CHANAR PATURI (PANEER WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF)

A delicacy of Bengal is 'Paturi'. Generally, oily fish is sliced evenly and then wrapped in banana leaf after the fish has been hit by a basting of a freshly pounded mustard with a hint of green chili, coconut, mustard oil, turmeric and salt; baked or roasted on very slow heat. Today, I made this vegetarian version of paturi, which is made with freshly made paneer or chana. I used banana leaf, you may use pumpkin leaf or bottle gourd leaf too, it is very traditional and toothsome dish which goes well with hot steamed rice. Tryout this fabulous chanar paturi and enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Freshly Made Paneer / Chana (cottage cheese)

½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut

2 tbsps Mustard Seeds

4 Whole Green Chillies (according to taste)

4-5 Slit Green Chillies

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)

2 tbsp + 2 tsp Mustard Oil

Salt To Taste

10 pieces of Banana Leaves
Cotton thread

METHOD:

First of all, make a smooth paste of mustard seeds by using pestle and mortar. Now add grated coconut and whole green chilies, again grind by using pestle and mortar to make a smooth paste. Now the spice mixture is ready. Set it aside.

Take the pieces of banana leaves and grease each pieces with very little mustard oil. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, combine freshly made paneer / chana with mustard-coconut-green chili paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar, 2 tbsp mustard oil and salt. Fold nicely, so that everything incorporated very well.

Arrange banana leaves on your kitchen countertop. Take a small portion of paneer/chana mixture (like small lemon sized ball). Pour the mixture onto the middle of the leaf.

Place one slit green chili on the top of the mixture.  Now fold the banana leaf to wrap the contain from all sides, just like a parcel and tie with a piece of thread. Repeat the process for remaining mixture.

Heat a frying pan (preferably non-stick) and coat it with 1 tsp mustard oil. Place the wrapped  paneer or chana  on the heated pan (5-6 pieces at a time). Cover the lid and bake those for 6-8 minutes on medium-low heat.

Take off the lid to turn the wrapped paneer and bake the other side. Cover lid and roast for another 6-7 minutes. Take off each parcel from the heat now.

Discard the thread from the parcel. Now the baked paneer / chana is taken out from the banana leaf. Mouthwatering and fantastic chanar paturi is ready to serve with hot steamed rice.

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

DAL AMRITSARI

'Dal Amritsari' as the name suggests is a dal from the city of Amritsar, Northern India. This is a delightful as well as protein pack Punjabi delicacy, as mouthwatery as dal makhani, but not that much rich. The speciality of this dal recipe, 'spices are always fried in desi ghee' and give an authentic aromatic touch of Punjab. A comforting rich dal recipe that goes best with the hot phulkas.

INGREDIENTS:

½ Cup Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)

½ Cup Black Gram (Whole Urad)

1” Ginger (Minced)

3 Green Chilies (Finely Chopped)

1 Medium Onion (Finely Chopped)

2 Medium Tomatoes (Chopped)

1 tsp Caraway Seeds (shah Jeera)

¼ tsp Turmeric Powder

½ tsp Red Chili Powder

½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

1-2 tbsp Finelly Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro

2 tbsp Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee)

1 tsp Butter (optional)

Salt to taste

METHOD:

 Wash and soak both lentils in water overnight.

Pressure cook both lentils along with turmeric powder and little salt until soft and mushy. Let it cool down normally. Open the lid and mash lentils a little with the back of a ladle and keep it aside.

For the tempering, heat clarified butter in a deep pan or wok. Add caraway seeds in it. Saute till it changes its colour slightly. Add minced ginger, green chilies and sauté for 20 seconds followed by adding onions in it.

Fry till onions turn golden, add red chili powder and give a nice stir. Add chopped tomato and salt in it. Fry for 3-4 minutes till tomato turns soft and mushy and leaves oil from the sides.

Pour cooked lentils in it and fold till lentils mix with spices well. Now add 1 cup warm water in it. Mix well. Cover and cook for another 6-8 minutes on medium heat.

Sprinkle garam masala, coriander leaves and butter on it. Keep stirring for a minute and switch off the heat now.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves, very well goes with paratha, tandoori roti or naan….

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

MURGH METHI MALAI IN MICROOVEN

This dish is a part of Mughlai Cuisine from the province of Awadh which is now very famous in UP and Delhi. Murgh Makhani is a dish which is certainly different from this dish, flavoured by Punjabi Cuisine. The Mughlai Cuisine often requires arduous amount of time and labour, which can take days for preparing a particular dish. But I prepared it in very easy way just within 15 to 20 minutes in microoven and it is mouth-watery and one of my favorite chicken recipe, a great dish indeed.

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Boneless Chicken, Cut into 1” Cubes

100 gm Hung Curd

50 ml Fresh Cream ( I Used Amul Cream)

1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)

1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasoori Methi)

2 tbsp Garlic Paste

1 tbsp Green Chili Paste

1 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala Powder

1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

3 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Butter

½  tsp Sugar (for flavor)

2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

Salt to Taste

METHOD:

Wash chicken pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Now marinate chicken with curd, green chilli paste, garlic paste, dried fenugreek leaves and salt. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 4-5 hours (I prefer to keep marination for overnight).

Now take a micro oven safe bowl, pour oil on it and micro for 2 minutes at 100% power. Add fenugreek seeds in it, stir once and micro it for another 2 minutes.

Pour marinated chicken in it. Fold well. Cover and micro for 4 minutes at 100%. Open the lid and add red chili powder, stir nicely.  Again cover and micro for 4 minutes at 100%.

Add coriander leaves and give a nice stir. Cover and micro for another 2 minutes at 100%. Keep it in 5 minutes stand time.

Just before serving, add fresh cream and micro for 2 minutes uncovered at 100%.

Serve warm with hot phulkas or  parathas or naan or any rice dish. It is simply yummy!!!

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

FISH CUTLETS - YUMMY SRI LANKAN SNACKS

Sri Lankans are mad on snacks. It may be tea-time snacks or any party dish. Fish cutlets are another personal favorite among Sri Lankan cuisine. They are small golf-ball sized portion of joy, dip in egg and rolled, lightly breaded and deep fried........absolutely divine.

INGREDIENTS:
(For 20 cutlets)
15 OZ Canned Tuna Fish (may use salmon or jack macherel)
2 Medium sized Potatoes (parboiled)
1/2 of a large Red Onion, finely chopped
1" Ginger (minced)
5-6 Curry Leaves (shredded)
3 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (as per taste)
1/2 tsp freshly pounded Black Pepper powder
1 tsp Mustard paste (optional)
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 tbsps Corn Flour
1 Egg (beaten)
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

Peel potatoes and cut in cubes.

In a large bowl, combine potato, onion, mustard paste, ginger, curry leaves, green chillies, red chilli powder and black pepper powder. Mash every thing roughly.

Drain tuna fish. Add tuna and corn flour in potato mixture. add salt and lime juice in it.

Mix nicely by using your hands, should not be any lump within the mixture. (Corn flour binds mixture well)

Now time to shape the cutlets. Take about a golf-ball sized amount of mixture, little press from the up and down to give a shape like flatten disc. Next dip the flatten disc into the beaten egg and then into the breadcrumbs. Keep aside on a plate.

I made shapes of cutlets flatten dish with half portion of the mixture and with another half part I gave golf-ball shaped. Because both look very nice.

Heat oil in a frying pan. When the oil is enough hot, add 5-6 fish balls in it. Don't over crowd. Fry the cutlets both sides till golden brown. Follow the same for the remaining cutlets.

Garnish with onions/salad. Serve hot with chilli tomato sauce or mustard sauce as you like.

Linking to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

TANDOORI PANEER TIKKA

I found this recipe on www.sanjeevkapoor.com presented by Chef Harpal Singh Sukhi. But here, I made some changes in it according to my tastebuds and it comes out awesome, lazaabab! I used my oven by making my tikkas, but really I missed that smokey flavour which comes out from the tandoor only. One thing you have to focus always by making tikka or kabab, the marination. Tikkas are generally made in tandoor or grilled in oven. But you may prepare it on stovetop too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb / 450 gm Cottage Cheese (paneer)
2 Medium Onions, cut in cubes
A Pinch of Carom seeds
1 Large Green Bell Pepper, cut in cubes
1 Medium tomato, cut in cubes
1/4 Cup Chickpea Flour (besan)
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
1/2 Cup hanged curd / plain yogurt
1/3 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp freshly pounded Garam masala
1/3 tsp Dry Mango powder (amchur)
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
2 tsps fresh Lemon juice
3 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste
4 wooden skewers (soak in water for 3-4 hours)

METHOD:
Cut cottage cheese in 1&1/2" cubes. Set aside.

Heat clarified butter in a frying pan. Add carom seeds in it. Saute for 30-40 seconds, add chickpea flour now. Keep stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes, till a nice aroma comes out. Switch off the heat and pour chickpea flour in a large bowl.

Heat mustard oil in a pan, add turmeric in it. Immediately remove it from the pan.

Combine chickpea flour, mustard oil, curd, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice, mustard oil and salt. Whisk nicely.

Add cottage cheese cubes, tomato cubes, green bell pepper cubes and onion cubes and mix with the batter nicely. Keep this marination aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Thread the cottage cheese / paneer into the skewers, alternating the paneer with cubes of vegetables as you wish (alternating, onion-paneer-bell pepper-tomato-onion-paneer-bell pepper-tomato like that). Arrange the skewers on the baking tray.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Bake each side for 5-6 minutes. To achieve the sizzling effect, now put the oven to broil mode for 5 minutes. Switch off the oven. Take out the baking tray from the oven immediately.

Place the paneer tikka onto the plate, squeeze little lime juice and sprinkle chaat masala on the top. Serve immediately.

TIPS: If you don't have oven or tandoor, just cook it in gas oven. Heat a griddle, sprinkle little oil in it. Place skewers on it. Cook 5 minutes each side on medium flame.
Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

CORN PEAS TIKKI

During my corporate life, I was in Haryana for 6 months where I met with different types of street food. Literally I fall in love to those dishes. Among them, aloo chat and papri chat with loads of turmarind chutney, curd and mint chutney; are really mouth watery. But I loved different types of tikkis too, a lipsmacking and also a good, evening snack. Here I did some little variation on regular aloo / rajma tikki; corn, potatoes, green peas mixed with lots of Indian spices, tikkis made with it which were shallow fried. Tasty and delicious tikkis will always remind you the flavour of Delhi & Haryana, which I am missing always during evening nowadays. Try this, trust me you will surely love it.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Sweet Corn (frozen)
1/2 Cup Green Peas (frozen)
2 Medium Potatoes (peeled and parboiled)
3-4 tbsp Bread Crumb
1&1/2 tbsp Grated Cheese
1/2 Green Bell Pepper / Capsicum (finely chopped)
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/2 Cup Tomato Puree
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp Oil for Shallow Frying

METHOD:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add chopped onion in it. Fry for 2 minutes. Add green bell pepper, green chili and tomato puree in it. Mix salt, red chili powder and dried mango powder. Fold nicely till spices leave oil from the sides of the pan.

Add corn and peas in it. Fry for another 5-6 minutes, till all moisture evaporates and everything incorporated well with the spices. Remove from pan. Add grated cheese in it.

Add mashed potatoes, bread crumb, coriander leaves and little salt with corn peas mixture. Mix nicely by using your hand.

Take a portion of mixture and make a ball out of it. Gently flatten them into a round shape.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Arrange 5-6 tikkis on it. Let it fry for 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side also to crispy brown. Both sides should be browned.

Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes

AAM-RAS

Today, I come here with a flavourful mango delicacy. I know most of my friends love this delicious dessert. The alphonso mango is very luscious, sweet and usually used for this preparation. 'Aam' means the king of all fruits, mango and 'ras' means juice. But it looks different than a juice and is a mouthwatering and popular dessert item in all over the India.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Mango Pulp
1/2 Cup Sugar or as per sweetness of mango
1/2 Cup Milk / coconut milk
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
A pinch of Saffron (optional)
Few Pistachios, raisins and Cashewnuts for garnishing

METHOD:
Combine mango pulp, sugar, milk, saffron and cardamom powder in a jar and blend altogether for 60 to 90 seconds.

Pour in ramekins and decorate with pistachios, raisins and cashewnuts.

Place in refregerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

Serve as a dessert or may serve with hot puris too.

Recipe source & acknowledgement: www.sanjeevkapoor.com
Sending to:  Chandrani's Holiday Recipes