Chef Kunal Kapur Shares Summer-Special Recipes That Are A Must-Try

As the temperature has crossed the 50°C threshold in a few Indian cities, it is time to take a hard look at diet and include ingredients with cooling properties. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are, therefore, a must-add to every meal to keep the body cool, nourish it, and keep it hydrated. It’s not a guideline by Slurrp, but celebrated Chef Kunal Kapur also believes in it. He says, “It’s time to ease up on heavy, greasy foods and switch to a lighter, easily digestible diet with plenty of fresh, seasonal produce.” 

Video Credit: Kunal Kapur/ YouTube

Lauki Ka Bharta

Image Credit: Chef Kunal Kapur and Saffola Oils

Boasting smoky flavours, lauki ka bharta is a perfect addition to a lunch or dinner spread. It is prepared using summer-special bottle gourd or lauki. If your loved ones don’t like this vegetable, try serving them in this form, and they will become fans of your cooking. 

Ingredients For Lauki Ka Bharta

For Roasting Lauki

• 1 medium-sized bottle gourd (lauki)        
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 6-7 cloves (Laung)

For Masala

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• ½ teaspoon of asafoetida (Heeng)
• 1 urad dal vadi broken into two pieces
• 1 tablespoon of cumin (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onion 
• ½ cup of chopped tomato
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 
• ½ teaspoon of kasoori Methi                                     
• ¼ cup of chopped coriander
• 1 wedge of lemon

Also Read: Chef Kunal Kapur's Noida Restaurant Celebrates India's Summer-Special Jackfruit

Steps To Prepare Lauki Ka Bharta

• Take a medium-sized bottle gourd, insert 6-7 cloves into it, and rub it with some oil. Roast it on a gas stove till it is charred on the outside.
• Remove it from the fire and keep it covered in a bowl. It will continue to cook in its steam. Then, peel off the burnt outer skin of the gourd with your hands or a knife. Once cleaned, chop it into small pieces.
• In a pan, heat some oil and fry urad dal vadi until they turn reddish. Add some cumin seeds, chopped ginger, asafoetida powder, and chopped onion, and fry it. Put turmeric, red chilli powder, and coriander powder and cook the masala
• Add in the chopped tomato and cook it on high flame once the spices are roasted. Add a pinch of salt to fasten the cooking process of tomatoes.
• Once the tomato mixed masala starts oozing oil, add in the roasted and diced lauki, mix it well, and cook it over a high flame
• Add a bit of water if you feel the bharta looks thick. Sprinkle some kasoori methi, and chopped coriander, and add a dash of lemon juice. It pairs well with parathas.

Roasted Bharwan Tinda Masala Curry

Image Credit: Chef Kunal Kapur and Saffola Oils

Roasted bharwan tinda masala curry is perfect for dinner. Most people will tell you that they don’t like tinda, but serve them this delicacy, following the recipe of Chef Kunal Kapur, and you will be amazed at how fast the dish will be consumed.

Ingredients For Roasted Bharwan Tinda Masala Curry

 For Roasted Bharwan Tinda

• 500 gms of round gourd (tinda) – approx. 7 pieces
• 3 nos. of onions (whole)
• oil as needed

For Masala

• ¼ cup of oil   
• Salt – to taste
• ½ tablespoon of black salt 
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric 
• 1 tablespoon of red Chili powder 
• 4 tablespoons of coriander powder 
• ½ teaspoon of kasoori methi powder 
• ½ tablespoon of amchur powder
• ½ tablespoon of jeera powder

For Curry

• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of cumin 
• 2 pieces of chopped onions 
• teaspoon of chopped garlic 
• ½ tablespoon of chopped ginger 
• ½ teaspoon of chopped green chilli 
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of mango pickle 
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder 
• 2 teaspoons of Coriander powder 
• 1 cup of puréed tomato 
• A handful of chopped coriander

Method To Prepare Roasted Bharwan Tinda Masala Curry

For Preparing Tinda

• Begin by scrapping the tindas with a knife to peel their skin. Place them in a bowl filled with water for some time.
• Wash and ready some onions by peeling them and slit them by making a cross in the middle. Similarly, slit the tindas too and set them aside.

For Bharwan Masala

• Mix oil, turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi, amchur powder, salt and black salt in a bowl. Stuff and smear the masala into the tindas and onions across the slits.
• Heat a broad and flat pan and add some oil. Place the stuffed tindas and onions over it. Cover the lid, and allow them to cook slowly on low heat for 5-7 mins.
• Once they are almost cooked, turn the tindas and onions over to cook them evenly till they develop a slight char.

For Achari Masala

• Heat a wok or kadhai and add oil. Once the oil is hot, pour cumin seeds, allow them to splutter, and wait until they release their aroma. Then add onions and chopped green chillies for a minute, and then add in the chopped ginger and garlic.
• Once the onions turn transparent, add turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, and salt. Keep stirring them, and once the masala is cooked, pour in the tomato purée.
• Allow the mixture to cook slowly. Meanwhile, finely chop the mango pickle and add it to the cooked gravy. Cook it for 2 minutes, and then sprinkle some chopped coriander over it.

For Assembling

While serving, pour the masala onto the serving bowl and then gently place the roasted tindas and onions over it. Garnish it with coriander springs and serve hot.

Kanji Vada

Image Credit: Chef Kunal Kapur and Saffola Oils

Kanji vada is widely popular in North India and Rajasthan. People prepare this tangy drink on Holi to keep themselves hydrated while playing with colours in the sun. Because it is prepared by fermentation, it is considered good for digestion. 

Ingredients For Kanji Vada

For Kanji 

• 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
• ½ tablespoon of yellow mustard/ Rai
• ½ tablespoon of cumin
• ½ tablespoon of black salt
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
• 1½ tablespoons of dahi 
• 1 litre of water
• For Smoking 
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ teaspoon of asafoetida (hing)
• ¼ teaspoon of oil

For Moong Dal Vada 

• 1 cup of moong dal 
• 1 piece of inch-long ginger 
• 2 green chilli 
• 1 teaspoon of cumin 
• Salt to taste  
• A dash of water 
• 2 teaspoons of chilli flakes 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves
• 2 teaspoons of whole coriander seeds 
• Oil for frying
• Finishing 
• Handful of Mint leaves  
• 1 litre of Warm Water

Steps To Prepare Kanji Vada

• To prepare kanji, begin by dry grinding mustard seeds, yellow mustard and cumin into a fine powder. Put the dry mixture in a clean and dry bowl, then add black salt, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and curd, and mix them. Then, pour water into the mixture and stir it well.
• Next, place a clean steel bowl on the newly made kanji mixture for smoking. Light up a cinnamon stick on the floating steel bowl, then add asafoetida and a bit of oil to infuse flavour in the mixture.
• Cover the kanji bowl with a lid and leave it for 10 mins. Then, transfer it to a glass jar and allow it to ferment for 2-4 days. Do not refrigerate the kanji. 
• To make the vada, take a bowl and soak moong dal overnight. The next day, coarsely grind the soaked moong dal, ginger, green chillies, jeera, and salt. Keep adding a little bit of water to maintain the consistency of the mixture.
• Place the moong dal batter in a bowl, and mix chilli flakes, chopped coriander leaves and whole coriander to it.
• Heat a deep-bottomed wok or kadhai and pour oil to fry the batter. Take a small amount of the batter in the shape of small balls and gently drop them in the oil.
• Fry them till they turn golden brown. Then, put the fried vadas in lukewarm water and squeeze to remove the excess oil.
• Add the vadas to the fermented kanji, and it is ready to be served.