POTATO CHEESE BALLS IN SPINACH GRAVY

Yummy potato balls cheesy from inside cooked in creamy spinach sauce. Its a labour intensive dish but its worth the effort and makes a great main course party dish. Goes very well with naan, pulao or parathas. Trust me, it is really scrumptious and delightful.

INGREDIENTS FOR POTATO CHEESE BALLS:

3 Potatoes (Parboiled)
1/2 Cup Freshly made Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
4 tbsp Bread Crumbs
5-6 tbsp + 2 tbsp Corn Flour
Mozzarella Cheese, Cut into 9 Nos 1/4" Cubes
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Chaat masala
Salt to taste
Oil For Deep Frying

INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SPINACH GRAVY:

500 gm Baby Spinach (or may use leaves only) 
2-3 Green Chillies (As Per Taste)
6 Garlic Pods (Finely Chopped)
1 Large Tomato (Pureed)
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds (Shah Jeera)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
3-4 tbsp Oil
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1 tsp Butter (Optional)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE POTATO CHEESE BALLS:

Mash parboiled potatoes very nicely.
Add cilantro, chaat masala, oregano, thyme, red chilli powder, cottage cheese and salt. Mix all ingredients well and keep aside for 2 minutes.
After that add 5-6 tbsp corn flour into in it. Mix well. Keep mixture into refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Dilute 2 tbsp cornflour with 1/4 cup water. Whisk properly, so that there should not any lump inside the batter.
Take a small lemon sized ball, stuff 1or 2 mozzarella cheese cubes in it. Dip the ball in cornflour batter and roll on bread crumb. Thus, I made total 9 balls from the mixture.
Heat enough oil and deep fry the balls till golden brown. Set those balls aside; or you may serve as a party snack with green chutney....:)

HOW TO MAKE SPINACH GRAVY:

Boil 2-3 cups water with some salt. Switch off the heat and immediately add the spinach.

Blanch them in the water for 5 minutes.

Drain and immediately place the spinach in cold water for 3-4 minutes. So that it maintains the bright green colour in gravy.
Drain again and along with green chilies, make a smooth puree in a grinder or blender.

Heat oil in a kadai/handi. Add caraway seeds and garlic in it. Saute for a minute or two till raw smell of garlic disappears.

Pour spinach puree in it and keep stirring for 3 minutes. Add tomato puree and fold nicely.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt in it. Fry for 5 minutes on medium heat now.

Add 1 cup of warm water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat now and cook on simmer for 7-8 minutes, cook till the gravy is reduced by half.

Lower the heat now, add garam masala powder, fresh cream and butter in it. Keep stirring for a minutes. Switch off the heat now.

Arrange the koftas in a serving dish. Pour the hot gravy over it. Sprinkle little fresh cream on the top and serve hot.

This delectable dish goes well with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, phulkas, parathas or naan anything as you like.

PARTY PUNCH

A colourful, sweet and tangy beverage made in the intermingling taste of mango and orange juice mixed with Sundae ice cream and crushed ice, surprisingly very refreshing. Seen this recipe in 'Party Cooking' written by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, made little modification according to my taste. This is definitely a match made in heaven, easy to make a wonderful delight to satisfy your guests.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Mango Juice
2 Cups Orange Juice
4 tbsp Rose Syrup
4 Scoops Sundae Ice Cream
1 Cup Ice Cubes
3-4 Ice Cubes (Crushed) for Garnishing (optional)

METHOD:

Pour a tbsp full rose syrup into each glass and swirl to form a design.
Place the glasses in the refrigerator for an hour to chill.
By using an electric blender, blend the mango juice, orange juice, ice cubes and sundae ice cream till smooth.
Pour the prepared mixture into the rose syrup lined glasses, topped with crushed ice (optional).

Serve immediately.

SERVES: 4

OL ER DALNA (BENGALI STYLE ELEPHANT YAM CURRY)

Food matters culturally because it expresses, reflects and enacts values which are both openly attested to and privately held. People eat everyday with their friends and family; also during holidays and special occassions. Food celebrates, it becomes a maker of memory and a link to identity. Because eating is so central to life, food carries meaning beyond its tastes, textures and smells. My today's recipe is such a special dish which was oftenly made by my Grand Ma. She is no more with us, but the taste, texture and smell of her magical dishes still with me and will remain forever. Her culinary skills primarily motivated me to satisfy everyone's heart by serving luscious good food. 

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Elephant Yam / Ol
1/2 Cup Thick Yogurt / Curd
2-3 Green Chillies (As per taste)
2 Tomatoes
12-15 Curry Leaves
A Pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Juice Of A Lemon
1/4 tsp Shahi Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Clarified Butter / Ghee
4-5 tbsp Mustard Oil
Salt To Taste

METHOD:

Wash, peel and cut yam into 1/2" cubes.
Boil water in a pan, add salt and 1/2 of lemon juice; cover and boil for 10 minutes. Drain water completely and set yam pieces aside.
Make a paste smooth of tomatoes and green chillies and keep it aside.
Heat mustard oil in a kadai. Add yam pieces in batches and fry till those turn into golden from both sides. Remove from oil and set aside.

In the remaining oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, coriander powder, tomato paste, salt and curry leaves. Saute till spices leave oil, add red chilli powder and yogurt at this time and keep stirring till spice mixture leaves oil again.
Now add yam pieces, sugar, garam masala and coriander leaves. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
If you like to have dry curry of elephant yam, remove curry from the heat now. Otherwise, add 1/2 Cup warm water. Cover and cook on very low heat for 4 minutes. Add clarified butter (ghee) before switch off the heat.

Serve warm with plain rice or hot phulkas, it is always delicious!!