METHI CHAMAN ( Fenugreek Leaves with Paneer Gravy)

Hi all, I came across this dish when we out to a restaurant as a family and it was delicious. So, decided to find out more about it so I can make it at home. Apparently, this dish comes from the state of Kashmir, and is very similar to another dish called Palak Paneer. So here we go, the recipe I am going to share today is called Methi Chaman where Methi means Fenugreek leaves and Chaman is referred to Paneer in Kashmiri. its an easy dish to make and is rich and creamy.

METHI CHAMAN

INGREDIENTS

Methi Leaves: 1 full bunch, once blanched comes to 1 cup

Paneer: 1/2 cup grated

Onion: 1 medium chopped

Cashews: 10-15

Garlic: 2-3 pods

Ginger: 1 medium piece which come to 1-2 Tbsp

Green Chilli: 2 slit

Tomato: 1 medium chopped into small pieces

Butter: unsalted melted 1-2 Tbsp

Heavy Cream: 1-2 Tbsp

Dry Fenugreek (Kasoori Methi): 1-2 Tsp crushed

Salt as required

SPICE MIX

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Cumin-Coriander powder: 1-2 Tsp

Garam Masala: 1/2-1 Tsp

                                    

Methi Chaman

MAKING

The first step is to blanch the Methi leaves in boiling water. drain out the water and put the blanched methi leaves in ice cold water. Chop them lightly and set aside.

Grate the Paneer but keep around 6-7 small cubes of paneer aside to be added to the gravy as well.

In a kadai (saute pan), add ghee/butter, once melted, add in the ginger, garlic, onions and cashews and saute it until the onions turn translucent and golden. Switch off the gas, and allow this mix to cool. Once its cooled down, grind it into a nice paste like texture and set aside.

Take the same kadai(pan), add in the ghee. Now add the Onion-Cashew paste, slit green chilli and saute it for about 3-4 minutes in low flame. Make sure the raw smell of the onion is gone, that's why we saute the mix for a few minutes. To this, add the chopped Tomato. Saute for a few minutes before adding the Turmeric, Red chilli, Cumin-Coriander powder and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Now add the paneer cubes, and add about 1/4th cup of water and allow this gravy to cook and reduce. 

Once it has reduced a little bit, add the grated paneer, required salt, and cook for a few more minutes in low flame. Once the gravy thickens and reduces, add in 2 Tbsp heavy cream, Kasoori Methi and Garam Masala. Cook for another 2 minutes.

That's it, delicious Methi Chaman is ready. Serve it hot with rotis, Naan's or Chapathi's.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Methi ( Fenugreek leaves) tend to be on the bitter side so you can add chopped spinach to the methi.

One tip that my MIL told me was that when cutting methi leaves, use only steel knives as it avoids making it more bitter.

Adding small cubes of paneer along with the grated paneer adds to the texture of the dish. 

You can add Tomato Puree but I preferred chopped tomato pieces for the texture.

Adding Kasoori Methi gives added flavor to the gravy.

 

Creamy Jackfruit Mousse

Hi all, its been a while, the holiday season has started and its time to enjoy with family and friends. My MIL wanted to make a savory dish using jackfruit unfortunately the canned jackfruit we bought was sweetened Jackfruit in sugar syrup hence we had to come up with something to make use of it. I decided to make something quick with whatever left over ingredients I had from Thanksgiving shopping. It was nice, light and yummy so here it goes

JACKFRUIT MOUSSE

INGREDIENTS

Jackfruit: 4-5 Pieces

Sugar: 1-2 Tbsp

Sour Cream: 2 Tbsp

MOUSSE

Heavy Cream: 1 Cup

Sour Cream: 1/4th Cup

Sugar: 1/2 Cup

GARNISH

1 Piece of Jackfruit cut into very small pieces

                                                    

Jackfruit Mousse

MAKING

In a blender, add 4-5 pieces of jackfruit, add the sugar and sour cream and blend it into a nice smooth consistency. It will be creamy. Set it aside.

In a bowl, add the heavy cream, sugar and sour cream and whisk it using an electric whisker. Whip it well until it gets a peak at the end of the whisk. 

in a rectangle loaf pan preferably glass, pour the prepared jackfruit cream, add some pieces of chopped jackfruit pieces on it, now pour in the whipped cream to make a nice 2 layer. Again top it with pieces of chopped Jackfruit pieces.

Refrigerate at least for an hour and serve it cold.

Thats' it delicious easy Jackfruit Mousse is ready.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I made this dish using the ingredients I had with me at that point. Here are the alternatives

1: You can use fresh jackfruit instead of canned one

2: If you do not like the raw smell of the jackfruit, boil it for a few minutes and then do the above steps.

3: Instead of Heavy cream, you could use whipping cream which ideally works better. 

4: You could also use plain cream cheese instead of sour cream to give that cheese cake touch and add a layer of graham crackers or pistachio coarsely powdered roasted pistachios

5: if you need more sweetness, you could add more sugar to the jackfruit cream. I added only 2 Tbsp in mine.

You can never go wrong with this dish. You can also substitute jackfruit with fruits like Mangoes etc

Capsicum Burji ( Bell Pepper Burji)

Hi all, I came across this recipe when browsing the social media. This was originally done with Paneer as the main ingredient. However, since I did not have Paneer, I made it with Green Peppers ( Capsicum). It was a big hit with the family. They loved it so here it goes...

CAPSICUM BURJI ( BELL PEPPER BURJI)

INGREDIENTS

Onion: 1 Medium long sliced

Tomato: 1 Medium long sliced

Green pepper ( Capsicum): Finely chopped 1/2 Cup

Besan( Gram Flour): 2 Tbsp 

Curd (Yogurt) 1/2 Cup

Ginger: 1 Tbsp finely chopped

Green chilli: 2 finely chopped

Salt as required

Garam Masala: 1-2 Tsp

Freshly chopped coriander leaves: 2 Tbsp

Kasuri Methi crushed: 1 Tsp

Oil and Butter: 1 Tbsp each

Water: 2-3 Tbsp

Milk: 1/4th cup

SPICE MIX

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 2 Tsp

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp Crushed

Pav Bhaji Masala: 1-2 Tbsp

Chat masala: 1-2 Tsp

Black Pepper powder( optional): 1/2 Tsp 

GARNISH

Thinly long sliced Onion about 2-3

Thinly long sliced tomato: 1-2

Freshly Chopped Coriander: 1 Tsp

Butter: 1 Tbsp

                                    

Capsicum Burji

MAKING

Dry roast the Besan (gram flour) until it starts getting aromatic for about 2-3 minutes in low flame. Don't roast it for too long. Set it aside.

In a bowl, add the yogurt. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the spice mix mentioned above to the yogurt and mix well without any lumps. Now add the dry roasted gram flour and give it a nice mix. You will have a semi liquid creamy mix. Set it aside.

Heat a pan with oil and butter (1 Tbsp each). Once heated, add finely chopped ginger, green chillies and long sliced onions. Saute it for a minute or two until the onions turn translucent. Add the thinly sliced tomatoes with required salt until it starts leaving oil from the sides.

Now add the yogurt spice mix liquid into the onion-tomato gravy and allow it to cook for a minute or two in low flame. Add 2 Tbsp of water to it and cook for about 2 minutes again.

Add the finely chopped Capsicum (Green Pepper) to it. Add more salt if needed and saute it for 2-3 minutes and then add 1/4th cup milk to the gravy and allow it to a cook for 2-3 minutes. Add Garam Masala, some crushed Kasoori methi. After a minute or so, switch off the gas and delicious creamy Capsicum Burji is ready. 

Garnish with sliced onion, tomato, finely chopped coriander leaves and a blob of butter.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Burji means scrambled.

Instead of Green pepper, you can make it with grated Paneer grated ( 1 cup).

Black pepper is optional.

Instead of Milk, you could also use cream but reduce the amount, instead of 1/4th, you could add 1/8th cup.

Garnishing with sliced onion or tomato is optional.

Pickled Paneer ( Achari Paneer)

Hi all, I came across this recipe from a famous chef and decided to make it for my son celebrating his birthday. I did not have all the ingredients needed but that made me improvise and add my own touch to it so in the end, it all came out well. So here it goes

PICKLED PANEER ( ACHARI PANEER)

                                

Pickled Paneer ( Achari Paneer)

INGREDIENTS

Paneer: Cut into triangles ( 1 Cup)

Onion: 1 Medium finely chopped

Tomato: 1 medium

Cashews: 10-12

Green Chilli: 1 or 2 slit

Ginger: 1 Tbsp

Garlic: 1 Tbsp

Pickle of your choice ( I used Green chilli pickle): 1 Tbsp

SPICES

Jeera: 1 Tsp

Dhania ( Coriander) seeds: 1/2 Tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 Tsp

Bay Leaf: 1 

Fennel seeds: 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Kashmiri Red chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 1 Tsp

Salt as required

Oil : 1 Tbsp

Water as required

Crushed Kasoori Methi ( 1/2 Tsp) and freshly chopped cilantro for garnish.

MAKING

In a pan or kadai, add 1 Tbsp oil, add the Bay leaf, Fennel seeds, Jeera, Mustard seeds and Coriander seeds. saute it for a minute before adding in the finely chopped onion. Saute it well until the onion turns golden brown and the raw smell is gone. Add in the chopped garlic, ginger and the slit green chilli. Saute it well for a couple of minutes in medium flame. If you think the spices will burn add in 1-2 tbsp water to prevent it from burning.

Meanwhile grind the tomatoes and the cashews into a nice semi-liquid paste using a little bit of water if needed and add it to the onion spice mix above. Saute it for a couple of minutes before adding in the Turmeric, Red chilli, Jeera-Dhania powders and required salt. Allow it to cook well, until the mixture thickens a bit. 

Add about 1/4th cup water to it and allow it to cook . After a couple of minutes add in the sliced paneer into it. Mix it well. After a few minutes, add 1 Tbsp of chopped Pickle (Achar) into the paneer gravy and cook for at least 8-10 minutes in low flame.

Finally garnish with crushed kasoori methi and freshly chopped Cilantro.

Delicious Achari Paneer is ready to eat as a side with roti's/Naan/Paratha or even rice.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could use mustard oil for distinct taste, I used Peanut oil or you could use normal everyday cooking oil.

The recipe required Kalonji seeds , since i didn't have it, I used Coriander seeds

The pickle you use is important, I used Green chilli pickle, you could use mixed veg pickle or mango pickle. Do not use lemon or lime pickle is my suggestion.