Photo by Andy Holmes on Unsplash
16 Indian-Inspired Winter Recipes that you can easily make in your Kitchen in Germany
It is winter in Germany. This is the time when you feel like staying at home and enjoying lovely, warm meals. And when you cook something for yourself and your family, what could be better than eating local, seasonal foods?
If you like Indian/Indian-inspired food and you live in Germany, here is a list of some delicious foods that you can try in your kitchen this winter. I have described where you can get the ingredients for these dishes, and you can click on the links to check out the detailed recipes. So, let’s start:
1. Panjiri
Start your winter by making a batch of this nutrient-rich, energy-dense sweet. Consume small portions of it every day and give your body the required support for the upcoming harsh winter season. Check out the recipe for Panjiri here.
2. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:
As autumn begins, supermarket shelves start getting filled with varieties of pumpkins, butternuts, and other autumn vegetables. Kickstart the winter with this lovely and flavourful roasted butternut soup. Check out the recipe here.
3. Gajar Ka Halwa:
Winter in Germany coincides with the festive season in India. Make this delicious dessert using carrots and make your day special. You can get red carrots in Turkish and Indian shops between November and February. They are sometimes available in supermarkets too. I’ve seen them with the name’ Gourmet Karotten‘ in Rewe. But if you don’t find red carrots, just make the halwa with the regular orange carrots. The halwa is quite delicious with these too. Check out the recipe here.
4. Aliv Laddoo
Autumn and winter are often related to hair fall, dry skin, etc. Made with garden cress ( called Aliv/Haleem seeds in Hindi), one of these laddoos per day, combined with a good lifestyle (good food, exercise) can work wonders for your hair and skin. These seeds are available on Amazon.de and are called Kresse in German. Check out the recipe here.
5. Sarson Aur Mooli Ka Saag
For many people from the north of India, winter is synonymous with Sarson Ka Saag and Makki ki Roti. This delicious mash made with mustard leaves, paired with rotis made with maize flour, is a match made in heaven. I have added a little twist to the recipe by adding radish. This mild dish has hardly any spices and yet tastes so delicious. A must-try winter recipe. You can get mustard leaves in big Indian shops or Turkish shops from the beginning of November. Check out the recipe here.
6. Shalgam Ka Bharta
Shalgam ka Bharta is a mash made with Turnips. This winter vegetable is available in Turkish shops starting in October and is usually available all the way till February. So, use this seasonal vegetable to make a delicious bharta (vegetable mash) and enjoy it with whole wheat rotis. You can find the recipe here.
7. Shalgam ke Patton Ka Saag
Even if you didn’t get mustard leaves in a Turkish shop near your place, you are quite likely to find turnip leaves. Combine these leaves with Spinach to make a delicious mash. Temper it with spices fried in ghee and butter, and you have a delicious, rich, and heart-warming dish, much needed for the cold winter days. The recipe is posted here.
8. Gobi Gajar Shalgam Ka Achar
While the winter vegetables last in the shops, take the time to make a pickle that can last you the entire winter. You can even store some for summer. This pickle made using turnips, carrots, and cauliflower in Mustard oil and vinegar has a unique taste and is a perfect accompaniment to your paranthas. Check out its recipe here.
9. Dal Bajra Parantha
Bajra or pearl millet is quite popular in India. It is primarily consumed in the winter months and provides much-needed warmth to our bodies. Use your previous night’s leftover dal and combine it with pearl millet flour (which you can get easily in Indian stores) to make these delicious paranthas. Make them for breakfast and pair them with butter, pickles, and yoghurt. Enjoy them with a cup of Indian chai, and you are all set for the day. Check out its recipe here.
10. Mooli Bajra Thalipeeth
Here is one more recipe in which you can combine pearl millet flour with a seasonal vegetable like white radish. Combine the two with a few basic spices and make this delicious thalipeeth- a special weekend breakfast. Its recipe is posted here.
11. Pumpkin Cake
Winter In Germany makes me think of spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Make this simple and delicious pumpkin cake using fresh Hokkaido pumpkins and spices ( quite easily available in supermarkets). It is a must-try winter dessert. Check out its recipe here.
12. Pumpkin Parantha with Egg Curry
Hot and spicy food on a cold winter day tastes great, and it’s even better when it’s made with seasonal ingredients. Make these pumpkin paranthas and pair them with spicy egg curry, and colour up your plate with beetroot raitha. The recipe is posted here.
13. Matar Ka Parantha
While frozen peas are available all through the year, fresh peas in pods are available in many Indian shops during winter. Enjoy the experience of eating fresh and seasonal green peas and make this delicious Makar ka Paranthas. Even if you don’t find fresh peas, pick a pack of frozen ones and make this delicious breakfast. Check out the recipe here.
14. Snap Peas Pulav
Fresh snap peas, called Zuckererbsen, and chestnuts, called Maronen, are easily available in supermarkets during winter. Try this pulav, which combines these two winter ingredients. This delicious pav pairs well with paneer, chole, and rajma gravy. Check out the recipe here.
15. Pumpkin Sambar
Around September, varieties of pumpkins start flooding farmer shops and supermarkets. Make the best of it and use this seasonal vegetable to make a delicious sambar. Check out the recipe for pumpkin sambar here.
16. Sarson Ka Saag
Winter is incomplete if you don’t have sarson ka saag with makki ki roti at least once. Many Indian shops sell fresh mustard leaves in winter. Combine them with spinach and make this delicious dish. Check out the recipe here.
There are many more recipes posted on MY KITCHEN page. Do check them out.
Leave a Reply