PANEER BHURJI

 

This is an easy, quick and very flavourful Punjabi dish with full of protein. Who doesn't like eggs, paneer is a fabulous alternative to them. You can have it with rotis or parathas, make kathi roll or wrap of it or make paneer stuffed sandwiches or puffs; all are simply delightful and a great idea for lunch box. So, here is the recipe of luscious fingerlicking Paneer Bhurji! This is my Mom's favourite dish. She likes paneer too much. So here I dedicate this recipe to my Mom, my Guru.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Grated/Crumbled Paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, cut in small cubes
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
1 Medium Tomato (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Dry Fenugreek Leaves (kasoori methi)
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Sugar (for flavour)
1 tsp Chaat masala
1 tsp minced Ginger
1 tsp chopped Garlic
2 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida in it. When cumin seed crackles, add minced garlic in it, saute for 30-40 seconds. Now add onion in it. Fry till onion turns golden brown.

Now add tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt in it.

Saute for 2 minutes, then add green chillies, minced ginger, garam masala and cumin powder in it. Fry till tomato gets fully mushy and spices leave oil.

Add grated paneer in it. Mix nicely so that paneer coats well with the spices. Add sugar and stir for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

Now add finely chopped green bell peppers in it. It gives not only a nice colour but flavour too. Keep stirring for 2 minutes.

At this time add chaat masala, lemon juice, dry fenugreek leaves and cilantro in it. Stir for a minute or two. Remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with roti, naan or paratha.

 

TIPS: You may use your curdled milk in this way.

          May add green peas in it.

          If you use Red, yellow or orange bell peppers instead of only green bell peppers,

          it gives a very colourful and attractive look.

 

Linking to: Favorite Recipes: Vegetarian Recipes

 

 

Linking to: FEAST FOR YOUR GURU



KOLAMBI BHAAT - KONKANI PRAWN RICE

Kolambi bhaat is an easy and simple recipe but tastes divine. When I was in Pune, I tasted this awesome rice recipe several times, not only very delightful but very flavourful too. The main flavour comes from prawns, coconut, mint leaves, coriander leaves and star anise definitely added a lovely aroma as well as appetizing and palatable.

Recipe source & acknowledgement: www.sanjeevkapoor.com

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Basmati Rice
42-45 nos medium sized Prawns (washed and cleaned)
2 medium sized Onions (finely chopped)
1&1/2 tbsps Lemon Juice
3/4 cup Shredded Coconut
3-4 Green Chillies
6-7 pods of Garlic
1&1/2" Ginger
1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
12-15 nos. Mint Leaves
1 tsp Cumin seeds
3-4 Cloves
4-5 Cardamoms
1" Cinnamon
1 Star Anise
3 cups + 3 tbsps water
1 cup Coconut Milk
4 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Marinate prawns with little salt and lemon juice. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

Wash rice and soak it in enough water for 30 minutes, then drain water and keep rice aside.

Grind shredded coconut, green chillies, Garlic, ginger, mint leaves and cilantro with 3 tbsps water. Make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and star anise in it. Saute for 30-40 seconds, till nice aroma comes out. Add onions in it. Fry till onion turns into golden brown.

Now add marinated prawns in it. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add pounded paste in it. Mix nicely. Fry till spices leave oil from the side of the pan.

Add rice in it. Fold nicely, so that spices coat well on rice.

Now add 3 cups hot water, 1 cup coconut milk and salt in it. Mix Nicely.

When it starts boiling, lower the heat and cover and cook for exactly 15 minutes. Switch off the heat.

Serve hot with any spicy fish curry or chicken curry or just plain raita.

DRY ALOO GOBHI (SPICED POTATO CAULIFLOWER)

This is a traditional North Indian dish, where potato and cauliflower cooked on their own juices, not very spicy but too flavourful, goes well with rotis and parathas. Here is the simple recipe, I made little change according to my taste.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 of a large Cauliflower (taken florets only)
2 medium Potatoes, chop potatoes into wedges
2 Bay Leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds
2 Green Chillies, cut into slits
1 tsp grated Ginger
1/3 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Dry Mango powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp freshly pounded Garam masala
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
2 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro
3 tbsps Oil
1 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Combine grated ginger, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder with 2 tbsps water in a small bowl. Mix nicely. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add asafoetida, bay leaves, cumin seeds and green chillies in it. Saute for 30 seconds. Then add spice mixture in it. Saute till spices leave oil.

Now add cauliflower, potato and salt in it. Fold well.

Cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Stir occassionally. 

Now add 3-4 tbsps of water in it. Mix well and this is the time to add dry mango powder, garam masala, lemon juice, clarified butter and chopped cilantro in it. Mix nicely. Remove from oil. Serve hot with roti or paratha or as a side dish with streamed rice.

 

A QUICK CHICKEN CURRY

Here chicken curry made with very few ingredients and comes out tasty flavourful and delicious too. It is not an authentic curry, but easy to make and very comfortable with rice and bread both. If you are really in hurry, not having that much time to prepare traditional chicken curry, adopt this yummilicious quick chicken dish, it fulfills your tastebuds definitely.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh (washed and trimmed excess fat)
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Green Chillies (roughly chopped)
1 Tomato (chopped)
1 tbsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Garlic paste
2 tbsps Curry powder
2 Cheese Cubes (grated)
1 tbsp low fat Sour Cream
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Marinate chicken with 1 tbsp curry powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice and salt. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Combine sour cream and grated cheese in a bowl with little water, whisk nicely and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onion in it.

Saute till onion gets translucent. Add chopped green chillies. Fry for another 2 minutes.

Add marinated chicken in it. Fold well.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes till spices leaves oil and chicken gets almost cooked. Stir occassionally.

Now add chopped tomatoes in it.

At this time, add cheese - sour cream mixture with 1/2 cup of water in it. Fold nicely. When it starts boiling, add 1 tbsp curry powder in it. Lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Now chicken curry is ready to serve.

Serve hot with steamed rice, rotis or toasted bread as you like. 

PEYAJI (KANDA BHAJJI / ONION FRITTERS)

Peyaji is an all time favourite savory snacks, accompaniment with tea / coffee in a rainy evening. Bengalis are fond of 'Tele bhaja' (deep oil fried savory) and muri (puffed rice) as an evening time snacks. I can't forget that my father used to take a oil greased packet full of 'tele bhaja' while he returning back from office and we together sat and enjoyed our evening snacks. There are lots of varieties of fried savory i.e. singara (samosa), beguni (batter fried sliced brinjal), alur chop (potato fritters), dhoka (gram lentil fritter), alu bora, vegetable chop, egg chop, fish chop, mutton chop etc. So, I dedicate this savory onion fritters recipe to my 'Guru', one of my parent, my father. A simple but mouthwatering savory loved by all.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Large Red Onions (kanda/peyaj)
A pinch of Nigella seeds
3-4 Green Chillies
1/2" Ginger
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 cup +1/4 cup Chickpea Flour (besan)
3 tbsps Rice Flour
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:
Chop green chillies and mince ginger. Set aside.

Thinly slice the onions. Add salt in it. Keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

Now combine nigella seeds, 1/2 cup chickpea flour, rice flour, turmeric powder, red chilli powder with onion. Fold nicely. Set aside for another 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle little water on the onion mixture, mix well by using hand. Now add chopped green chillies, minced ginger and 1/4 cup chickpea flour in it. Again mix thoroughly.

Heat oil in a pan. The oil should be heated enough. Reduce the heat to medium, take a small portion from the onion mixture, press within your palms to make it little flat and pour it in the oil very causiously.

Add few more, fry both sides of the fritters till light brown on medium heat.

Take out from the oil by using a slotted spoon and drain it on kitchen paper towel for absorbing the excess oil.

Serve hot with chilli tomato sauce and a cup of pipping hot tea / coffee. Enjoy this mouthwatering savory!

Linking to: Feast for your Guru

MATAR MUSHROOM MASALA

 

Delicious mushrooms and sweet green peas cooked in a spicy tomato, onion and butter gravy. This is a very traditional Punjabi recipe, but loved by most of the Indians. Mushroom is full of protein, most of the people called it 'non-veg' for vegetarians. It has other medicinal values, mushroom is an anti-oxidant, which protects our body cells, capables of strengthening the body immune system, maintaining balance of body cholesterol and low in calories. So, here is the recipe for scrumptious matar-mushroom gravy.

INGREDIENTS:
15 OZ /400 gm Mushroom (sliced)
1 Cup Green Peas (frozen)
2 Medium Onions (finely chopped)
2 Medium Tomatoes (chopped)
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Garam masala
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaves, asafoetida and cumin seeds in it.

When cumin seeds crackles, add ginger and garlic in it. Saute for 30 seconds, then add onion in it. Fry till onion turns golen brown.

Now add all dry spice powder (turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli & garam masala) in it. Fry for 2 minutes in medium heat.

Now add tomato and salt in it. Fry for another 4-5 minutes, till tomato turns mushy.

Add Mushrooms in it. Fold nicely, so that spices coat well on mushrooms.

Now add green peas in it. Mix nicely. Add 2/3 cup of warm water in it. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and add butter.

Give a nice stir and remove from heat. Serve hot with roti, naan, paratha, pulao or simply with steamed rice.

 

Linking to: Favorite Recipes: Vegetarian Recipes