Cheena (paneer) Matar

Cheena is a Bengali Speciality, which is a variant to paneer. This variety is little softer and grainy unlike paneer. I have tried replacing cheena with paneer in Matar Paneer recipe. Also i have eliminated usage of onion and garlic making it again a Jain Recipe and also ideal for many who avoid onion- garlic.

Forthcoming Friday+ No onion- garlic + Cheena Matar = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Cheena Matar:

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup boiled Peas (Matar)

2) 1 Tomato diced

3) 2 tbsp Mustard oil

4) 1/2 ltr Milk

5) 1 lime juice

6) Salt as per taste

7) 1/4 tsp Asafoetida

8) 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

9) 4-5 green chilly

10) 1 tbsp Cumin- Corainder powder

11) 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

12) Whole spices ( 1 tej patta, 2-3 cloves)

13) 1 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

1) Bring the milk to boil and add lime juice to make cheena.

2) Drain the water from cheena and keep the cheena over a strainer until all water seperates from it.

3) When all the water is seperated from cheena add some salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and knead it well in order to remove any lumps from the mixture.

4) When the kneading is done arrange the cheena in a plate and cut cubes from it and shallow fry them.

5) To make gravy, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add whole spices and let it splutter.

6) Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, cumin- corainder powder, red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder with some water and let the masalas simmer for 2 mins.

7) Now add diced tomatoes, cook until tomatoes are softened.

8) Now add the boiled peas and 1/2 cup of warm water, let the gravy simmer.

9) At this point add salt.

10) When the salt is incorporated in the gravy and the peas are tender add the fried cheena.

11) Serve with steam rice.

Boondi Rabdi

After all the spicy and complex recipes, here's the much needed breezer in the recipe index. This  recipe has  three ingredients,but very creamy and rich in its texture. It's a delight for the taste buds, to the hand as it is easy to make and eyes because of its vibrant saffron color.

Taste+Texture+Colour = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Boondi Rabdi:

Ingredients:

1) 5 Boondi laddu (Secret Ingredient)

2) 2 cup milk

3) 1 tsp ealichi (cardomom) powder

4) Sugar if required.

Method:

1) Boil milk until it reaches 3/4 th of its quantity.

2) Now crush the boondi laddus and add in the milk.

3) Add the elaichi (Cardomom) powder.

4) Simmer fot 2 mins and its done.

5) Garnish with some almonds.

The Good Old Chinese Fried RIce

Sixth Dish in the series. For viewers watching my blog for the first time, kindly check the last 5 recipes to understand the series i am talking about.

White Long grain rice with crunch from carrots and capsicum.

Recipe For Chinese Fried Rice:

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup basmati rice.

2) 1 Cup diced Carrots and Green Capsicum

3) Salt to taste

4) 2 tbsp oil

5) Pinch of Ajinomoto

6) 1 tsp Vinegar

7) 1 tsp white pepper powder

8) 1 tsp Garlic paste 

Method:

1) Cook the rice till 3/4th stage.

2) Fry the carrots and capsicum till done.

3) Heat oil in a pan.

4) Add the fried carrots and capsicum and the garlic paste.

5) Now add the rice ladle by ladle to make non sticky rice.

6) Once rice is done add salt, vinegar and ajinomoto.

7) Add pepper powder

8) Serve with Chilly Veg.

Paneer Makhani (Butter Paneer)

Having born & raised in Delhi, my hubby has a special fondness for Paneer Makhni and he challenged my cooking prowess. From my series of Food dedication for my husband this is the fifth dish &  i  must tell you that its not easy to get a perfect dish without an inspiration behind you. My hubby acknowledged  that the Paneer Makhani I cooked was one of his favorite dishes ever cooked by me.

Paneer Makhani or Butter Paneer is  parallel to Butter Chicken for Vegetarians. Chicken is replaced with Paneer which gives the dish a velvety softness to  the dish.

Recipe For Paneer Makhani (Butter Paneer)

Ingredients:

1) 10 Cubes of Paneer 

2) 3 tbsp boiled onion paste (Boiling the onion adds smoothness to the paste)

3) 4 tbsp boiled tomato paste

4) 1 1/2 tbsp Cashewnut-Almonds paste (2:1)

5) 2 tsp Fresh Cream

6) 1/2 tsp Kasoori methi crushed

7) 3 tbsp Butter

8) 1/2 tsp Shah Zeera

9) 1/4 tsp Zeera

10) 5 pieces of clove

11) 1/2 inch cinnamon

12) 3 pods of cardamom

13) 2 big cardomom

14) 2 tbsp Kashmiri Mirch Powder ( 1 tsp if using normal Red Chilli Powder)

15) Salt to taste

16) 1/2 tsp sugar

17) 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

18) 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder

19) 2 tsp Cumin- corainder powder

20) 1 /2 tsp garam masala powder

22) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

1) Marinate the paneer pieces with turmeric and salt for 1 hour and lightly saute it.
2) Add butter to the pan, let it heat.
3) Now add all the dry spices ,Cinnamon, Cardomom small and big ,Clove, Shah Zeera and Zeera. Also add sugar at this point as the caramelizing of the sugar adds color to the gravy.
4) Now add the onion paste and ginger- garlic paste. Let it leave sides of the pan.
5) Now add the tomato paste cook until it leaves pan sides.
6) Add the Cashewnut and Almond paste.
7) Simultaneously add the dry masalas ( Cumin-Corainder powder,black pepper powder,Kashmiri Lal mirch powder,and crushed kasoori methi)
8) Once the masalas are cooked add paneer and coat it.
9) Add 1 cup warm water to the mixture.
10) Let it simmer for 5 mins and add garam masala.
11) Take it off from heat and add fresh cream and serve hot.

Note:

Do not over fry the paneer cubes, just lightly saute it leaving it tender.

Navratna Korma

Navratna Korma is a mughlai dish where nine different varieties of vegetables are used. This is a dish which develops its richness by incorporating flavours from all nine ingredients and creating a balance between aroma and taste.

Well this is contd from earlier post (if you all are following the series).

Recipe For Navratna Korma:

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup Nine Different varieties of vegetables cut in cubes. (Cauliflower, Green peas, Potato, Capsicum, French beans, Carrot, Tomatoes, Pineapple, Sweet potato)( Blanch the veges with salt)

2) 1 tbsp cottage Cheese (Paneer) cut in cubes.

3) 1 tbsp tomato paste.

4) 1 tbsp cashewnut,Khus Khus (Poppy seeds) and raisins paste (2:1:1)

5) 1 tbsp chopped onions.

6) 1/2 tsp shah zeera

7) 1/4 tsp zeera

8) 1 inch cinnamon, 2 small cardomoms, 1 big cardomom, 3-4 cloves.

9) Salt to taste

10) 1/2 tbsp fresh cream.

11) 1/2 tsp kasoori methi

12) 3 tbsp oil.

13) 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

14) 1/2 tbsp Cumin- Corainder powder

Method:

1) Fry the blanched vegetables.

2) In a pan add all the oil.

3) Now add all the whole spices and let it saute to release aroma.

4) Add onions and saute until golden.

5) Add tomato paste, cook until oil leaves sides of pan.

6) Now add the Cashewnut,poppy seeds and raisins paste and the fried vegetables.

7) Let everything cook together.

8) Once done add salt and kasoori methi.

9) Add Cumin- Corainder powder, let it simmer, till oil leaves sides of pan.

10) Take off from heat and add fresh cream.

11) Your Mughlai feast ready to serve.

12) Serve with Paneer Kulcha.

Lemon Rice

Well this recipe was a dedication to my Husband over this weekend; who loves South Indian food to its core. Spending almost 7 years he has deep rooted influence of Chennai in him ; especially their cui
sine. So i thought of making this dish for him and served it with Dhaniya Murg (Corainder Chicken)  (Next recipe).

This rice recipe is subtle in its taste and very easy to make. It's delight to the eyes when long, fluffy, saffron color rice strands comes out and spreads an aroma. I have made it in microwave; the same procedure can be replicated in a pressure cooker also.

South Indian +Happy Husband = 'Happiness'

Recipe for Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

1) 1/2 Cup Basmati Rice soaked

2) 2 tbsp lemon juice

3) 1 tsp Turmeric powder

4) Salt To taste

5) Pich Of Asofietida  

6) 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds

7) 10 leaves of curry patta

8) 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

9) 1/4 tsp Urad Dal

10) 2 tbsp Oil

11) 1/4 tsp Sugar

12) 1/4 tsp garlic paste (can be omitted)

13) Ghee as requi

Method:

1) In a micro safe bowl add oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry patta , Urad dal, garlic paste and Asofietida.

2) Let it release aroma.

3) Now add soaked rice, lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt and sugar.

4) Mix all together and add 1 cup of water.

5) Micro it on highest temperature for 12 mins and 5 mins standing time.

6) Well its taht simple to make and absolutely wonderful to have as the rice is full of flavour.

7) Add some ghee from top.

Note:

If making in pressure cooker remain everything same just stop the cooking process after two whistles and let it stand by.

Methi Malai Mattar ( Fenugreek with Green Peas in white gravy)

Methi Malai Matar ( Fenugreek with Green Peas in white gravy) an absolutely delectable dish for my Veg audience. This recipe is a savior for my hunger strikes on Fridays when i have to observe total veg as a religious belief. This dish is an excellent combination of sweet and salty  with a hint of bitterness from methi (Fenugreek); but trust this bitterness accentuates the overall experience of this dish.

Well this particular recipe has lot many variations; some use tomato and red chilli which gives it reddish tinge but i prefer it white in colour as it adds to the creaminess of the dish. I have also eliminated using any root vegetables like ginger, garlic or onions. This becomes an excellent choice for the jains also.

Methi Malai Matar + Jain Recipe + Fridays = 'Happiness'

Recipe for Methi Malai Matar

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup Boiled peas

2) 1 cup Methi (Fenugreek) leaves

3) 1 tsp Kasoori Methi

4) 1 cup milk

5) 1 tbsp Kaju (Cashew) and poppy seeds paste (2:1/2)

6) Pinch of Asofietida 

7) Pinch of crushed Methi (Fenugreek) seeds

8) Salt to taste

9) 1 1/2 tbsp fresh cream

10) 1/4 tsp sugar

11) Whole Garam Masala (See note)

12) 1/2 cup warm water

13) Fried Green Chilli for garnish

14) 2 tbsp Oil 

15) 1 tsp white pepper powder

16) 1/2 tsp green chilli paste.

To prepare Methi Malai Matar:

1) Heat oil in a Pan.

2) Now add whole garam masala, saute it until it releases aroma.

3) Then add crushed methi seeds and the dry methi leaves..

4) Now add the Green chilli and Kaju and Poppy seeds paste.

5) Simmer and let this paste release oil from sides.

6) Once done add the boiled peas and Methi (Fenugreek) leaves.

7) Let it coat the paste.

8) Now make a mix with water and milk and add it in the pan.

9) At this point add salt, sugar and white pepper powder.

10) Let the mixture simmer and incorporate all the flavours.

11) Once the gravy is thickened to 3/4 and starts leaving oil from side add fresh cream

12) Note add the fresh cream by removing the pan from heat or else the gravy might curdle.

13) When all the ingredients merge and create a harmonious taste complementing each other our Methi Malai Matar is ready to serve.

14) Add fried green chillies for garnish.

Note:

Whole Garam Masala: 1 inch cinnamon, 3 small cardamoms, 1 big cardamoms, 1 Tej patta, 1/2 tsp shahi zeera, 1/2 tsp zeera.