Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy new year to all


Wish you a happy n prosperous new year ......God Bless you n your family

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Panner Tikka Roll Recipe




Paneer Tikka Kathi Roll

Paneer tikka kathi rolls are ver popular Indian street food these days. Paneer is marinated in yougurt and spices, sauted and then wrapped in roti. It is a very delicious as well as a nutritious recipe. Here is a step by step guide for how to make paneer tikka kathi roll.


Ingredients:


1 Cup Paneer (cubed)
1/4 Cup Tomatoes (diced)
1/2 Cup Capsicum (diced)
1 tsp Oil

For marination
1/2 Cup thick Yogurt (whisked)
1 tsp red Chilly Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp Gram flour or besan
1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
Salt to taste

For the roti or wraps
1 Cup Flour (Maida)
1/4 Cup Milk
Salt to taste

For the roll
1/2 cup Green chutney
1 onion sliced
Chat masala for garnish


How to make paneer tikka kathi roll:
  • To make the rolls : Mix the flour,milk and salt in a vessel. Now using little water knead a soft dough. The dough should neither be too stiff nor too soft.Keep it aside for 15 mins.
  • Knead the dough and divide it into equal parts and roll out thin rotis.
  • Heat tawa and cook the rotis (ready 3/4 cook) on both sides. Keep aside. Don't cook the roti completely otherwise while assembling the wrap they will get very crisp and dry.
  • To make the stuffing: Mix all the ingredients of marinate well and then add paneer cubes. Let the paneer marinate for 15-20 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry capsicums for 2-3 minutes.
  • Now add marinated paneer and saute for 5-6 minutes on medium flame stirring occasionally. Now add tomatoes and saute for another minute.
  • Remove from heat.
  • To make a roll: Take a roti and spread some green chutney in the center, then put the paneer-capsicum-tomato stuffing evenly in the center. Sprinkle thinly sliced onion and some chat masala. Now fold /14 of the roti horizontally from the lower side and then roll the roti vertically tightly ensuring that no stuffing falls out.
  • How to serve: Heat the roll on the tawa. Then wrap each roll in a aluminium foil and then cut diagonally from the center into two pieces. Arrange on a platter and serve with tomato and green chutney.
  • Note :
    1. You can use whole wheat flour (Atta) to make healthy wraps.
    2. You can use non stick to cook the paneer and avoid oil.
    3. You can use low fat yougurt for the marination.
    4. You can substitute paneer with low fat paneer.

Friday, September 21, 2012

BHEL PURI RECIPE




Ingredients:

1 cup Puffed Rice (Kurmura)
1/2 cup chopped Tomato (Tamatar)
1/2 cup chopped Onion (Pyaj)
1/4 cup chopped Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta)
1/2 cup boiled and mashed Potato (Aloo)
4 chopped Green Chilli (Hari mirch)
1 tblsp chopped Ginger(Adrak)
1 tblsp Garam Masala
6 tblsp Tamarind (Imli) Chutney
6 tblsp Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta) And Mint Chutney
1/2 cup Nimkis
1/2 cup Sev
1/2 cup Gol gappas
2 tblsp Lime or Lemon (Nimbu) Juice

How to make bhel puri:



  • Mix the puffed rice, tomatoes, onions.
  • Drain the water from the grated potatoes and mix that as well.
  • Mix all the ingredients under seasoning and add to this.
  • Lightly crush and add the nimkis and golgappas.
  • Add the sev and kaara pusa directly and mix well.
  • Finally garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice.
  • Serve immediately..

Thursday, September 20, 2012

INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE


Ingredients:


1/4 pint/150ml natural yogurt
2 ounces/50g ground almonds
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp garam masala
4 green cardamom pods
1 tsp ginger pulp
1 tsp garlic pulp
14 ounce/400g can tomatoes
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 pounds/1kg chicken, skinned, boned and cubed
3 ounces/75g butter
1 tbsp corn oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
4 tbsp cream

How to make butter chicken :



  • Place the yogurt, ground almonds, all the dry spices, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and salt in a mixing bowl and blend together thoroughly.
  • Put the chicken into a large mixing bowl and pour over the yogurt mixture.
  • Set aside. Melt together the butter and oil in a medium karahi, wok or frying pan. Add the onions and fry for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for about 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Stir in about half of the coriander and mix well. Pour over the cream and stir in well. Bring to the boil. Garnish the indian butter chicken with the remaining chopped coriander to serve the chicken curry.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

CHICKEN BIRYANI


Ingredients:



2 cups Basmati Rice
3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt (curd)
3 sliced onion
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
Saffron a pinch
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
7 tbsp Oil
Preparation:



  • Mix tomato puree, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
  • Marinate the chicken with this mixture and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions until golden brown.
  • Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add 4 cups of water to the rice. Mix saffron in milk and add to it.
  • Add cardamom powder. Add the chicken pieces.
  • Pressure cook the rice. Mix gently.
  • Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe


Let's talk about Paneer Butter Masala today. Not just any kind, the kind that you get in Indian restaurants. Why? Well, I've already posted the Paneer Butter Masala Recipe I usually make, long back. Its also one of the most popular recipes on this site for two reasons:

- since its a popular Indian dish, a lot of people have tried it from my site and sent me feedback.
- this is the only recipe that has received as many good feedback as disappointing feedback.

Most people said this or a variation of this - "I tried your paneer butter masala recipe today. It came out nicely, I did everything you mentioned but it didn't come out like the one we had in that North Indian restaurant last weekend and my husband/wife/mom/dad/sibling loved! Help!"

I guess they found my Paneer Butter Masala Recipe too homely!

In most Indian restaurants, dishes are more creamy and have thicker gravy. The reason is very simple - they use cream. They use it as the base of every dish you order and it may make the dish arguably tastier. This is not hard to whip at home provided you have no qualms about adding that bit of cream and kicking up the amount of oil a notch.

So here it is, my second Paneer Butter Masala Recipe, like they serve in Indian restaurants!

Ok here goes, a picture of the final dish.



I'd say the only thing that's different from this dish and the one you get in Indian restaunts is the difference in the colour. That's because they add red food colour and I didn't.

Ok, let's get started.



Add 2 tbsp oil to a hot pan and swirl around until the base of the pan is well coated. 


Add in cubed paneer pieces.

(Sidenote: Let's please pretend these are paneer pieces 'cuz its actually tofu. I was out of paneer and couldn't go all the way to get some. Also, it tastes as good with tofu, trust me!)



Lightly fry the paneer cubes until golden brown on all sides.




Drain and set aside on a plate lined with a paper napkin.


Add 1tbsp oil to the same pan and thrown 1 medium-sized chopped onion.

 

Fry until golden brown. To this, add 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger-garlic paste. (Ok fine, use your bottled paste, it just doesn't taste as good)


Fry for a minute.


To this, add 1 tbsp dhania powder/malli podi, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt. Fry for 30 seconds until the masalas are well combined.



Next you need 1 tbsp tomato paste. I used the same kind I used for the Tomato Spinach Pulao. If you don't have tomato paste handy, just puree 1 medium-sized tomato and add it at this stage.


Next we need tomato ketchup or tomato sauce, the bottled Maggi/Heinz kind. Add in an almost-1tbsp of this.



Bring out your kasuri methi next. A generous pinch of this needs to go in.

(This picture makes my heart break, btw. The focus should've been on the kasuri methi but its actually on the blob of tomato sauce in the pan. Well, I took only one shot and my hands were smeared with oil and ketchup and I had to balance.. oh never mind!)



To this mixture, add 1/2 cup milk. Mix well and cook covered for about 5 minutes on low fire.


Meanwhile, bring out the secret ingredient for making restaurant-style paneer butter masala (or any Indian curry for that matter). CREAM!

I used Nestle cream but if you have fresh cream, please oh please use that. Just open the can and set aside or get your fresh cream ready.


Once the tomato sauce mixture has cooked covered for 5 mins, open and add the fried paneer.


Top this off with 1 cup cream. Mix well and simmer on low fire for 3-4 mins. Adjust salt.

The recipe again, all in one place.
Paneer (or Tofu) Butter Masala: Restaurant Style Recipe

What I Used:

Paneer/tofu - 1 block, approx. 2 cups of cubes
Onion - 1 medium-sized one, chopped fine
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Dhania powder/malli podi/Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Tomato paste- 1 tbsp (or 1 tomato, pureed)
Tomato sauce/ketchup - almost 1 tbsp
Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves - 1 generous pinch
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cream - 1 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the paneer/tofu cubes until golden brown. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add 1 more tbsp oil and fry the onions until golden brown.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
4. Next, add the dhania, garam masala, chilli powder and some salt. Fry for 30 seconds.
5. To this, add the tomato paste/puree, tomato sauce and kasuri methi. Mix well and add the milk.
6. Lower fire and cook covered for 5 mins.
7. Open lid, add the fried paneer/tofu and the cream. Mix well and simmer for 3-4 mins.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves if you have any.
Serve warm with rotis/pulao/jeera rice.

Its yummy, no doubt. Probably not something you want to make every weekend but its good when you entertain guests and people end up having only 2-3 spoons of one dish anyway. Its also a good recipe to "wow" your non-Indian friends.

Monday, September 17, 2012

EASY FRIED RICE RECIPE


EASY FRIED RICE RECIPE (INDIAN)



In general fried rice means Chinese style, bu today we'l see Indian Variant of it



 

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice1 cup
Carrot1
Beans ( I used baby beans)10-12
Baby corn5-6
Pepper ( white preferred)1 tsp
Spring onion3 – 4 sprig
Olive oil3 tblsp
Sugar1/2 tsp

Method

  1. Cook rice with 1 & 1/2 cup water and separate the grains. Cut the veggies very finely so that it will get cooked easily in short period of time. Heat a broad pan with olive oil. When its hot, add the veggies with sugar and fry for 2 minutes or until its cooked,but retains its crunchiness. 
  2. Lastly add pepper, spring onion and fry for a minute. Add cooked, rice and stir till it gets heated up.
It is simple yet  packed with flavours! The basmati rice will dominate and makes an awesome combo with the pepper and veggies flavor...The crunchy veggies compliments this well. I never thought it would turn out so good… Try yourself to believe it!

Notes
  • You can add ajinomotto and soya sauce in this same recipe.
  • I added black pepper, but white pepper is recommended as it gives a colourful result!
  • Adding sugar to retain colour.