PALAK PANEER / COTTAGE CHEESE IN SPINACH GRAVY

It is a highly nutritious and delicious dish, basically from North India. But now it is common to every Indians. Has a very good blend of flavour, taste and texture.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb (454 gm) Spinach (Washed and cut into big pieces)
14 OZ (397 gm) Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
5-6 Green Chillies
15 flakes of Garlic (finely chopped)
2" Ginger (finely chopped)
1 large Onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder (or according to taste)
2 tbsps Cilantro paste
1 cup Yogurt (Sour Curd)
1 tsp Lemon juice
2 tbsps Sour Cream
2 tbsps Butter
2 tbsps Oil
1 tsp Shahi Garam Masala
Salt to taste


METHOD:
Heat water in a vessel. When it starts to boil, add spinach. Cook it for 2 minutes. Separate spinach from water. Blend spinach and green chillies together and make a smooth paste.

Cut cottage cheese into 1" cubes. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry lightly the cottage cheese cubes till golden and keep aside.

Heat butter in the same frying pan. Add cumin seeds. When it starts to crackle, add asafoetida, chopped garlic and ginger in it. Fry for 20 seconds. Now add chopped onions and fry till it gets translucent.

After that add yogurt, followed by turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder in it. Fry for 2 minutes. Now add spinach-green chilli paste, salt and cilantro paste in it. Mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

When spinach puree starts to boil, add Cottage cheese and shahi garam masala in it. Cook another 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Lastly, add lemon juice and sour cream in it. Mix well. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with naan, roti or steamed basmati rice by garnishing cream on it.

TIPS: Firm tofu can be used instead of cottage cheese, as a non dairy substitute.

SIMPLE MUTTON BIRYANI

In traditional way, there are two kinds of biryani. Kachhi yakhnni biryani and the other way which I described here, is Pakki yakhnni biryani. Here meat and rice seperately cooked before being layered. All ingredients are cooked before baking. I tried to simplify this recipe, but it tastes really delectable.

INGREDIENTS:
2 lb Mutton/Goat meat, cut in small pieces with bones (preferably ribs)
2 lb long grain Basmati rice (washed and soaked for half an hour)
2-3 large Onions (sliced)
3 large Tomatoes (chopped)
4 large Potatoes (peeled & halfed)
4 tbsps Ginger paste
1 1/2 tbsps Garlic paste
1 cup Plain Yoghurt
1 cup Oil
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (Ghee)
1 Pkt Shan Bombay Biriyani Mix
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Put all mutton pieces, 2 cups of warm water and 1 tbsp salt in a pressure cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat. After three whistle, remove the cooker from heat and allow to cool naturally. Seperate mutton pieces from the mutton stock. Keep aside seperately.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil for about 5 minutes. Fry the potatoes lightly. Remove the potatoes from the oil and keep aside. Add Onions in the remaining oil and fry till it turns golden brown. Add tomatoes and little salt, fry till oil seperates. Now add meat, potatoes, ginger paste, garlic paste, yoghurt and Shan Bombay Biriyani mix. Mix well. Fry for another 15-20 minutes till oil seperates. After that add seperated mutton stock in it. Cook on low heat. When the gravy becomes thick and mutton is tender, remove from heat.

Heat 2 litres of water in a vessel. When water starts boiling, add rice in it. Add 2 tsp salt in it. When rice is get cooked approximately 75%, remove the vessel from heat and drain rice. Keep it aside.

Preheat the oven to 225 F for 10 minutes. Grease large baking dish with few drops of clarified butter and spread 1/3 of rice in it. Now spread half of the cooked mutton-potato with gravy on it. Spread another layer of rice on the top followed by the rest of mutton-potato gravy. Finally cover the mutton with last portion of rice. Sprinkle the remaining clarified butter on the top of the rice. Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and put it in oven for 40 minutes. After that mix well.

Garnish with boiled eggs. Serve hot specially with raita.

TIPS: You may use micro-oven for baking. You can microwave for 10 minutes, 50% Microwave power.

Enjoy this biryani! Your comments are vital, so don't forget to give feedback in comments........thanks.

Sending this to Sara's Event Cooking with Love Series, hosted at Torviewtoronto

 

Linking to: Pari's 'Only'-Recipes From The Royal Kitchens @ Divya's culinary journey

 

Linking to: Virtual Eid Potluck party  @ My Culinary Adventures





EGGLESS PINEAPPLE MOUSSE

Pineapple mousse is a delicious, fluffy and creamy dessert. It is very easy to make and refreshing too.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Can Crushed Pineapple (1 lb 4 OZ / 567gm)

2 Pkts of 2.9 OZ (82gm) Lemon flavoured Gelatin/Jello (2.9OZ * 2)

10-12 nos. Pineapple Chunks (Canned)

14 OZ (396gm) Condensed Milk

8 OZ (226gm) Whipped Cream

1 Cup Water

METHOD:

Heat 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan. When it starts to boil, switch off the oven. Pour the water in a large glass bowl and add 2 pkts of gelatin/jello in it. Stir for 1 minute till jello desolves and refrigerate the bowl for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, take out the bowl from refrigerator, stir well for another minute. Now add condensed milk and crushed pineapple in it. Beat well for 8-10 minutes till it get smooth. Again put the bowl in refrigerator for half an hour.

Now gently mix whipped cream in it. Place the whole mixture in a flat serving bowl. Spread the pineapple chunks on the upper layer by covering whipped cream.

Refrigerate the whole mixture for 6-8 hours untill it firms. Serve cool in Squares or wedges.

KADHAI PANEER

Very easy and simple North Indian recipe, generally made by whole spices. It is a nice blend of bell peppers, cardamoms and dry fenugreek leaves. Tastes simply delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Red or Orange Bell Pepper
2 tsp Coriander seeds
3 whole Red Chillies
3 green chillies cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
2 tsp finely chopped Garlic
2 tsp finely chopped Ginger
3 chopped Tomatoes
1 large Onion (sliced)
1 1/2 tbsps Dry Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
1 1/2" Cinnamon stick
3 Green Cardamoms
1 tsp roasted Cumin seeds (Coarsely pounded)
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder
1 tbsp finely chopped Cilantro
3 tbsps Oil
1 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut cottage cheese into 1 1/2" long pieces. Cut red and green bell pappers into strips.

Coarsely pound coriander seeds, red chillies, cinnamon, cardamoms and roasted cumin seeds. Keep this dry grinded spices aside.

Heat oil in a wok on medium heat. State the paneer pieces for 2 minutes and drain all the pieces on kitchen paper towel.

In the same oil, add chopped garlic and ginger, followed by onion slices. Fry till onions turn into traslucent.

Add chopped tomatoes, dry grinded spices and salt. Continue frying till spices leave oil. Now add bell peppers, stir about 2 minutes.

Add cottage cheese, dry mango powder and butter in it. Rub dry fenugreek leaves within two palms, make dust and add in it. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes till all spices coat on cottage cheese very well. Now add Chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Serve hot with naan or tandoori roti.

TIPS: The crunchiness and colours of bell peppers should not change.

           This is a semi-dry dish, no water used here.
           I used fresh homemade paneer for softness and better taste.

LEAFY ALOO

Very easy mouth-watering Punjabi's delight made by potato-spinach-fenugreek leaves, a nice combination. It is a very healthy, scrumptious, distinctly flavoured and nutritious recipe with full of Vitamins and Potassium.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Medium sized Potatoes (parboiled)
1 Bunch of Spinach
1 Bunch of Fenugreek leaves/Methi saag (taken leaves only)
1/2 Cup Frozen Green Peas (optional)
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp Coriander powder
A Pinch of Turmeric powder
4-6 green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tsp Garam masala
2 tbsps Oil
2 tbsps Milk
1 tsp Clarified Butter (Optional)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Chop potatoes into small cubes.

Take half of the spinach and make puree. Finely chop the remaining spinach and fenugreek leaves separately.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add ginger and garlic paste in it. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Fry till spices leave oil.

Now add chopped spinach followed by fenugreek leaves and green chillies. Saute for 2 minutes. Add spinach puree, green peas, milk, potatoes and salt. Cook for another 8-10 minutes on medium heat.

Add Garam masala and clarified butter for better flavour, stir for another minute to mix up well.

Serve hot with roti, naan or steamed rice.

TIPS: To maintain the green colour of the vegetables, cook uncovered.
          Adding milk gives a creamy texture.

SIMPLE EGG ROLL IN KOLKATA STYLE

This is a  very popular street-food from Bengal. Everybody who hails from Kolkata as well as West Bengal is very well known with this flavour. Made with egg and scrumptious filling of salad or chicken kabab or minced mutton or tikka or simply by veggies. So there are several types of rolls, egg roll, chicken roll, egg-chicken roll, mutton roll, chicken tikka roll. Now-a-days paneer roll is also available for vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups all purpose flour (Maida)
4 Eggs
1 Red Onion (finely sliced)
1 tbsp finely chopped Green Chillies
1 Cucumber (julienned)
1 tbsp chopped Capsicum
2 tbsps grated Carrot
2 tbsps Lemon juice
4 tbsps Hot & Sweet Tomato Sauce
!/3 tsp Black Pepper powder
4 Kitchen paper towel (for wraping the rolls)
6 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste


METHOD:
Make a soft dough with flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsps oil and luke warm water. Knead the flour well. Make 4 round parathas with it.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flat frying pan. Beat 1 egg with little salt and black pepper powder. Pour the egg mixture in frying pan and swirl as if making an omelette. Place the paratha on the top of the egg and place it gently. Flip the paratha when egg is done and cook for few seconds more. Do the same process for other 3 parathas also.

Put the parathas on the board with the egg side up. Line up cucumber, carrot, capsicum, onion, green chillies at the centre of the each paratha. Pour 1 tbsp tomato sauce and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice on the vegetables.

Roll up the parathas with vegetables at the centre and cover half of it with kitchen papers. Truk the papers well to hold the roll together.

Serve hot.

It is such a meal, which is filling and fulfilling at the same time. Enjoy!

Sending this recipe to Amina Creation's Guest Quest Event

BAINGAN KA BHARTA

This is a traditional Punjabi Menu. There are several versions of 'Baingan ka Bharta' in Indian cooking. But I like the Punjabi essence particularly with this dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Eggplant (large one)
1 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
4 Flakes of Garlic (crushed)
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
1 1/2 tsps Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder (amchur)
1/2 Cup Frozen Peas (optional)
3 tbsps Mustard Oil (or any other oil)
1 tbsp Butter
2 tbsps Chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Grease the eggplant with few drops of oil. Make 3-4 holes on the body of eggplant with a fork.

Set oven at 400 degree F. Place eggplant in the preheated oven. Keep turning periodically till the eggplant seems to 'cave in' on its body. It takes 30-35 minutes approximately to roast fully.

Once it roasted, allow to cool down and peel off the charred skin. Mash the inner flesh of eggplant thoroughly and keep aside.

Heat mustard oil in a frying pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida in it. When the seeds crackle, add crushed garlic flakes. Saute for few seconds. Add onions and grated ginger in it. Fry the onions till turn golden brown.

Add tomatoes, green chillies, red chilli powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder and green peas. Fry till spices leave oil.

Now add mashed eggplant and mix well. Fry for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Stir continuously for blending thoroughly.

Now add garam masala, lemon juice and butter. Remove from heat. Keep stirring for a minute or two.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with dal-rice or roti.