Lohri Recipes: How to make yummy Palak Paneer Paratha and Corn Dhoklas with moong dal

If you want to shake things up this Lohri, these palak paneer paratha and corn dhokla recipes are perfect for you!

Lohri is the annual harvest festival, which is the most important festival in Punjab. It falls on January 13 every year and it marks the beginning of the financial year for Punjabi farmers. Lohri is associated with harvest of the rabi crops. Lohri celebrations are marked feasting on scrumptious food, praying, singing and dancing around a ritualistic bonfire and distributing prasad among community members.

Lohri food is typically prepared with corn, mustard leaves, jaggery, sesame seeds, dried fruits, ground nuts, cashew nuts, almonds and ghee. All these ingredients are good for generating heat in the body, to fight the cold outside. A traditional Punjabi Lohri feast consists of Makai di Roti with sarso da saag, gur roti, til chikki and til barfi, murmura laddoo and gur halwa. ALSO READ: The complete traditional Punjabi feast prepared during the Lohri!

If you are preparing to host your family and friends for a Lohri feast at your house, you might want to try out something other than the traditional dishes you eat every year. While nothing can beat the classic sarso da saag and makai roti, if you’re looking to shake things up a bit, then these palak paneer paratha and corn dhokla with moong daal recipes are perfect for you.

Palak Paneer Paratha by Chef Rakhee of Palate Culinary Studio

For the palak gravy

Ingredients
Palak– 1 cup
Ginger, garlic, green chilli paste – 1 tbsp
Cashew – 4–5

Method
1. Wash and blanch the palak in boiling water with salt for 2–3 minutes. Strain and refresh in cold water and let it cool.
2. Blend the palak with cashew and ginger, garlic and green chilli paste into a smooth puree (avoid adding water). ALSO READ: Here’s why food is fed to the fire on the Punjabi harvest festival of Lohri

For the parathas and Assemblage

Ingredients
Multigrain atta (store bought) – 1 cup
Wheat atta– 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Haldi– a pinch
Red chilli powder –¼ tsp
Ajwain–¼ tsp
Jeera – ¼ tsp
Water – for kneading
Ghee – 2 tsp (and some more for the paratha)
Paneer – 150 gms, crumbled
Onion – 2 tsp, minced
Salt – to taste
Amchur– a pinch
Coriander leaves –2 tsp, chopped

Method
1. Mix all multigrain atta, wheat atta, salt, haldi, red chilli powder, ajwain, jeera and ghee and knead into a dough with the required amount of water. Set aside.
2. Mix onion, salt, amchur, coriander leaves and the palak puree into the crumbled paneer.
3. Make small roundels of the dough.
4. Take a roundel and put some dry atta on both sides, roll into a round disc to the size of a roti. Add 2–3 tsp of the filling and cover from all sides resembling a potli.
5. Rub dry atta on both sides and roll it into a stuffed paratha.
6. Heat a hot tawa and cook each paratha on both sides till done, then add ghee and cook for a few seconds more on each side till golden in colour. Serve hot. ALSO READ: Easy Sweet Pongal Recipe: Here’s how to make traditional Sweet Pongal to celebrate the harvest festival

Makai dhokla with moong dal by Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar

For dhokla

Ingredients

Makai atta: 400 gm
Curd:  40 gm
Khada papad:  10 gm
Hing:  2 pinch
Sesame oil: 100 ml
Warm water as required

For moong dal

Ingredients

Moong dal whole (soak in water for 30 minutes and drain): 100 gm
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Desi ghee: 20 ml
Lime juice: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Make soft dough with khada papad, curd, makai atta, hing and sufficient warm water.
2. Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 30 gm each and make a roundel shape, press the each dough by the finger and make a little whole.
4. Steam the dough into a steamer for about 30 minutes. ALSO READ: Healthy Breakfast Recipes by Chef Ranveer Brar from his new book Come Into My Kitchen
5. In a hundi heat the desi ghee, add moong dal and turmeric powder, sauté for few minutes and add little water.
6. Keep adding little water and stir continuously until moong dal is fully cooked, make sure the excess water is evaporated.
7. Finish the dal with lime juice.
8. Serve the dhokla with sesame oil and moong dal mash.