PANEER KORMA RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

         This time I wanted to try out a new paneer recipe other than the usual Paneer Butter masala which i make every week. This I tried out a few days back and it tasted very nice , my little one who doesn’t eat anything with rotis, except butter, feasted on the gravy.

INGREDIENTS:

PANEER CUBES	1 CUP
ONION	1 NO
TOMATO	1 NO
GREEN CHILLI	1 NO
COCONUT	2 TBLSP(GRATED)
CUMIN SEEDS	1/4 TSP
CASHEW NUTS	4-5 NO
GARLIC	3-4 PODS
SALT	AS NEEDED
GARAM MASALA	A PINCH
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/4 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/4 TSP
MILK	3/4 CUP
OIL	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Roughly chop the onions and fry them in a tsp of oil till it turns golden brown.
• When it is cool, grind this along tomato and a pod of garlic.

• In a pan, add oil and transfer the ground masala.
• Add red chili powder and coriander powder to this.
• Saute nicely till the oil separates.

• Grind the coconut, green chili , garlic(2 pods) and cashew nuts into a smooth paste.
• Add this to the onion tomato gravy.
• Add the paneer cubes and milk to this (bring paneer to room temp.before adding)

• Do not boil for more than 2 minutes after adding milk and the coconut masala.
• Switch off the flame and add a pinch of garam masala and mix well.

• Serve hot with roti or puloa.

 

NOTE:

1. Fennel seeds can be added instead of cumin seeds.
2. Whole garam masala can be tempered before adding the onion tomato gravy instead of adding garam masala at the end.

Cauliflower curry recipe

   Cauliflower curry recipe with tomato ketchup. When I posted the recipe of Peas Pulao I mentioned that i will post the recipe of cauliflower curry too. Though i made this many times after that, somehow i couldn’t click and today finally i clicked and sharing the recipe of Cauliflower curry|Gobi curry recipe.

Keerai thandu mor kootu, Mor kootu recipe

   Keerai Thandu mor kootu  is a yogurt based gravy, using the tender stem of spinach. My mom makes with keerai thandu and vazhaithandu(banana stem). Whenever I make  Keerai masiyal or Keerai poriyal I include the stem in that. This time I wanted to try out this mor kootu as the stem was so tender. The recipe is similar to Aviyal recipe but this will be slightly a gravy than the thick aviyal.
We can mix this rice or can as an accompaniment for Vatha kuzhambu sadam or Milagu kuzhambu sadam too.
Next time when you are thinking what to make using keerai thandu, try out this mor kootu recipe. Also we can make sambar using keerai thandu.
Check out the vazhai thandu mor kootu recipe. 

Preparation time: 10 minutes  Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves:3-4
INGREDIENTS:

SPINACH STEM (CHOPPED)	1 CUP
COCONUT	3 TBLSP
GREEN CHILLI	1 NO
CUMIN SEEDS	1/4 TSP
RICE FLOUR	1/4 TSP
COCONUT OIL	1 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
YOGURT(CURD)	2 TBLSP
SALT	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• Chop the stem of the spinach finely. Discard the root.
• Cook this in a pan adding very less water.Add salt while cooking.
• This will get cooked in 7-10 minutes.
• Grind the coconut, green chilli and cumin seeds along with the rice flour into a smooth paste.Add little water while grinding.

• Mix the paste to the cooked spinach stem and add the yogurt to this.
• Mix well to form a  thick gravy. do not add much water as it will make the kootu watery.
• After adding yogurt  do not boil for a long time. Just put off the flame in a minute.
• Temper with mustard seeds and serve with rice .

• Enjoy keerai thandu mor kootu.

Notes:

1. Do not add more rice flour to this, it will make the gravy too thick and bland.
2. Adjust chili according to your spice level. 

GULAB JAMUN RECIPE – JAMUNS USING KHOYA| DIWALI SWEETS RECIPE

  
 I never tried gulab jamuns on my own,even using the instant gulab jamun mix. When i saw the recipe of homemade gulab jamuns using khoya in Nags space, I bookmarked it at once and bought a packet of khoya on the following weekend. It turned out very soft and now i am confident in making jamuns.
For original recipe click here.

THIRUVADIRAI KALI RECIPE |THIRUVATHIRA KALI

         Thiruvadirai is favored for Lord Shiva, on the day of Thiruvadirai star in Marghazhi (November-December)and  is a festival of great importance. The sweet dish offering on this day, Thiruvadirai kali,  and today i am sharing the recipe of Thiruvadirai Kali recipe. Check out the Thiruvathirai Kootu | Thalagam recipe.
        When I called up mom yesterday for the recipe, she told me the entire procedure and I remember her making in a heavy bottomed Brass vessel called “URULI”. Since I don’t have this here I made in pressure cooker like we make Arisi Upma.

INGREDIENTS:

RAW RICE	1/2 CUP
JAGGERY	1 CUP
WATER	3-4 CUPS
MOONG DAL	2 TBLSP
GHEE	2 TBLSP
CARDAMOM POWDER	A PINCH
COCONUT (GRATED)	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• In a pan dry roast the raw rice till it becomes reddish brown. Be careful not to get it burnt. Allow it to cool.

• Soak the moong dal for 10 minutes in water and cook this in open flame for 10 minutes or till the dal turns soft and not mushy.
• Drain the water.

• In a Pressure cooker add the jaggery and pour a 1/2 cup of water to this.
• When the jaggery melts filter the impurity and boil the jaggery water for few minutes. Add 3 cups of water to this .
• Add the coconut and cardamom powder to this.

• Grind the roasted rice in a mixer into a rava consistency. Don’t grind it too much into a powder. It should be of semolina(rava) consistency.

• Add this to the boiling jaggery water and add the cooked moong dal.
• Add ghee.
• Mix well and pressure cook till 2-3 whistles.
• Thiruvadirai Kali is ready for neivedhyam.

Notes:

1. It took 4 cups of water for me to cook . The measurement depends upon the nature of rice. If the rice is too old it needs lot of water. If it is new rice, 2-3 cups is enough.
2. You can cook this in open flame as we do for rava upma. Since My mom gave me an easy option I have done this in pressure cooker.
3. Instead of cooking the moong dal separately it can be roasted along with rice and can be ground along with it.

TOMATO SWEET PACHADI RECIPE | THAKKALI PACHADI

    Tomato Sweet Pachadi is my mom’s signature dish and it is liked by everybody at my place including kids. This tomato pachadi is generally served in tamil brahmin weddings and functions. We used to call this as tomato jam. Since i am not a big fan of sweets , i never attempted to try this at home. During my visit to India few weeks back, my mom made this and i clicked the pictures and sharing the recipe with you.
Before going to the recipe I thank all my fellow blogger friends for visiting my space and commenting on my posts. I missed many wonderful posts and will catch up all at the earliest.

INGREDIENTS:

TOMATO	12 NO
SUGAR	2 AND 1/2 CUP
WATER	1/2 CUP
DATES(DESEEDED)	4-5 NO
RAISINS	1 TBLSP
CASHEWNUTS	1-2 TBLSP
GHEE	2 TSP

• Wash and chop the tomato into small pieces.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel ( my mom used pressure cooker), add sugar along with the water.

• Add the chopped tomato to the sugar and stir well.
• Do not add any water,after adding tomatoes, as the tomatoes will ooze out water.
• Keep this in a medium low flame and stir continuously.
• The process will take 35- 45 minutes to reach the pachadi consistency.

• Fry the dates, cashew nuts, raisins separately in ghee and add to the pachadi.
• Mix well.Serve warm or chilled.

KADAI PANEER – SIDE DISH FOR ROTI-PANEER RECIPES

 Paneer recipes are always a  super hit at my home. Though i have tasted kadai paneer  in restaurants many times, somehow I never made this at home. Last week i thought i will try this kadai paneer recipe. I tried out and it was a super hit among my family. It is a very simple recipe too. Do try this Kadai paneer at home.

SHAHI TUKDA | SHAHI TUKRA RECIPE – A WARM WELCOME TO NEW YEAR 2012.

Shahi tukda, deep fried bread dipped in sugar syrup and served with rabdi,topped with nuts.        

I wish all my readers and friends a very Happy new year 2012 . To welcome the New year I wanted to make a sweet and immediately Shahi tukda came to mind. A rich and royal dessert from the land of Hyderabad, is an easy one to make. So go ahead to try this out and impress your family and friends for this New year party.

INGREDIENTS
TO MAKE RABDI:

MILK	2 CUPS
MAIDA | CORN FLOUR	1/2 TSP
SUGAR	2 TBLSP
SAFFRON	A PINCH

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

BREAD  SLICES (WHITE BREAD)	3-4 SLICES
SUGAR	1/4 CUP
GHEE	TO FRY THE BREAD
CASHEW NUTS	7-8 NO
PISTA	FEW
CARDAMON POWDER	A PINCH

• Combine all the ingredients given under the rabdi table (except sugar)and boil this without forming any lumps for a sometime under medium flame stirring continuously.
• Be careful not to get it burnt. When it reaches a pouring consistency switch off the flame and keep aside.Add sugar and mix well.

• Cut the edges of the bread and make it into small triangles.
• Before cutting the bread just keep them open in plates for 15 mins and let the moisture gets absorbed from the bread.

• Heat ghee in a kadai in a  low flame  fry the bread pieces and drain it in a kitchen towel.

• Make a sugar syrup by adding little water to the sugar.
• The syrup should be sticky and no string consistency has to be formed.
• Keep it aside.
• Dip the fried breads in the sugar syrup and take out in a second.

• Fry the cashew nuts and pistachios  ( i didn’t add pistachios) in a tsp of ghee.
• Arrange the bread dipped in sugar syrup, in a plate.

• Pour the rabdi over this and garnish with nuts.
• Serve chilled.

1. The rabdi can be made a day before the party and kept in the fridge.
2. Always fry in ghee as oil will spoil the taste.

CHANNA CHAT WITH KHATTA MEETHA CHUTNEY

NO ONION –NO GARLIC RECIPE.
  As kids are at home , most of the time I am spending  in the kitchen making something or other to satisfy their craving. At the same time ,in the corner of the mind i want to make their snack little healthy too. This channa chat recipe i found in a Tarla dalal cook book and my kids enjoyed this and thank god I have time to click the pictures , as they were playing down when i was making this. Here comes the recipe of Chana chat – A kids friendly recipe.
Check out my
Aloo tikki chaat recipe
Bread channa recipe

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE KHATTA MEETHA CHUTNEY:

CUMIN SEEDS	1/2 TSP
CHOPPED MINT LEAVES	1 CUP
CORIANDER LEAVES	1/2 CUP
GREEN CHILLIES	3-4(CHOPPED)
GINGER	A SMALL PIECE
LEMON JUICE	3 TBLSP
SUGAR	1 TBLSP
CHAT MASALA	1/4 TSP
SALT	TO TASTE

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

BUTTER	1/2 TBLSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1/2 TSP
BOILED CHANNA	1/2 CUP
BOILED POTATO	1 NO
PANEER CUBES	1/4 CUP
CAPSICUM (CHOPPED)	3-4 TBLSP
TOMATOES(CHOPPED)	1/4 CUP
SALT	TO TASTE
LEMON JUICE	1/4 TSP
CORIANDER LEAVES(CHOPPED)	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Combine all the ingredients mentioned in the khatta meethi chutney table into a smooth paste .
• Add a tsp of water while grinding if required.

• Cut the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds from inside.
• Chop tomato , capsicum and potato into small cubes.
• 
• Heat butter in a kadai and add the cumin seeds.
• When they crackle add the boiled channa , potatoes, tomatoes ,capsicum and paneer( i didn’t use as i don’t have it in hand) and cook for a minute.
• Remove from flame and allow it to cool.

• When cool, add the khatta meethi chutney , salt, lemon juice and coriander leaves . Mix well.

• Serve immediately.

See you all soon with an interesting recipe before the New year.