Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala ...served with lots of richness, yummyness and loads of CALORIES !!!
Filled with Butter and CREAM for enrich taste and flavour !!!
Ingredients:
Paneer - 2 cups (diced)
Onion - 1 minced or finely chopped or pureed
Tomato - 1 large pureed
Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Kasthuri Methi Leaves - 1 pinch
Chili powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
Heavy Cream -2 cups or as required
salt - as required.
butter - as required

Method:
Heat pan, add 3 to 4 tbsp oil, and when hot shallow fry them till slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and keep aside.
In the same pan, add some butter , add minced onions, fry till golden brown.
NOTE: I like small chunks of onions in my curry so I've just minced the onions. If you wan the curry to be smooth, puree the onions..
Then add ginger garlic paste, and stir for a minute.
Now add all the masala powders and stir for another minute. You may want to add a little extra chili powder than usual as adding cream finally will reduce the spiciness.
Add tomato puree and let it cook for 2 to 3 mins. Then add tomato ketchup and methi leaves. Stir well..
Add the paneer and salt . Mix well..
Add required water. Then add lots of CREAM.
Turn off flame and top with butter.
Lots of Butter &  Cream !!!
Enjoy hot !!!

Tips:
You can try the same with Tofu too ..

Vada Curry

Vada Curry with Idly or Dosa is one of my favourite breakfast menu !!! Here's what you ll need..
Ingredients:
To make Vada:
Channa Dal - 1 cup
Moongh Dal - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Raw rice - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tbsp

For the curry:
Curry leaves - hand full
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 4
Cardamom  - 3
Bay leaf - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
chilli powder - 1 tbsp
coriander powder - 3 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
salt - to taste
oil - as required

Method:
Coarsely grind the vada ingredients, and keep in a bowl. To this paste, add, salt, curry leaves, asafotida and mix well. Now, make small patties, flatten it and deep fry in hot oil..When cool, break it down into small pieces. Keep aside.

In a pan, add oil. When hot, add he spices ( cardamom, cloves , cinnamon, bay leaf ).. fry to a few secs
Add curry leaves, onions and stir fry till onions turn golden brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 min. Then add sliced tomatoes and fry till its cooked..
Now, add the chilli, coriander and turmeric powder, salt , little water and let it cook for 2 mins..
Now, add the vada pieces and mix well.. Add required water for the consistency you want. cook for 2 mins and turn off flame. Garnish with coriander leaves !!!
Enjoy vada curry with steaming hot idlies, dosa, puri or chapattis..and simply just like that !!

Methi Mattar Malai

A tasty combination of fenugreek leaves and green peas, enriched with cream, cashewnuts and poppy seeds. Best eaten with hot rotis/chapatis !!

Ingredients:
Fenugreek leaves (Methi) - 1 cup - chopped
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Green peas - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
cream - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 1 pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

To be ground to a paste:
Onion - 1
green chilli - 1
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Garlic clove - 1
Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
Poppy seeds (khus-khus) - 2 tbsp

Method:
Wash the fenugreek leaves, add 1/2 tbsp salt and leave it aside for 10 mins. Then squeeze out the water. Or use dry methi leaves.
In a pan, Add oil, cumin seeds, and fenugreek leaves and stir
Add the ground paste and cook for 5 mins. Add green peas and continue cooking for 5 mins.
Add the milk, cream, sugar, salt and turn off flame after 5 mins.
Ready in 15 mins. Serve hot..

Potato-Ladies Finger Poriyal/ Fry

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 big (diced)
Ladies Finger - 1/2 kg (diced)
garam masala - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
green chilli- 4
Salt
Pepper
Coriender leaves- to garnish

For Potato Ladies Finger Poriyal:

• Deep fry both ladies finger and potato seperately and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan, Add curry leaves, green chillies, the fried potatoes and ladies finger and add the garam masala, coriander powder, pepper and salt and mix them well.
• Garnish wiwth coriander leaves.

This would taste heavenly.... try it out.

Egg Curry

Ingredients:
Eggs - 4
Chopped Onions - 1/2
Chopped Tomato - 1 ( medium size )
Minced Garlic - 2 to 3
Green Chillies - 3
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds s- 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
Salt
Oil

For Egg Curry :
Hard boil the eggs, remove shell and keep aside
Heat Oil in pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, garlic, chillies s- fry for 2 mins.
Add the onions - fry till golden brown.
Add the tomatoes once the onions are fried. Let it cook for 5 mins, till oil seperates out.
Add the masalas and little water and let it cook for 5 mins. Add salt and required water.
Mean while, cut the egg into 2 or 4 halves and add it to curry.
Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.
Serve hot !!!

Enjoy ...with rice or chapathi ...

Avial

Avial: Its a very popular dish in South India. And one of the main dishes you ll find in any south indian wedding.. The goodness of all vegetables in one dish .. is Avial !!!

Ingredients:

Cut Vegetables ( Carrots, Beans, Raw Plantain, Brinjal, Drumstick, Raw Mango)

Raw Mangoes are optional

Tamarind Juice Extract - soak 1 lime size tamarind in warm water for 10 mins and extract juice.

Shredded Coconut - 1 hand full

jeera - 1 tbsp

garlic - 2 cloves

Small onions - 2

turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp

Curry leaves - few

Green chillies - 5 to 6 small or 1 to 2 medium

Hing - 1 pinch

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Curry Leaves - few

Red chilli - 2

For Avial:

• Add all the vegetables and tamarind water in a kadai / pan and let it boil for 20 mins or till all vegetables are cooked. ( Add water till the vegetables are just soaked ).
• Meanwhile, grate the remaining ingredients - coconut, green chillies, jeera, small onion, hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves, salt and keep aside.
• Once the vegetables are cooked, add the ground paste, mix well and let it cook for 5 mins and/or till the water has drained. Its ok if little more water is left in the kadai.
• Heat oil in another pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies, fry for 2 mins and add to avial..
• Turn off flame and serve hot with Steamed Rice and any curry.

Enjoy ...

Tips:

Once the avial cools down, add some thick curd to enrich taste. Enjoy avial...

Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:
1 bunch coriander leaves
2-3 tbsp coconut
2 green chillies
2-3 dry red chillies, roasted
A small piece ginger
2-3 garlic flakes
1 small onion
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste
For Coriander Chutney :
Blend all the above to a smooth paste adding a little water.
Can be refrigerated for about 1-2 days.

Red / Green Coconut Chutney

Ingredients
1 cups of fresh coconut, shredded
4 dry red chillies for Red Coconut Chutney and 4 green chillies for Green Coconut Chutney
1 sprig curry leaves
A pinch of hing (asoefetida)
1/4 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tsp udad dhal
1 tsp channa dhal
Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat some oil and add the dhals, curry leaves, hing, methi and red chillies. Fry till done.
• Add this to the coconut and blend into a smooth paste.Add salt to taste.
• Goes well with dosas, idli and plain rice.

Enjoy !!!

Mint/Pudhina Chutney

Ingredients:

Mint (Pudhina)leaves, washed and chopped - 1 bunch
Small onion - 1, chopped
Garlic - 3-4 cloves, crushed
Ginger - 1 small piece , sliced
Green chillies - 4 to 5, chopped
Coconut(optional) - 1 tbsp, shredded
lemon juice - 2-3 tsp
cumin seeds or powder - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Mint Chutney:

• Fry all these in a little oil, one by one.
• Blend to a smooth paste using a little water.

Enjoy with Rice or Bread

Potato Peas Curry

Most of us consider Potato to be a High calorie food and tend to avoid it. I used to think of it in the same way. But the truth is " If cooked in the right way (without adding extra oil/butter/etc), potatoes are considered exceptionally healthful, low calorie, high fiber food that offers significant protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer".

Amongst the food ranking system, qualified potatoes as a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber.

So eat potatoes, stay healthy.... You can cook potatoes in different ways. One amongst them is what I'm going to show you below:

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 2

Peas - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2

Garlic cloves - 3 to 4

chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp

Curry Leaves

Mustard seeds

Salt

Oil

For Potato Peas Curry:

Pressure cook the potatoes, remove skin and cut into small bite size cubes.

Heat Oil in pan, Add mustard, curry leaves, turmeric powder, chilli powder and fry to 10 secs.

Add the potatoes and peas, mix well with the sauce and close lid to cook for 5 mins.

Add garlic paste to the potatoes now. ( the more the better). Let it cook for another 5 mins.

If you want gravy, you can add water to get the semi gravy consistency.

Add the salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy dry with Rice or Gravy with chapati/dosa/ any tiffin..

Carrot Manchurian

I happen to buy 10 lb of carrots few days back and was wondering, what new dish can i do with carrots... Well, i was craving for Manchurian so so i thought id make Carrot Manchurian... It was a great hit and believe me, I love Carrot Manchurian more than Cauliflower or Mushroom Manchurian ...It tastes great!!! From that day on, Carrot Manchurian has always been on our Special Day Menu !!! Try it and you ll love it !!!

Ingredients:

Carrots- 1/4 kg ( cut into round pieces)

Garlic ( finely chopped ) - 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger ( finely chopped ) - 1" piece

Green chillies ( chopped) - 3 to 4

Onion ( finely chopped ) - 1/2

Bell peppers / capsicum ( finely chopped) - 1/2

Tomato sauce - 4 to 5 tbsp

Chilly sauce / sweet and chilly sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Soya sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Corn flour - 1 tbsp

Spring onions / coriander leaves - few

salt to taste

For the batter:

All purpose flour ( maida) - 1/4 cup

Cornflour - 3 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tbsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp

Soya sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Ginger- garlic paste - 1 tbsp

water ( as required)

salt to taste

For Carrot Manchurian :

• Mix all the ingredients to make the batter. Not too thick and not too thin... the consistency similar to dosa batter. Add water as needed.
• Heat oil in pan, Dip the carrots in the batter and add them to the oil and let it cook till golden brown. It might take 10 to 15 mins. Change sides occasionally till crisp and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce...
• For Sauce: Heat oil in a pan, Add ginger garlic pieces, green chillies, onions , bell pepper and let it cook till golden brown. Then add tomato sauce, chilly sauce and soya sauce.
• Mix 1 tbsp corn flour with water and add to pan. Add more cornflour - water mixture if you want more sauce and add salt if required.
• Saute for 3 mins and turn off flame. Garnish with Spring Onions. Since i did nt have spring onions today, i used coriander leaves.
• Just before serving, mix the sauce with the fired carrots and serve hot.

Enjoy Carrot Manchurian ...
Tips:

1. Also try Mushroom Manchurian, Cauliflower Manchurian and Vegetable Manchurian... in the similar method.
2. If you want more sweetness, add little more tomato sauce ( ketchup) ...

Brinjal Masala

Ingredients:

Small Brinjal - 10

Small Onions - 5 to 6

Green chillies - 3

Curry Leaves - few

Coriander Leaves - Hand full

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

water

Oil

Salt

To Roast in Oil/ghee and grind into fine paste:

Peanuts - 4 tbsp or 1/4 cup

Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 2 cloves

Coconut - 1/2 cup

red Chillies - 3

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

For Brinjal Masala:

1. Wash and cut the brinjal into 4 halves.
2. Heat Oil in pan, Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, Onions, green chillies, and fry for 2 to 3 mins.
3. Once the onions turn golden brown, add the brinjal pieces and little water ( 1/4 cup ), cover pan with lid an let it cook for 10 mins.
4. Meanwhile, in a pan, Add oil, roast shredded coconut, coriander seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, red chillies and garlic. Grind into fine paste.
5. Add the ground paste into the brinjal with little water enough to cook and let it cook for 10 for mins.
6. Add salt to taste.

7. Garnish with Coriander Leaves and turn off flame.

Serve hot with Steamed Rice or Chapathi/ Nan/ Roti/ phulkha , etc...

Enjoy your Brinjal Masala..

Bittergourd Crisps..

Ive never ever liked bittergourd from the very beginning..coz its bitter...'As the name says' .But, even a finichy person would love to eat and relish these 'Bittergourd Crisps'... and that includes ME tooo.... I really love it when my mother makes bitterguard this way ... "Plus it has got a lot of natural medicinal virtues..which helps cure Diabetes, Piles, Blood Disorder, Respiratory Disorder, Alcoholism, Cholera and even Cancer... "

Healty food can be Tasty and yummy tooo ...so give it a try.. u ll love it!!!

So here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

Bittergourd - 3 Nos ( serves two people)

Sliced Onions - 1/2 to 1

Lemon Juice - 2 to 3 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Salt

Oil

For Bittergourd Crisps:

• Wash and Cut the bitter gourd into circular pieces.

Add turmeric Powder and salt to it and let it remain for 10 mins



• Heat up oil in pan. Once the oil is hot and ready, add the bittergourd pieces and fry till golden brown.


• Let the oil drain and then transfer to serving dish.
• Just before serving or eating, add the sliced onions to the bittergourd crisps and sprinkle a few drops of Lemon Juice to it.
• Garnish with Coriander Leaves.
• Enjoy hot with rice and any curry.

Enjoy your bittergourd crisps.... its yummy yummy.

You can also relish it as Starters .. Try it.

Tips:

Mix the bitterguard crisps with the onions only before eating. This way, it wont get soggy.

Enjoy eating it crisp and fresh ...

Paneer Masala

One of my favourite dishes ...Paneer ..mmm. Anything and every dish with paneer is delicious..

Here's what u'll need for Paneer Butter Masala:

Ingredients:
Paneer - 100 grams
Tomatoes - 1
Onion - 1
Garlic - 6 to 7
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Chili Powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves
Spices ~ Cardamon, Cloves, Cinnamon
cashew nut - 4 to 5
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
Salt
Oil/ Butter

For Paneer Masala:

• Place Pan on flame, add Oil, Add Spices, Curry Leaves, chopped garlic, Green chillies, cashew nuts and fry to 2 mins
• Add Chopped Onions - fry till golden brown. Then add tomatoes and let it cook.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked, add all the masala's. Chili powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Garam masala - 1 pinch and 1/2 cup water.
• Let it cook and till the water has reduced a lil.
• Turn off the heat and lil it cool. Then blend it in the mixer to make a fine paste.
• Mean while, shallow fry the paneer cubes in oil till slightly brown.
• Add lil butter to pan and transfer the paste to the pan and add water based on the consistency you want.
• Add the fried paneer to the curry and let it cook for 5 to 10 mins. Garnish with Coriander Leaves and turn off flame.

Serve hot with Rice or Chapati/Nan/Pulkha/etc...
Tips:
Frying the paneer before adding to curry is optional. Actually, in those days, when there was no refrigerator, people used to fry the paneer in order to make the paneer last for longer. Nowadays people follow the same. Its not necessary to fry it unless you like to have a different texture on your paneer . Try both ways and see the difference..
I added cashew nuts for a richer and creamy paste. If you avoid cashew if you want.
Enjoy Paneer Butter Masala...