Ha! Now Kulfi needs no introduction does it?  Some things evoke the child in you and kulfi definitely does that for me.  I had my first kulfi on an excursion outside Kerala and then on quite hooked. I love most Indian desserts like kalakand and burfi etc but this one has a special place.  It conquers all, takes the icing on the cake really, because its frozen.  Like most people I love ice cream and so does my children.  This is an ideal way to taste an Indian dessert and fall in love.  Hopefully, you agree. I am rambling.

  A fun of another sort I am having these days is listening to my son.  Entertainer.  His father was absolutely in splits listening to him say 'Buhmb' for Urumb (meaning: 'ants').  I adore this phase of my son.  As rowdy as he is, when he makes up these words and says it with carefree, abandon, cool as if  he is right!  Confidence.  Love it now but maybe not if he was a teenager. Worries for another time.

 Today, let's enjoy the small wonders the day brings and lick up some mouthwatering, lip smacking, rollicking goodness of kulfi. Oh.. what fun and such beautiful memories this dessert evokes.  Don't you agree?

  If you have not heard of this dessert: it's similar to ice cream except not whipped to a fluffy consistency.  Milk is cooked down and frozen to make a dense ice cream.  Pisatchio's,  I think are the most common flavoring agent but you can make many variations.  Let that imagination run wild!   I have done mine today with pistachios.

Forgot to ask: Hope you are doing well and had a jolly weekend.

Now, shall we go on and have some 'njummy, ammi kulfi' like my son would say...okay!




Ingredients:

Milk- 4 cups/1 liter
Condensed milk- 1/3 cup
Sugar- to taste
Pistachios- 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1.In a wide and (preferably) non sticky pan boil the milk till it reduces to one third of its quantity.
2.Do keep stirring in between and scrape down the sides. It took me about 20 minutes for get this done.
3.Meanwhile grind/grate pistachios coarsely.
4.Once the milk is reduced to one third, add the ground pistachios and condensed milk and cook for 2-3 minutes.Keep stirring.Add the sugar too if you are adding any.
5.Switch off the heat and add the cardamom powder and mix well.
6.Let it cool for some time and pour into kulfi mold/pop mold and set in the freezer for at least 4 hours.If you are pouring into a big bowl ,then let it sit longer to set.
7.Serve after garnishing with pistachios slivers.



Notes:

1.Be easy on adding sugar since you are adding condensed milk.
2.This recipe gives ~6 servings.

Thanks for all your wishes to Sunitha and me.Thanks for your understanding and continued support.

Today's dish is so popular that it doesn't need any introduction.My family just love this and we make it quite often.Usually I do not add any food color,rather I would add more Kashmiri chilli powder for the color.See you all with another delicacy, soon :-)



Ingredients:

Chicken Drumsticks- 6-7
Yogurt- 4-5 Tbsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste- 1 Tbsp
Lemon Juice- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 Tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder-1 Tbsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 Tbsp
Turmeric- a pinch
Red food color (optional)- a few drops
Salt- To taste
Oil- 1 Tbsp



Method:

1.Clean the drumsticks and remove all the water by placing them on paper towels.
2.Prepare the marinade by mixing together all the ingredients except the oil, listed.If you have time it would be great if you could take out all the water from yogurt by letting it hang in a muslin cloth for some time.
3.Make some incisions on the drumsticks and apply the marinade on each of them.
4.Finally sprinkle the oil on top and cover it, keep in the refrigerator for overnight or at least 8 hours.
5.Preheat the oven at 450 degree F.Place an Aluminum foil on a baking tray. (this would help reduce the mess).Place the drumsticks a few inches apart and spray with some oil.
6.Bake for about 30 minutes ,turning the sides in between.
7.If your oven has broil option keep it at 500 degree F, broil for 10 minutes,again turning the sides in between.If you are not broiling, keep it at 450 for another 10-12 minutes or until it is done.
8.If you have a grill, keep it on high until the chicken is done.This takes about 20-25 minutes.

Contributor: Namitha

I am quite excited writing this post.  The rolling thunder, the over cast sky, all in preparation of glorious rain.  Ooooh! Can't tell you how relieved and overjoyed I am.  Change of seasons are the best thing in nature and I am a ardent fan.  Having too much of anything is bad but the drama of creation with its ever changing nature is engaging.  Can you hear the pitter patter of rain outside?  I can, finally.

  The pictures are of bhel puri and if some of you get the urge to throw stones go right ahead.  It's not an authentic recipe but believe me quite close to it without the hassle of making mint chutney, tamarind chutney, sweet chutney etc.  Most of you I am sure will have the ingredients I have given for this recipe handy or an  alternative.  Well, talking about alternative here is an alternative recipe for bhel puri. Now you can't throw no stones no more, no more no more.  Yeah! Rains make me sing.  You should be glad this is not a video of cooking but just a blog you are spared the singing. while I enjoy this thunderous rain and pray that the tree does not fall over my apartment you have a nice day!

Ingredients:
1. Bhel - 2 cups
2. Cucumber - 1/2
3. Tomato - 1 medium size
4. Onions - 1/4 or to taste (I like them but just a lil)
5. Green chilies - 1 finely chopped
6. Carrot - 1 grated
7. Tomato sauce - 1 Tbspn
8. Tamarind - 1 - 2 tspn pulp (I took a small piece half of a marble size ball I would say and soaked it in about 2 tbspn of water and then mashed and pulled at it but made some sauce)
9. Chat Masala - to taste (I threw in around 1 tspn
10. Black salt (its pink in color but its called khala namak, you figure) - to taste
11. Lemon juice - to taste
12. Chili powder - to taste

Method:
1. Chop all veggies to small pieces and set aside
2. Throw in all of the sauces or some of each with the chili powder, chaat masala and salt and started by adding the bhel. I let it soak in some of the sauce by stirring it vigorously.
3. Follow up with all the veggies, mix well.
3. Check for salt and masala and add more if you like. It is a good practice to start with a little of everything I have mentioned and then at the end if needed to add more
4. Squeeze in a few drops of lemon/lime juice and chopped coriander. Mix well and serve
5. On each serving plate you can sprinkle sev/ potato bhujiya etc. (Indian fried snacks, store bought)

Notes:
1. The reason for adding tomato ketchup is so that it will give the sweetness that I couldn't with sweet chutney.
2. Its just a salad idea.

Contributor: Sunitha

Indian cuisine is rich with vegetarian curries. But sometimes you get so used to making the same old sambar and rice it is an effort to break away and embrace variety. Also, when you try to incorporate different cuisine there is only so much one can make and eat, right? Everything said and done, today I decided it was about time to spin something different and put together a vegetable curry.


The subject of gravies as far as I can see can be contented. What goes into a korma as against a kadai? A korma can have cashews and cream while a 'kadai' will not. And if you are from the South of India then you probably make the korma with coconut gravy. Therefore, if one of you feel that this recipe has too many cashews for a kadai curry you are probably right. But I like a rich gravy and added a generous portion.


Spicy hot curry.

Chili Powder - 1/2 tspn

I love this time of year, wherever I am! I think everything about the season is delightful - the smells, the lights, the people, the shopping, the rush, the food, the festiveness and on and on.

We finally put up some lights outside along the door and the railings as part of our Christmas decorations, and there is still more to do, but that will be for next weekend. How about you? Do tell me where you are with your decorations and cooking, etc. for the season.

Talking of festive food, today I am sharing a delicious preparation with potato which will have your guests drooling. The first time I had this a zillion years ago at a friends place for Diwali, I distinctly remember how everybody was raving about this dish. I sang my own tune of appreciation to her, and I can still feel the taste on my tongue just reminiscing. Okay, agreed that was a little exaggeration, but the taste by no means is being exaggerated :)

Recently, at a get- together at my house, I made this and it was well received. So much so that the dish looked like it was licked clean. I like that! The recipe gives the mild version of the dish. Spike up the spice to your liking. I always make it less spicy, keeping my kids as well as the non-Indian guests in mind.

It's a wonderful party dish to the eyes as well as your taste buds.



Don't you think that Star Anise is one of the prettiest spices ever ?



Ingredients:

Baby potatoes- 1lbs
Oil- For deep frying

Oil- 2 Tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch

Whole Garam masala:

Cinnamon stick- 1 small piece
Star Anise- 2
Cloves- 3-4
Cardamom- 1 or 2
Bay leaves- 2

Finely chopped Onion- 1 cup

Ginger Garlic paste- 1 Tbsp
Tomato Puree- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Salt- To taste

For mixing in the yogurt:

Yogurt- 1 cup scant
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder- 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 /14 tsp
Turmeric powder- a big pinch

Ginger juliennes- for garnishing


Method:

1.Peel and clean the potatoes.Prick them thoroughly with a fork and immerse them in salted water for n hour.
2.Drain them on a paper towel.
3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown.You have to do this on medium high heat, since if you keep the heat low, the potatoes will absorb more oil.
4.Heat oil in pan and splutter the cumin seeds.Add the asafoetida and keep stirring.Add the whole garam masala ans saute for a couple of minutes.
5.Throw in the finely chopped onions and saute till they turn brown.
6.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves.
7.Add the tomato puree (I used the canned one)and saute till the oil startes to leave the sides.
8.Mix all the other spice powders in the yogurt and pour it into the pan.
9.Mix everything well and bring it to a boil.
10. Add the fried potatoes and mix well.Adjust the consistency with water.
11.Cover and cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes.
12.If you want to have more gravy add more water while cooking.If you want it semi-dry or dry boil it accordingly.Remember that it will dry again even after switching off the heat.
13.Serve with poori/roti.

Contributor: Namitha

We have had a rainy spell these last few days, making my walk outside wet, wet,and just plain wet. It is also getting colder but no snows yet. I am waiting expectantly for the first showers of snow to fall, which is always fun, though hated soon after. Given the perfect weather to snuggle up on the couch, I am doing just that. Reading and talking on the phone occupies me. Cooking for survival is my mantra these days, and the following is one of those but quite worthy of a post.



I made this potato and cauliflower dish a while ago, and it tastes great with rotis ! This is a simple recipe with the only trial being it calls for slow cooking. You could microwave the potato and cauliflower and then mix it with the masala for an easier/faster option. But the slow cooking of the vegetables with the masala makes it so much tastier. If you can be patient for about 15 - 20 minutes to cook the taste will tell you it was well worth the wait.



Feel free to throw in more or less chilies and chili powder as per your taste. Most dishes I made tend to be on the spicier side, unless otherwise mentioned. Have fun with some 'chat patta' aaloo gobi.



Ingredients:

Potato - 1 big (Idaho Potato)
Cauliflower - 1/4 th
Onions - 1/2 or 1 medium size onion
Green Chilies - 2 nos
Chili Powder - 1/2 tspn or if you like it spicy hot go to 1 tspn
Coriander Powdcr - 1/2 tspn
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Asafoetida - a pinch
Dry Mango Powder - sprinkle to give the dish a tang

Method:
1.Saute onions, green chilies and once onions are translucent add the ginger garlic paste
2. Saute further till the ginger garlic paste is cooked and express an aroma
3. Spoon in the powders and stir in briskly avoiding burning
4. Give it a minute and then add some water just a little like maybe 2 Tspn or if you are beginner go with 1/4 cup
5. Add the diced vegetables and cook on low fire until potato is cooked


Notes:
1. You could add the potatoes in first and cook for a while before you add the cauliflower if you like cauliflower crisp
2. The above method tends to cook the cauliflower a little too well that it falls apart.

Contributor: Sunitha

I feel like I just finished a marathon.  With the weather so gloomy and muggy, I had no heart to cook nor photograph.  Obviously, one does not have the luxury to wait until the sun decides to shine if you have to eat at home.  I forced myself out of my chair this morning and put baingan bharta together.  The delicious color and taste makes the effort worthwhile. Phew!
  Hope you enjoy baingan bharta, a scrumptious mix of egg plant in spices.

I might be overdoing my fetish with weather a little much but if you have gone through 4 months of winter cooped up inside the house you will understand me. It’s a sunny morning with chirping birds, asphalt glistening after being washed in yesterday’s rain. Everything looks watered, cleaned, afresh and I am going out today. Ooooh! Love it!

My going out and having a little walk may also be a little more of a necessity than just smelling the flowers and watching the blue, blue sky. The rich mughlai food I have been indulging in. After gorging on Malai Kofta here is dal makhani for you, a splendid dish with rotis. It tastes good with rice or pulav but I love it best with plain rotis. No butter. No oil. I am talking about the roti. However, the dal makhani (translated as is, lentil in butter) as the name suggests is loaded with fat. Creamy with taste of beans, peas and lentils the dish is a must try.



Ingredients:

Black gram (Urad whole) – 1 cup
Split chick pea – ¼ cup
Rajma – ¼ cup
Cumin – 1 tspn
Ginger – 1 tspn
Garlic – 1 tbspn
Chilip powder – 1 tbspn
Coriander powder – 1 tspn
Garam Masala – 1 tspn
Tomato paste – 2 tbspn
Kasturi Methi – 1 tspn
Cilantro – for garnishing
Butter – ¼ cup
Fresh cream – ½ cup



Method:
1. Soak all three beans, lentils and peas overnight or at least 6 hours before you cook
2. Pressure cook or slow cook with enough water till done. I pressure cook it on high waiting for the first whistle turn the heat to medium and wait for 2 more whistles
3. In 2 Tbspn of oil splutter the cumin seeds, add ginger, garlic and onions sauteeing after each addition

4. Add all the powders like chilli, coriander and last garam masala and sauite till the raw smell is gone

5. Add tomato puree of 2 big tomatoes or 2 tbspn paste and sauté

6. Add the water from the cooked dal and get it to boil and add the butter
7. When all of the liquid boils and mixes in add the dal , stir in and let it heat through

8. The dal has a thick consistency but make sure you do all addition of water before you add the dal

9. Once you have the desired consistency of gravy and dal has heated through add the fresh cream and stir in

10. Powder kasturi methi between your palms and add atop

11. Garnish with coriander leaves and a scoop of butter and serve it hot with rotis or rice.

Contributor: Sunitha

    Kofta’s is the derivative of the Persian word kufta meaning meat balls. However, the vegetarian variation of this I can safely say is more popular in India. Malai Kofta, vegetables and paneer (cottage cheese) smothered in a thick cream gravy  is now a household name.The spices smoothly blend with the heavy cream to make an aromatic dish and yet flavors subtle enough to gently teases you palate. Paired with rice or bread they are a great party treat.

Ingredients:


For Kofta:
Potato – 3 – 4 medium size (I use the red skinned ones)
Carrots – ¼ cup grated
Peas – ¼ cup
Beans – ¼ cup
Paneer – 1 cup grated
All purpose flour – 1 Tbspn
Green chili’s – 2-3 nos chopped (if you like it mild avoid adding any chillis)
Salt – to taste

For Gravy

Cummin – 1 tspn
Shah Jeera ( Royal Cummin) – 1 tspn
Tomato – 2 Tbspn puree ( I used canned puree)
Onion - 2 nos small to medium size
Ginger – 1 tspn
Garlic – 2 tspn
Cashew nuts – 1/3 cup
Garam Masala – 1 tspn
Chilli powder – 1 tspn ( work with the quantity to make it milder or hotter as per your liking)
Coriander Powder – 1/2 tspn
Turmeric Powder   - 1/4 tspn
Heavy Cream – ½ cup ( add a little more or less to work up a conistency you like)


Method:
Kofta
1. Cook potato in a pressure cooker peel and grate
2. Chop beans, grate carrots and paneer
3. Cook the peas and set aside
4. In a pan add ½ tspn oil and stir the beans, and carrots to take away all the moisture
5. Mix the vegetables with the grated or mashed potatoes and paneer
6. Add more potatoes if you are unable to make smooth balls
7. Roll the veggie ball in corn starch or all purpose flour and dust off excess
8. In enough oil deep fry the koftas at medium temperature till golden brown
9. Sine all the ingredients are cooked as long as the outside is golden brown you can bring out the koftas and drain the oil on paper

For Gravy
1. Fry cashews to a golden brown and set aside
2. Sautee the finely chopped onions
3. Follow with ginger and garlic
4. Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and sauté on medium low making sure they don’t burn and add the garam masala
5. Add the tomato puree and sauté as well
6. Cool the mixture and make a paste of it in the blender using as little water as you can manage with your blender
7. Once blended transfer it back to the pan and cook till oil leaves the pan
8. Add heavy cream to make a thick gravy
9. Add hot water and thin the gravy to your desired consistency. Generally this dish has a thick gravy
10. Add the fried kotas heat it through and serve garnished with coriander leaves



Notes:
1. If the mixture is thick and add water and bring to boil and then add the cream to get your desired consistency
2. The malai koftas are generally served in a very thick sauce so use your discretion while watering the gravy down
3. Use the red skinned pototoes or the white color ones cos these have a gluey nature when cooked than the Idaho potato which is used for baking.

Entered for Jay 's "Let's Relish Paneer' event

  Bad weather has its own share of positive; it’s the best time to bake. I have been flirting with the idea of making pav bhaji for a while, and after trying out Sunitha’s recipe for bun and their whooping success it was inevitable. I shaped them into paav and made a hearty portion of bhaji which was received with a roar of excitement by my girl. Well, my daughter needs her share of experiment with the famous street food of India, won’t you agree?

I have enjoyed street food and am still very fond of them, like you can see. Pav bhaji tops the list. The pani puri, masala pav etc are all equally good and they all bring back a flood of memories. Times with friends. Money was difficult to come by those days but there was always enough for a plate of pav bhaji. Hot off the stove, enjoyed on a cool evening after the nasty heat spell of the day. Wash it down with some sugarcane juice and voila it’s the perfect fix.

For Paavbuns

 Follow our recipe here.  If you do not have White Lily flour you can also make them with the following differences.  When you keep making breads you will discover how to make your own changes.  We wanted to tell you this so that you may dare to experiment and come out with successful results every time you make bread.  Please feel free to ask us in case of questions.   

Tips:
1.All purpose flour and bread flour in 1:1 ratio.
2. More water, and less milk, making the final water content the same.
3.When you reduce the fat content you can use less yeast, say for ~7 cups of flour ,I only used 2 packets of yeast. ( yes I made a bigger batch this time !)


For Paavbhaji masala :

Ingredients:

Onion- 1
Garlic crushed- 5-6cloves
Tomato- 1
oil-2 tbsp
Frozen green peas- 1/2 cup
Bellpepper(finely chopped)-2 tbsp
Potato- 1
Cabbage- 1 small piece
Cauliflower florets- 1/3 cup
Beans- 4-5
Carrot- 1 small
Paavbhaji masala- 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp/acc to your spice level
Butter- 2-3 Tbsp
Criander leaves- for garnishing
Lemon wedges-for serving
Finely chopped onions-For serving

Method:

1.Coarsely chop all the veggies except green peas and bell pepper and cook them in a pressure cooker with a little water and salt.If you are planning to cook on steam then chop them finely.
2.Heat oil in a pan and saute the finely chopped onions.
3.When it starts turning golden brown,throw in the crushed garlic and saute till the raw smell leaves.
4.Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute till the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.
5.throw in the green peas and chopped bellpepper into this and saute well.
6.Add the masala powder and chilli powder and stir till the raw smell leaves.
7.When the veggies are cooked mash them well and pour it into the masala mixture.
8.Stir well and add little more water if required.
9.Boil this and cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat.
10.Add the butter and stir well.
11.Serve warm with sprinkles coriander leaves on top.
12.It is bettr tokeep the pan on a low-heated stove while you serve it with hot paav buns.
13.heat a pan and apply butter, keep the paav buns, that is cut into halves with cut ends facing the pan. Take out and serve warm with the paavbhaji masala.
14.usually we also serve some chopped onions and lemon wedges sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves with the masala.




Contributor : Namitha

There used to be an advertisement on TV while I was growing up in India the lyric “Sundrop super refined sunflower oil…….,” While the jingle plays, a boy summer-saults into the kitchen; where his mother is bringing a plate laden with beautifully round pin cushion like pooris. She dodges around him with the plate and a poori runs down, the boy leaps rescuing it. The jingle continues “…..the healthy oil for healthy people!” I would run to the TV to watch this ad every time it came on. It’s not just the advertisement that got me liking the pooris. I can say this with surety because, if you remember oil is marketed.  Poori which is loved universally and especially by kids is the bait. At least that’s what I believe.
Poking fingers on the crispy top, seeing it crack under your finger’s pressure, steam rising bringing with it the aroma of the light oil and whole wheat are all part of the joy of eating pooris. It helps creativity on table if you like it! I say! Why I say that is because, some of us open the thin layer on top carefully and fill the chana or potato bhajji inside, and eat them like you would a greek gyro sandwich made with pita bread. However, the top is flimsy thin so not as sturdy as the pita bread. Like I said, this is something fun you can try for fun.

So where were we? This is a fun, tasty breakfast or dinner as you please. I have shared below the way I cook them and I hope you will enjoy this as much as my entire family does.



FOR POORI

Ingredients:

Wheat flour- 1 cup
Semolina- 2 Tsp
Salt- to taste
Boiling water- 1/2 cup + 1 or 2 tbspoon depending on the flour
Oil- for deep frying

Method:

1.Mix wheat flour, semolina and salt in a mixing bowl, preferably a steel one.
2.Boil the water in a pan and add to the flour mixture, right from the stove top. Mix well using a big spoon.
3.Once it is cool enough for your hand, knead well using your hand.Cover the bowl and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.
4.Heat the oil for frying on medium to medium high.
5.Make small balls of dough and roll out using a rolling pin.To avoid stickiness you could dip one end in oil before rolling out.
6.Once the oil is hot enough slide in the poori in oil and fry , while flipping the sides using a slotted spoon or skimmer.
7.When it starts turing slightly golden brown, take out and keep in a plate that has kitchen towels/tissues to remove excess oil.
8.Serve with channa curry/chole or any side dish of your choice.



FOR CHOLE/CHICKPEAS CURRY

Ingredients

Chickpeas- 1/2 cup
Blacktea- 2 cups (2 tea bags)
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Onion- 1/2
Tomato- 1/2
Chole masala- 1-2Tsp
Cumin powder- 1/4 Tsp
Coriander powder- 1 Tsp
Chilli powder- 1/2 Tsp
salt- to taste
Oil- 2 Tbsp
Coriander leaves- for garnishing

Method:

1.Wash and soak the chickpeas for 8 hours or overnight in black tea/water.  Soaking in black tea adds to the color and flavor.  This step is optional you can soak it in just water too.
2.Add turmeric and salt and cook in same water.
3.Grind onion and tomato to a fine paste.
4.Heat oil in a pan.Saute the tomato onion paste till it is done and oil start leaving the sides of pan.
5.Add all the other spice powders and saute till the raw smell leaves.
6.Pour in the cooked channa to this and mix well.
7.Boil theis and lower the heat and cook covered for at least 15 minutes.Adjust the water while boiling.
8.Serve with coriander leaves sprinkled on top, as a side dish for roti, chappathi, rice or poori.



Notes:

1.If you are not too calorie conscious, add a teaspoon of butter or ghee while making the poori dough.This makes it even softer.
2.If you do not have chole masala, add more of cumin, coriander and chilli powder and it will be fine.

Contributor : Namitha

The weather is getting warmer.  There is an occasional bird chirping on the tree and signs of struggling but strong sprouts peeking through my snow covered back yard. I am itching to fold the blankets and woolies and stash them away. It's about time winter called it quits and gave way to spring.  What do you say?  My eyes are sore trying to will those struggling sprouts to break free and come forth.    All this mental wait for spring coaxes me to brighten my cooking!

 So, today's recipe is adapted from the world famous Punjabi cuisine and this will surely brighten your dreary days. Rich in flavors this cuisine is a delight. Tandoori chicken, Chicken tikka, Chole-Batura, Dal makhani, Kebabs. Makki-di-roti and sarson -ka-saag to name a few are the popular ones. Milk and milk products are an important part of their cuisine and kadhai/kadai paneer is no exception. I love this recipe especially for its simplicity, unlike most other paneer recipes.

I hope you will enjoy this paneer with the dash of spring colors.



Ingredients:

Paneer cubed- 400g
Bell pepper (green-cubed)- 1/3 cup
Bell pepper (red-cubed)- 1/3 cup
Tomatoes- 3 (finely chopped)
Ginger grated- 1 Tsp
Garlic grated- 2 Tsp
Coriander powder- 2 Tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 Tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tsp
Chopped green chillies- 2
Kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves)- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Salt- To taste
Oil- 1/2 cup
Chopped coriander leaves-2 Tbsp

Method:

1.Cut the paneer and bell peppers into one inch cubes.
2.Shallow fry the paneer cubes till they start turning slight golden brown.Keep aside.
3.Now throw in the bell pepper cubes into it and fry them too, for 3-4 minutes and transfer onto a kitchen tissue paper.
4.Meanwhile heat 2 Tbsp of oil in another pan and saute the ginger and garlic.
5.To this add the chopped green chillies and tomatoes, cover and cook till the oil starts separating .
6.Add in all the spice powders except kasuri methi and saute for a couple of minutes.
7.Add the kasuri methi and mix well.
8.Now add the fried paneer and bell pepper to it and mix well.
9.Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
10.Throw in half the chopped coriander leaves, mix well.
11.Garnish with rest of the coriander leaves, serve with roti or naan.




Contributor: Namitha

Entered in Jay's 'Relish Paneer' Event

Quite the North Indian dish this is, yet, another one that has made its way to the hearts of us Southerners. My daughter so loved it she was glad to eat leftovers too.



It's quite a favorite with me because I can make one dish, and be sure it's packed with multivitamins. Oh! well, That's what I would like to think, all healthy and all. But honestly, we are more of a eat good food and well, then if it's too much walk it off kind of people. Then why I like it really is because each spoon of the dish carries a mystery. Let me explain! Until I bite into a vegetable, since there are so many in it, how am I to know what I've got?! See the mystery? I don't know about you ,but I think it is like unraveling a surprise gift and who does not like mysteries and surprise gifts, now!?



I do like to make every cooking and eating experience fun and this one has been tremendous.

Ingredients:

Boiled veggies- 5 cups ( I took Bell pepper,Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrot, French beans, Green peas and Potato)
Tomatoes- 3(blanched and pureed)
Oil- 3 to 4 Tbsp
Onions, finely chopped- 1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 Tbsp
Garam masala- 2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder-3 tsp
Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Milk- 1 1/2cup
Heavy Cream- 1/4 cup(optional)
Cashews- 2 tbsp
Raisins- 2 tbsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp

Method:

1.Cut the vegetables into cubes and steam them to cook.I usually begin with the veggies that take long time to cook( in this recipe, Potatoes) and keep adding the rest one by one.
2.Blanch the tomatoes by keeping them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and washing immediately with cold water. Remove the skin and puree them.
3.Heat oil in a non stick pan and saute the onion till it turns golden brown.
4.Add the ginger garlic paste into this and saute till the raw smell leaves.
5.Mix in all the spices and saute for a couple of minutes.
6.Pour the tomato puree into this and cook till the oil starts leaving the sides.
7.Pour the milk into this and mix well.This is the time to add any cream if you are using.
8.Heat this mixture till it starts boiling.In another pan fry the cashews and raisins in ghee.Add this to the gravy.
9.Throw in the cooked veggies and cook for 5-6 minutes, or till the gravy gets thickened.Keep in your mind that the gravy gets thicker once it cools down.
10.Serve with roti or nan after garnishing with cream or coriander leaves.



Notes:

1.You could add just water instead of milk, but then the gravy won't be that creamy.
2.Heavy cream is optional.
3.You could choose the veggies of your choice.
4.This serves about 12-15 people.(I made this for a party!)
5.I made this keeping the kids in mind, so the gravy is on milder side.
6.You could replace one tomato with a tablespoon of tomato puree, if you would like to have a brighter color.

Contributor: Namitha

     Bhindi / Okra stuffed gets cleaned off plates easily, around here.  The stuffed okra recipe is simple, but time consuming because it's cooked on low heat.   You can use store-bought masala to stuff the okra or home-made.  Since I seldom buy store bought masala, I have something you can put together at home with out a branded sambar or chana masala powder.



    The key to making this dish is to make sure the stuffing is well cooked.  Since the okra tends to brown easily it's challenging, however, cooking on low heat helps.



Look who was visiting this morning! He is always around, digging holes in my planters.




Ingredients:
Okra       - 30 nos washed and dried; the head chopped off
Onions    - 1
Tomato   - 1
Cummin - 1/2 tspn
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbspn
Chili Powder   - 1 Tbspn (if you want it milder use less)
Asafoetida - 1/8th tspn
Fenugreek Powder - 1/4 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Besan (Chickpea flour) - 1 tspn
Aamchoor/ (Dry Mango Powder) - 1/2 tspn
Oil - 1 Tbspn

Method:
1. Dry toast all the powders on low heat and with little water make a paste
2. Slit the okra on one side and stuff the masala
4. Heat the pan and add 1 Tbspn oil 
5. Arrange the okra with the open-stuffed side facing up
6. Keep the heat at the lowest and cook the okra covered for 10 minutes checking in between to make sure the bottom is not burning
7. Gently toss without displacing the masala or turning the okra fully for another 5 minutes or so
8. The color should change from the bright green of the vegetable to a more cooked dull green
9. Turn around all the orka now and cook again for 5 minutes toss a little and continue cooking
10.  Make sure the masala does not burn
11. Once the okra is cooked, add onions and fry for a few minutes followed by tomato like I have done today or if you want the onions and tomatoes to be crispy
12. Take the okra out, heat 1/2 tbspn oil and add cummin seeds and splutter followed by onions and stir fry on high for a minute
13. Add chopped tomatoes and fry on high to brown the edges but keeping the shape
14. Toss this over the fried stuff okra and squeeze about 1/4 of  a lemon and serve


Notes:  You can serve this dish with roti's or rice.
2. I added the cumin seeds with the powder and finished off with step 11 when I cooked today.

After a month of snow we are seeing a rise in mercury level today. Though I don't believe that 2012 is the end of the world, the erratic weather had me wondering for a while. Global warming has been the hot topic for ages, and now the world is worried about the cold spells. I have no clue, whether it is kaliyuga, or the El Nino, one of the scientific reasons, what do you think?

Whatever comes in 2012 or whatever happens tomorrow, we need to deal with the present, right? So far no controversies on that bit, I hope. Since food is an essential and we are on a food blog, let’s get back to the obvious. Ever since Oraphan announced her giveaway, I have been thinking of sharing this recipe, but got delayed with the holiday season and the recipes thereof.



This Cauliflower-Bellpepper masala is an easy dish. I make this as a side dish for chappathi, whenever I am not in a mood to saute onions, or in a time crunch.

Ingredients

Cauliflower- 1 small/half of a big
Broccoli- 1medium
Bell pepper- 1/2 of a big
Tomato- 1
Garlic(crushed)- 9-10 cloves
Coriander powder- 1 Tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp(optional)
Chaat masala- 1 Tsp
Coriander leaves- For garnishing
Cooking oil- 2-3 tbsp
Butter/Oil-1 1/2 Tbsp

Method:

1.Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into bite sized equal pieces.
2.Heat oil in a wide pan and add crushed garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
3.Add salt and all the powders except chaat masala and mix well
4.Throw in the cauliflower and broccoli pieces and mix well to coat with masala.
5.Pour 2-3 Tbsp of water, cover and cook till the veggies are 3/4 done on medium low heat..
6.Meanwhile slice bell pepper and tomato into juliennes
7.Heat another pan and add butter/oil and saute bell pepper followed by tomato till they are almost cooked.This is done separately to mainain the crispiness of bell pepper
8.Add this to the cauliflower masala,mix and cover to cook for almost 4-5 minutes or till the veggies are done. Do not overcook ,as it will make it mushy.
9.Switch off the heat and add the chat masala and mix well.
10.Serve warm with roti or naan after garnishing with coriander leaves.



Notes:

1.Cooking the bell pepper and tomato is optional and so is cooking in butter.
2.This is a dry preparation, so try to use minimal water.

Contributor :Namitha