BUTTER PANEER

This is an absolutely lipsmucking paneer recipe, once we are thinking of this recipe, mouth got salivating, very simple but too delicious party dish. If you are too much health consious, add thick milk instead of heavy cream, and reduce butter amount with oil. Though it has a essence of North India, (basically from Punjab) but now it overwhelming not only in India, but all over the world. Fresh paneer is rich in calcium, so very essential for our body. It is a popular main coarse food in every Indian restaurant. Buttery tomato sauce, flavored with fenugreek leaves, gives an awesome touch to this dish. Butter paneer, has a velvetty smooth gravy, which has all the goodness of Indian spices combined with cottage cheese cubes, garnished with coriander leaves and cream. Enjoy this rich feast from heaven! 

INGREDIENTS:
7 OZ / 200 gm Cottage Cheese (paneer)
1 Cup Tomato Puree
1&1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1&1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Dry Fenugreek Leaves
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp freshly grounded Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Paprika (for colour only)
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
2 tsp oil
3 tbsps Butter
1/2 Cup heavy cream or 1/2 cup thick milk
1 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut cottage cheese in medium cubes.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. When oil is heated, add butter in it. So that butter will not be burnt. Let it melts for another minute.

Add ginger and garlic paste in it. Fry for another 2 minutes on medium heat.

Then add tomato puree and salt in it.

Saute for 4-5 minutes, till excess water from tomato evaporates and tomato leaves oil from the side of pan.

Now add coriander powder, garam masala, paprika and red chilli powder.

Keep stirring for another 2 minutes, till all spices seperate oil from sides.

At this point add cottage cheese cubes and dry fenugreek leaves it it. Fold nicely, so that cottage cheese coats with the spices well.

Add 1 cup warm water in it.

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add cream in it. Fold well.

Add sugar in it. Keep stirring for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Drizzle few drops of cream and chopped cilantro on top.

Serve hot with roti, paratha, naan, pulao or any rice dish.

Linking to: EP Series : Oregano & Paprika hosted by Foodomania

VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH HERB SAUCE

Getting 'vegetable stir fry' to taste just right usually a challenge. Feel free to choose and experiment with your own choice of vegetables, which are fresh and available in your pantry. You may add tofu, shrimp or chicken slices for making it protein rich. But here I made vegetable stir fry, which I generally like for everyday basis. May add broccoli and baby corn, those go very nice with this type of stir fry, but not available presently in my pantry, so could not use. Instead of that I use cauliflower. Teriyaki sauce touches it with a nice smoky flavor. The remarkable use of lemon garlic herb sauce makes it a flavorsome luscious taste. The delectable aroma of this sauce gives a distinctive touch to this dish, just try it.

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium Carrot
1/2 large Red Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Cauliflower, taken florets only
1/2 cup Green Peas (frozen)
8-10 sprigs of Green Onion (finely chopped)
1/3 tsp Kosher Salt
1/3 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/3 tsp Garlic Pepper powder
1 tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
1 clove minced Garlic
1 tbsp chopped Cilatro
28 ml Lemon Garlic & Herb Sauce (Brand Marketside)
2 tbsps Sesame Oil-preferably (if not available, may use canola oil)

METHOD:

Wash all the vegetables nicely. Cut carrot in 1" thin slices. Chop cauliflower in small pieces. Cut green bell peppers in thin slices. Cut onion in very thin slices.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add minced garlic, followed by onion in it, fry till it gets translucent. Now add carrot, cauliflower, bell pepper and green peas in it. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stir occasionally.

Add green onions, black pepper powder, garlic pepper powder, kosher salt and teriyaki sauce in it. Saute for another 2 minutes. Then pour Lemon garlic herb sauce in it. Toss everything for 2 minutes on high flame. Remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with garlic bread, noodles or simply as a side dish with lunch or dinner.

Have a happy long weekend!!!

Linking to: Sharan's Onam Sadhya Grand Feast event

CHETTINAD PEPPER CHICKEN

Source of the recipe & acknowledgement:
http://kothiyavunu.blogspot.com/

 

It is needless to say about the speciality, a distinctive culinary style with judicious blend of spices, known as chettinad cuisine. It is now well known throughout the world for its fiery, deeply mouthwatering delectable taste. Here chicken cooked slowly in coconut milk, with all grinded spices, such as coriander, cumin, poppy seeds, black pepper, fennel, cardamom, cloves and cinnemon. If you want an authentic traditional chettinad chicken, don't be compromised with the spice ingredients, which are usually available in your kitchen. The origin of this chicken recipe is from Tamilnadu. It is my favorite chicken recipe due to its distinctive, flavorsome and heavenly punch.

INGREDIENTS:
20 OZ / 600 gm Chicken, cut in medium sized pieces
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
1 Bay Leaf
2 small Tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1 sprig Curry Leaves
3/4 cup Coconut Milk
Salt to taste
3 tbsps Oil
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice

For Dry Grinding paste:
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
5 Dry Red Chilli
1/2 tsp Peppercorns
2 pods Cardamoms
2 Cloves
1" Cinnamon
1 sprig Curry Leaves

For Wet Grinding paste:
4 pods Garlic
1 tbsp Chopped Ginger
1 tsp Poppy seeds
2-3 Green Chillies
1 tsp Oil



METHOD:
Wash and clean the chicken pieces. Make it pat dry.

Dry roast all dry grinding ingredients for 3 minutes. Let it cool naturally. Dry grind all spices. Now marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, grinded dry roasted powder, lemon juice and salt. Keep it refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

In the mean time, heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add garlic, chopped ginger, poppy seeds and green chillies. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Let it cool. Grind these ingredients with 2-3 tbsps of water. Set aside.

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a wok. Add bay leaf, onion and curry leaves in it. Fry till onion turns golden brown. Now add wet grinded paste in it.

Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

Add tomato and little salt in it now.

Fry for another 4-5 minutes till tomato gets soft and leaves oil from the side of wok.

At this point add marinated chicken in it. Stir well for another 5 minutes, until they are nicely coated with the spices.

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally. Add coconut milk with 1 cup of warm water in it. Covered and slow cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Open lid and combine together nicely. Oil leaves from the side of the wok. Switch off the heat now.

Chettinad pepper chicken is now ready to serve with steamed rice, pulao, biryani, roti, naan or dosas.

Enjoy!!! 

Linking to: Virtual Eid Potluck party @ My culinary adventures

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

 

Linking to: Julie's " EP Series - Curry leaves or Dried Red Chillies " hosted by Poonam @ " Spicy Aroma "

 



 

Linking to: "South Indian Cooking" SIC Series Event - # 1 @ Anu's Healthy Kitchen





RICE KHEER / PAAL PAYASAM / CHALER PAYESH

Here is a traditional and special treat for Indians. Unakkalari or rose matta or any other non-sticky raw rice can be used for that. I used kalo jeera rice, it has itself a very nice aroma. Flavourful paal payasam will get, only in a traditional way, slow cooked process. All Kerala people are preparing many recipes in this ONAM festival, but paal payasam distincts by itself for its wonderful aroma and delicious taste. It is one of the famous onam recipes, that is prepared and served during Onam Sadhya. This festive sweet is light saffron in colour and tastes divine.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups half & half Milk
3/4 Cup raw rice/govindo bhog/kalo jeera rice/basmati
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
6 pods Cardamoms (pounded)
1/2 cup Mixed Nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
2 tbsps Raisins
2 drops of Rose water

METHOD:
Wash rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain all water from it and let it dry for few minutes. Smear rice with 1/2 tsp clarified butter. Keep aside.

Heat 1/2 tsp clarified butter in a frying pan. Fry mixed nuts for 1 minute on low heat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pour milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Let it boil on medium heat. Once milk boils, add sugar in it. Simmer and stirring frequently till milk reduces to half.

Add rice, pounded cardamom and mixed nuts at this time. Cook on medium low heat. Keep stirring frequently until milk thicken further and rice is soft and cooked. Add raisins and rose water in it. Fold well. Switch off the heat. Keep it covered for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped mixed nuts on the top. Serve cold.

HAPPY ONAM TO ALL!!!

Linking to : Sharan's Onam Sadhya Grand Feast event

 



KUMRO SAAG ER CHORCHORI / PUMPKIN LEAF & VEGETABLE MISH MASH

 

There are abundant varieties of saag or leafy vegetables in India; variation in taste, texture and the technique of cooking. I always enjoy a non-spicy leafy vegetable, because saag or green leafy vegetable is an essential part in Bengali Cuisine. Here, saag (pumpkin leaves) cooked with other vegetables, but no onion or garlic used here, although gave a very appetizing flavorsome dish, which goes very well as a side dish with steamed rice. I don't have 'Bori' here, so I could not use  it in my dish, but it gives a nice taste. Even if, you dont use bori also, it will be a delectable dish. Mustard and poppy seeds paste deliver an authentic twist in this leafy vegetable mish mash.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb / 500 gm Pumkin Leaves with Soft Stems
3 medium sized Potatoes
2 medium Eggplants
3 medium sized Ridge Gourds
6-8 Daler Bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings) - optional
1 medium Radish
1 tsp Panch Phoron (mixture of mustard, cumin, nigella, fennel and fenugreek seeds)
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
5-6 Green Chillies, cut in slits
1 medium Tomato (chopped)
1 tsp Poppy seed paste
1 tbsp Mustard paste
1 tbsp Sugar
4 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Finely chop pumpkin leaves and cut the soft stems of pumpkin in 2" long. One spring like stem attachment will be there, discard those. Wash thoroughly. Keep aside.

Cut potatoes, eggplants and ridge gourds in medium sized cubes. Cut radish in 1" thin slices. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a wok. Fry bori for 2 minutes. Remove boris from the wok. Keep aside.

Heat remaining mustard oil in the same wok. Add panch phoron in it. When it splutters, add potato, radish, ridge gourd, eggplant and green chillies. Cover and fry for 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir occasionally. 

Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add tomato in it. Stir till tomato is being mashy and leaves oil from the side of wok.

At this time, add pumpkin leaves and stems in it. Mix nicely. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add fried bori and sugar in it. Stir for another minute. Now add poppy seed paste and mustard paste. Fold well. Cover and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes, till all vegetables get tender and all water evaporates. This is the time to check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Remove from heat.

Serve with warm steamed rice.