Matar Paneer

Mattar paneer  is a very popular  north Indian dish consisting of paneer and peas in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce.  It is similar to palak paneer (paneer with spinach). It is usually served with an Indian type of bread (naan, paratha, poori, or roti depending on region) and may be served with rice. It is usually served as North Indian (Punjab) food. The dish may be garnished with a splash of cream or coriander leaves and is usually vegetarian.. I have already posted Home made paneer recipe. It is very easy to make .Mattar paneer masala is probably the most popular curry found in all over India. First, the cottage cheese is prepared in the traditional method. The base is prepared with cumin seeds, garam masala,  tomatoes puree  and the green peas and paneer cheese cubes are added for stir frying on high heat.Or you can use direct paneer (without fried ). Some people also add deep fried aloo (potato) in to it. We can use ready made boiled green peas. But i love to eat Fresh green peas it has natural sweetness .but it is possible in winter only .


Ingredients
2 cup paneer  cubes (cottagte cheese)
2 cup green peas
2 tbsp heavy cream or 1/2 cup full cream milk
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup  tomatoes puree
3-4 chopped green chillies
2 whole red chilli
1 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp garam masala
2  tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
chopped coriander (dhania) for garnishing
Method

Add onions , ginger, garlic. whole red chilli, , green chilli , cumin seeds and blend it in mixer make paste .

Take a heated pan  put the 1 tbsp oil ,now add 1 tsp cumin seedsWhen the seeds crackle add the onions paste  and saute for 4-5  min. at  low flame .

Now it has golden brown  , Add the turmeric , garam masala , red chilli powder ,coriander powder salt . Mix it well and saute for 2 mins.

Now add the tomato puree.

Cook for 3-4 min. Oil and masala  separates, that means it has cooked

Add peas and saute for a minute. Add kastoori methi,

Now add 1/2 cup full cream milk or 1 tbsp heavy cream If you don't like creamy flavor don't add it

Put  1 cup water, mix well and bring it to a boil.Cover and simmer for 5 minutes

Now add the paneer cubes(you can add fried paneer cubes also ) and simmer for 5 minutes on a slow flame. add some chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
Now Matar paneer is ready to eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mix Fruits Custard

A very healthy,easy and delicious dessert made with milk and seasonal fruits.There are many ways to make custard and various other ingredients to add. This is just one way to enjoy eating it.Use custard powder of your favourite flavour.We can use dry fruits also . Kids will love this and it is a nice way to include fruits in their diet.
                 Custard will remain fresh for 2 -3 days in the refrigerator,but remember to remove the banana pieces from the leftover custard as they will discolur soon and will give a strong flavour.You may add any seasonal fruit of your choice chikoo,pomegranate pearls,peeled Orange segments,strawberry,raspberry, etc.Don't use water melon. It has so much water .it will give watery flavor.



Ingredients
1/2 lit Full cream  Milk
2 tbsp  Custard powder
1/2 cup Sugar
few saffron
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
2 cup  Diced mixed fruits (of your choice)
1/2 cup Jelly (optional )
Method :-

 Chop all the fruits and keep aside.

 Boil milk in a pan on high flame once boiled, lower the heat and add sugar(Add sugar according to your taste) and saffron ,Cardamom powder to it.

Take half cup of warm milk add custard powder to it. Mix it very well there should not be a lump .I am using  2 tbsp of vanila custard powder with 3 tbsp of warm milk and make a smooth paste without any lumps .

Slowly pour custard powder in hot milk and keep stirring continuously, otherwise it will burn on bottom.
 Let the milk boil completely till the mixture becomes little thick.

 Remove it from the gas and let it cool once it reaches room temperature, put it in the refrigerator till it's cold.Remember that it will thicken further when it cool down, so cook accordingly.

 Add all the chopped fruits and diced jelly.keep in refrigerator for cooling .

Serve cold in a serving bowl. Garnish with mint leaves or nuts or cherries. fruits Custard is ready to eat !!!!!!

Home Made Paneer

Paneer is a type of cheese first made in the Indian subcontinent. It is called for in many Indian recipes and sometimes, may not be available at your supermarket. Fortunately, it is easy to make at home ,it's completely vegetarian.

In the area surrounding the Gujarati city of Surat, surti paneer is made by draining the curds and ripening them in whey for 12 to 36 hours

To prepare paneer, food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) is added to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are drained in muslin or cheesecloth and the excess water is pressed out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance(its optional).To get a more rectangular shape, tie a knot and place the cheese cloth bundle in a box without closing it. Place something heavy like a pile of books or a brick on the cheese cloth to press down and give the cheese the box's shape. The longer you press the cheese, the firmer it gets. Not all Indian dishes requires cheese to be made into solid blocks. Stuffed Paneer Naans for example require cheese to be loose.
From this point, the preparation of paneer diverges based on its use and regional variation.
In most cuisines, the curds are wrapped in cloth and placed under a heavy weight, such as a stone slab, for 2–3 hours, and then cut into cubes for use in curries.

Ingredients :-
1 lit full cream cow milk

3-4 tbsp of an acid ( lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, or leftover whey from a previous batch of paneer)

 Method :-

Take a heated pan ,add full cream milk .and boil it .It should be about 80`C.Temp(176 f).

Add lemon juice or citric acid, 5 ml (one teaspoon) at a time,

Stirring the milk after each addition until the milk separates, the solid curds part from the green and watery whey.

Now drain it , remove extra water from it .

By putting a cutting board or something heavy and flat on top of the paneer, you can force out more moisture, and shape it into a firmer block, suitable for slicing and frying. Leave it for 2-3 hrs
Pressing for a shorter time (approximately 20 minutes) results in a softer, fluffier cheese.

After 3 hrs Paneer is ready !!

Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun is a dessert often eaten at festivals or major celebrations such as marriages, Diwali (the Indian festival of light) and the Muslim celebrations of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. There are various types of gulab jamun and every variety has a distinct taste and appearance.Gulab jamuns are an Indian version of donuts immeresed in the warm sweet syrup. Served as a dessert, this is a staple in most parts of India.
               Gulab Jamun is a dessert common in the countries of the Indian subcontinent. The Persian word Gulab  means rose, as rosewater syrup is often used, although saffron syrup and honey are also used .Jamun may refer to the jambul fruit .Gulab jamuns are popular all over India. Every region in India serves these khoya rounds deep fried in ghee and soaked in hot saffron flavoured syrup. The khoya or mava used for the Gulab Jamuns is of a special kind called Hariali Khoya or Chikna Khoya. It is made by reducing low fat milk and is slightly yellowish in colour and is also loose and sticky in consistency. Frying these gulab jamuns is an art in itself. The flame has to be sufficiently low so that the gulab jamuns get cooked till the inside. Gulab jamun can be enjoyed both hot as well as cold.
Today I am posting my experiences and recipy.


Ingredients  for  Gulab Jamun
2 cups  haryali mava (khoya), grated
5 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
ghee for deep-frying
Pinch of baking soda (Optional)

For the Sugar syrup
3 cups sugar
a few saffron (kesar) strands (optional).

Method For Sugar syrup

Take  a large pan, dissolve the sugar in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Simmer over a slow flame till the syrup is of 1 string consistency.
Remove any impurities which float on top of the syrup using a slotted spoon.
Add the saffron and keep the syrup warm.




For the gulab jamuns

Take  a bowl, combine the khoya, flour and cardamom powder and mix well.

Knead to a firm dough with warm milk. It will take around 20 min (rub it properly )

Divide this mixture into equal portions and roll into rounds. These should have no cracks on the surface as otherwise the gulab jamuns will crack while frying.

(FOR TESTING-Just slide 1 piece and fry it . If you are getting hardness , you can add pinch of baking soda)
Carefully slide 5-6 pieces  in oil.
Deep fry in ghee over a slow flame till the Jamuns are golden brown in color (approximately 10 to 12 minutes).

Drain and immerse in the warm sugar syrup. Soak for 30 minutes.
Add some chopped almonds ,pishta .
Now Gulab jamun is ready to eat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Veg Hakka Noodles

HAKKA Noodles are most commonly found in Indian Chinese.This is very popular dish in all over the world  Specially for kids.They just Love it .This is very delicious,easy and healthy recipe (we are using more vegetables and less oil ).
  It's a thin flat rice noodle The noodles are named after the Hakka people of China but this is purely Indian! They can be made with either chicken or vegetables (or a mix of both).

PLAIN NOODLES are either made with egg or rice and are very delicately spiced, if at all. They have a light scallion and ginger flavor. Also very popular for kids in Indian Chinese Cuisine.

SZECHUAN Noodles are spicy noodles made typically with lots of dried red chilies or red chili flakes, they also contain lots of garlic. This dish is also a standard in Indian Chinese cuisine.

Composition of noodles - Wheat, Durham Flour, Rice
Shape and size - thick, thin, flat, round, ribbon.

Ingredients :-
1 Pack Hakka noodles
4-5  Finely chopped garlic(lahsun)
1 tsp  finely chopped ginger (adrak)
2 Green diced chilli (hari mirch)
1 Cup  thinly diced cabbage (patta gobhi)
1 Carrot, thinly sliced (Gajar)
2  Finely chopped spring onion with green part  (patte dar pyaz)
1 Cup sliced  onion
1 Cup  thinly sliced green bell pepper (shimla mirch /capsicum )
2 tsp soya sauce
2 tsp red chilli sauce(you can use green sauce)
1/2 tsp chinese salt (optional)
pich of ajinomoto
1 tbsp vinegar or  lemon juice
3 tsp oil (Chilli oil )
salt to taste
Method 

Take a pan add water and boil it . Now add salt and few drops of oil.Now add the noodels.
Boil the noodles for 5-6 min. (as per instructions on packet).

Drain it and  run cold water through the noodles when done and apply some oil on it , so it will not  stick.

Method for Chilli oil .
Take a heated pan and put some oil , add 5-6 chopped rad chilli . cook for 2-3 min. Now drain it chilli oil is ready !!It will give nice spicy flavor .

Take heated and add chilli oil, ginger, garlic and green chili.  and add onions . cook for 2-3 min at high  flame.Stir it continuously.

 Now add ,  spring onion, cabbage, bell pepper and carrots. stir for 1-2 min.Add few salt and mix it cook for 2-3 min at high flame .

Now add the boiled Noodles and mix it .
Now add the chilli sauce, vinegar, black pepper , soya  sauce and salt.Mix it well. cook for 2-3 min at high flame .Garnish with green parts of spring onion.

Spice Veg Hakka  noodles is ready to eat!!!!!!!!

Dry Stuffed Chilli

I do not know what is the origination of this recipe but one thing is for sure that I like it very much :) .  I learnt this in my childhood while working with my mother in the kitchen when she was making it.
 If you never tried this, this is not very tough in making  but taste wise ( if you like bit spicy in the food) you will really have a great experience.





Lets see now how to cook this
Ingredients :-
6-7 Big green chilli
1/2 cup gram flour
1 tbsp mustered seeds (rai)
1 tbsp fennel seeds (badi sofe)
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana ). If you don't like , don't add it as it is optional .
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
tbsp lemon juice
4-5 black pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp chopped green chilli
2 tbsp chooped ginger garlic
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
pinch of asofatida

Method :-

Take a heated pan , add black pepper , fenugreek seed, mustered seeds and roast it for 5 min at low flame .

Now make coarse powder (dardara powder) with mixer .

Now take heated pan and put the oil. Add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and and green chilli.
Now add gram flour and cook for 6-7 min at low flame.
Now add salt, red chilli, turmeric powder, garam masala and roasted masala and mix it . cook  for 2 min. Now add some drop of lemon juice.

Add some chopped green coriander.

Stuffing is now ready !!!!

Now make a long cut with help of knife at upper surface  of Chillis as shown below.

Now fill the filling in the chillis .  Take a heated pan put the oil and put all the chillis. You can add pinch of salt and little lemon juice on top while frying chillis.

Cook it for 7-8 min at low flame. You need to turn it periodically so that chillis will not get overcooked or burnt.

Once the texture of chillies will be somewhat close as per above picture, dry stuffed chilli is ready to eat !!!!!!!!!!

Arbi Kofta (colocasia)

Koftas were introduced to South Asia after Muslims started ruling South Asia. Koftas in South Asian cuisine are normally cooked in a spiced gravy or curry.  Kofta dishes are very popular in  South Asia . kafta is usually prepared by mixing the cruised Vegetables with gram flour. Dry versions are considered to be kebabs. In India, vegetarian varieties, like lauki kofta (Bottle gourd  ), paneer kofta , kathal kofta  (Jackfruite ) , beans kofta Drumstick kofta  , and shahi kofta, are popular in India .In Moroccan cuisine, kufta may be prepared in a tagine.In Greek cuisine they are usually fried and eaten with yogurt.Today i am making Arbi(colocasia) ka kofta . One day i was boiling arbi but it has over boiled . So i decided to make a arbi Kofta . but it was soooo delicious thats why i am sharing my arbi  kofta  recipe ... Enjoy it...... :D



Ingredients  for dumpling :-                            Ingredients for gravy                       
2 cups boiled  Arbi (meshed )                            2 tbsp curd
 2 tbsp gram (Besan)flour                                  1 cup finely  chopped onion    
2  tbsp chopped Ginger garlic                            1 tsp chopped mint leaves
2    finely chopped green chili                            1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp lemon juice                                             1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp carom (ajwai)seeds                                2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp oil                                                            2 tbsp oil  
 pinch of asofatida                                             pinch of asofatida                                
1/2 tsp garam masala                                         salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder                                    1 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste                                                         1 tsp mustered seeds
Oil for fry                                                          1 tsp carom seeds
                                                                           1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Method :-

Take a big bowl and add meshed arbi , besan, salt ,red chilli powder, carom seeds ,asofatida ,green chili , ginger ,garlic, lemon juice. Mix it very well .

Make the dumpling in any shape as you want .(apply some oil on palm )

Now deep fry in oil till  golden brown color at medium flame. Keep aside .

Now it looks golden brown .

Take a heated pan and  put the 2 tbsp oil .Now add carom seeds and mustered seeds . When the seeds crackle add sliced onion. and cook for 2-3 min at medium flame Now add ginger , garlic and green chilli  .
Now it looks slightly brown, add red chilli , garam masala , coriander powder, salt turmeric powder.
Mix it .Cook for 1 min

  Now add 2 tbsp curd .mix it. (You can add 1/2 tomato puree place of curd  )
And add 2 cup water cook for 7-8 min at low flame.

Now add all dumping in gravy . and cook for 3-4 min at medium flame. Add chopped corianderand mint  leaves and serve it hot.
Arbi kofta is ready ti eat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!