qaliya' is ready. Serve it piping hot,
ladling directly on hot Plain Cooked Rice, as is usually done in all Big
Feasts and Dinners.
