Paneer Jalfrezi

Ingredients 

Paneer (cubed) -1/2cup 

Sliced Onions -1/4cup

Sliced Capsicums( yellow and green) - 1/4th of each color

Julienned Carrot - 10 pieces 

1 Medium size tomato chopped

Ginger garlic paste(freshly ground) -2teaspoons

Coriander powder -2teaspoons

Chilli powder -1teaspoon

Turmeric powder -1/4teaspoon

Garam masala powder -1teaspoon 

Maggi hot &sweet tomato sauce - 2teaspoons

Kasoori methi - 1teaspoon 

Salt

Sugar (can omit if you wish) -1/2teaspoon 

Cumin Seeds -1teaspoon 

Oil 

Method

Heat oil in  a pan..shallow fry the paneer cubes and keep them aside.

Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. 

Add the sliced onions followed by crushed ginger-garlic.

Saute for a minute, then add the chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Give it a good mix  then add the sliced tomatoes, capsicum and carrots. 

Saute them for couple of minutes, add the maggi hot and sweet sauce. 

Add 1/4cup of water and let the masala cook for 2 minutes. Now add the fried paneer cubes..Add the garam masala and mix the masala nicely. 

Add the crushed kasoori methi and chopped cilantro and put off the flame. 

Note

Got inspired from the Gooble videos from facebook and tried this. It was quick and delicious. I didn't follow the recipe a 100%..adjusted with the things I had in hand..lazy to make tomato puree..so added one medium sized tomato. No onion seeds at home, added just cumin seeds. You can watch the recipe video here.

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Aaloo Paneer Paratha

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour - 2cups

Boiled potato (medium size )-1

Grated Paneer -1/2cup 

Chilli powder-1teaspoon 

Cumin powder-1/2teaspoon 

Garam Masala powder -1/2teaspoon 

Curd- 2 tablespoons 

Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon

Salt

Water 

Oil /Ghee 

Method 

Mash the boiled potato..combine it with grated paneer, curd, spice powders and salt. 

Mix the whole wheat flour, add enough water and make a dough. Smear it with a teaspoon of oil, cover it with wet cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes to one hour. 

 Make lemon sized balls, roll them into circles, add few drops of ghee, gather it again to balls (this step is purely optional) Flatten them as round disks.
Put them on griddle, drizzle oil/ghee and make the parathas.

 Serve hot with plain curd or pickles.

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Quinoa Vegetable Kichadi

Its always a pleasure to cook, click and compose a post for my blog. As I had another bigger pleasure  which needs almost all my attention in the first week of February, this space was quiet and inactive for quiet some time!! :) 

 Yup..we are blessed with our second darling Daughter in February. :) :D 

I am trying to bounce back to the old routine, which has been not so easy or not easy as I thought!! Meanwhile, here is a quick fix from my kitchen to yours. Quinoa vegetable kichadi! 

Ingredients 

Quinoa -1 cup

Moong dal - Little less than 1/2cup 

Water - 3 cups

Vegetables - 1 cup (Carrot, beans, potato, peas, color capsicums, cubed in equal size) 

Onion -1(medium size)

Tomato -1 

Green chilly - 3 (adjust to your spice level) 

Turmeric powder - 1/4teaspoon

Cinnamon stick - 2

Cloves -2

Bay leaf - 1

Ginger garlic (freshly crushed) - 2teaspoons 

Salt 

Ghee - 2 tablespoons (or more!! ;)) 

To temper 

Oil - 2 tablespoons 

Red chilly -1

Pepper corns - 8

Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon 

Method

Wash and soak the moong dal & quinoa for 20 minutes.

Cut the vegetables into equal size cubes and keep it aside.

Chop the onions, tomato, green chilly. 

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds and pepper corns and sauté for few seconds. Add the onions, green chilly saute, then add the crushed ginger and garlic. Once the raw smell has gone, add the chopped tomato and cook until it becomes mushy. 

Now add the cubed vegetables along with the bay leaf. Give a brief saute, then add the quinoa and dal along with enough salt and turmeric powder. Mix well, add 3 cups of water, close the pressure cooker.

Cook in medium flame for 3 whistles. 

Open the cooker once the pressure cooker cools down, add ghee mix it well and serve hot.

Tastes good as such, we don't need any side dishes..but you can always have some roasted papad and kadi, which is the traditional combo of kichadi. 

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Paneer Capsicum Do Pyaza - Holiday Special! :)

Ingredients

Paneer (cubed) - 11/2cup 

Half & Half - 1/2cup 

Capsicum -1 

Onion -2

Green chilly -2

Tomato -3

Ginger garlic paste - 2teaspoons 

Cumin seeds -1teaspoon 

Chilli powder -2teaspoons

Coriander powder -2teaspoons

Turmeric powder -1/4teaspoon

Kasoori Methi -1teaspoon 

Butter - 1teaspoon 

Oil 

Salt

Water 

Method 

Finely chop one of the 2 onions. 

Chop another onion and capsicum into big chunks and keep it separate. 

Finely chop the green chillies and tomatoes too.  

Heat  oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Let them sizzle.
Now add the finely chopped onion. Sauté for few minutes and add ginger garlic paste..saute until the raw smell is gone.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes with enough salt and keep cooking. 

Once the tomatoes are soft and mushy, add the chilly - coriander and turmeric powders. 

Mix it well and add the capsicum and onion chunks in the masala. 

Saute on medium heat for few minutes, adding a teaspoon of butter. 

Now add about a cup of water and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.

 Reduce the heat to low and add the half & half mil.
Once the milk is mixed with the masala add the cubed paneer.
Let the curry cook for few more minutes in low heat and put off the stove, garnish with Kasoori methi and serve.

Goes well with roti/phulka/ pulao/Jeera rice and Biriyani items. 

Note 

The dish was cooked  and clicked by my dear hubby..I just did the typing and enjoyed the curry with hot roties..of course! ;) :D :) Holiday Special! 

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Mushroom Mattar

Ingredients

Mushroom - 200grams 

Frozen peas - 1/4cup

Onion - 1

Green chilly -1 

Ginger garlic paste - 11/2 teaspoon

Tomato - 2 

Chilly powder - 11/2teaspoon

Coriander powder - 11/2teaspoon 

Turmeric powder -1/4teaspoon

Kasoori methi - 1teaspoon 

Cashew - 6

Salt

Oil 

Sugar (optional) - 1/2teaspoon 

Method

Clean and slice the mushrooms.

Finely chop the onion & Tomato.

Crush the ginger & garlic and keep it ready. 

Cook the peas with little salt in a microwave oven for couple of minutes, drain the water and keep it aside.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom kadai. Add the mushrooms and sauté..after a few minutes sprinkle some salt and keep sautéing. Once they are 3/4th cooked, take them and keep it aside.

In the same kadai, add another tablespoon of oil and add the onions and green chilly. Add the crushed ginger & garlic after some time and cook until everything turns almost brown. 

Then add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

Now add the chilly, coriander and turmeric powders. 

Keep cooking on medium flame, until the oil oozes out.

Meanwhile grind the cashews with little water to a fine paste and add it to the gravy. 

Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and continue cooking.

The masala will thicken and will become dry oozing out oil.
Now add about a cup to one and half cup of water and let the gravy boil nicely.

Add the cooked mushrooms and peas. 

Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the crushed kasoori methi. 

Switch off the flame, spicy and creamy mushroom mattar is ready to serve. 

Goes well with roti and plain rice or with pulao's. 

Recipe Source : Here ( I tweaked the recipe here and there according to my convenience! :))  

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Shrikhand

Ingredients
Greek yogurt (or) Strained Yogurt - 1 cup (see notes)
Powdered Sugar-1/4cup
Elaichi-1
Few drops of food color (purely optional, see notes)

Method
Gather all the ingredients. Powder the elaichi and keep it ready.

Take the curd and beat it with a hand whisk.

Whisk the yogurt just until creamy..Don't beat too much.

Add the powdered sugar/ icing sugar and mix it.

Add in the cardamom powder, food color and give a stir.

Transfer it to another bowl and refrigerate overnight or 5-6 hours.

Creamy n yummy shrikhand is ready.

Enjoy !

Notes

Adding food color is purely optional. You can add a few strands of saffron soaked in a tablespoon of warm milk. 

To strain the yogurt, pour the yogurt in a cheese cloth / cotton cloth, tie it as a bundle, keep it in a strainer placed on a bowl. keep this in fridge for around 8 hours. All the water would have been strained n you get nice n thick yogurt. This tastes way better than the greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt had some water content too, which I didn't know initially. 

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Mooli ka Paratha/Radish Paratha/Mullangi Chapathi

Ingredients for stuffing
Grated radish-1cup
Green chillies-3
Finely chopped onion-3tablespoons
Amchoor powder/Dry mango powder-1/2teaspoon
Chilly powder-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon
Chopped cilantro-1tablespoon
Salt
For paratha
Whole wheat flour-11/2cups
Ghee-1teaspoon
Salt
Water
Method
Peel and grate the radish. Squeeze out the water completely. [Reserve the water to knead the dough]
Take the grated radish, chopped onion, dry mango powder, chilly powder, cumin seeds, salt and chopped green chillies in a pan and start cooking.
Saute until the radish becomes dry and the raw smell of the spice powders are gone. (say 4 to 5 min. on low medium heat)
Finally add the cilantro and let it cool.

Take the whole wheat flour,  salt and ghee in a bowl. Mix it with your fingers, add the water reserved from the radish and normal water little by little, knead the dough as we make it for roti.
Keep it covered for at least 1/2 hour.

Make equal sized balls out of the dough. Roll them into small circles, flatten the edges with your fingers. Keep 2 teaspoons of stuffing in the center, seal it up nicely.
Repeat the same with all the dough and stuffing.

With the help of dry flour, roll the parathas into thin discs. Heat a griddle, and cook the parathas by drizzling oil/ghee/butter on both sides.
Soft and delicious Radish parathas are ready to serve. Enjoy them with plain yogurt or pickle.

Note
Be carful while grating-squeezing out the water from the radish. Some vegetables are really hot and make your fingers burn! ;) 

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Punjabi Kadi Pakodi/Pakoda Mor Kuzhambu

Ingredients for Pakaodi/Pakoda
Besan/Kadalai mavu-1/2cup
Onion-1
Green chilly-1
Boiled and chopped potato(small)-1
Chilly powder-1/2teaspoon
Crushed coriander seeds-1teaspoon
Chopped cilantro-2tablespoons
Salt
Oil - to deep fry
For the Kadi/Mor kuzhambu
Thick sour curd-1/2 cup to 3/4cup
Besan/Kadalai mavu-11/2tablespoons
Chilly powder-11/2teaspoon
Coriander powder-11/2teaspoon
Garam masala-1/2teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4teaspoon
Sugar-1teaspoon
CIlantro - to garnish
Salt
To temper
Methi seeds- 7
Mustard seeds-1/2teaspoon
Red chilly-1
Few curry leaves
Oil
Final tempering(optional)
Ghee-1teaspoon
Chilly powder-1/4teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2teaspoon

Method
1.Combine the besan/Kadalai mavu, chopped onion, g.chilly, chopped cilantro, crushed coriander seeds, chilly powder, salt in a bowl. Add water little by little and make it as a thick batter as we do for pakodas.
2.Heat enough oil to deep fry. Drop a spoon full of batter into the oil carefully and fry the pakodi's until they turn nice golden color.
3.Drain them in a paper towel and keep it aside.

4.In a separate bowl take besan, chilly-coriander-garam masala-turmeric powders, sugar and salt. Add little water  and make it as a paste.
5.Mean while blend the thick curd with a cup of water [I whipped the curd and water in a mixie jar, which made the work faster and easier].  Add the beaten curd to the besan paste and mix it without lumps with the help of a whisk.
6.Heat some oil  in a pan, and add the mustard seeds, let them pop-up. Now add in the methi, red chilly and curry leaves. Let them splutter.

7.Add the curd and bring the content to a nice rolling boil.
8.Reduce the heat to low and add the deep fried pakodi's, let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
9.Garnish with chopped cilantro and put off the flame.

10.Heat little ghee in a small tempering pan, make the tempering with cumin seeds, curry leaves and chilly powder. Pour it over the kadi pakodi just before serving.

Delicious kadi pakodi is ready to serve. It goes well with roti and pulkha. Tastes grate with steaming hot rice too! 

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How to re-heat Vada-Pav?

Hubby dear brought some vada-pav's on the way back home from an Indian store. But since it was too late, we couldn't finish them off, so I refrigerated them. The next day, I wanted to reheat them and was wondering how to do that.. and searched the net for some hints. Couldn't find any useful tips on the net, hence I came up with an interesting post. :)

I have tasted vada-pav once here in a Marati friend's place and the store bought one's were not even close to them. So made some missing! ;)) side dishes and we had a nice snack! 

How to reheat the vada pav? 

Pre heat the oven to 250F

Place the vada pav's in a baking tray and bake it for 10 minutes, turning the plate once in between. 

Garlic chutney

Desiccated coconut- 1/4cup

Red chilles-2

Garlic-2 cloves

Salt

Grind all the things in a small jar of a mixie. 

Fried Green chillies

Select the tender thai chillies. Slit them. 

Heat some oil, deep fry the chillies carefully.[Chillies might pop up, so be cautious]

Add little salt to the fried chillies and toss them nicely.

Serving suggestion

Plate the vada pav's, along with 2 fried chillies, some garlic chutney. Serve along with a hot cup of tea.  

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Bindi do pyaaza/Okra Curry

Ingredients

Bindi/Okra/Ladies finger/Vendaikkai - 8 

Onion-1

Tomato-1

Fennel seeds-1/4teaspoon

Cumin seeds-1/4teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon

Chilly powder-1easpoon

Coriander powder-1teaspoon

Kasoori methi-1/2teaspoon

Garam masala-1/4teaspoon

Cilantro- to garnish

Oil

Salt 

Method

Trim the edges of the okra and cut them into desired shape. 

Coarsely grind half of the onion. 

Grind 3/4th of the tomato and keep it ready.

Roughly chop the remaining onion and tomato into big chunks. 

Now heat little oil in a kadai, fry the onion chunks. Once they change the color, take them out and keep it aside. 

In the same kadai, add the okra and fry till the slimness has gone and the veggie turns slightly brown.

Heat oil in a pan and add fennel and cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Then add the ground onion paste and cook till the raw smell has gone. 

Add the ground tomato paste, chilly powder,coriander powder, kasoori methi and salt. 

Cook on medium heat till the gravy becomes dry and the oil oozes out from  it.

Add about a cup of water and bring it to nice boil. Then add in the pre-fried okra pieces along with the chopped tomato.
Let it cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
Finally add the cilantro and garam masala to the gravy and switch off the flame.
Delicious and yummy bindi do pyaaza is ready. It goes well with roti and rice.

We are adding twice the amount of onion than the usual measure, thus the name "do pyaaza"[do=2, pyaaz-onion, translated from Hindi! :)]. You can make this curry with other veggies like mushroom, cauliflower, paneer etc.

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Channa-Bhatura/ Chole Poori

Ingredients for Bhatura
Maida/All purpose flour-11/2cups
Whole wheat flour/Aata-1/2cup
Sooji/Rava-1/4cup
Sugar-2teaspoons
Baking powder-1/4teaspoon
Curd-1/2cup
Water-1/4 cup (adjust)
Salt

Method
Combine the flours, sooji, sugar, salt, baking powder in a wide bowl. Add the curd and start kneading the dough. Add additional water if required and knead the dough for at least 15 minutes.
Keep it covered for 2-3 hours.
Make small balls out of the dough after 2-3 hours.

Roll them into pooris, and fry them.

Actually I got little help from my hubby while making bhaturas, so could not take step wise pictures. :) Will update the post next time I make the bhautra's.

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Ingredients for Channa masala / Chole

Soaked white channa/Kabul kondai kadalai-1/4cup 

Onion-1

Green chilly-2

Tomatoes-2

Cilantro-to garnish

Potato(small)-1 (optional)

Ginger garlic paste-1teaspoon

Whole garam masala(bay leaf, cinnamon stick and clove) 

Chilli powder-2teaspoons

Coriander powder-11/2teaspoon

Turmeric powder-1/8teaspoon

Garam masala-1/2teaspoon

Tomato ketch-up-1teaspoon

Sugar-1teaspoon

Salt

Oil 

To Garnish

Chopped onion-2tablespoons

Lemon juice

Method

Gather all your ingredients

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the whole garam masala and let them pop-up. Now add ginger-garlic paste and onion-green chilly. Fry for about 3-4 minutes. 

Then add the tomato and cook till it becomes soft.

 

Add the turmeric, chilly, coriander powders and cook for few more minutes. 

Once the oil oozes out of the gravy, add the soaked channa, potato and tomato ketch-up.

Add enough salt, sugar, 1cup (adjust according to the desired consistency) water..

Close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles.

Now add the garam masala and chopped cilantro to the channa masala.

Tangy and delicious spicy channa masala is ready to serve.

Don't forget to squeeze lemon juice on the channa masala and top with chopped onions while serving.

Its a perfect week end brunch..try it and you won't regret! :) 

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