Paneer Makhani

Paneer Makhani

Paneer is generally known as Cottage cheese. Makhan is butter in Hindi hence the name Paneer Makhani. This is a super hit party dish that your friends will devour, leaving you feel like a master chef. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Paneer (Cottage cheese) - 1lb
Onion - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Cashews - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Black cumin seeds (Shahi Jeera) - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Sour cream - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Orange food color - a pinch (optional)
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 5 tbsp
Heavy whipping cream - 2 tsp (Optional)
Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves) - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Oil - to deep fry the paneer

Method:

1. Cut the paneer into bite size cubes and keep them aside.
2. In a deep pan, pour enough oil to deep fry the paneer cubes. Fry the paneer cubes till golden brown on all sides. 
3. Put these fried paneer in cold water immediately. Let them sit in the water till you prepare the rest of the dish.
4. In another pan, put 2 tsp of oil. Fry the chopped onion till golden brown. Keep it aside to cool. Now blend the fried onion to a smooth paste.
5. Fry the cashews in some oil till golden.  Allow them to cool down. Blend them into a smooth paste using a little water.
6. In the same pan, fry the tomato and allow it to cool down. Now blend it into  a smooth paste and keep it aside.
7. Put a non-stick pan on a medium flame, add the butter and the remaining oil to it. 
8. Once it is hot, add in the garam masala, the black cumin seeds and the cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
9. Now add in the bay leaf and the onion paste. Saute for 2 minutes.
10. Add the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
11. Add in the cashew paste and fry till the oil separates from the edges of the pan.
12. Add the tomato paste. Fry for a minute.
13. Now add the sugar.
14. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry the spices till the raw flavor is gone and oil is separated.
15. Add in the salt. Add in the sour cream. Mix well.
16. Now check the consistency and add water if required. 
17. Dissolve a pinch of orange food color in some water and add it to the onion mixture. Mix well.
18. Now squeeze out the water from the paneer cubes. Add them to the onion mixture.
19. Mix well, be careful not to break the paneer cubes. 
20. Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it to the dish. Mix well. Turn off the stove.
21. Drizzle some heavy whipping cream for a better presentation.
22. Finally sprinkle in some freshly chopped coriander leaves.
23. Serve hot with chapathi or paratha or hot steaming jeera rice.

Tasty Tips:

1. Be very careful while frying the paneer. Paneer tends to pop in hot oil. Use a splatter screen if necessary.
2. Paneer tends to harden on deep frying. Soaking the paneer in water as soon as its out of hot oil,  helps it remain soft. So this step is mandatory.
3. Sugar brings out the flavors of the spices and the sour cream. A small amount would do.
4. Sour cream gives depth to this dish, but if you are watching your diet you can substitute it with plain yogurt instead.
5. Cashew paste tends to stick to the pan, so a non-stick pan would be a life saver.
6. You can get the kasoori methi in any Indian grocery store.

Plain Dal

Plain Dal

Plain dal is my childhood favorite dish that my mom used to make to accompany with any tangy curries. This is a super simple dish that needs almost no time to make. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Toor dal/Kandi pappu/split pigeon peas - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 4 or to tast
Dried red chillies - 2
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Garlic - 1 clove
Ghee/oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

Raw Toor dal

1. Wash the toor dal well in a sieve till the water runs clear.  Soak the toor dal in water for 20 minutes. Drain the water from the toor dal.
2. Now in a pressure cooker, put the washed toor dal and add approximately 2 cups of water to it. 
3. Add the turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of oil to it. 
4. Pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles depending on the quality of your toor dal.
5. Now turn off the stove and allow it to cool down completely before you open the lid of the pressure cooker.
6. Make a paste out of garlic and cumin seeds using a mortar and pestle.

Mortar and Pestle

     7. Open the lid of the pressure cooker and mash the toor dal. Add water till you get your desired consistency.
     8. Add some salt and the garlic and cumin paste to it and churn well using an Indian churner.

Types of Indian Churners

1. For tempering: Heat the remaining oil in a small sauce pan. 
2. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
3. Add in the slit green chillies and the broken dried red chillies.
4. Now add the curry leaves.
5. Immediately drop this entire mixture into the dal mixture. Mix well and cover it with a lid to seal in the flavors. 
6. Let it simmer for 5 minutes on a low flame.  
7. Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with hot steaming rice.

Tasty Tips:

1. The garlic and cumin paste and the curry leaves are the key ingredients in this dish. Crushing the garlic and the cumin seeds using a mortar and pestle gives this dish a unique flavor. (You can find the mortar and pestle at Ikea or at any Pharmacy stores)
2. There are various types of Indian churners. I use the wooden one shown on to the extreme right in the picture. You can find these at any Indian grocery stores.
3. Be very careful while tempering the dal. The curry leaves and the green chillies tend to splutter a lot in hot oil. So step back after you add these to the hot oil.
4. This dal when accompanied with hot steaming rice and ghee (clarified butter) makes an excellent baby food among kids 8 months and older.

Uggaani

Uggaani

Uggaani is otherwise called Borugula Upma. Borugulu or maramaralu or puffed rice, whatever the name is, this is definitely a super easy snack for those kids home hungry from school in the evening. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Borugulu/maramaraalu/puffed rice - 1/2 lb
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1 small
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 4 or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Fried chana / putnala pappu - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Rinse the borugulu very well with water just like you would rinse the rice. Soak them in clean water for 10 minutes so that any dirt left would settle to the bottom of the bowl.
2. Put a wide pan on a medium flame. Add oil to it.
3. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter.
4. Add the sliced onion and saute till the onion is translucent.  
5. Add in the curry leaves.
6. Now add the green chillies and the diced tomato. Saute till the oil separates.
7. Add salt and the turmeric powder. Mix well.
8. Now squeeze out the water from the borugulu and add it to the onion mixture.
9. Blend the fried chana / putnala pappu into a coarse powder.
10. Add this powder to the borugulu. Mix well. 
11. Add freshly chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot.

Tasty Tips:

1. Take utmost care while washing the puffed rice. When you soak the puffed rice in water, they tend to float. Wash well while squeezing them with your hand and separate the ones that float on top in the water. Do not try to drain the water through a sieve. 
2. Fried chana powder is optional. This dish tastes just as good without this too. 
3. Make sure you do not blend the fried chana into a fine powder.

Soy Chunks Curry

Soy chunks curry

We used to call this dish Meal maker curry when we were kids. I don't know where that name came from but it is definitely a hearty dish that satisfies your palate. This is a super alternative dish for those meat cravings and it is packed full with proteins. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:


Soy chunks - 1/2 lb
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1 large
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry coconut powder - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Mint leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Put the Soy chunks in a microwave safe bowl and add some water till the chunks are submerged in it. Add some salt to it.
2. Microwave the Soy chunks for 3 - 4 minutes or till the chunks are softened.
3. After the Soy chunks are soft and cooked, drain the water and squeeze out the excess water from them. Cut the chunks if they are too big.
4. In a pan, put very little oil and add the chopped onion to it. Fry the onion till golden. Turn off the heat and put the fried onion in a separate plate and allow it to cool down before you blend it into a paste.
5. In a clean pan, dry roast the poppy seeds till pale brown on a very low flame. Add in the coconut powder and toast till golden brown. Turn off the heat and allow them to cool down.
6. Blend the poppy seeds and coconut mixture into a fine paste and put it in a bowl. 
7. Blend the fried onion into a fine paste and put it in a bowl.
8. Blend the tomato into a puree and put it in a bowl.
9. Put another pan on a medium high flame and add the remaining oil to it. 
10. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. 
11. Now add the garam masala, the bay leaf and the onion paste. Add the curry leaves and the mint leaves. Fry till the oil separates.
12. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute. 
13. Now add in the poppy seed paste to it. Fry till the oil separates. 
14. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the coriander powder. Fry for 2 minutes. 
15. Add in the tomato puree and fry till oil separates.
16. Now add in the Soy chunks. Mix well. Check the seasoning and some salt.
17. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. 
18. Serve hot.

Tasty Tips:

1. This goes excellent with Jeera rice.
2. Be very careful while toasting the coconut powder, it turns black in no time.

Bhendi Fry

Bhendi Fry

Okra is one vegetable that my husband says a big yes to. All my childhood I was made to believe that eating okra improves one's math skills. I have no idea how true that is but it is definitely my family favorite vegetarian dish, and I guarantee it will be yours soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:


Okra - 1 lb
Onion - 1 large
Curry leaves - few
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Dry coconut powder - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash the okra and pat dry each okra with a paper towel. Chop them to 1/2 inch thick pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat a wide non-stick pan and pour the oil in it. After the oil is medium hot, add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
3. Now add the chopped onion, some salt and saute till the onions turn translucent. 
4. Add in the curry leaves, ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw flavor of the ginger garlic paste is gone.
5. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the coriander powder and saute for a minute. 
6. Now add in the chopped okra. Sprinkle some more salt. 
7. Keep mixing till the stickiness from the okra is gone and you see oil oozing out. Do not walk away, keep stirring continuously, otherwise the okra on the bottom of the pan tends to burn easily.
8. After the okra is dry and cooked through, sprinkle the coconut powder. Mix well and serve hot.
9. It goes excellent with chapati.

Tasty Tips:

1. Okra has a lot of capsules in it. It tends to get slimier when you cut through these capsules. So, be very careful while chopping the okra.
2. Choose the okra that are thin, long and tender.
3. Water contact is what makes okra more slimier. So make sure okra is really dry before you chop. Skipping this step increases the cooking time.
4. Make sure you do not fry the onions too much before adding the okra. Onions fry along with the okra through the cooking process otherwise they tend to darken even before the okra is cooked.
5. If your okra is taking too long to lose the stickiness, add in a few teaspoons of buttermilk. 
6. A wide non-stick pan is definitely helpful.

Kaaram Appaalu

Kaaram Appaalu

Appaalu is a traditional Telangana snack usually made during festive season. It is also called 'Chekkalu' in Andhra. Though this dish has many names, it is a simple and savory version of rice crackers. These are so good that you cannot just stop with one or two. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Chana flour (besan) - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Crushed peanuts - 1/2 cup

Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying
Water - to make the dough

Method:

1. Soak the raw chana dal in water for half-an-hour.
2. In a large bowl, take the rice flour, chana flour(besan). Mix them well.
3. To this add the red chilli powder, salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, chopped curry leaves, soaked chana dal and the crushed peanuts. Mix well crushing with your fingers till all the peanuts and the chana dal is coated with the dry flour.
4. Now heat the 3 tbsp oil till its warm  enough. Add this oil to the above flour mixture. Mix all the ingredients well. Be careful the oil you added in is hot. Try mixing it with a spoon if its too hot for you. The goal here is that the flour should soak up all the oil. The mixture now looks like a pastry crust, dry but the flour still comes together when pressed between two fingers.
5. Now heat some water in a microwave for 2 minutes. Add this water to the above mixture slowly as you keep mixing it with a spoon. When mixed well the dough should be of a chapati dough consistency. 
6. Cover it with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
7. In a kadhai, heat the oil to deep fry the appaalu.
8. Take a small golf-ball size dough, while pressing between your palms, make it into round disc. 
9. In a small bowl take some oil. Dip this disc in some oil. 
10. To make the pooris you need a Poori-press (refer to the picture below)  
    

    

    Tortilla Press
    

11. Place a plastic sheet inside the poori-press to avoid the dough from sticking to the poori press. Apply some oil to this sheet as well. 
12. Place the dough disc inside the poori-press and press it till its thin poori like shape.
    

    

    Tortilla press
    

13. Don't worry if the poori tears, press it with your fingers to cover any imperfections. 
14. Deep fry it in the oil on a low flame till golden brown and crispy.

Tasty tip:

1. Appaalu goes excellent with a hot cup of Indian tea. One crunchy bite into this appaalu and a sip of hot tea is a tea lovers delight.
2. Poori press is sold as 'Tortilla Press' in US.  I bought mine at Target for $15.

Kadhai Paneer Pasta

Kadhai Paneer Pasta

Kadhai Paneer pasta is a fusion of Indian and Italian cuisine. I combined two classic dishes from Indian and Italian cuisines to satisfy my family's taste buds. Spicy red pepper flakes gives this dish a zing. Home-made crunchy garlic bread is an excellent accompaniment. A glass of good Moscato white wine definitely cleanses your palate. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pasta – 1 lb

Paneer – ½ lb

Bell pepper – 2 (1 yellow, 1 red)

Red chillies – 5

Coriander seeds – 3 tsp

Oil – 3 tbs

Butter – 2 tbs

Garlic – 6 cloves

Marinara sauce – 2 cups

Heavy cream – 3 tbsp

Kasoori methi – 1 tsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves – a bunch

Cheese – ¼ cup

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.      Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt to the water when it’s rolling boiled. Add in the raw pasta, stir well and cook as per the instructions on the box for not less than 8 minutes till al dente.  Drain the pasta well and preserve some pasta water. Keep it aside.

2.      Cube the paneer into 1 inch cubes. Cut the bell peppers into 1 inch pieces.

3.      In a pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, add in the cubed paneer and fry it till golden brown on all sides. Remove the paneer cubes into a separate plate.

4.      In the same pan, add the bell peppers and cook half way through. Make sure the peppers are not fully cooked and that they still have a bite. Put them in a plate.

5.      Now blend together the red chillies and the coriander seeds into a coarse powder.

6.      In the same pan, put the remaining oil and the butter and add in the red chilli and coriander powder. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes.

7.      Add in the finely chopped garlic and fry till golden brown.

8.      Now add in the marinara sauce and stir well. Add in some salt and sugar.

9.      Add in the heavy cream and stir well. The sauce now has a pink hue color.

10.  Add in the paneer and the bell pepper cubes. Stir well. If you feel that the sauce is thick add in the pasta water that you preserved earlier.

11.  Now add in the cooked pasta. Stir well. Cover it and let the flavors of the sauce stick to the pasta.

12.  Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and drizzle it over the pasta. Add in the chopped coriander leaves.

13.  Turn the stove off. Sprinkle some shredded cheese.

14.  Serve hot with home-made garlic bread (recipe follows).

Tasty tips:

1.      For the pasta, I used Rigatoni. You can use any pasta of your choice. Penne, farfalle are some of the best options.

2.      Be careful while you fry the paneer. Paneer tends to splutter a lot in hot oil. Make sure you use a splutter screen.

3.      Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaves that have a unique aroma and taste. I use this in a lot of my dishes.

4.      For the marinara sauce I use the brand Prego.

5.      For cheese you can use any cheese of your choice. I prefer shredded mozzarella. 

Garlic Bread

Bread slices – 4

Butter – 6 tbsp

Garlic – 6 cloves

Coriander leaves – 4 tbsp

Method:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2.      Cut each bread slice into two triangles diagonally.

3.      Put the butter in a bowl and whisk it well. Room temperature butter speeds up this process.

4.      Mince the garlic cloves into a coarse paste. This can be done by adding some salt on to the finely chopped garlic and crushing it with a rough edge of a knife. Salt gives good grip on the knife, because the knife tends to slip when the oil in the chopped garlic is released.

5.      Finely chop the coriander leaves.

6.      Add the minced garlic, chopped coriander leaves to the butter and whisk well.

7.      Now apply this garlic butter onto one side of each bread slice generously.

8.      Bake these in the oven for 2 - 3 minutes or till they are golden brown.

Tasty tip:

This crunchy garlic bread tastes excellent when dipped in warm marinara sauce.

Kadhai Paneer Pasta