Dum Aloo with Avocado

Hi all, the recipe I made was out of compulsion of using small potatoes and avocado before its too late to be used. What better way than to make Dum Aloo which basically means slow cooked potatoes. It generally uses yogurt but instead of yogurt I used Avocado to get the creamy texture and to balance the gravy. So, here it goes

DUM ALOO WITH AVOCADO

INGREDIENTS

Small Potatoes: 10-12 peeled

Avocado: 2 medium scooped from inside

Onion: 1 Medium chopped

Tomato: 1 medium

Garlic: 2 Pods chopped

Ginger: 1 Tsp Chopped

Cashews: 10-12 soaked in water for 10 mins

Green Chilli: 1

Cinnamon Stick: 1 Medium

Bay Leaf: 1

Black Pepper corn:4-5

Coriander Seeds: 1 Tsp

Jeera: 1 Tsp

Fennel Seeds: 1 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4th Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 1 Tsp

Kasoori Methi: 1-2 Tsp crushed

Garam Masala: 1/2 Tsp

Salt as required

Oil and Butter: 1-2 Tbsp

Water for grinding and gravy

Coriander leaves for garnish

                                            

Dum Aloo with Avocado

MAKING

Peel the potatoes, poke holes them with a fork and drop them in boiling water and boil them until soft but intact. Drain the water and set the potatoes aside. 

In a shallow pan, add oil. Once hot, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, pepper corn, jeera, fennel seeds, green chilli, chopped ginger and garlic and saute them.To this, add the chopped onion, tomato and cashews. Saute them well until the onions turn golden brown and the tomatoes turn soft and cooked. Take out the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Take the sauteed onion mix out and place them in a bowl and allow it to cool.

In the same pan, add oil. Once heated, add in the boiled small potatoes and shallow fry until the outer layer turns golden brown. Take them out and set aside.

In a blender, add the spice onion mix into a nice paste using little water. In the same pan, add butter, once melted add in the gravy and cook in low flame for a couple of minutes. Add water as required if the paste is too thick.To this, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, jeera-dhania powder and cook for another couple of minutes in low flame. 

Add the shallow fried potatoes. Mix them well, add water and salt and cook until the potatoes are well mixed with the gravy. Now add the crushed Kasoori Methi and Garam Masala and mix well. After a couple of minutes, finally add in the mashed avocado pulp into the gravy and mix well. 

Thats it, switch off the gas. Garnish the Dum Aloo with freshly chopped Coriander leaves. Serve it hot with Rotis or Naan.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Make sure to add the avocado right at the end. Doing this retains the nutrients of the avocado.

If you dont have Avocado, you can add yogurt or milk but this needs to be added before adding the kasoori methi and Garam masala and allow it to cook for a few minutes.

Molagushiyam ( Black Pepper Veg Stew)

Hi all, so we were getting a snowstorm and my son was having cough so my husband said we can make a dish called "Molagushiyam". Luckily, I was in a call with my mother and she gave me the recipe. Although,I did not have one of the main vegetable its made with, I used an alternative. It was perfect for a cold day and a big hit with the family. Molagushiyam is generally a comforting lentil based stew using black pepper instead of chillies. Its considered a healthy immune boosting dish.So, here it goes

MOLAGUSHIYAM

INGREDIENTS

Raw small green banana: 1/4th Cup (peel the skin and dice into small cubes)

Potato: 1/4th Cup ( dice into small cubes)

Moong Dal: 3-4 Tbsp

Black Pepper: 2 Tbsp (use a mortar to crush it into a coarse powder)

Cumin seeds: 1-2 Tsp (use a mortar to crush it into a coarse powder)

Turmeric: 1/4th Tsp

Curry leaves: 10-12

Coconut Oil : 1-2 Tsp for Tadka

Red Chillies: 1 medium split into half

Urad Dal: 1 Tsp

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tsp

Salt and water as required

                                            

Molagushiyam

MAKING

In a deep bottom pan, add the cut vegetables, moong dal, turmeric, salt as required ,1-2 Tsp of the crushed pepper and curry leaves( 5-6). Add some water and cook until the moong dal is cooked and the vegetables are soft and well mixed into the dal. Add water little by little as and when you think the dal needs to be cooked more.

Now for Tadka, add coconut oil. Once heated, add the Mustard seeds, Urad dal,dry red chilli, remaining crushed black pepper, crushed Jeera and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds splutters, add it to the gravy and delicious Molagushiyam is ready. 

Serve it hot with rice with papad on the side. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Molagushiyam is traditionally made with yam and small green raw banana but I used potato instead of Yam and it came out really well.

You can also add a portion of the crushed jeera/cumin to the gravy with the dal and veggies.

I used a generous amount of black pepper for the heat but you could adjust it based on your heat preference.

Palak Lasooni ( Spinach Garlic Gravy)

Hi all, its the holiday season and my part of the world gets cold during this season. We had some light snow so then what happens when you have a handful of ingredients and need to make a side for Rotis. You come up with this recipe which was a big hit with the family. It was very easy to make and the best part, very healthy because of the ingredients. Perfect dish to make for kids. Here it goes

PALAK LASOONI (SPINACH GARLIC GRAVY)

INGREDIENTS

GRAVY

Spinach : 1 Cup (Blanched in water for 2 minutes and drop it in ice water to retain color)

Garlic : 1 Pod

Onion: 1 Medium finely chopped

Ginger: 1 small piece

Green Chillies: 1-2

Bay Leaf: 1

Cinnamon Stick: 2 medium pieces

Cardamom Pods: 1

Fenugreek leaves/Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp

Jeera : 1 Tsp

Heavy Cream: 2 Tbsp

Cashews: 8-10

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 Tsp

Cumin-Coriander Powder: 1 Tsp

Garam Masala: 1 Tsp

Salt as required

Unsalted butter: 2 Tbsp

TADKA

Red Chillies: 2 

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp

Garlic Pods: 2-3 cut into halves

                                            

Palak Lasooni

MAKING

Grind the blanched spinach with garlic, ginger and green chillies into a nice paste and set aside. In a pan, add butter, once clarified add Jeera, Bay leaf, Cinnamon sticks, Kasoori Methi leaves and cardamon pod and saute for a minute or two. Now add the chopped onion and saute until it turns golden brown. To this, add the spinach paste and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes before adding in the spices ( Turmeric, Cumin-coriander, Garam masala and salt). Cook for a few minutes until the gravy starts thickening.

Grind Cashews and the heavy cream to a nice semi liquid paste. 

Add this to the spinach gravy and cook in low flame for a couple of minutes in low.

Switch off the gas. For tadka, melt butter. Once clarified add the garlic pods, red chillies and Kasoori methi leaves. Once the garlic pods are fried and golden add the tadka to the gravy.

Delicious Palak Lasooni is ready. Serve it hot with rotis or Naans or Paratha's or eat it mixed with plain white rice.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I took out the Bay leaves, cardamom pod and cinnamon stick after saute so it doesn't stick in your mouth when eating. Some esp kids dont prefer that.

Grinding cashews in heavy cream gives it a creamy texture and also healthy for kids who dont prefer to eat cashews otherwise.

You can also add lemon to the gravy but I did not use it.

Cauliflower Masala Gravy ( No Onion No Garlic)

Hi all, this is another recipe which I tried during the festival of Navaratri and it came out so well that no one would have believed there was no onion or garlic use in this. It was creamy, tasty and just delicious. So, here it goes

CAULIFLOWER MASALA GRAVY

Cauliflower Masala Gravy

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower Florets : 1 to 1 and 1/2 Cups

Tomato: 1 Medium

Ginger: 1 Tbsp Chopped

Green Chilli 1

Bay Leaf: 1 Medium

Cloves: 3-4

Sesame Seeds: 1 Tbsp

Cashews: 1 Tbsp soaked in water for 10 minutes

SPICES

Turmeric: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 1 Tsp

Garam Masala: 1 Tsp

Salt as required

Oil and Butter 1 Tbsp each.

Freshly chopped Cilantro/Coriander

Kasoori methi crushed 1 Tsp

MAKING

In a kadai pan, add 1/2 Tsp Butter. Once melted and clarified, add in the Bay leaf, Cloves, Sesame Seeds, 1 Green Chilli, Chopped Ginger and Cashews. Saute them well until it changes color. remove them and keep aside. In the same kadai, add butter and oil. Once heated, add the cauliflower florets and saute until the edges becomes light brown. Remove the florets and set aside.

In a blender, add the set aside sauteed cashew mix, add the roughly chopped tomato and blend them into a nice paste with a little water and set aside.

Take the same kadai, add butter and oil. Once hot, add in the cashew tomato pasted and cook for a couple of minutes in low flame. Now add in the cauliflower florets and cook again for 3-4 minutes. You can add water if it gets too dry.

To this add the Turmeric, Red chilli powder, Jeera-Dhania powder. Add required salt and enough water(1/4th or 1/2 cup) to cook for another 3-4 minutes in medium flame until the gravy thickens. 

Finally add some crushed Kasoori Methi and Garam Masala. Cook for another minute before garnishing it with freshly chopped Coriander leaves (Cilantro)

Delicious Cauliflower Masala Gravy is ready. Serve it hot with Chapathi's Parathas or Naans. You could also eat it with plain rice

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Remove the Bay leaf and cloves after sauteeing them and before grinding them in the blender.

I used a mix of Unsalted butter and oil to give the gravy added flavor

The use of Sesame Seeds gave an added flavor to the gravy

No Onion No Garlic Aloo Baji (Potato gravy)

Hi all, so its the festival time and during festivals we strictly avoid any use of garlic or onion. So came across this recipe and decided to try it giving it my own touch with ingredients available in my pantry. It came out really well and was a big hit with my family. So here it goes. 

POTATO GRAVY (ALOO BAJI)

Aloo Baji (Potato Gravy)

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes: 1 big or 2 Medium boiled

Tomato: 1 Medium

Hing ( Asafoetida) : 1 Tsp

Bay Leaf: 1 medium

Cloves: 3-4

Cumin: 1 Tsp

Green Chillies: 2-3 finely chopped

Ginger: 1 Tbsp Chopped

Besan ( Gram Flour): 1 Tbsp

SPICES

Turmeric: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 1 Tsp

Chat Masala: 1 Tsp

Salt as required

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp crushed

Garam Masala: 1/2 Tsp

OTHER

Butter: 1 Tbsp

Oil : 1 Tbsp

Water 2-3 cups

Freshly chopped Coriander / Cilantro for garnish

MAKING

In a kadai add oil and butter. Once its heated, add the Hing, Cumin seeds, Bay leaf, Cloves, Green chillies and chopped ginger and saute. To this, add the Besan and saute in low flame for 3-4 minutes. Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute for a few minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Now add in the boiled potatoes. Saute and mix well for a few minutes before adding the spices (Turmeric, Red chilli powder, Jeera-Dhania powder, Chat masala and required salt ). Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add about 2-3 minutes and allow it to boil in low to medium flame until the gravy and the spices have cooked and mixed well. Finally add in crushed kasoori methi and 1/2 Tsp of Garam Masala and garnish with freshly chopped Cilantro/Coriander leaves.

Delicious Aloo Baji is ready to be served. Serve it hot with Rotis or Pooris

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Use your hand to mash the boiled potatoes when adding to the pan.

You could use sea salt or rock salt as well

You could also use Tomato Puree instead of chopped tomatoes.

No Coconut Chutney- Hotel Style

Hi all, I have always made chutney with coconut as the part of the country I come from uses coconut a lot. However, the chutney I made did not use coconut at all and came out really well. This chutney is often served in hotels with dosas and idli's. It was a big hit with my family. So, here it goes

NO COCONUT CHUTNEY - HOTEL STYLE

                                    

No-Coconut Chutney- Hotel Style

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Chana Dal: 1/4th Cup

Peanuts: 1/2 Cup

Mustard Seeds: 1 Tsp

Urad Dal: 1 Tsp

Onion: 1 small roughly chopped

Garlic: 3-4 pods cut in half

Ginger: 1 Inch cut in half

Green Chilli's: 3-4 cut in half

Tamarind: quarter size

Curry leaves: 1 twig ( 8-10)

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp chopped

Oil: 1 Tbsp

Water as required

Salt as required

FOR TADKA

Mustard seeds: 1/2 Tsp

Urad Dal: 1/2 Tsp

Channa Dal: 1/2 Tsp

Onion: 1 Tbsp chopped

Curry leaves: 5-6

Red Chilli's: 1-2 

MAKING

In a kadai/pan. add in 1 Tbsp oil. Once heated, add in the mustard seeds and Urad dal. saute until the mustard splutters and the Urad Dal turns brown. To this, add the ginger and garlic pieces and saute for a few seconds before adding in the roughly chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn translucent and light brown. Now, add the green chilli's and Curry leaves and mix well. To this, add in the raw peanuts and the roasted Chana dal. Saute it for 3-4 minutes until the peanuts are golden roasted. Add the Tamarind and salt to this mix and switch off the gas. 

Once the mixture is cooled off. Add fresh coriander and water to grind it into a smooth chutney like consistency using a blender/mixer.

Pour the chutney into a bowl. In a tadka pan, add in oil. Once heated add in mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chili's, chopped onion and fresh curry leaves. Once the dal turn golden and the mustard starts spluttering. Pour the tadka to the chutney.

Delicious No coconut chutney is ready. Serve it with Idlis, Dosas or Uthappams.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Use water based on the consistency you desire. I prefer semi liquid consistency for my chutney. Add water accordingly.

Red Chilli's adds additional flavor but its optional.

Make sure the chana dal is well roasted.

Amritsari Style Paneer Burji

 Hi all, I tried out this recipe with my own variations and it turned out really well. Its simple and uses an interesting combination of spices. So here it is....

PANEER BURJI 

                                    

Paneer Burji

INGREDIENTS

Paneer: 1/2 Cup grated Paneer

Onion: 1 Medium chopped into small pieces ( set aside 1 Tsp for garnish)

Tomato: 1 Medium chopped into small pieces ( Set aside 1 Tsp for Garnish)

Garlic: 4 pods chopped

Green Chillies: 1 chopped for garnish

YOGURT MIX

Yogurt; 1/4th cup

Besan: 2 tbsp dry roasted in low flame until raw smell is gone

Coriander Powder: 1 Tsp

Garam masala: 1 Tsp

Rajma Masala or Pav Bhaji Masala: 1 Tsp

Chat Masala: 1 Tsp

FOR THE GRAVY

Milk: 1/4 Cup

Jeera/Cumin: 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp Crushed

Red Chilli Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Butter and Oil : 1-2 Tbsp

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Salt as required

MAKING

In a bowl, add dry roasted Besan, Yogurt and the following spices. Add 1 Tsp of Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Chat Masala and Rajma Masala or Pav Bhaji Masala. Mix it well without any lumps and set aside.

In a kadai, add in butter and oil. To it, add Cumin seeds, crushed Kasoori Methi and Garlic and saute for a minute. Now add Chopped onions and saute until the onions turn translucent or golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute again until it turns mushy. Add in the yogurt mix and mix well. Keep the gas in low flame and add milk to the mixture. After a couple of minutes when you see oil leaving the sides, add in the grated paneer and salt to this. Add some water if you feel the gravy is too thick.

Allow it to cook for about 5-10 minutes in low flame stirring at regular intervals. 

Thats it delicious Amritsari style Paneer Burji is ready. Sprinkle some finely chopped Onions, finely chopped Tomatoes set aside , chopped Green chillies and fresh Coriander leaves for garnish.

Serve it hot with Roti's, Naans or Parathas

TIPS/ VARIATIONS

I used Rajma Masala instead of Pav Bhaji Masala but you could use either one.

Keep the gas in low flame at most times

The gravy tends to get thick so do add water when needed

Make sure to dry roast besan until raw smell is gone

Lemon-Garlic-Noodles

Hi all, the recipe I tried today was just a quickfire 10 minute dish to make my son happy coz he was tired of the usual. It really came out very well and was a big hit with him and my family. Lets dive into it immediately, its called

LEMON-GARLIC-NOODLES

INGREDIENTS

Angel Hair / Spaghetti Noodles: 1/4th packet 

Lemon ( yellow) : Juice from 2 medium Lemons

Lemon Zest: 1 Tbsp ( Grate the outer shell of the lemon)

Green Bell Pepper: 1/2 cup slit lengthwise

Garlic: 1 pod chopped

Green Chilli slit : 1

Soy Sauce: 2 Tbsp

Honey: 1 Tbsp

Chilli Flakes: 1 Tbsp

Tomato Sauce: 1 Tbsp ( optional)

Sriracha Sauce: 1 Tsp

Oil : 1-2 Tbsp

Chopped Coriander/Cilantro: 1/4th cup

Salt as required

Lemon-Garlic-Noodles

MAKING

Boil water with little salt in a deep pan. Once water starts boiling add the noodles and follow box instructions to cook it (usually 8-10 minutes)

Meanwhile, mix the chilli flakes in the lemon juice and set aside.

In a Wok, add oil preferably olive oil. Once heated, add the slit green chilli, chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds. Next add in the soy sauce, lemon zest with chilli flakes, lemon juice and honey. Mix it well in low flame for a few seconds. Now add in the chopped green pepper, saute it and then add the tomato sauce, sriracha sauce, Cilantro and required salt. 

Finally, put in the al-dente noodles and give it a nice toss. Mix it well and garnish it with some more chopped cilantro. Delicious Lemon-garlic noodles is ready. Serve it hot.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You can use rice noodles as well

Instead of peppers you can also add green onions

This dish has a nice lemony flavor because of the use of Lemon juice and zest. 

It can be done in 10 minutes and has to be served hot.

Carrot Coriander Chutney

Hi all, this recipe comes directly from my MIL's kitchen. She made this when she came for a visit. It was absolutely delicious and very easy to make. This can be a perfect side for Idli, Dosa, Poori or even Chapathi's.

Watch the video for Ingredients and Making

CARROT CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Tangy Peanut Chat

Hi all, this recipe comes from a close family relative who made this during one of our get-togethers and it was easy to make, delicious and healthy too.

Watch the video for ingredients and Making

TANGY PEANUT CHAT

Lemon Brocolli Pasta

Hi all, wanted to make something really quick, easy but delicious and this was it.

Watch the video for ingredients and making

LEMON BROCCOLI PASTA

Instant Halwa with Ricotta Cheese

Hi all, so this recipe was a result was having a box full of full fat of ricotta cheese and unable to finish it. The best part was that it required less than 5 ingredients and was absolutely delicious and needed less time. This recipe is perfect to make during festivals.So, here it goes.

INSTANT HALWA WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

INGREDIENTS

Ricotta Cheese (Full Fat) : 1 Cup

Sugar: 1/2 Cup

Almond Powder or Milk Powder: 1/2 Cup

Cardamom Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Ghee/ Unsalted Butter: 1 Tbsp

Saffron strands: 5-6 for garnish

Instant Halwa with Ricotta Cheese

MAKING

Take a pan or kadai, add the Ricotta cheese, Sugar, Almond powder and mix well stirring continuously keeping the gas in low flame. Add some cardamom powder, Ghee/Clarified butter and saffron strands if need be.

You will see the consistency of the above ingredients first become liquid to slowly thickening until it starts leaving the sides. 

Once you reach the desired consistency pour it into a shallow depth plate or baking pan and allow it to cool.

Once cooled, you can either cut it into squares or roll it. Garnish it with saffron strands on top. 

Delicious Halwa is ready. Serve it at room temperature or cold after refrigerating.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I used full fat Ricotta Cheese

I used Almond powder but you can also use Milk Powder 

You could also Condensed Milk (1/4th Cup) instead of Sugar for richness. 

Make sure to keep the gas in low flame and stirring often.

Basic Kadhi

Hi all, so I came across this recipe in social media on a reel posted by a popular chef and I had always wanted to make Kadhi and decided to try it on a weekend. Kadhi is basically made with Yogurt and Besan as the main ingredient. So from what I found out, Kadhi is mainly done in 2 ways , the Punjabi style Kadhi uses sour and thick yogurt and the Gujarati Kadhi is thin and sweet as jaggery or sugar is used for sweetness. So, here it goes, my simple basic Kadhi

KADHI

INGREDIENTS

STEP 1

Home-Made Yogurt (Thick): 1 Cup

Besan ( Gram Flour): 4 Tbsp

Turmeric: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Green Chillies: 2 chopped

Ginger: 1 Tbsp finely chopped

Salt as required

Water: 5 cups

TADKA MIX ( STEP 2)

Oil: 3-4 Tbsp

Fenugreek Seeds ( Methi seeds): 1/2 Tsp

Bay Leaves: 2 medium

Cloves: 3-4

Mustard seeds: 1 Tsp

Jeera ( Cumin) : 1 Tsp

Coriander seeds: 1 Tsp

Red Chillies: 4 

Asafoetida (Hing): 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Salt as required

Onion: 1 Medium ( thinly sliced)

GARNISH (STEP 3)

Butter: 1 Tsp

Red chilli Powder: 1/2 Tsp

                                    

Basic Kadhi

MAKING

In a bowl, add 1 cup Yogurt. To this, add the Gram flour, chopped Ginger, Green chillies, Turmeric, Red Chilli powder and required salt. Mix it well with a whisker to remove any lumps. To this add 5 cups water and mix well. Set it aside.

In a shallow pan/kadai, heat oil. Once the oil is heated, add the Fenugreek seeds, Bay leaves, Cloves,Jeera, Mustard seeds, Dry red chillies, Coriander seeds and Hing. Saute and add the sliced onions. Saute for a couple of minutes until the onions turn golden brown. Now add the Yogurt-Besan mix. To this add, Turmeric Powder and a bit of salt. Keep the gas in low-medium and allow it to cook for 30 minutes until the Kadhi consistency is thick and creamy.Switch off the gas.

In a tadka pan, add butter. Once melted and clarified, add 1/2 Tsp red chilli powder and pour it over the kadhi.

That's it delicious Kadhi is ready to serve. You can serve it with rice or with rotis. Its very light and mild and best served hot.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Although the ingredient list may look long, its was very simple to make and all the ingredients are very commonly used in Indian cooking.

You could add 1-2 Tsp Sugar or Jaggery to get the sweetness if needed. 

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.

Whipped Cream Cheese with Rasberry topping and Pistachio crust

Hi all, I came across this recipe when I was watching a food show. By chance I had a box of pistachios left which was perfect for this dish. It was a big hit with my family. It was very easy to make, and this dish does not involve any baking. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

This recipe calls for a Pistachio crust but you could also use Graham Crackers or Saltines for crust. 

Instead of Rasberry, you could also use Strawberries for the topping.

I used both Almond extract with Vanilla extract,

For the whipped cream cheese, you could reduce the sugar based on your sugar preference. I used 1/2 cup but ideally even 1/4th cup is good .

Paneer in White Gravy sauce

Hi all, its been a while since I posted. Things have been busy at my end. Anyway, I had to make something quick but delicious on a relaxing Sunday evening. So I decided to make Roti's and this yummy side dish using Paneer as the main ingredient. 

INGREDIENTS

Paneer: 1 cup diced into cubes

Onion: 1 large chopped

Ginger-Garlic: 1 Tbsp each

Cashews : 10-12 cashews soaked in water for at least 10 minutes

Green Chillies: 3 slit

salt as required

oil and butter: 1 Tbsp each

1/2 cup cream or full fat milk

Water 1/2 cup

Spice Mix

1/2 Tsp of Fennel seeds, Jeera, Coriander seeds, pepper corns. 2-3 cloves, small piece of cinnamon stick, 1 medium bay leaf.

Paneer in White Sauce

Roasted Spice Mix Powder

Lightly Sauteed Golden Brown Paneer

MAKING

Dry roast the spices above and grind them into a coarse powder and set aside In a kadai, add butter, once melted, add in the chopped ginger and garlic , onions. and the soaked cashews Saute until it turns translucent and the raw small is gone. Take it off the gas and set aside to cool.

Grind the above mix into a nice paste using 1/2 cup full fat milk or cream.

Take the same kadai, add oil, once heated add the slit green chilies and then add in the paneer to allow it to shallow fry until light brown on the outside. Keep the gas in low flame and pour in the white sauce into it. Saute for a minute before adding in the dry roasted spice powder ( 1 Tsp), salt and required water. Allow it to cook for about 7 mins until the paneer is well mixed in with the gravy and spices.

Switch off the gas and delicious Paneer in white sauce is ready to be served with hot Rotis / Naan's or Chapathi's.

Garnish with a sprinkle of Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder on top.

TIPS/VARIATIONS 

I used full fat milk instead of cream

I also sauteed the paneer first with the green chilies before adding the gravy. You could do it the other way around as well. First add the gravy then add in the paneer.

Do not overcook the white sauce and make sure to keep the gas in low flame.

KOTHAMALLI VADA (CILANTRO VADA)

Hi all, I had eaten this dish in Maharashtra in a food court and came to know that it was a popular dish in that region. I loved it, its simple to make. Tried it yesterday without a couple of ingredients as my parents preferred to eat without garlic. So, here it goes

KOTHAMALLI VADA (KOTHIMIR VADA /CILANTRO VADA)

INGREDIENTS

Besan ( Gram Flour) : 1 and 1/2 cup

Fresh Coriander leaves ( Cilantro): 1 Cup finely chopped

Green Chilli: 1 Tsp finely chopped

Rice Flour : 2 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 Tsp

Baking Soda: 1/2 Tsp

Oil : 1 Tbsp and required oil for shallow frying

Salt as required

Water as required

Ginger Garlic finely chopped or paste (optional): 1 Tsp

Kothamalli Vada

Steamed Kothamalli Vada

MAKING

First ,in a bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients ( Besan, Rice flour, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Baking soda , little salt and mix well. Now add in the finely chopped Cilantro, Green Chillies and if needed the chopped Ginger-Garlic. Mix well again and let it rest for 15 mins (because of the inclusion of Baking soda). Slowly start adding water until it reaches a thick batter consistency. 

Grease a flat shallow pan with oil and pour the batter in it.

Keep the pressure cooker on stove with enough water in it. Place a small stand in it and keep the shallow pan with batter on top of it and close the lid of the pressure cooker and steam cook for at least 15-20 minutes.

when I say steam cook, it means do not keep the whistle on the cooker.

Once you see steam coming out, keep the cooker on for about 15-17 mins. Switch off the gas and take the pan out and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

You can serve Kothamalli Vada in a steamed state as it is with green chutney or sauce or shallow fry it with required oil until the sides are golden brown and has a crispy layer on top.

Serve it hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

I did not add ginger-garlic but you can add it for added flavor. The one I had in Maharashtra had ginger-garlic in it.

You can serve it steamed. Its more healthy and tasty as well

You could also have an additional step by shallow frying it or even deep frying it. I prefer shallow frying the results are the same as deep frying.