Paneer Puffs

This recipe is one of my own creation and I am very proud of it. 

Anyone who tastes it, falls in love with it!

To be honest, the preparation method is not very simple. It does take time and patience to get this done with perfection. But at the end, you will realize its worth the effort.

Ingredients:

For Paneer stuffing masala:

200 gms Paneer - cut in cubes
1 cup Green, Yellow and Red Bell peppers - cut in cubes
Half Onion - cut in cubes
2 Tomatoes - chopped finely.
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - half tsp
Fennel (saunf) Seeds - half tsp
Coriander seeds (hand crushed) - half tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste
Hing

Coriander powder - half tsp

Cumin powder - half tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

For Puffs:

Paneer stuffing (recipe given below)
Puff Pastry Sheets - 3


Procedure:

Preparing the Paneer stuffing masala

1. In a vok, add oil, and hing, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook it till the raw smell of the garlic disappears
3. Next add the bell peppers and onion and cook it on a high flame for 2-3 mins till it is half cooked. 
4. Add the chopped tomatoes. Let it cook properly on a medium flame. Add salt.
5. Add the red chili powder, Garam masala, Coriander powder and the Cumin powder and mix well.
6. Slowly add paneer cubes and let it cook on a low flame.
7. Add the Kasuri Methi and mix again.
8. Keep this aside, spread it on a plate and let it cool down

Preparing the Paneer puff

1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets by keeping it out at normal temperature for about 15 - 20 mins.
2. Meanwhile, we can prepare the paneer stuffing masala for the puffs. (Explained above)
3. Take a puff pastry sheet and using a pizza cutter or a knife divide it into 4 equal parts by cutting once vertically and once horizontally
4. Place the masala at the middle bottom portion.
5. Press the sides to stick it and using a fork, try pressing on it. It helps in binding the sides well as well as gives it a nice look.
6. As you are preparing the puffs, Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 degrees.
7. Bake the puffs for 30 mins till it is nice golden brown.

The Paneer Puffs are ready to serve.
Serve it with ketchup.

Barbeque Party - Panner Skewers with Veggies

 We have this amazing Metador Charcoal Bbq and its a welcome addition to our kitchen experiments in summer.

We love to Barbeque Paneer skewers along with Portobello Flat Mushrooms, Corn, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, etc , etc

Corn on the cob tastes really amazing - juicy and sweet

Portobello Flat Mushrooms is delicious as well. Toss them along with some olive oil, Italian seasoning like Oregano, salt and pepper and just barbeque , it takes them at the next level, very delicious and juicy.

Onions, carrots, sweet potatoes and potatoes can be barbequed with no seasonings, they get a very smoky and unique flavor.

We also tried the Halloumi Cheese, but not really a big fan of that 

And Last , but not the least, Paneer Skewers, which is the highlights of your Barbeque Party

Prepare the marination by mixing Curd, Garam Masala, Chili Powder, Corainder Powder, Cumin Powder,  Salt and Besan in a bowl. Toss the cubed Paneer and cubed veggies like Onion, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Bell peppers, etc and put them on skewers. sprinkle some ghee or butter and barbeque them. Enjoy the skewers with mint chutney.

Spinach Pasta

This is a quick and easy recipe to prepare the green pasta sauce, based on spinach puree.

Its super healthy, full on flavor and just delicious!!

Do try it out!

 Ingredients

Pasta - 1 cup
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Spinach - 1 bunch

Pepper - fresh ground
Garlic - finely chopped - 4 petals
Parmesan Cheese - for garnish

Lemon - while serving

Oregano - garnish
Salt
Water

Procedure

1. Boil the pasta of your choice along with salt till the pasta is soft. Drain the water and keep aside
2. Wash the spinach thoroughly and blanch it and keep aside to cool.
3. Once its cooled, blend it in a mixer to a smooth paste.
4. In a pan, pour 2 table spoon olive oil, Add the chopped garlic and fry them till raw smell disappears.
5. Next add the spinach puree and let it cook for a couple of mins.
6. Add salt and pepper for seasoning.
7. Finally add the cooked pasta. Add salt if required
8. Stir well and turn off the gas
9. Sprinkle some lemon juice while serving
10. Also garnish with Parmesan cheese, oregano and pepper 

The delicious Spinach Pasta is ready.

Vegetarian Bean Burger

 Ingredients:

1 can of black beans

half cup of quinoa

coriander leaves-chopped

sweet potato-1 and half (boiled as per convenience)

tomato sliced

caramelized onion- roast on oil

sauce- spicy to drizzle

salt and pepper

burger buns

Procedure:

1. Pour black beans in a bowl and mash until smooth. While doing this, boil quinoa for 12 minutes on medium.
2. Add quinoa to the bowl ,and mix until equally proportioned.
3. Add the boiled sweet potato and mix until texture is dough-like. If it's still liquidy, add more sweet potato to the mixture.
4. Add chopped coriander and mix well.
5. Use a cookie cutter or anything circular and fill it to the rim with our mixture
6. Turn on the pan, and carefully place the circular mixture on the pan, then leave the patty on.
7. Tip- add some rice flour on the patty for extra crisp.
8. Wait for 10 minutes on low flame, and flip it over.
9. Continue this process for each patty, it does take time, but it's worth it.
10. Cut open the burger bun and place the tomatoes, onion and patty.
11. Drizzle sauce and sprinkle spices.

    Munch and enjoy your savory treat.

This recipe was made by my 11-year-old daughter. Make sure to try this recipe.

Misal Pav

 

Ingredients:

moth beans - 1 cup
3 onions - chopped 
2 tomatoes - chopped

Garam Masala - half tsp

Goda Masala - half tsp

Coriander powder - half tsp

Cumin powder - half tsp
Pav bhaji masala - half tsp
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Chili power - 1 tablespoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Pav buns
Butter
Corainder leaves - chopped
Lemon

Farsan
Oil
Salt

Procedure:
1. Soak the moth beans(matki) overnight. Next day rinse off the water and tie t in a muslin cloth and put it in a container. Keep it for around 12 hours, The matki should sprout well. Boil the matki with water for arond 10 mins and keep aside.
2. Take a vok, add 1 cup oil and fry 2 chopped onions with pinch of salt till they turn golden brown. Next add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins.
3. Next add the chopped tomato and fry for 2 mins.

4. Add in all the masalas and mix well.

5. Finally add the water from the boiled matki and let it boil for around 10 mins.
6. Add the boiled matki and let it cook for a few mins. The misal masala is now ready

Serving

1. Take a plate and add it the Farsan.
2. Add the matki masala
3. Add teh chopped onions 
4. Finally add some more farsan
5. Garnish with Corainder leaves
6. Sprinkle lemon juice
7. Serve with Pav

The delicious Misal Pav  is ready.

Dalia

 

Ingriedients:

Dalia - 2 cups
1 Onion - finely chopped
Red chilies - 2
Urad dal - 1 tea spoon
Karipatta leaves
Mustard - half teaspoon
Oil

Carrots - 1  - chopped into small cubes

Peanuts - handful

Green peas - handful
Water - 3 cups
Salt

For garnishing:
Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Dry coconut\ Kopra - grated (optional)
Lemon juice

Procedure:
1. Take oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard. Once it splutters, add jeera, urad dal, Karipatta leaves and red chilies.
2. Next add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt.
3. Simultaneously keep 3 cups of water for boiling in a separate container.
4. Next add the peanuts, chopped carrots and the green peas and mix well.
5. Add in the dalia and keep stirring for about 2-3 minutes.
6. By this time, the water will start boiling. Add this boiling water to the dalia and mix well.
7. Add salt as per taste and pressure cook it for 2 whistles.

The delicious Dalia is ready.
Sprinkle lemon juice and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and grated dry coconut.

Moong Dal Vada

 

Ingredients:

Green moong dal(with skin) - 2 cups
Ginger - medium piece
Green chilies - 4

Onion - half - finely chopped

Coriander leaves

Ajwain - half tsp
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:
1. Soak the green moong dal for around 5 to 6 hours. 
2. Grind it together with ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves, ajwain and salt to a fine paste. Do not add water while grinding.
4. Take a kadhai and keep oil for boiling.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, prepare round balls and deep fry them on a medium flame till they are golden brown.

The delicious moong dal wada are ready. Serve them with green chutney.

Tips:

• You can skip the onion for offering it as a prasad

Paneer Makhani

 

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 2

Cashew-nuts - half a cup

Ginger- Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - half tsp
Chili Powder - half tsp

Corainder powder - half tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp

Green chilies - 2

Cardamoms - 2 - powdered

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
Cream - 2 tbsp

Butter 
Salt

Procedure:

1. Before you start, soak the Paneer in warm water, that will make them soft.
2.  Chop the tomatoes and blend them in the mixer along with the cashew nuts. Blend them to a smooth puree.
3. In a wok, add butter, add the green chilies, followed by cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick.
4. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. 
5. Pour in the tomato cashewnut puree and mix well.
6. Continue to cook untill it thickens and the color changes.
7. Next add garam masala, coriander powder and chili powder and salt and saute.
8. Add 1 cup water and let it boil till the gravy thickens.
9. Add the paneer.
10. Add the kasuri methi
11. Finally add the cream and mix well.

The delicious Paneer Makhani is ready

Serve it with Naan or Roti

Tips:

• Before you start, soak the Paneer in warm water, that will make them soft.
• Cashew nuts can be replaced by almonds. Just soak the almonds in hot water for a couple of hours before blending.
• Avoid overlooking the paneer, as that would make them hard and chewy.

Sarson ka Saag

Sarson is mustard and saag is greens. So in short Sarson ka Saag is the gravy prepared with mustard leaves. Since mustard leaves have a strong spicy bitter taste, it is usually prepared by combining with another saag especially spinach (palak). But you could replace it with any greens or even a combination of greens.

Sarson ka Saag is mostly served in the cold winter months along with Makke ki roti, But it goes really well with any kind of paratha or roti.

Ingredients:

Sarson ka sag(mustard leaves) - 1 bunch

Palak (Spinach) - 1 bunch
Onions - 1, finely choppes
Tomato - 1 , finely chopped
Garlic - 5 petals
Green chillies - 3
Chilli powder - half teaspoon
Turmeric powder - half teaspoon
Garam masala - half teaspoon
Bay leaves - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - small piece
Ghee
Salt

Procedure:
1. Discard the stem of the mustard leaves. Clean the spinach leaves by just removing the roots. We will use the stem of spinach leaves in this recipe.
2. Next step is to blanch the palak and mustard leaves.. Keep 2 glasses of water for boiling.
3. When the water starts boiling, dip 2-3 mustard leaves in the boiling water for a minute and then remove it. Continue this with all the mustard leaves. Repeat the same with the spinach.
4. Once the blanched leaves cools down, Put it in a mixer, add 5 garlic petals and 3 green chillies and grind it to a thick paste. Do not add water.
5. Take a vok. Add 2 tablespoon ghee. Next add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. .Next add the chopped onions.
6. Fry them for some time and add pinch of salt.

7. Next add the chopped tomatoes and fry for some time.
8. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala.
9. Finally add the leaves puree. Add water as required. Also add salt.
10. Boil it for 2-3 mins.

The delicious Sarso ka Saag is ready to serve.

Serve it hot with Makke ki Roti. 

Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani...as the name suggests this is a creamy and buttery dal and is a delicacy of North India. The Key to its peculiar taste is the generous amounts of butter and cream, the more the better.

The black whole urad dal also known as kali dal is cooked with loads of butter for a long time. This makes it buttery and creamy. Very minimum spices are added to this dal yet, it has abundance of amazing flavors. 

Ingredients:

Black urad dal (whole)- 1 cup

Rajma/Kidney beans - quarter cup
Ghee

Ginger- Garlic paste - 1 tsp
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato finely chopped
Garam Masala - half tsp
Chili Powder - half tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander leaves - for garnish
Cream - 2 tbsp

Butter 
Salt

Procedure:

1.  Soak the black urad dal and rajma overnight.
2. Next day, boil the urad dal and rajma togather in a pressure cooker. It should be cooked properly. We should be able to mash the dals easily with our hands.
3. In the same cooker, let the dal boil further till we get the masala ready. This will make the Dal Makhani very creamy.
4. As the dal is boiling, In a separate vok, add generous amount of Ghee. 
5. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. 
6. Next add the chopped onions and fry nicely till golden brown. Add pinch of salt.
7. Add in the chopped tomatoes and let it cook for a couple of minutes till the ghee oozes out from the sides.
8. Next add garam masala and chili powder and salt and saute.
9. At this point, at the boiled dals to the masala. Add salt as required.
10. Next add good amount of butter and let it cook on a low flame, uncovered.
11. Let this cook for atleast an hour. The longer the time, the better the taste and consistency. Keep stirring in between so that the dal does not stick to the pan.
12. Also add boiling water as required. I had added 2 cups of water.
13. Towards the end, add in the cream and let it boil for another 10 mins.
14. Finally add the kasuri methi and give it a nice stir.
15. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

The delicious Dal Makhani is ready
Serve it with Naan or Rice.