Methi Paneer

Cooking this will be a very special memory.
A memory i'd cherish for the rest of my life.

My girlfriend KP came to home for a sleep over.
I was sooooooooo excited.
We cooked together, watched a movie , gossip, makeup :-)

I remember when i was a kid; 11 years and back in town.
A friend of mine - best friend at that time - came over to our home. And it was decided she'd sleep over at our place. I was so excited , happy and all glee. Made bed for her in my room - i've been so mad and happy - i've running down stairs to my mom in the kitchen, grand parents and then to my siblings. Run up to my room again. Like a little puppy. I do remember this huge doberman in my room was confused to seem me running around hahaha. Ah! My childhood home - miss it. Was one of the best houses.

I did nothing less on this weekend when KP was here.
Have been whistling , singing, dancing :)

Most of her life she spend in North.
Loved her palak paneer :)
She is a strict veg and hence paneer.

Cooking together is fun.
I've cut all the vegetables.
She did the initial preparation.
KP used lots of oil - variety is spice of life :)
Seasoning and addendum i've done.

Paneer - i am not sure why is it made complex.
In the sense - whenever i utter paneer - people say its lot of work. One got to make kaju paste/ khus khus paste. Why complicate?
I've stuck to the basics. All i did was add the leftover milk to the curry. It added loooots of flavor. We were like lets get away with dinner preparation. We've made paneer - rotis all in 45 mins and we're done! We then microwaved frozen aloo patties, took diet cokes(as if it'd matter) watched a movie. No huge effort - it was effortless cute and a "bonding-dinner" :-)

Ingredients:

• Oil - 5 Tb SP
• Ghee - 2 Tb SP
• Paneer - Chopped into cubes 200 gm
• Green Chillies - Slit - 6
• Finely Chopped Curry Leave - As per your choice
• Methi Leaves - Finely Chopped - Two Fistful
• Onion - Medium Size - Finely Chopped - 2
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Tb Sp
• Tomato - Medium - Finely Chopped - 2
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 Tb Sp
• Salt - Acc to taste
• Milk - 1 Peg
• Fresh Chopped Coriander
• Coriander Powder - 1 Tb Sp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tea Sp

Spices:

• Shahjeera - 1 Tea Sp
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Clove - 1
• Cinamon - 1/2 inch

Method :

Roast Paneer:

• Take a pan.
• Add a 1 tea sp oil/ghee/butter.
• Roast the paneer cubes - till they are slightly brown.
• Keep aside.

For Curry:

• Heat a wok - add oil
• Once hot - add spices
• They splutter - add curry leaves, green chillies, onion.
• Let onion turn pink - add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, salt
• Add methi leaves, tomato, red chilly powder.
• Cover with a lid - wait till tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add paneer - stir
• Add milk - Stir.
• You may add little water to achieve the required consistency.
• Cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add freshly chopped coriander, coriander powder, garam masala powder.
• Stir well.

Serve hot with roti.
We've totally relished it. Somehow it tasted better the next day :-)

Chukka Kura Pappu

Chukkakura is also called as katti palak in Hindi and Garden Sorrel in English. Whatever is the name it looks cute, fresh, naughty and its really sour. I'm not a very sour-crazy person - but my husband is. Since i'm not using much of tamarind to satiate his appetite for sour food - why not i go healthy way. The first time i had this was at one of my pedhamma's homes(My mother has 6 sisters ). Hot noon, hot rice, ghee, appadams and this fresh soury pachadi. I customized with a dollop of ghee, freshly chopped onions & this pachadi. Yummy!!! Its mout-watering now also - even after 3 years :-) . Though i took out these cute fellas was to make pachadi - damn! i got sucha a flickering mind - i've decided to go for dal.

Somehow i did'nt wanted to go for my usual way of preparing dal.
The usual way is i dump onion, garlic, tampering in the cooker and i'm done. Quickest way right!!! I decided to do it a lil different. Different way of tampering that i've learnt from my rayalaseema sis-in-law :-) On Holi Day - she prepared tomato dal with this "seema-style" of tampering.
Its something like dal tadka sans tomatoes and with south spices.

Fresssshhh curry leaves and coriander is great in tamperings.
As alwayz overdid the garlic part :-)
This is sour , tangy, i liked the texture of these leaves.
Yumm! Yummy!

Ingredients:

• Chukka Kura - 10 Kattas
• Toor Dal - 2 Cups
• Water - 4 Cups
• Green Chillies - 6 - Finely Chopped
• Onion - Medium Size - 1
• Garlic - Finely Chopped - 5
• Curry Leaves - Finely Chopped - Fisful
• Coriander - Finely Chopped - 5 Tbsp
• Turmeric - 1 Tea Sp
• Salt - Acc to taste

Tampering:

• Mustard Seeds - 2 Tea Sp
• Jeera - 2 Tea Sp
• Oil - 1 TbSp
• Ghee - 2 Tea sp
• Broken Red Chillies - 2

Method:

• Add washed dal, chopped chukka kura , salt, turmeric to the cooker.
• Add enough water and put on stove.
• Cook until dal is done.
• Take a pan - add oil+ghee.
• Once hot - add mustard, jeera, broken red chillies minced garlic, curry leaves
• Once they splutter - add green chillies,onions.
• Wait until onions turn pink.
• Add turmeric and stir.
• Adjust salt & Chilly.
• Add finely chopped coriander.
• Add this to the cooker.
• Bring to a boil.

You can adjust your consistency.
I usually like loose dal - kind of soupy - so i add more water.
You may use 3 cups of water to boil to 2 cups of dal.

Serve with hot piping rice or rotis :-)

Nutritional Values :

Sorrel leaves nutritional value; Sorrel leaves or plant comprise many essential vitamins, namely Vitamin B9, Provitamin A, Vitamin C, and consists of carbohydrates, fats, dietary fiber, proteins, and Iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, also contains essential flavanoid antioxidants. In addition to these, it posses antibacterial, anticancer and astringent properties, all contribute to prevent ill health and improve general health.

Reference : http://ideas4health.in/health-ideas/vegetables/sorrel-leaves-nutritional-facts/

Capsicum Palak Khadi

I love this one.
Its the easiest, yummy, feels fresh.
Irony is that this has to be made out of almost fermented curd.
The older & sour the curd is the yummy it turns out.

I do manage to intentionally ignore one bowl of curd in the fridge.
I pull it out on its lucky day - actually my laziest day.
Thats a different debate i'm lazy at any given point of time :)

Well! Again; somehow the sweltering heat got over me.
Capsicum does make me feel fresh and cool.
Since husband is a die-hard fan of capsicum - i thot let me try it.
Went back to fridge - pulled out two capsicums.
Hmm; saw that beautiful and graceful spinach.
Green color is so pleasant right :-)

Pulled out spinach too - i must 10 leaves.

This was my first time with addendums to khadi other than onion and tomato.
I was pretty sure - i'd add capsicum at the end while i bring khadi to a boil.
That would ensure capsicum to remain fresh, green and soothing in this hot summer.

This time the curd - sour,old curd had a little story.
I bought two 200gm each curd sachets on the next day of holi.
As both my huband and brother were Bang infected.
Heavy head; unable to open eyes - Oh! They did entertain us a lil bit on holi night :-)
Hence buttermilk is a age-old remedy for hangovers.
I've bought those curds. To no avail - both of the refused to have it.
Hence they were there in the fridge lying since almost 10 days.
Perfect curds for this Khadi - Baang khadi :-)

Ingredients:

Sour Curd - 200 Gm
Besan / Chan Dal Powder - 5 Tb Sp
Green Chillies - Slit - 4
Onion - Medium - Finely Chopped - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tea Sp
Turmerc - 1 Tea Sp
Salt - Acc to Taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1 Tea Sp
Capcicum - Medium - Finely Chopped - 2
Palk - Finely Chopped - 10 Stalks
Tomato - Medium - Finely Chopped - 2
Finely Chopped Coriander
Coriander Powder - 1 Tb Sp

Tampering :

Oil - 2 TbSp
Ghee - 2 Tea Sp
Jeera - 2 Tea Sp
Garlic - Minced - 5
Curry Leaves - Finely Minced - 10


Method:

Heat a wok - add oil
Once hot - add jeera, garlic, curry leaves.
Add green chillies, onions.
Once onions are pink/translucent - add turmeric powder, salt, ginger garlic paste.
Stir well.
Add chopped spinach, tomato.
Add red chilly powder.

NOTE : The whole idea of this to remain fresh and taste fresh.
Hence i am not going to over cook either spinach or tomato.
I'm not going to cover the wok with a lid and wait till tomato turns mush.

Wait for a minute - but dont cover the wok.
Meanwhile beat the curd with a fork - add water.
Time to turn the flame to as high as possible.
Pour this beaten curd(butter milk) to the wok.
Take basin in a bowl - add little water - user your beautiful fingers - make it into a paste.
This excercise is done to avoid any lumps.
Add this paste to the wok.
Bring to boil for another 2 minutes.
Add finely chopped coriander, chopped capcicum, coriander powder.

Boil till you get the required consistency.
You may add more water if you'd want it to be like rasam.
Or boil more - if you'd like to bring it to a semi-solid state.

I had this with roti - it was awesome!!!
Goes well with rice too .
I usually have Haldiram's Bhujiya Sev or Aloo Bhujia as an accompaniment.

Capcicum Kaaram Upma:

Capcicum Kaaram Upma:

Upma - ewww i used to hate it.
This soggy , colorless stuff on my plate - would bring me a nausea.

The usual way of preparing it is plain - tampering, onion, tomato.
Sometimes with ground nuts and chashews - would have drived me nuts.

Pre-marriage - i happily settled for my own kitchdi, oats or skip

breakfast. But never could pull myself to have that. Rare were the occasions when i compromised.

Its just the looks i hated.
So; one day i thought why not make it colorful.

You make food colorful and add some exciting garnishing s when you
have kids at home or kid-like adults at home. I'm one.

"Kid-like-cook". I want my food to be colorful and presentable.
Yea! Looks are important :-)

Hence I've tried upma by adding lil bit turmeric, carrots, peas,
spring onion stalks, capsicums...
Every time i try to overdo some or the other vegetable.
Try to bring some new color/ new flavor and make it exciting.

This time though; i dint have much vegetables freezing - all I'm
left out was b'ful glistening capsicums. Husband loves capsicum.
Hence i overdid it this time. Absence of carrots was "apparent".
Disappointing too.
I was myself not convinced to serve it .

Yay! The creative mind - strictly works only in the kitchen though.
I've laid out these "curry-leaf powder", "garlic-powder" , "sesame seeds powder" on our dining table. Sprinkled these carefully over the upma. They did add all the color and enhanced the taste too.

I relished - totally - and welcomed all those compliments from my husband :-) Blush! Blush!! Blush !!!

Ingredients:

• Upma Ravva - 2 Cups
• Water - 10 Cups
• Ghee - 1 Tb Sp
• Jeera - 1 Tsp
• Mustard Sees - 1 Tsp
• Green Chillies - Finely minced
• Curry Leaves - 5 - chopped
• Onion - 1 - small - chopped
• Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
• Tomato - 1 - small - chopped
• Capsicum - 1 - Big - Chopped
• Coriander - Finely Chopped

Method:

• Heat a wok/pan - roast the upma.
• Not till the Ravva is brown - just about to roast.
• Take out Ravva out of the wok.
• Add ghee to the wok.
• Add jeera, coriander seeds, green chillies, curry leaves.
• Stir - add sliced onions.
• Once onions turn pink : Add turmeric, salt, ginger garlic paste.
• Stir.
• Add tomatoes - Wait for 30 Secs.
• Add water - Bring to boil.
• Add salt, capsicum, chopped coriander.
• Taste the seasoning - adjust accordingly.
• Add ravva gradually - simultaneously keep stirring.
• Basically avoid lumps.
• Simmer and cover.
• 3-5 minutes - it should be done.
• Place on a plate - season with all those Curry-leaf powder, garlic powder, sesame kaaram powder.
• Serve hot.

Ksuri Methi Chicken

Every recipe has a story behind it.
Chicken - reminds of me of sweet cousin.
I invited him and his fiance home for lunch.
I could not prepare a simple pappu charu and chicken curry - by the time they arrived.
It was well past lunch-time already.
I was kind of very slow - Nah! i was not slow but had inertia.
Loads of inertia.
I thought i could never cook.
Now; i can very well cook sambhar/chicken curry in 30 mins.
Its all about managing/organizing/resource planning :-)

Well! Coming back to my memory about chicken-n Gautam Annaya.
He did not discourage me or mock me about my utter inability to prepare a simple meal.
He did show me how to cook chicken in the most simplest way.
Bachelor cooking .
This memory would remain with me for my whole life.
It was a fragile moment - it was like a break / make moment.
I was turmoiled by the fact that i could not prepare a simple meal.
His help meant help/support for the "whole life" :-)

And its during this ahh-sho-shweet cookery session - i've learned the importance of coriander powder. My pedhamma; is a great cook. Especially non-veg. At this moment; if she'd call me
for dinner - i'd run to her place. It was her tip passed to annaya and then to me.
If its non-veg; it has to end with loads of coriander powder. Tried & Tested - would stick to that
mantra all my life.

Its : Chicken - memory back to Gautam Anna - pedhamma's non-veg - Initial post-marriage cooking inertias! Thank God! Gautam Anna was there that day with me :-)

Coming back to this recipe - this built its own memory.
It was Holi, my sister and sis-in-law were with us.
Two lovely b'ful girls playing, lisping and dancing...

My sis-in-law; helped me build this b'ful recipe.
I was just a helper though.

I've learned this tip from her - adding Ginger Garlic paste before the onions turn
pink/brown - is a disaster. It would tend to burn itself and onions too.

Ingredients:

• Chicken - boneless - 750 Gm
• Onion - medium size - sliced - 2
• Tomato - medium size - cubed - 2
• Green Chillies - Sliced - 4
• Salt - 2 Tsp
• Red Chilly Powder - 2 Tb Sp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tb Sp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
• Kasuri Methi - 4 Tb Sp
• Coriander Powder - 3 Tb Sp

Tampering:

• Ghee - 2 Tb Sp
• Oil - 4 Tb Sp
• Clove - 2
• Cinamon - 1/2 Inch
• Shah Jeera - 1 Tsp
• Bay Leaf - 2
  

Method:

• Heat a wok - add ghee+oil.
• Once hot - add spices.
• Add slit green chillies, onions.
• Let the onions turn pink.
• Add ginger garlick paste, turmeric, salt.
• Stir well.
• Wait for two minutes - add tomatoes, red chilly powder.
• Cover for 3 minutes or till the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Now add kasuri methi - stir well.
• Add chicken(washed in vinergar+salt water) to the wok.
• Stir well.
• Check the taste.
• Cover - simmer - wait till its done.
• Before taking it off the stove - add coriander powder, fresh chopped coriander.

Serve hot with roti / rice.

Know what - this stuff for some reason tastes better the next day :-)

Spicy Southier - Green Moong Dal Kitchdi

This is a speciality of Gujju households.
My neighbors were gujju and i was lucky to have it quite frequently.
I love it for the taste of dal, ghee and slight seasoning.
This requires dal in 3/4th and rice in 1/4th portions.
I remembers ; my Aunts would every month religiously filling their jars with these ratios.
Thats how frequent they prepared kitchdi and i had to relish it too :-)

Relished it more after those tiresome "group-shopping" @ begumbazaar.
Ahh, those begumbazaar shoppings were crazy.

However; this version is a spicier one.
This one is with a spicy south-indian touch.

Its easy, quick, highly nutritious.
Legumes have whta proteins - and you have loads of them here.

Ingredients:

• Ghee - 2 Tb Sp
• ShahJeera - 1/2 Tea Sp
• Cinamon - 1/2 inch
• Pepper Corns - 10
• Green Chillies - 2
• Onion - Finely Chooped - 1/2
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Tea Sp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tea Sp
• Tomato - 1 Chopped
• Salt - 1/2 Tea Sp
• Rice - 1/2 Cup
• Green Moong Dal - 1 1/2 Cups
• Water - 5 Cups
• Lime Juice - 1/2 Lemon
• Coriander - Finely Chopped

Method:

• Heat Ghee in a cooker.
• Once ghee is hot - add all the spices, Slit Green Chillies & onion.
• Stir well.
• Wait until onions turn translucent .
• Add ginger garlic paste, salt and turmeric powder.
• Add washed dal + rice & tomato to the cooker.
• Add water . Stir well.
• Cover and put it on a high flame.
• Wait for 7 whistles.
• Wait until the pressure is released and its safe to open the lid.

Server hot - Garnish with chopped coriander and lemon juice.

You may add more water if you would like to have your kitchdi more softer.
The usual Gujju style would be 1:5 ( 1 being the combo of rice n dal - 5 is water).
It'd be mushy and yummy.
I wanted to feel the dal while i chew.

Curd n paapad; enhance the taste.

Cheesy Spicy Apna Bobino :-)

This is my creation.
I'm proud of myself.
Ahh entirely my creation.
I'm inspired by several recipes - no doubt; but this is my baby.

I did mention i gather all those left over sauce sachets and oreganos from
Dominos, Pizza Hut and KFC. I did store all of them in a very attractive
Box. A box which was given a complimentary for Budweisers. Yum! Both the
sauces, seasonings and beer. Yum!!!

Okay; i've went into the kitchen to prepare Bombino for breakfast.
The usual way; jeera, baby corn, south indian tampering etc.
I got so bored of doing it the same way.

Lemme wear my creative hat(taste-bud hat )

I actually cut vegetables for the usual way; but only when i put on the flame -
i realized i'm in a experimental mood. Hence the ingredients were all on-the-fly.
I'm such a random cook

Ingredients:

• Oil - 1 TbSp
• Green Chillies - 2 Slit
• Onion - 1 Medium - Finely Chopped
• Coriander Leaves - Chopped
• Curry Leaves - Chopped
• Baby Corn - 4
• Tomato - 1 - Small - Chopped
• Bombino - 3 Cups
• Water - 2 1/2 Cups
• Salt - 1/2 Tsp
• Ajinomotto - 1 Pinch
• Cheese - 1 Cube - Grated
• Weikfield Mustard Paste - 1/2 Tsp

For Seasoning:

• Oregano(Domino) - 1 Sachet
• Spicy Sprinkle(KFC) - 1 Sachet
• Tomato Sauce(KFC) - As per taste
• Lemon Juice - Acc to taste

Method:

• Heat a wok.
• Add oil - bring to heat.
• Add green chillies , onion, curry leaves.
• Let onions turn pink.
• Now; add baby corn, coriander, tomato, salt, Ajinomotto, Mustard Paste.
• Stir Well. Add water.

NOTE : Usually; for bombino ; its 1:1 water .
But I've made it 3:2.5.
Since i wanted this bombino to be a bit dry and brown.

• Bring the water to boil
• Add the bombino gradually - stir while you add it.
• Cover with the lid
• Check after 5 mins - wait till the water is drained.
• Once the bombino is done - add the grated cheese.
• Cover for 3-4 minutes.
• Take off flame .
• Season with Oregano, Spicy Sprinkle, Tomato Sauce and Lemon Juice.

This is Cheesy, Tangy, Sour , Sweet and everything.
Nutritious and makes a heavy breakfast.
Something different than the the routine.

Husband has thoroughly enjoyed it.
I had to let go my portion(Bharteey Naari haha)

Try it for a change.

Ponaganti Aloo Kura

Ponaganti Kura(Poyina kanti kura). This is highly nutritious . Its said to improve the eye-sight. In Ayurveda; its said to bring back the lost eye-sight. When we were living in a town – it was a staple food.

It was available all over the seasons. I remember my mother used to make this with moong dal. Greens always been my favorites. This curry with hot ghee tainted rotis. Yum! I’d recall all those memorable moments in our b’ful childhood home J

Thanks to this Angadi – I could get hold of this green leaf. There are two varieties in this – one with a lean leaf and the other with broader. Lean leaf is more tastier but hard to get. I’ve got the broader one . Nonetheless it turned out to almost the same yum. I used potato as a substitute for moongdal. Yet again; I overdid garlic. I’ve got the best quality of it from Angadi again. The supermarket garlics are lifeless . These are fatty, round and very powerful. I thoroughly enjoyed mincing them and smelling . My husband was staring at me – while I do that (haha). Well! Its been 4 years since we got married and I’m sure he got used to my madness.

Ingredients:

1. Oil – 2 Tbsp

2. Garlic – minced – 5

3. Green Chillies – Slit Cut – 4

4. Onion – finely sliced – Medium Sized -1

5. Salt – 1 Tsp

6. Turmeric – ½ Tsp

7. Ponakanti Kura – finely Chopped – 5 Kattas

8. Potato – Cut into cubes – Small Sized – 4

9. Coriander – Finely Chopped – 1 Bunch

Method

• Heat a wok and add oil
• Add minced garlic, green chillies.
• After 30 secs – add chopped onion
• Once onion turn translucent – add turmeric powder, salt
• Wait for a min
• Now add chopped potato - Stir well.
• Add chopped greens – add the greens gradually while stirring
• This would ensure – all the seasoning is spread across evenly.
• Cover with a lid. Simmer.
• After 10 mins – check if the potatoes got soft and stir well.
• After 10 more mins – it should be done – add finely chopped coriander .

Serve with hot rotis or rice