PANEER METHI MAKHANI

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Paneer	150 gm – cubed
Methi leaves	½ -3/4 cup chopped
Onion	1 medium chopped
Tomato	2 medium - pureed
Ginger paste	1 tsp
Salt	As needed
Red chili powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Garam masala	½ tsp
Milk	¼ cup
Evaporated milk / Cream	2-3 tbsp
Sugar	¼ tsp
Oil	1 tbsp

 

METHOD:

In a pan, heat oil and add ginger paste and saute till raw smell goes. Add chopped onions and saute for few minutes.

When the onions turn translucent, add the tomato puree. Sauté until the raw smell of tomato goes and oil start to appear from sides.

Add red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for 1-2 mins.

Add chopped methi leaves and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins on low heat. Add ¼ cup of milk and bring it to a boil.

Add paneer cubes and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding ¼ cup of lukewarm water if needed.  Cook for 2-3 mins.

Add the sugar and 2-3 tbsp evaporated milk/cream. Mix well and remove from heat.

Serve the paneer methi makhana with paratha/rotis.

WHOLE LENTIL SOUP

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Whole masoor dal	1 cup
Onion	1 small – chopped
Tomato	3 large -pureed
Potato	½ cup – diced
Carrot	½ cup – diced
Broccoli	½ cup florets
Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	As needed
Black pepper powder	½ tsp
Red chili powder	¼ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Cumin powder	¼ tsp
Ginger paste	1 tsp
Lemon juice	½ tbsp
Bay leaf	1-2
Water /Vegetable stock	2.5 cups

 

METHOD:

Wash the lentils thoroughly and keep aside. Chop the vegetables and puree the tomatoes. Blanch the broccoli florets and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add bay leaf and ginger paste. Add chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots. Sauté for 3-4 mins.

Add pureed tomato, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Let the puree come to boil.

Add the washed lentils and 2.5 cups of water. Cover and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles until the lentils and veggies are cooked.

After the pressure releases, open the pressure cooker and mix the soup well. Add the blanched broccoli florets and black pepper powder.

Adjust the consistency of soup by adding ¼ cup of warm water if required. Let the soup come to a boil and remove from heat. 

Discard the bay leaves and add ½ tbsp of lemon juice and mix well.

Serve the soup hot along with french bread slice or corn on cob and Enjoy!!!

 

AALOO MATAR PANEER

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Potato	1 cup - diced
Green peas	½ cup
Paneer	1 cup - cubed
Onion	1 medium - chopped
Tomato	2 large - chopped
Ginger	1-inch piece
Green chili	1
Oil	1 tbsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Salt	As needed
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Red chili powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Sugar	¼ tsp
Garam masala powder	½ tsp
Kasuri methi	½ tsp
Coriander leaves	2 tbsp
Heavy Cream	2 tbsp

 

METHOD:

In a pan, heat ½ tbsp of oil and add chopped onion, ginger and green chili. Sauté until onions turn translucent and then add chopped tomatoes.

Sauté till tomatoes are mushy and then transfer to a plate to cool down the onion-tomato mixture. Blend the cooled mixture into a smooth paste.

In the same pan, add the remaining ½ tbsp of oil and add cumin seeds. After cumin seeds splutter, add the ground paste and saute for 2-3 mins.

Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Continue sautéing till oil starts to ooze from sides.

Add the chopped potatoes, green peas and 1.5 cup of water. Cover and cook on medium flame until the potatoes are cooked. Check in between and add more water if needed.

Add the cubed paneer, sugar, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi Mix everything well and cook for 1-2 mins.

Add the heavy cream and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and remove from heat.

Serve the aloo matar paneer masala hot and enjoy with phulkas, rotis or parathas.

 

 

GARAM MASALA POWDER

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Coriander seeds (Dhania)	1 cup	½ cup
Cumin seeds (Jeera)	4 tsp	2 tsp
Caraway seeds (Shahi jeera)	1.5 tsp	¾ tsp
Fennel seeds (Saunf)	1 tsp	½ tsp
Black cardamom (Badi elaichi)	3 no.	1.5 no
Peppercorn (Kali mirch)	2 tbsp	1 tbsp
Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)	4-inch stick	2-inch stick
Cloves (Laung)	20	10
Star anise (Chakraphool)	1	½
Bay leaves (Tejpatta)	2 leaves	1 leaf
Dry red chilly (Sabut lalmirch)	4	2
Dry ginger powder (Sonth)	1 tsp	½ tsp
Salt (Namak)	½ tsp	¼ tsp
Red chili powder (Lal mirch )	2 tsp	1 tsp

 

METHOD:

In a kadai, roast the coriander seeds on low medium flame until aromatic. Transfer to plate and keep aside.

In the same kadai, add cumin seeds, shahi jeera, fennel seeds and roast until aromatic. Transfer to plate to cool down the spices.

Then add black cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, bay leaves and dry red chilies. Roast on low med flame and then transfer to plate.

Once the spices are cooled, add all the spices along with dry ginger powder, red chili powder and salt to a spice grinder jar.

Grind into a fine powder and transfer to a glass jar.  Use the garam masala powder as per need.

 

 

MASALA PARATHA

 INGREDIENTS:

 

Wheat flour	2 cups
Water	As needed
Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	As needed
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Red chili powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	½ tsp
Amchur powder	½ tsp
Kasuri methi	1 tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Ajwain	½ tsp

 

METHOD:

In a large bowl, add wheat flour, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder, crushed kasuri methi, coriander powder and ajwain.

Mix well and knead into a tight and smooth dough by adding little water at a time. Once the dough is kneaded, smear ½ tbsp of oil on the dough. Cover and keep aside the dough for 15-20 mins.

Before making parathas, divide the dough into 10 - 12 portions of lemon ball size.

Take a dough ball and dust in plain flour. Roll out into 5-6" round disc.

Heat a tawa and cook the paratha on both sides with ghee/butter until golden spots occur and the parathas are well cooked.

Serve hot with any sabzi or curd or pickle.

 

CHAKKA PRADHAMAN

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Ripe Jackfruit	15 -20 pieces
Jaggery	2.5 cups
Ghee	3-4 tbsp
Coconut milk	1 cup (thick milk) 1.5 cup (thin milk)
Coconut bits	2 tbsp
Cashew nuts	2 tbsp

METHOD:

Making Chakka Varatti:

Remove the seeds from the jackfruit pieces and chop the flesh into small pieces. Steam the chopped jackfruit pieces for 5-10 min.

Cool down the steamed jackfruit and then puree into smooth paste.

 Melt 2 cups of jaggery with ¼ cup of water on med flame. Once the jaggery is melted, strain the syrup to remove any dirt.

Add the melted jaggery syrup to a thick bottom pan and also add the pureed jackfruit. Let it cook on low flames and let the moisture evaporate. When it starts to thicken, add ½ tbsp of ghee.

Keep cooking and adding ½ tbsp of ghee. After 5-10 mins and adding around 2-3 tbsp of ghee, the mixture will be coming together as a ball.

Remove from heat and store in a dry and airtight jar. 

Making Chakka Pradhaman:

In a pan, add ½ tbsp ghee and roast cashew nuts and coconut bits until golden brown. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Melt ½ cup jaggery with ¼ cup water and then strain the syrup to remove any dirt.

Add the melted jaggery and 5-6 tbsp of chakka varatti to a thick bottom pan. Mix well and let it come to semi thick consistency.

Add 1.5 cup of thin coconut milk and cook on low-medium flame for 10-15 mins until it starts to thicken again.  Turn off and remove from the flame.

Add the 1 cup thick coconut milk and roasted coconut and cashew pieces.

Serve the chakka pradhman warn and enjoy!!

LAUKI RAITHA

INGREDIENTS:

 

Lauki / Bottle gourd	1 cup peeled and grated
Yoghurt	1.5 cups
Salt	As needed
Red chili powder	¼ tsp
Chaat masala powder	¼ tsp
Roasted cumin powder	1 tsp
Coriander leaves	2 tbsp - chopped

 

METHOD:

Steam the grated lauki for 5-10 mins so that the lauki is cooked well.  Keep aside and let it cool down.

In a bowl, add yoghurt, salt, red chili powder, and roasted cumin powder. Whisk everything well and add the cooked lauki. Mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a sprinkle of chaat masala powder. Serve the raita chilled with parathas.