Kadai Paneer

Hello all...i am back after a loooooong break with a paneer recipe.

Though i am not a fan of paneer dishes, i make them occasionally.This Kadai paneer was loved by all at home.This is my favourite paneer dish. The freshly pound coriander and chilli masala gives this dish its lipsmacking flavour and smell.

Straight on to the recipe.

Ingredients

Paneer/Cottage cheese - 250 gms
Coriander seeds - 1.5 tblsp
Dry red chillies - 2 nos.
Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
Tomato - 2 medium chopped/pureed
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Green/Red/yellow  capsicum -1 small each, cut into cubes(i used one green and one red)
Kasuri methi - 1 fat pinch, crushed
Oil -  as needed
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 tblsp, finely chopped(optional)
Ginger - 2" long juliennes(optional)


Method

Cut paneer into cubes.Dry roast coriander seeds and red chillies till aromatic.Then make it a course powder and set aside.
In a kadai, add some oil.When it gets heated up, add the ginger garlic paste and saute it till the raw smell leaves.Add chopped onion and saute till slightly golden.Add the pureed/chopped tomatoes and and mix well.Allow this to cook till oil starts to seperate.Add turmeric powder and the pound coriander-chilli masala into this and cook for 2 minutes.Then add the capsicum and mix well.When it starts cooking, add kasuri methi and paneer cubes and salt.Mix well and check for salt. Cover and cook until paneer is well coated with masala and a nice aroma arises. Serve garnished with ginger juliennes and coriander leaves(i didn't had any, so i didn't add) withrotis,naan or any rice variety.




Notes

1.If you dont want to use onion and garlic, omit adding them, and proceed with the recipe to make no onion-no garlic kadai paneer :)

2.Homemade paneer is the best for this recipe.I used store bought one.

3.Freshly pound masala gives the authentic resturant style taste to kadai paneer.So please don't omit it.

4.Adding kasuri methi is a must.

Tomato/Thakkali biriyani

Hey all..hope all of you guys are doing well..i was not able to post any new recipes lately.Blame it on my laziness :P

Straight on to the recipe without much blah blah.
I am trying tomato biryani for the first time and i am sure its going to be made very often It came our really flavourful n yummy.The combination of this biryani with onion raita was lip smacking, i must say.You can pair it up with a papad or lemin pickle for that extra zing.No epaborated cutting chopping involved, its a perfect lunch box recipe.

I got the recipe from yummyoyummy..Thank u maya for the awesome recipe. :)

Ingredients

Tomato - 2 big chopped
Basmati rice -1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste -1 tsp
Onion -1 medium chopped
Green chilly -2 nos. Slit
Fennel seeds -1 tsp
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Cloves -2 nos.
Cardamom -2 nos.
Cinnamon stick -1"
Bay leaf -1
Cashew nuts -7-8,halved
Chilli powder -1tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves -3sprigs
Mint leaves -8-10
Boiled water -1.5 cups
Salt -to taste
Oil/Ghee -2 tblsp

Method

Wash and soak basmati rice for atleast 1 hr.In a pot or pressure pan,add oil and splutter the whole spices and add cashews.When they turn slightly golden,add chopped onion and green chillies.Saute for 2-3 minutes and add the chilly powder,turmeric and saute till the raw smell leaves.Then add chopped tomatoes,mint leaves and coriander leaves. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.Add salt and add the drained rice and mix well for 2 mins.Then add boiled water.Gently give a mix and allow the whole mix to boil.When the steam starts to come profusely, cover the pot with a lid.Simmer the heat to low and allow it to cook for 12-15 minutes.Switch off and leave the pot undisturbed for 5 mins.Then open and fluff up with a fork. Serve hot with onion raita,pappad and lemon pickle.You can also pair it up with some spicy curry.Enjoy!!

Egg Curry

This is an easy version of the egg curry Amma used to make at home.I have always wondered how she patiently kept stirring the onions till they become golden brown and then add tomatoes, then sauté ing again. Well, i don't have that much patience.So i developed my own style of making egg curry for which Amma always teases me saying 'eluppavazhi egg curry'(egg curru made in easy way)...Lazy me.. :P

But no compromise with taste,huh..so lets get on with the recipe

Ingredients

Eggs-6 nos.,boiled & deshelled
Onion-2 big,roughly chopped
Tomatoes-3 medium,roughly chopped
Green chillies-2 ,slit
Garlic cloves-10-12
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Turmeric -1/2 tsp
Soya sauce-1/2 tsp
Chicken masala-2 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1/4 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala-1/2 tsp
Milk-3/4 cup or cream-1/2 cup
Oil- for tempering

Method

Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai and add the fennel seeds and let it splutter.Add the chopped onions,green chillies and garlic and sauté till it becomes soft.Add tomatoes and sauté again till it becomes slightly mushy.Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down.Transfer the whole mixture into a mixer jar and grind it to a smooth paste.Add a little water if needed.

Heat a kadai and add 2 tsp oil and add the ground mixture and sauté in medium flame.Add the curry leaves and continue cooking till oil oozes out.Then add turmeric,chilli powder,soya sauce,chicken masala,garam masala,pepper powder and coriander powder one by one and sauté till the raw smell leaves.Then add 1/2 cup water,mix well and bring the whole gravy to boil.Add salt and simmer flame.Then add milk/cream,slowly mix.Check for salt. Allow the gravy to simmer for 5-10 mins.Take care not to put in high flame as the milk may curdle.Now the gravy will be slightly thick.Add the eggs one by one after giving slits on the surface.Let the curry cook for 2-3 mins and switch off.Garnish with cream/coriander leaves if needed. Enjoy with hot rotis/phulkas/steamed rice!!

Corn Flour Halwa/Karachi Halwa

Corn flour halwa is a very easy sweet dish that even a beginner can make.This comes out so good and it hardly takes 10 mintes for the whole preparation.Do try this sweet this Diwali and enjoy!!


Ingredients

Corn flour - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder - a fat pinch
Cashews - 5-10,chopped
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Food colour - a small pinch,any clour of your choice( i tried with orange and green)

Method

Grease a plate with ghee and set aside.

In a nonstick pan, add sugar and one cup water and bring to boil till slightly sticky. No need to check for string consistency. In a seperate bowl, mix corn flour, 1 1/2 cup water and food color together without any lumps.
Then add the cornflour mixture into sugar syrup, keep stirring in low flame.Stir continuously to avoid lumps Slowly it will become glossy here and there.Keep stirring.Then it will thicken.Now add ghee and cardamom powder and chopped cashews.Once it comes together as a whole mass and starts to leave the sides of the pan, switch off.Now transfer the mixture to the ghee greased plate.Let it cool for some time, cut into squares and enjoy.

Baby Corn Pepper Fry

I love baby corn a lot.I was looking for some interesting baby corn recipes other than Babycorn masala, just then i got this babycorn pepper fry from rakskitchen. Being an ardent follower of rakskitchen, i try my hands on almost all the recipes posted by raks. I can say this one is a real keeper and i am definitely going to make it often. Easy ,simple and delicious.

I followed the recipe from rakskitchen A to Z. So i am not going to list out everything again. :)

Beef Cutlet

I have made these cutlets so many times and it came out yummy all the times.You can make this from leftover beef/chicken dishe also.

Ingredients

Beef-500 gms,cubed
Chilli powder-2tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
Turmeric-1/2tsp
Garam masala/meat masala-2tsp
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Shallots-6-8,halved
Ginger garlic paste-1tsp
Salt-to taste
Potato-2 medium,boiled and mashed
Onion-1medium,finely chopped
Ginger-1tsp,crushed
Garlic-1tsp,crushed
Green chillies-1 or 2
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Coriander leaves-2tbsp,chopped
Mint leaves-1tblsp,chopped
Breadcrumbs-3tblsp
Egg-1,beaten
Oil-to fry

Method

Wash and clean beef pieces. Squeeze out all the water and transfer them into a pressure cooker along with chilli powder,turmeric,coriander powder,pepper powder, ginger garlic paste, garam masala,shallots and salt and cook covered for 3 whistles or until done.Do not add any extra water while cooking.Drain the beef pices from water once cooked.Let it cool down and mince them in a mixie jar adding green chillies,curry leaves,mint and coriander leaves.In a kadai heat a teaspoon of oil and add crushed ginger and garlic.Then add chopped onion and saute till it becomes soft.Add minced meat and cook for 2-3minutes.This ensures no water content in the mixture. Add mashed potato and mix well until combined nicely.Check for salt and spices.Allow the mixture to cool down.Pinch a lemon sized ball from the meat mixture and flatten it in your palm in oval shape. The cutlets should be thick.Then dip them in beaten egg mixture and then coat them with the breadcrumbs. The cutlets can be freezed at this stage and can be taken out,thawed and fried whenever needed.Shallow fry the cutlets till golden brown on both sides.Serve hot with ketchup/green chutney and lemon wedges and onion slices.These cutlets can also served as a sidedish with rice.

Aloo Bhaji/Easy Potato Curry

This aloo bhaji is always my go to side dish for rotis/phulkas/pooris when vegetables are out of stock and there are only potatoes at home.Its quite easy too.This recipe is sooo simple and flavourful.Shikha just loves aloo or anything made with aloo.So i always stock up potatoes.No fancy ingredients and this curry/bhaji is ready in a jiffy.

Ingredients

Potatoes- 6nos. Medium sized,peeled and halved
Onion- 1 big,sliced
Tomato-1 small,chopped
Ginger-1" inch piece,finely chopped
Garlic-1 tsp,chopped(optional)
Green chilly-2 nos,slit
Coriander leaves -1 tblsp,chopped
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Salt- to taste

To temper
Oil-1 tblsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Jeera- 1 tsp
Curry leaves -1 sprig

Method
Pressure cook halved potatoes after adding salt for 4 whistles or till soft.Mash it coarsely.Do not discard the boiled water. In a kadai, heat oil and temper with items mentioned under 'to temper' list.Add sliced onion,ginger,green chillies and saute till the onion turns soft and golden.Add turmeric and mix for one minute.Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.Add the mashed potatoes along with the water in which they were cooked.Mix well and cook until the whole gravy becomes slightly thick.Check for salt and add chopped  coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes

• You can add chopped garlic if you like.In that case, it should be added along with onion.
• Ginger garlic paste can also be used.
• If you are boiling the potatoes with the peel on,discard the water.Add the required amount of water later on.
• While tempering, you can add dal also.We don't like dal in our aloo sabzi.So i didn't add.
• You can even add 1/4 tsp coriander powder after adding turmeric.It gives a nice flavour.
• You can also add a pinch of garam masala by the end.But i didn't add.
• Adding curry leaves gives a nice flavour.
• The curry tends to thicken as it cools down. So adjust water accordingly.