Palak Paneer Bhurji ( Shredded Spinach and Crumbled Cottage Cheese)

Spinach and fenugreek leaves are two greens loved by everyone at home. Cottage Cheese in Spinach sauce is on every restaurant 's menu, loved by kids and adults alike

Here is my twist on the famous vegetable, Shredded Spinach with crumbled Cottage Cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Spinach. 2 bundles                                        ( 400gms)

Tomato 4 med.                                              (200gms)

Oil                                                                  2 tbsp

Garlic                                                             1 1/2 tsp heaped (crushed)

Ginger paste                                                  1 1/2 tsp heaped

Green chilly                                                   1/2(finely chopped)

Cumin seeds                                                 1/2 tsp

Onion                                                            3/4cup ( finely chopped)

Cottage Cheese                                             250 gms (grated)

Coriander pd.                                                1 1/2 tsp

Red chilly pd.                                                1 tsp

Turmeric pd.                                                 1/2 tsp

Garam masala pd.                                          a pinch

Salt to taste

Asafoetida                                                    a pinch

Sugar                                                            1 tsp

Lemon juice                                                 1 tsp ( optional )

 

Method:

 

 

1. Blanch , peel and chop tomatoes. Keep them aside.
2. Pick, clean and wash spinach .Chop it very finely.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds.
5. Add onion and garlic when cumin seeds turn brown.
6. Sauté till onions turn golden but are still soft.
7. Now add tomatoes and ginger paste.
8. Cook till slightly thick, add coriander pd, red chilly pd. and turmeric pd.
9. Stir and cook till almost dry.
10. Add shredded spinach, salt and sugar. Mix well.
11. Cover and cook till spinach is done.
12. Add grated cottage cheese. Mix well.
13. Sprinkle garam masala pd .
14. Cook till all the water evaporates.
15. Add lemon juice, if using
16. Taste and adjust salt.
17. Serve hot with any Indian bread of your choice.

 

Rasavangi

Rasavangi , a South Indian curry, pairs very well with plain rice.

 

  

Ingredients :

Black gram  ( kala chana )                          1/2 cup

Toor dal ( split pigeon peas)                      1/4 cup

Brinjal                                                       1 med sized ( of the big variety)

Salt to taste

Water                                                       350 ml.

Tamarind paste                                         2 tbsp

Turmeric pd.                                             1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander.                                   2 tbsp.

Paste

Whole coriander seeds                             1 tbsp

Chana dal                                                1 /2 tbsp

Urad dal                                                   1/2 tbsp

Peppercorn                                              14 no.

Cloves                                                      4 no.

Whole red chilly                                        4 no.

Fresh coconut                                           1/2 cup ( grated)

Tempering:

Ghee/ clarified butter                                1 tbsp

Asafoetida                                                a pinch

Mustard seeds                                          1 tsp

Urad dal                                                    1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                                              12

 

Method :

1. Wash and soak  black gram overnight.
2. Pressure cook with salt and sufficient water till done.
3. Meanwhile wash and soak toor dal.
4. When pressure drops add toor dal and pressure cook till both chana and dal are done.
5. Wash and chop brinjal into 1" pieces.
6. In a separate pan boil brinjal pieces with turmeric , salt and tamarind paste with 350 ml water.
7. Boil till brinjal is mushy. Crush a few pieces with the back of a ladle.
8. Dry roast all ingredients except fresh coriander  till light brown , mentioned under paste.
9. Switch of the gas and add coriander , mix well.
10. When cool grind  into a fine paste using little water.
11. Now mix all three-- black gram, toor dal mix, brinjal mix and the paste.
12. Check the consistency of the gravy. It should be medium thick.
13. Give it a boil .  Adjust salt
14. For tempering : heat ghee in a pan and add tempering ingredients in the order they are mentioned. Pour tempering over the curry.
15. Garnish with chopped coriander.
16. Serve with plain rice.
17. Tastes better with a dollop of ghee.

Tip :

1. Add water if curry too thick.
2. Quantity of tamarind can be adjusted depending on how tangy you like your curry.
3. I have made it medium tangy because my husband doesn't like too tangy  a stuff

Raw Banana Roast

Bananas are really a versatile vegetable/ fruit. Raw banana roast is a crispy dry side dish that can be served with any curry and plain rice. Simple and quick to make.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients :

Raw bananas                       3

Salt to taste

Oil                                       3 tbsp

Mustard seeds                    1 tsp

Curry leaves                       12

Fresh coriander                  1 tbsp( chopped).   

 

Spice Powder

Coriander seeds                 2 tbsp

Chana dal                           1 tbsp

Urad dal.                            1 tsp

Peppercorn                        1/2 tsp

Whole red chilly                 3

Anardana ( dry pomegranate seeds ) 1 tsp

 

Method:

1. Scrape the banana skin a little to remove fibre.
2. Wash and pressure cook in sufficient water for two whistles.
3. When cool, peel and  cut them into 1" thick quartered cubes.
4. Dry roast all the ingredients  until golden and fragrant (given under spice powder).
5. Grind them into a fine powder.
6. Spread the banana cubes in a large flat dish.
7. Sprinkle the spice powder and salt . Gently mix well.
8. Heat oil in a non stick pan.
9. Crackle mustard seeds. Add curry leaves.
10. Now add the spiced banana cubes and sauté for a couple of minutes so that they become crispy.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note : don't throw away the banana leaves.  You can make a dry side dish with them . I'll soon post a recipe for the same.

 

 

Sugar coated Shakarpara ( Diamond Crispies)

Diwali is all about making variety of snacks, sweet and  savoury  both.  Everytime I make these traditional snacks my childhood memories get revived. Sugar coated Shakarpara or Sweet diamond Crispies are made in two ways : sugar coated or with sweetened dough. Today I am sharing the recipe of sugar coated Shakarpara .

 

Ingredients: 

For Shakarpara : 

Maida  ( all purpose flour)   250 gms

Oil.                                  60 ml.

Water                              120 ml ( approx) 

Oil for frying.

For Sugar Syrup

Sugar                                150 gms

Water                                75 ml

Method : 

Shakarpara 

1. Mix oil and maida. Add water slowly to make a slightly stiff dough. I needed 120 ml water. You can adjust the quantity of water.
2. Knead the dough well.
3. Cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into two.
5. Take one portion and make a smooth ball of it.
6. Using a rolling pin roll it out onto an 8 inch disk.
7. Take a sharp knife to cut it into diamonds.
8. Repeat the process with the other portion.
9. Fry these in hot oil on low to medium heat till golden.
10. Keep them on kitchen towel to drain excess oil. 

Sugar syrup 

1. Melt sugar and water in a wide heavy bottom pan.
2. Keep stirring till it reaches one string consistency.
3. Add Shakarpara to it and mix well till all are evenly coated with sugar syrup.
4. Remove from fire.
5. Once cool, store in an airtight container. Will stay good for two weeks.

 Note :  

To check if suger syrup has reached one string consistency, take a very small drop on a plate , once slightly cool ,touch it with your index finger and thumb. If it stretches into a string , your sugar syrup is ready.

Khasta Kachori

Festival time traditional snack had in the central and northern parts of India. It tastes best with potato curry, sweet tamarind sauce and yogurt or with mint chutney and why not with just  a hot cup of tea.  

I remember helping my mom make these during the festivals Diwali and Holi, while I was a kid.

Ingredients

Filling
White Urad Dal	250gm (1 ¼ cup)
Water	125ml
Spices
Red chilly pd	2 Tsp
Coriander pd	1 Tsp
Dry Mango pd	1 Tsp
Garam Masala pd	½ Tsp
Fennel Seeds	1 Tbsp (coarse ground)
Salt	To taste
Oil	2 Tbsp
Kachori
All purpose Flour (Maida)	650 gm
Oil	160 ml
Salt	1 ½ Tsp or to taste
Water	240 ml (1 Cup)
Oil	For frying

Method

1. Pick, wash and soak urad dal overnight
2. Drain all water, grind to a coarse paste using very little water, I used 125 ml
3. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a heavy bottom non stick pan and fry this paste on medium low heat. Will need more oil, if not using a non stick pan.
4. It should take about 30 to 40 minutes, keep breaking the lumps formed while stirring this mixture so that it dries up completely.
5. Let it cool, meanwhile make a soft and pliable dough using maida, oil, salt and water, add water slowly, will need approximately 240 ml of water. Knead it well, cover and keep it to rest.
6. Once the urad dal mixture has cooled down, grind it to break any remaining lumps to create a coarse powder mixture. If the mixture seems a little wet, dry roast it for a couple of minutes in a pan.
7. Now add all the spices to this mixture and your stuffing is ready.

1. Divide the dough into 34 equal pieces, make a ball of each
2. Take one ball and  roll out into 2 inch diameter and place 1 Tbsp of stuffing on it, carefully lift the sides of the dough and seal it properly to form a ball.
3. With very light hands, using a rolling pin, roll it out into a small disc
4. Repeat the process with the remaining balls, keep all these covered with a wet muslin cloth.

1. Heat oil in a wok and fry few at a time on a medium to low heat till golden on both sides. Place on kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
2. One completely cooled, keep it in an air tight container.
3. Can be stored for upto 2 weeks.

Gatte ki Sabzi (Gram flour dumplings in rich tomato gravy)

Rajasthani cuisine intrigues probably every Indian. I have spent my growing up years in  Jaipur, capital city of Rajasthan hence my familiarity with their cuisine. I am going to demystify Rajasthani Cuisine step by step. the first is Gatte ki Sabzi, and it is an integral part of their Cuisine. 

Ingredients:

Gatte

Gram flour	1 1/2 cup
Salt.	To taste
Red chilly pd.	1/2 tsp. slightly heaped
Turmeric pd	1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds	1/2 tsp
Green chilly.	1/2 finely chopped
Ginger paste	1 tsp
Oil.	1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
Garam masala	a pinch
Asafoetida	a pinch
Water	40 ml. Approx
Gravy
Onion.	1/2 cup very finely chopped
Tomato.	3 large , blanched and puréed
Yogurt	1/2 cup
Fresh malai	1 tbsp ( optional ) *
Oil	2 tbsp
Green chilly	1/2 finely chopped
Mustard seeds	1 tsp
Fennel seeds	1 tsp
Ginger paste	1 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste	1 tsp
Red chilly pd.	1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric pd	1/2 tsp
Coriander pd	1 tsp
Cashew nuts	1/4 cup
Sugar	1 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Garam masala	a big pinch
Water.	2  to 2 1/4 cups
Fresh coriander.	2 tbsp

Milk                                      1/4 cup

Method : 

For Gatte :

1. In a bowl mix all ingredients  ( except water) and 1/4th cup oil listed under Gatte.
2. Now slowly add water to make a dough slightly stiffer than roti dough.
3. Oil your hands and oil the work top.
4. Take a small portion of the dough and roll out into a cylinder (roll).
5. Repeat the same with rest of the dough.

Raw Gatte rolls (cylinders)

1. Boil water in a wide pan and slowly lower these cylinders into it.
2. Boil till blisters appear on the cylinders.
3. To test if done, cut a small piece and taste. It should not taste raw.
4. Remove them from water and let them cool.
5. Don't throw away this water, use it to make the gravy.
6. Now cut these cylinders into 1" inch thick roundels.
7. Heat  1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and fry Gatte for couple of minutes.
8. If making it for guests you can also deep fry them till light golden.

Boiled Gatte rolls (cylinders)

For Gravy :

1. Heat oil in a big wok.
2. Add asafoetida  and mustard seeds.
3. When they crackle add fennel seeds.
4. Add onion . Add garlic if using.
5. Fry onion till golden and soft.
6. Tip in tomato purée and ginger paste.
7. Cover and cook till reduced to half.
8. Add red chilly pd, turmeric pd, and coriander pd.
9. Meanwhile grind cashew nuts to a fine pd.
10. Whisk yogurt and malai.
11. Mix cashew nut pd. into yogurt mixture.
12. When tomato purée is almost dry add this yogurt, cashew mixture, stirring all the while to avoid yogurt from curdling.
13. Cook  on slow till oil separates.
14. Add 2 cups water ( first  use the water used for boiling Gatte) , salt and sugar.
15. Give it a boil. Tip in Gatte and cook for 5 -7 min. till gravy thickens a little. 
16. Add milk.
17. Add garam masala pd. taste and adjust salt.
18. Garnish with chopped coriander .
19. Serve hot with an Indian bread of your choice.

Note: before serving check the gravy, if too thick add some  hot water and give it a boil.

You can make this a day in advance for a party. Keep it in the fridge. Only pointer is to check the thickness of the gravy as Gatte tend to absorb gravy. 

If serving in a party, gravy should be thick so that guests can serve it on their plate but if making it for family you can keep the gravy slightly thin so that it can be served in small bowls.

* fresh malai is the layer of cream that settles on milk after you boil it.

Okra in spicy gravy

Coming from north of India , could never imagine okra in any form but crispy , that's how my Mum always made it. Later as I traveled , I did sometimes see okra in gravy but never had the courage to taste it.

In Delhi friends often used to meet for potluck dinners. For one such dinner  one of my friends made veg. biryani and Okra in gravy. I didn't hesitate to taste it coz I trusted my friend's culinary expertise. You will not believe me that Okra in gravy was delicious.
Now my mission was to make it at home . Armed with the recipe, very confidently I tried it and what a disaster it was. That put a full stop to my tryst with Okra in gravy.

Many years later while making Sprouted Biryani I was wondering what to pair it with. I remembered  my earlier disaster, but having matured as a cook ,I decided to tackle it all over again and am proud to say I could create a dish as tasty as my friend's .

I dedicate it to my friend. Rashmi , this one is for you.

Ingredients :     Serves 4
Okra.	250 gms
Oil.   Asafoetida	3tbsp a pinch
Mustard seeds	1/2 tsp
Whole red chilly.	6
Curry leaves.	20
Onion ( finely chopped).  Garlic crushed	1/2 cup 1 1/2 tsp
Homemade tomato purée   Ginger paste	1 1/2cup check notes below 1 tsp
Red chilly pd.	1 tsp
Turmeric pd.	1/4 tsp
Coriander pd.	1 tsp
Salt.	To taste
Gram flour.	2   tsp
Sugar.	1/2 tsp
Water	3/4 to 1 cup
Oil	for frying
Chopped coriander	1tbsp

Method:

1. Wash okra and lay it on a kitchen towel to dry.
2. When completely dry , cut it into 3 " pieces and then vertically into half.
3. Heat oil for frying. Fry okra pieces till crispy. Keep on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
4. Mix gram flour with 2 tbsp of water. 
5. Add the gram flour paste to  tomato purée.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add asafoetida .
7. Crackle mustard seeds.
8. Add whole red chillies, curry leaves. Stir and add garlic and onions .
9. Fry onions till golden pink.
10. Add tomato purée and ginger paste. Cook till oil separates.
11. Half way through add red chilly pd, turmeric pd and coriander pd. mix well.
12. Once oil separates add salt , sugar and 3/4th  cup water and give it a boil.
13. Now add fried okra and cover and cook for a couple of minutes, till all the flavours are absorbed by Okra. 
14. Check the consistency of gravy, it should be slightly thick . If its very thick you can add some boiled water, and cook for a minute.

Adjust salt. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note : Serve it with Biryani or Mint and coriander Pulao. For recipe of Pulao click here

Liqueur flavored Choco wonders

Yum and Delicious Choco wonders .

With festive season round the corner, I am on the lookout for new recipes which  served  to guests at home and can also be used for gifting friends and family.

I have been making  chocolate walnut fudge ( not the regular soft one) . This time I  have tweaked it a little to create  these little wonders.  Basic ingredients : chocolate, Marie biscuit, condensed milk , are used in both the recipes.

For mixed dried fruits :  you can use ginger peel, citrus peel, dried cranberries, raisins,sultanas,and dates.
Mixed nuts : walnuts, cashew, almonds, pistachio , hazelnuts

This picture doesn't show my little wonders rolled in pistachio pd coz at that time I didn't have pistachio pd. but you go ahead and do it.

Ingredients : gives 25 - 30 wonders.

Butter ( unsalted )	40 gms.
Pure vanilla extract.	1tsp
Semisweet chocolate.	100 gms
Icing sugar	50 gms
Marie biscuits	100 gms
Mixed dried fruits.	100 gms
Mixed Nuts.	100 gms
Irish Cream Baileys	50 ml
Condensed milk	50 ml.
Chilly flakes	1/4 cup
Pistachio pd	1/4 cup
Cashew pd.	14 cup

Method

1. Crush Marie biscuits into small pieces.
2. Chop all nuts and dried fruits into small pieces. Add 2 tbsp of baileys to these and mix well.
3. Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler.* once the chocolate has melted, add icing sugar, salt, baileys, condensed milk. Mix well.
4. Now add Marie biscuits, nuts and dried fruit mix and vanilla extract. Continue to cook till this chocolate mix starts leaving side of the pan.
5. Remove from gas and let it cool.
6. Divide the mixture into 25 - 30 equal sized pieces and roll into smooth balls.
7. Roll one third of these ball in chilly flakes, one third in pistachio pd, and one third in cashew nut pd.
8. Keep them refrigerated.
9. While serving arrange  alternately.

* double boiler : take water in a pan. Put it to boil. Take chocolate and butter in a pan that fits on this pan. Chocolate and butter mixture will melt from indirect heat. Entire cooking in this recipe has to be done on double boiler.