Quuick and easy paneer butter masala

This is a real quick one and everyone loved it at home when I made it last night for dinner.

In a bowl mix 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tbsp garam masala powder, 1 tbsp kasoori methi, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp tomato paste ( or 3 tbsp tomato puree). Add about 1 cup milk and mix. The mixture should be really runny.

In a pan, heat butter ( about 2 tbsp), add 2 chopped onions. Saute till onions are evenly browned, add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste. Saute for a second and then add the above mixture. Cover and let it cook till the butter oozes out. Add some more milk to bring it to right consistency ( approx 1 and half cup). Bring it to boil. Add the paneer pieces ( about 500 gm paneer chopped into cubes ). Add salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with rice or roti.

capsicum fry

Ingredients:

Capsicums -3 ( chopped), Onions- 2 ( chopped), 2 tbsp cooking oil, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, a few curry leaves, 2 tbsp dessicated coconut, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, salt to taste

Method:

In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and then add onions. Add turmeric powder, add ginger garlic paste and saute till onions are soft. Add capsicum and cook till half done. Add dessicated coconut, coriander powder, chilli powder, salt and cook till capsicum is nicely cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Gavar( guvar) ki sabji

This is my personal favourite, which I learnt from a Marwari neighbour in India. The nutty gravy with a dash of tamarind gives it just the right taste to satisfy my south Indian taste buds !

Gavar - about 400gms chopped ( I used the frozen packet)

tamrind - about one medium lemon size ball

peanut powder( roasted and ground not very smooth) - 1 cup

hing - a pinch

red chilli pdr - 2 tsp

turmeric pdr- 1/2 tsp

dhania pdr- 2 tsp

garam masala pdr - 1/2 tsp

salt

cooking oil - 1 tbsp

jeera seeds - 1 tsp

Heat a pressure cooker, add oil and jeera. Once it starts spluttering, add hing and immediately add the gavar. Stir it for a minute or two. once it is coated with the oil, add turmeric, red chilli pdr, dhania pdr and fry for 5 minutes. In the mean time extract the pulp of the tamarind after soaking it in water for some time ( I used the ready made tamarind paste - 1 tbsp). Add this to the gavar and add 1 cup water only if you are using the ready made paste. put the cooker lid on and wait till one whistle and remove it from heat immediately. Once it cools enough to open the lid, add peanut powder, garam masala, salt and adjust the rest of the masalas as per your taste and boil it for 3-4 minutes. Serve it with hot rotis, which is how we love to eat it.

2BM's Alu-matar-methi-malai :-)

I know, I know wierd name but thats because this is my own creation ! I have seen people cooking curries in their cooker not just using it for steaming. One day I decided to try it and this is what I came up with. I have been making this for a last year or two and even cooked it for my buajis on Litle A's birthday when I last visited Hyderabad because they dont even eat onions or garlic and they couldnt believe that it didnt have any of that and thought it was just great ! Infact I have recieved a lot of compliments for this simple, yet, great tasting dish. So I made up a name for it based in its main ingredients.

3-4 Potatoes ( peeled and chopped in not too small pieces otherwise they will get all mashed)

1cup- peas ( I use the frozen peas)

2tbsp cooking oil

1tsp jeera

cream- 50ml

1tbsp - kasuri methi

whole garam masala ( bay leaf-1, cinnamon stick 1', cardomom pods-4, whole black pepper-6 )

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add jeera. when it splutters, add the whole garam masala stir it for a secone or two and add the chopped potatoes and peas. Stir for about 2-3 mins. add all turmeric pdr, chilli pdr and stir for another 2 min. add 1 cup water and put the lid on and let it whislte once only. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Open it , stir and add the cream, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and salt and bring it to a boil. Adjust the masalas as per your taste and its ready to eat with hot rotis or paranthas. I made puris with it last night as a special treat for the kids since only those two were having dinner and me and hubby were fasting !

Simple Bhindi

I love this simple recipe of Bhindi ( okra ). This recipe is from The spice who loved me and i have made it several times, infact its one of my favourite recipe for bhindi fry now :-)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg bhindi ( okra ) - I used fresh as the frozen ones I tried were not good at all, so I dont use frozen bhindi anymore.

1 tbsp - cooking oil

1/4 tsp - haldi ( turmeric ) pdr

1/2 tsp - pickle masala ( I got it from Indian grocery store )

a pinch - hing

1/4 tsp - jeera ( cumin seeds )

salt to taste

Heat a pan on the stove top and put oil in it. Add jeera, when it splutters, add hing and then haldi powder. Stir fry for 1/2 a min. Add chopped bhindi. Fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the pickle powder and salt ( I didnt add sugar which is the only variation I did from the original recipe and didnt use whole okra either ). Cook without the lid till the bhindi softens a little and take it off the stove.

Its ready and we ate it with daal and roti for dinner last night.

Palak Paneer

This one is another favourite at our home, Bunty and Bubbly both love paneer and its very simple to make too. So here's my recipe of easy-peasy Palak Paneer.

500 gm- paneer cubes ( I used Taj's frozen paneer that you can get at any Indian grocery shop )1 bunch - palak ( spinach - washed and roughly chopped)

1' - ginger ( shopped )

1 - tomato

3 - green chillies ( or 2 , but I like it spicy so I used 3 )

1 - finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp - jeera ( cumin seeds)

100 ml - cream

1 tsp - jeera powder

Heat a pan on the stove top and put the spinach, gree chillies and ginger in it and let it cook till spinach softens a little ( it takes about 5 minutes on medium heat ). Add chopped tomato and let it cool. Grind all together in a blender and keep aside.

In another pan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil, add jeera. When it splutters, add onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Now add the blended gravy and a cup of water if the gravy is too thick - bring it to boil and then add the paneer and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer for 2 more minutes and serve it hot with roti or naan.

stuffed capsicum

Yesterday I went to this Indian grocery shop and they had these lovely small capsicums ( not the usual big ones ) and I remembered how my mum used to make stuffed curry from them. I tried it and it turned out really good and Bunty who doesnt like capsicum at all, gobbled it up.

I used
6 small capsicums and took the stem out.

Boiled two medium sized potatoes, mashed them and added 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/2 lemon juice, salt to taste, coriander powder and kept aside.
then stuffed this mixture in the capsicums.

Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp salt. Once they splutter, add the above prepared capsicums, cover it and let it cook on medium heat.

Turn them over from time to time so that they get cooked from all sides. cook untill the skin changes colour and looks soft. take it out in a serving dish and I served it with roti and daal for dinner.