Hyderabadi Style: Mirch ka salan

This morning when I went shopping for some fresh veggies my eyes fell on this luscious green long chillies, not the regular short, small spicy one but the longer and fatter version of green chillies. I bought some thinking I would make my hubi a Mirch ka salan with rotis for tonight's dinner since he loves spices so much.....

So here it goes.....the process is quite simple but it involves a lot of ingredients to make it nice and spicy.... 

Things you need for the gravy: 200 gms long green chillies, 1 tsp jeera, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/4 tsp nigella seeds , 6 curry leaves , 1/4 tsp turmeric powder , 2 tbsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder, 2 tsp chilli powder, 4 tbsp tamarind water, 2 tbsp chopped corriander, 5 tbsp oil, salt to taste

To be ground into a paste: 6 cloves of garlic, 12 mm. (1/2") piece ginger, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 3 tbsp grated coconut

For the dry powder: 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds 

How to do it:

For the dry powder:  Roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and cumin seeds lightly. Remove and powder.

For the gravy: Heat the oil in a kadai. Wash and slit the green chillies. Remove the seeds and fry in hot oil until they turn white. Remove. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves. Cook until the seeds crackle. Add the paste of onions and tomatoes and fry for a while. Add the turmeric and coriander-cumin seed powder, chilli powder and dry powder masala. Cook for a few minutes until the oil comes on the top. Add 2 cups of water and the tamarind water and cook until thick. Add the fried green chillies, coriander and salt and cook for a few minutes. The gravy should be thick. Serve hot.

 

 

 Note: This dish doesnt work good with green capsicum or bell peppers.....

Punjabi tadka: Paneer pasanda

India has long been witness to a number of invasions. Be it the Greeks, Turks, Afghans, French, Portuguese and of course the British are some of the invaders, who plundered the wealth of our nation. Over the centrues these invaders also brought with them, a number of culinary delicacies to share making the Indian cuisine perhaps the most varied cuisine in the entire world.

Mughal cooking is famous for its use of combination of ground masalas giving a unique texture to its food. Mughlai cuisine provides a collection of dishes that are acclaimed all over the world like pulav, kormas, naans, biryanis and many paneer dishes. The gravy is heavy and rich most of the time because of the use of dry fruits, ghee, butter and heavy cream. These ingredients give a silky smooth texture to the sauce or gravy and enhance the taste of the dish.

Paneer pasanda is one such exotic and delectable dish from the Mughal cuisine which will end up making you only want more. Pasanda is a Urdu word which means ‘liking’. This dish is a popular North Indian and Pakistani vegetarian dish, derived from a meal served in the Court of the Moghul Emperors. This dish is rich in protein and low fat making you crave for it over and over again.

In this dish, the paneer is sandwiched with pleasant spices and then cooked in a delicate gravy reflecting the dish’s flavour and blend. Pasanda is a mild curry sauce made with cream, coconut milk, and almonds and is heavily seasoned with cumin, kasuri methi and rest. but  milder in comparison to most Indian dishes making it palatable to most westerners. 

Things you would need: For filling: 400 gms of Cottage cheese (Paneer) cut and grated, 18-20 Cashew nuts roasted and coarsely ground, 18-20 raisins, freshly chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, 1 cup maida, 1 cup cornflour

For the gravy: 2 medium onions roughly chopped, 1 inch piece of ginger, 3-4 garlic pods, few coriander leaves, 5-6 Kashmiri Mirch, 1 tbsp poppy seeds paste, 1 tbsp almond paste, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 cloves, an inch of cinnamon, 2 tbsp watermelon seeds,

Oil for shallow frying + 2 tbsp, 1 cup tomato puree, 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 tsp sugar, salt to taste

So how do we cook this:

Paneer sandwich: Cut paneer into triangles. Slice the triangle pieces up until the three quarters. Please do not cut in the end. For the stuffing, in a mixing bowl add grated paneer, raisins, freshly chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, roasted cashew nut coarse powder and mix all of them well. Put this sweet and tangy stuffing in between the slit triangle paneer pieces and keep aside. Take equal quantities of maida and cornflour, add little water and form to a batter. Coat these stuffed paneer pieces with the batter well and fry them it slightly golden brown. Keep the aside.

Soak the poppy seeds in a little water for 1 hour and grind into a smooth paste. Grind all the contents of gravy together with a little water. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and add the gravy and cook it on low flame till the raw smell of onion disappears and the oil leaves the edges. Now mix in the tomato puree and cook for further 2 minutes on high flame. Add about a cup of water if the gravy is thick. Let the gravy simmer for a few more minutes until the fat separates. Simmering is an important technique especially for making curries/gravies as the spices get cooked and blend with each other on low heat. Cover and cook till the raw flavors are gone. Check for seasoning. Add pinch of sugar, kasturi methi powder, and little cream to make it rich. Add the fried paneer to this and cook it for a while in low flame. The dish is ready to be served. To give a little sourness to the dish you can also add amchur powder.

It works wonders when served with Naan or Zafrani pulao.

Punjabi Tadka: Paneer bhare bhindi

By now the regular reader of my blog would have realised how much I love Paneer. This time I am posting a recipe of Stuffed Bhindi Masala which I cooked last night without following any recipe in particular. I used the ingredients which I thought would enhance the flavour of Bhindi and fortunately they did. By the time I finished stuffing and sautéing, I had already gobbled up a few. Add to it, the blend of tomato gravy and you are tossed into a sea of exotic taste.

Stuffed Bhindi with Paneer is a very popular and exotic North Indian recipe, often served with curd and roti. This is prepared by stuffing the Bhindi (ladyfinger or okra) with a rich filling of Paneer (Indian cottage cheese), roasted peanuts and few spices which give a pleasant nutty flavour with touch of spiciness to the okras, while onions add more crunch and sweet note, and tomatoes lends a lovely tangy flavour to the dish.. This works as a perfect recipe to treat the guests, also stuffed Bhindi with Paneer is a commonly served dish in most wedding ceremonies in India. Such a wonderful dish shouldn’t go to waste so I am hereby sharing the secret to this wonderful dish. Make it in your kitchen tonight and enjoy this exotic dish.

Things you need for this recipe are: 200 grams Bhindi (Okra/Ladyfinger), 1 medium sized onion, grated, 2 large tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder, 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala, 2 tablespoons ghee or oil, 4 tsp ginger-garlic paste, Salt to taste, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander for garnishing

For Stuffing/Filling: 100 grams Paneer cut into small pieces, ¼ cup Roasted Peanuts, 1 tbsp Channa Dal/Split Chickpeas, 1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds, ½ tbsp Coriander Seeds, 4-5 Dry Red Chillies (adjust acc to taste), ¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida, 1 tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder, ½ tsp Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste

Let’s get cooking: Take a pan and heat 1 tbsp oil in it. Add Paneer pieces to it and fry till they turn golden in color. Wash okras and spread them on dry kitchen towels to remove excess water or simply pat them dry with kitchen towel.

While the okras are drying, heat a pan and dry roast channa dal, dry red chillies, hing, jeera and coriander seeds till they turn golden red and fragrant. Let them cool completely before you powder them. Add these roasted spices with roasted peanut, turmeric, amchur and salt to taste and grind them to coarse powder. Mix in with the paneer into a nice paste and keep aside. Use only enough spice powder to make the paste. Store the rest for later use. Now trim the okra ends and carefully make a slit on one side and stuff it with ¼-½ tsp of spice powder and paneer mixture.

Heat about a tbsp of oil in a pan and sauté stuffed okras on high flame, if required in batches, for about 4-5 minutes till brown spots start to appear and it is half cooked. Place them on paper towel till needed. Now heat another tbsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. When jeera starts to sizzle and turn light shade of brown, add finely chopped garlic, ginger and slit green chillies. Sauté till garlic turns light shade of brown, about one minute. Add thinly sliced onion and sauté on medium flame till it turns golden brown for about 3 minutes. Now peel off the skin of the tomatoes and mash the pulp to form a thick paste. Add this to make thick gravy.  Finally add the stuffed okras and sauté for 5-7 minutes on medium flame till the okra is cooked through and the flavours blend well.

Your Stuffed Bhindi with Paneer is ready to serve. You can serve it with chapattis, paratha, roti and yoghurt.

Punabi tadka: Mughlai Shahi kofta

Over the centuries, India has been invaded by the Aryans, Greeks, Persians, Huns, Turks, Arabs, Afghans, the Portuguese, Dutch, French and the English! The Mughals of Turkish-Persian origin, came in the 16th century. Their cuisine which is hugely popular up until this day, fuses Indian, Middle Eastern and Persian styles of cooking. Their food is known for its richness and the use of exotic spices, dried fruit and nuts, cream and milk combining to create rich, regal dishes often garnished with rose petals, silver foil - food fit for the Kings! . The Mughals did everything in style and splendour from their living to their eating everything was exotic. Since they ate very rich food (high in fat, carbs and proteins) they reduced the number of intake during the day. 

One of the most sorted of recipes, Shahi Kofta is the perfect vegetarian alternative to meatballs. It goes very well with naans (tandoor-baked flatbread) or Jeera Rice. The recipe involves very few steps to create the best shahi kofta I have ever tried. This recipe is from my mom's kitchen .....a recipe I have tried over the years and always loved.....So please try this and enjoy!

Things you need: Potato – 250 gm, Tomato – 250 gm, Boiled peas – 1 cup, Onion paste – 2 tsp, Cooked rice – 1 ½ cup, Grated coconut – 1 cup, Curd – 1 cup, Oil to deep fry, Turmeric powder – 1 tsp, Chili powder – 1 tsp, Coriander powder – 1 tsp, Butter – 2 tbsp, Fresh cream – 2 tbsp, Cashew nut – 12, Almond – 7, Raisins – 15, Chopped Coriander leaves – 1 cup, Ginger-chili paste – 2 tsp, Paneer/cottage cheese – 150 gm, Salt to taste, Water – 1 cup

The rich process of Shahi Koftas

Grind tomatoes and keep aside. Chop onions and puree them as well. Boil, peel and mash the potatoes. Add cooked rice, coriander leaves, ginger-chili paste, salt and grated coconut to the mashed potatoes. Knead and divide into 12 portions and make balls. Chop the cashew nuts and almonds finely. Add raisins and chopped nuts to paneer/cottage cheese and make 10 balls. Now flatten the potato balls and stuff in the paneer balls. Seal them properly and make balls or oblong shape. Deep fry them in oil and keep aside.

Heat butter in a pan. Sauté the onion paste till golden brown. Add the tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and sauté till the oil starts to separate. Add 1 cup water and let it boil. Add the boiled peas and let the gravy boil for 5 minutes. Add the beaten curd and put the flame off. Mix well and add the koftas to the gravy. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and fresh cream.

Voila!!! Perfect koftas for a nice rich dinner.

Paneer korma

Yesterday night i was planning on making something quick and easy and also tasty and when rummaging through the fridge found a pack of paneer, some tomatoes, mava and cream. So it got me thinking about what tasty dish can be done using these ingredients which can be eaten with rotis. Finally i decided to make this easy dish i learnt from my mom; Paneer korma

Things you need to make this dish is 

250 gms paneer
4 Tomato
3 Onion
1 " long piece Ginger
2 Green Chilly
1 cup Mava
1 cup Cream
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tblsp Clarified Butter

Cut paneer in square pieces. Grind onion, ginger and green chilly. Grate mava. Heat clarified butter (ghee) in a pan. Add onion and tomato paste. Continue cooking it on medium flame till ghee/oil begins to separate. Add mava, cream. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala. Add paneer pieceswith 1/2 cup of water When the gravy thickens put off the flame. Take off the fire and serve hot. 

Paneer Peshawari

Ingredients:

1 Cup Paneer cubes
2 Onions;1 finely chopped; 1 thinly sliced
3 Tomatoes,1 ½ finely chopped; remaining thinly sliced
2 Bell peppers; green, red, yellow thinly sliced
1 tsp Cumin seeds
½ tbsp Cumin powder
½ tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Kasthuri methi leaves
3 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Butter
½ cup Fresh cream
3 tbsp Cashew nut paste
Salt to taste
Water as required

Cooking Instructions: Soak a handful of cashew nuts in warm water for a few hours. Grind to a fine paste and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when it begins to splutter add the finely chopped onions. Fry till onions are soft and light brown.  Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and turmeric powder. Mix well and saute till oil floats on top around 8-10 minutes. Now add the sliced onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. Add about a cup of water and cook on medium. Let the veggies cook and come to a boil. Stir in the paneer cubes, cashew paste, cream and the kasthuri methi. Add salt to taste. Paneer Peshawari is ready.

Dum aloo

Ingredients: 

½ kg Small Potatoes
1 Small piece of Cinnamon
¼ tsp Caraway seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 Cardamom
A pinch of asfoetida
4 Cardamoms
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 Medium size onion (grated)
2 Cup Fine Curd
4-5 Cloves
7-8 Black pepper
4-5 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
4 tbsp Ghee or oil
½ Cup Milk
Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions: Make a fine powder of cardamoms, black pepper, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon by the help of a blender. Remove the peel from potatoes and prick them.  Take oil in a frying pan and heat it for about one minute. Fry the potatoes on a medium heat until their color changes from white to light brown. Keep it aside. Add grated onion, asafoetida, bay leaves and ginger-garlic paste to the remaining oil. Fry the mixture till the paste turns reddish brown. Add the masala prepared in first step to this mixture and heat for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Fry again for about a minute. Now pour the milk to make gravy followed by adding fine curd.  Keep stirring continuously, add water if the gravy appears too thick. Now add pricked potatoes to this gravy and cook in a pressure cooker. Remove from the flame after 4 to 5 minutes just before the first whistle. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves. Dum Aloo is ready to serve.

Vegetable tikka masala

Ingredients:

1 cup Mushrooms
1 cup Peas
1 cup Carrots
1 cup Cauliflower
1 cup Potato
1 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 inch Ginger (chopped)
3 Garlic (chopped)
2 Onions (chopped)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Oil/Butter
A bunch of Coriander Leaves
½ tsp Pepper
Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions: Blend yoghurt, ginger, garlic and onion in a blender until smooth.  Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to the mixture. Mix them well.  Add spices and some coriander leaves to the mixture and blend until smooth. Heat butter in a pan. As and when the butter starts slightly bubbling, put the blended ingredients into it.  Add vegetables to the sauce and stir gently. Now add the remaining Coriander leaves to it. Cook the sauce over low flame till the vegetables are done. Vegetable Tikka Masala is ready to eat.

Paneer bagh-e-bahar

1/4 cup cashewnut paste 

1 tsp sugar (cheeni)
1 cup yellow capsicum (shimla mirch) chopped
1 cup Tomato (Tamatar) chopped
1 tsp garlic (lasan) finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cream (malai)
1 tsp pepper
1 cup pineapple chopped
2 tblsp Tomato (Tamatar) sauce
2 green chillies vertically cut
2 tblsp refined oil (tel)
1 tsp salt (namak)
200 gms paneer cubes

How to make paneer bagh-e-bahar:

• Cut paneer, capsicum, pineapple and tomato separately in 1 inch pieces.
• Make a paste of cashewnuts along with fresh cream
• Heat up oil in a kadai and mix in cut garlic and green chillies and fry till brown.
• Mix in cashew paste.
• Stir fry capsicum in cashew mixture in high flame flame.
• Mix in pineapple and tomatoess and stir till cooked.
• Mix in paneer, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.
• Stir fry it for 5 minutes and mix in sugar.
• Stir fry for a minute and transfer to a round dish and sprinkle 2 tbsp of cream
• Serve hot with tandoori roti.

Famous chanar dalna

1 tblsp ghee

250 gms cubed cottage cheese (paneer)
1 medium cubed potatoes
oil for frying
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger paste
2 - 3 green chillies
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp cumin seed paste
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup water

How to make chanar dalna :

• Heat up oil and fry the potatoes lightly and keep aside.
• Fry the paneer in the same oil and put it in warm water.
• Heat up the ghee in a vessel, mix in the cumin seeds and let it splutter.
• Mix in the cumin paste mixed with a little water, ginger juice and turmeric powder.
• Stir fry for 2 minutes.
• Mix in the potatoes, green chillies, garam masala powder, sugar and salt and cover and stir fry till the potatoes are tender.
• Take off the paneer from the water and mix in to the potatoes.
• Mix in milk and the remaining water and allow it to simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Shahi Paneer makhna

2 cup Makhana

250 gms Cottage Cheese (Paneer)

4 Onion (Pyaj)
4 Tomato (Tamatar)
1 " long piece Ginger (Adrak)
4 - 5 cloves Garlic (Lasun)
1/2 cup Cream (Malai)
2 cup Milk
1 tsp Red Chily Powder (Lal Mirchi)
1/4 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
1/2 tsp Dried Pudina Leaves
1 cup Cashewnut (Kaju)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tblsp Poppy seeds (Khuskhus)
Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta)
4 tblsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

How to make shahi paneer makhana curry:

• Heat clarified butter in a pan.
• Fry makhana in the ghee.
• Cut cottage cheese in samll pieces.
• Mince onion, tomato, garlic, ginger.
• Cut cashewnut in samll pieces.
• Soak poppy seeds in 1/4 cup of water.
• After 1 hour grind the soaked poppy seeds to a fine paste.
• Chop coriander leaves very finely.
• Heat clarified butter in a pan.
• Add onion, tomato, garlic, ginger paste and brown it, stirring continously.
• Add poppy seeds and fry for 2 minutes and then turn off the gas.
• To this mixture add makhana, cottage cheese, cream , salt, red chili pepper, turmeric, dried pudina leaves.
• Keep this mixture aside for half an hour.
• After half an hour put the pan on the flame and add milk.
• When it comes to a boil add 3 cups of water.
• Simmer it till the makahana are completely done and soft.
• Then add cashewnuts and garam masala.
• After 1 minute put the flame.
• Transfer the mixture to a dish and sprinkle some corainder on it.

Serve it hot with nan, roti or parantha.

Paneer Korma

250 gms Cottage Cheese (Paneer)

4 Tomato (Tamatar)
3 Onion (Pyaj)
1 " long piece Ginger (Adrak)
2 Green Chilly (Hari Mirch)
1 cup Mava
1 cup Cream (Malai)
½ tsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirchi)
¼ tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 tblsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Cut paneer in square pieces. Grind onion (pyaj), ginger (adrak), green chilly (hari mirch). Grate mava. Heat clarified butter (ghee) in a pan. Add onion (pyaj), tomato (tamatar) paste. Continue cooking it on medium flame till ghee/oil begins to separate. Add mava, cream (malai). Simmer for 2 minutes. Add salt, red chili powder (lal mirchi), turmeric (haldi), garam masala. Add cottage cheese (paneer) pieces with ½ cup of water. When the gravy thickens put off the flame. Take off the fire and serve hot.

Paneer kofta

For Koftas:
200 gms Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
2 Potato (Aloo)
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirchi)
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
2 tblsp Cornflour
Oil for frying
For Gravy
4 Onion (Pyaj)
4 Tomato (Tamatar)
Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta)
1/2 cup Curd (Dahi)
1/2 cup Cashewnut (Kaju) Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Seed (Jeera)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirchi)
1/4 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
2 tblsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Boil potatoes and peel them. Grate paneer and potatoes. Add salt, red chili powder, garam masala, cornflour and mix well. Make round balls of this mixture. Now heat oil in a pan. Fry balls in the oil till brown in color. Grind onion and tomatoes together. Chop coriander leaves very finely. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seed and bay leaf. Add onion, tomato paste and brown it, stirring continously. When it leaves oil add curd, cashewnut powder, salt, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala. Stir it continously for a minute. Then add 2 cup of water. Put on the lid and simmer for 5 minutes. While serving reheat the gravy and then add koftas to it. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

Microwave mutter paneer

6"-7" round dish or 2" high with cover
100g paneer - grated
1 cup shelled peas
2 tbsp. oil
1 medium size onion
1-2 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger
6 tbsp. ready made tomato puree
1/4- red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
Cashewnuts - optional
Salt to taste

Grind together onion, green chillies, ginger and fry this masala for 4 to 5 minutes in a non-stick pan. Add tomato puree, garam masala, cumin powder, peas and sprinkle 1 tbsp. water. Now transfer this to a micro dish and micro high for 3 minutes. Add salt, grated paneer 5 tbsp. water and cashew nuts and mix gently. Cover the dish and again micro wave for 2 minutes and stand for another 2 minutes. Serve, garnished with fresh coriander and green chili.

Chilli Paneer recipe

350 gms Paneer
2 tsp Salt
1 Egg
1/2 cup Corn Flour
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 cups Coarsely Chopped Onions
2 tbsp Sliced Green Chillies
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
2 tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Ajinomoto
Oil for frying
Little Water

Cut the paneer into cubes. Mix together the cottage cheese, 1 tsp salt, egg, corn flour, garlic, ginger and water to just coat the paneer pieces with the mixture. Heat oil in a pan and fry the paneer pieces caoted with mixture till golden in color. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok and stir fry the onions in it over high heat for half a minute. Add the green chillies, salt, soya sauce, vinegar, ajinomoto and the fried paneer cubes. Mix well, and garnish the chilli paneer with finely cut spring onions and coriander.