Paneer do pyaza with capsicum | Cottage Cheese with Onions & Capsicum

0

Paneer do pyaza is another Indian curry with rich flavors of cottage cheese, onions and other Indian spices. There is double the quantity of onions used in this gravy, one is sliced/chopped and fried to golden brown that almost melts in the gravy while the other is slightly cooked crunchy onion cubes, hence the name do pyaza (Do is two and Pyaza is Onions).

Paneer has a milky flavor that tastes heavenly when cooked with flavorful Indian masalas. I have added green capsicum for color and peppery taste but it's completely optional. I served this spicy paneer with Garlic Nan, it also goes well with plain roti or chapathi or even as a side dish with flavored rice. Please read on for the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer (cottage cheese) : 3 large cups

Sliced medium Onion: 2

Cubed onions: 2-3

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Sliced green chillies: 2

Tomato : 2

Capsicum : 1 (optional)

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Oil: 2 tbsp

Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add thinly sliced onion and sauté it.

2. While the onions are cooking grind chopped tomatoes and 1/4 capsicum in a mixer to a coarse paste and keep aside.

3. When the onions turn golden brown in color, mix in turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add slit green chillies and sauté for a while.

5. Now mix in salt, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well. Add a little water if the masala is sticking to the pan.

6. Next add ground tomato paste and cook until the oil separates. Add capsicum pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding a little water.

7. Add crushed kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and mix well. 

8. Mix in cubed onions and paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with your choice of Indian flat bread.

Variations: 

1. For a creamier version add 2 tbsp of fresh cream just before turning it off.

2. Or add 1 tbsp of powdered fried cashew for a thicker gravy.

Read More »

Mixed Vegetable Palya | Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower and Paneer Sabzi and a Wrap

3

My better half is constantly trying to lose weight, or should I say constantly talking about it :p One of the tips thats given everywhere to lose weight is to add more vegetables in our diet. He doesn't like 8 out of 10 vegetables that's available in the market. It's a challenge to try new recipe that he will like and agree to take in his lunch box. keeping both things in mind I keep trying new ways of adding more vegetables in our diet. This is one such dish with a lot of vegetables that tastes good when cooked together.

Carrots, Beans, Cauliflower and Paneer cooked in onion tomato gravy with other spices tastes delicious with Indian flat breads and it can also be used in wraps with a little chat masala and onion roundels. You can also add sour cream and salad leaves to turn it completely into a super delicious roll. Please read on for the ingredients and the recipe.

Ingredients:

French Beans : 20

Carrot: 3

Cauliflower: 1 medium size

Paneer: 1 cup

Big Onion: 3

Tomato: 2

Ginger: 1" piece

Garlic: 5 cloves

Green chillies:2

Peppercorn : 1 tsp

Coriander seeds: 2 tsp

Red chilli powder:1/2 tsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Hing: 1 big pinch

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Kasoori Methi : 1 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsp

Salt to taste
Lemon juice : 1/2 Lemon
Coriander leaves for Garnish

Method: 

1. Grind onion, ginger, garlic, pepper corn, coriander seeds and green chillies to coarse paste in a blender.

2. Chop beans and carrot into 1/2" pieces, clean cauliflower and cut into bite size florets, make cubes of paneer and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a deep pan, add hing, cumin seeds and sauté for 30 seconds. Add in the ground onion paste and fry until the oil separates. About 3-4 minutes.

4. Add crushed kasoori methi and fry for a minute. Then mix in salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and give a quick stir.

5. Add chopped tomato and sauté until tomatoes turn soft and combines with all the spices.

6. Next add in carrot, cook for 3-4 minutes, add beans and 1/4 cup of water and cover and cook for 6-7 minutes.

7. Add cauliflower florets and combine well and cook for 2 minutes before adding the paneer cubes. Cook for another 5 minutes on high flame and turn off.

8. Add in freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Indian Flat Bread (Roti/chapathi or Parathas) of your choice.

To use it in a wrap spread the veggies on the flat bread and sprinkle chat masala and coriander leaves and throw some onion rings and roll it to enjoy delicious veg roll.

Read More »

Palak Paneer |Cottage Cheese in creamy Spinach curry

0

My first post of 2016. I wish you all a very healthy and prosperous new year! I hope the year brings all the good things your way. Last couple of weeks had been a roller coaster ride for me professionally and personally that I hardly cooked and clicked. Hectic yearend workload and then my little one's first play school had kind of drained me emotionally:) I was eagerly looking for her first day at school since the time the registration was completed. 

I wanted to see her reaction when she steps into the bigger world out there all by herself although it's just for 2 hours a day. Like most of the mommies I was very emotional but she handled it with ease in the first week. Then started her separation anxiety in 2nd week. Now we are into 3rd week of her play school and things look more or less settled. So far it's been a good year:-) 

I am not a resolutions person but this year I have made a list and the main resolution is to make time for everything that I like this year. That definitely includes making time to post the recipes more frequently and consistently. 

Coming to today's long pending recipe Palak Paneer - it's one of the very famous curries from India, absolutely easy to make and super tasty dish that can hardly go wrong. It tastes really well with Naan/Roti or any other Indian Flat breads. I served it with hot garlic naan with butter on top and sliced onions. 

Ingredients:

Palak/ Indian Spinach : 1 big bunch

Paneer/cottage cheese : 2 cups

Chopped Onion: 2

Chopped Tomato: 2

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder :1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Whole garam masalas : Cinnamon Sticks-2, Cardamom: 3-4 and Cloves. 

Crushed Kasoori Methi : 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:0

1. Heat water in a big pot and add washed spinach leaves and 1/2 tsp sugar and boil for 4-5 minutes. Once it cools down grind to a smooth puree and keep aside. Sugar helps in retaining the bright green color of spinach.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add whole garam masala and saute until the oil is fragrant. Add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add chopped onion and saute until golden brown, next add in ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell is gone.

4. Add turmeric powder and then add in chopped tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are soft.

5. Mix in red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt and cook until the oil separates.

6. Add spinach puree and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes. Add crushed Kasoori Methi leaves and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. keep mixing it in between.

7. Now the gravy is ready and its time to add the paneer. You can either add the paneer cubes directly or roast them on a wide pan with a little oil and then add to the gravy. Roasting/deep frying the paneer ensures that the cubes are not breaking after mixing with the gravy but its completely optional.

8. Add in 1 tbsp of whipping cream and serve hot with any Indian flat breads.

Read More »

Potato and Paneer Stuffed Grilled Capsicum | Grilled Peppers

0

When I started the blog in August I was over excited and trying to post everything that I was cooking (almost!). I quite enjoyed checking the comments, views and FB page views etc for about 3 months. Then my initial enthusiasm started fading away, often I started cooking thinking of posting the recipe and halfway I felt bored to click pictures and do plating and I said forget it, will post it next time. I got so busy with my office work and  my hyper active toddler that there came a point when I started wondering is this all? Have I lost interest in blogging so soon?

I kept thinking how to bring back that energy and passion. Then a friend of mine called me to say she is following my blog regularly and she likes the simple ingredients and explanation. I was really happy and the table had turned, I felt charged up and headed straight to the kitchen to find these beautiful, colorful capsicum/bell peppers sitting in the corner of the fridge. They looked so inviting that I decided to try a new recipe. Here is the super delicious potato and paneer stuffed grilled capsicum recipe. It's kind of a paneer burji with some variation that I used as stuffing. After I finished making them I still had energy to make a gravy to go along with it so I guess I am quite motivated now :-) So let's check the list of ingredients (quite a lengthy list but easy to find:)

Cleaned Capsicum Cups

Ingredients:

For Grilled Capsicum
Medium size capsicum/bell peppers : 4
Finely chopped medium onions :2
Finely chopped Ginger: 1 tbsp
Finely chopped Garlic: 1 tbsp
Boiled, peeled and mashed Potato : 1
Grated Paneer/Cottage Cheese : 1.5 cups
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1/4 tsp
Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and dry capsicum, Cut them into half vertically and remove seeds and pith. (See the pic)
2. Heat oil in a Pan and add mustard, cumin and fennel seeds and fry until they splutter. Mix in sesame seeds and stir.
3. Add Finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute until the raw smell disappears.
4. Add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.
5. Mix in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder and garam masala and give a quick stir.
6. Add mashed potato and grated paneer, add salt to taste and combine everything well.
7. Add lemon juice and mix in coriander leaves and turn of the flame.
8. Let it cool down a bit, then start filling the mixture into the capsicum cups.
9. Apply a little oil on the stuffed capsicums and grill them at 180 degree Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until you see wrinkles on capsicum.

Ready to go in the oven

Grilled Capsicum

You can skip some ingredients or add some of your own like peanut powder, shredded coconut etc. Also you can top it with grated cheese before grilling if you plan to serve them as starters. I made a simple onion tomato gravy with fresh cream to go with chapathi.

For Creamy Gravy:
Finely chopped Onion : 2
Pureed tomato : 2
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Slit Green Chillies : 2
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Raisins: 1 tbsp (optional)
Broken Cashew: 1 tbsp (optional)
Fresh Cream : 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method: 
1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown in color.
2. Add Ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell disappears. Add in raisins and broken cashews and mix well.
3. Mix in tomato Puree, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, Coriander powder and garam masala and fry until oil separates.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil, add slit green chillies and boil for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add fresh cream and bring to boil. Turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
6. Drop in grilled capsicum into the gravy before serving with any Indian flat bread.

Ready to serve - Grilled Capsicums in Creamy Gravy

Notes:
1. You can grill the stuffed capsicum on stove top also by arranging them in a single layer in thick bottomed pan and shallow fry them for 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring them in between to avoid burning.
2. The other option is to cook them in microwave. Cook until you see the wrinkles on capsicum.

Read More »