PANEER PEAS PULAO

This is another simple recipe. These kind of recipes, especially the variety rice(s) type, helped me a lot when I started to learn cooking and turned out to be great. I hope you also find it interesting as I do.

Ingredients

serves 2

Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups

Onion - 1, chopped fine

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Paneer cubes - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2

Ginger garlic paste - 1.5 tbsp

Cumin / jeera seeds - 1 tsp

Whole black pepper - 1/2 tsp (can also use pepper grinder)

Cloves - 4

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon stick - a 1″ piece

Bay leaves - 1

Anise seeds - 3 whole

Ghee / oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

How to make it

Soak the basmati rice in enough water to cover it, for 15 mins.

Grind the pepper, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon together.

Heat the ghee in a pan and throw in the cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the ground ingredients. Tear the bay leaf into 3 and add Anise seeds and toss that too.

Now add the onions, split green chillies and saute until onions turn transparent.

Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute well for a minute.

Add the peas and paneer cubes and mix well for another 2-3 mins.

Drain the rice completely and add to the pan. Mix thoroughly.

Add 2 cups water to the above and let it cook until the rice is done.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with side-dish of choice or raita.

p.s. - I fried the panner seperately and added it as I love the fried part ;)

NAVARATNA KURMA

I am not a big fan when sweet is mixed with masalas. I don't even try Kashmiri pulao and have a thought if I were to taste Navaratna Kurma. That's what set me thinking why can't I make it little spicy equaling the sweetness. I was glad that there were others too who thought just like me in the cooking blog-o-sphere. I had a dekko into the recipe from Edible Garden.

Ingredients

serves 2

2 cups of diced, mixed vegetables - carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower, capsicum and potato

A few cubes of paneer

10 cashew nuts and 10 raisins soaked in warm water, drained and ground to a paste

1 large onion, minced

2 tomato, quartered and pureed

3 green chillies slit in the middle

1" piece of ginger

4 garlic cloves

1 cup milk

1 tbsp butter

Salt to taste

3 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

How to make it

Heat the butter or ghee in a kadai / pan.

Add minced onions and fry until pink and transparent.

Add the green chillies with the ginger and garlic to the onions. Fry for 30 seconds.

Add all the spice powders. Fry for a minute.

Add the pureed tomato

Mix well and let it cook about 4-5 mins.

Add milk.

Add the chopped vegetables. Mix well and cook covered for another 5 mins or so, until the vegetables are cooked, yet firm.

Add the cashew nut-raisin paste and mix well. Add salt and paneer cubes. Cook open for another 5 minutes until the gravy thickens and comes together.

Serve it with hot rotis

VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

This is one of my favorite dishes that it will be repeated maximum 2 times in a month. The ingredients list is quite long but its totally worth the taste :)

Ingredients

serves 2

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Chopped mixed vegetables - 1 cup (potatoes, cauliflowers, carrots, beans, green peas, capsicum)

Onion - 1 big, chopped

Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1/4tsp

Cardamom / elakka - 4

Cloves / grampoo - 4

Bay leaf - 1

Oil - 3 Tbsp

Green chillies - about 4, adjust according to taste

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - a 1" piece

Ginger - a 1" piece

Garlic - 1 tbsp, ground paste

Anise seeds - 3

cashews - 7-8 half broken ones

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Badshah biriyani pulav masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)

How to make it

Wash and soak rice for about 15 mins. and pressure cook for one whistle with one cup water.

Heat oil/ghee and roast the fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, anise seeds, cashews and bay leaf for about 30 seconds. Then add the green chillies, ginger, garlic, onions and fry till it turns pink and translucent. Add the masala powders and saute for 30 secs.

Add the vegetables next and see to that they are cooked(remember to turn the flame to medium).

Next add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt and mix well.

Turn off the heat. Add the cooked rice and mix gently until well blended.

Serve hot with raita, papad and pickles.

p.s. - I pressure cooked potatoes and cauliflowers for 2 whistles.

SPICY CHILLI PANEER

I wanted to taste something really spicy. So, I surfed a few cooking blogs that I follow and found this amazing recipe. This is adapted from the cooking blog, Edible Garden.

Ingredients

serves 2

1.5 cups cubed paneer

1 bell pepper / capsicum

1 large onion

4 green chillies, slit

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp green chilli sauce

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp cornflour + 3tbsp water (make a smooth paste)

Salt to taste

For the Marinade:

4 tbsp flour

3 tbsp corn flour / corn starch

2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

A pinch of salt

Water

How to make it

Make a thick paste (to the texture of a soup) with the ingredients for marinade. Dunk the paneer pieces in and let them soak in the marinade.

Add oil in a pan and shallow fry the paneer pieces, turning them over when the cooked sides are brown.

Drain and set aside.

In the same pan, add chopped onions, green chillies, and capsicum. Cook until the onions turn transparent.

Next, turn the flame to high and add soya sauce, green chilli sauce. Stir-fry on high for about 30 seconds and turn the flame to medium-low.

Add the fried paneer cubes and the cornflour-water paste. Taste and adjust salt . Stir and cook for another 3-4 mins until the sauce comes around and thickens due to the cornflour.

Serve it hot

VEGETABLE CORN POHA UPMA

This is one of the easiest if you buy corn poha from the Indian store. Yeah! It is similar to the usual poha but yellow in color. I always make a point to add a lot of vegetables to any upma that I make. If you cut the vegetables from the recipe and follow the rest, it is the method for the normal upma

Ingredients

serves 2

4 cups of corn poha

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

1 cup potatoes finely chopped

chopped carrots and beans - 1/2 cup

1/2 capsicum chopped

2 red chillies (adjust to taste)

Garlic minced - 1 tsp

A few curry leaves

1/2 tsp urad dal / uluntham paruppu / uzhunnu parippu

1/4 tsp mustard seeds / kaduku

A few roasted groundnuts to garnish (optional)

Coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish (didn't have any this time)

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp of red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste

How to make it

Soak corn poha in water for 15 minutes

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves. When the dal turns golden brown and the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions and garlic. Once they onions turn transparent, add potatos. When they are cooked add the rest of the vegetables and see to that they are cooked

Add turmeric powder, curry powder, red chilli powder and salt and mix well.

Drain the corn poha well and add it to the pan and continue to cook for 5-10 mins.

Serve hot with onion and cucmber raita or pickle.

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

This was the first North Indian recipe that I tried out when I actually learnt to cook..I am still learning :D This recipe might seem a little difficult but its actually very easy if one notices the details well.

Ingredients

serves 2

Paneer - 2 cups, cubed

Onions - 2 medium sized, very finely chopped (pureed if you like it that way)

Tomatoes - 2 big, (pureed)

Ginger minced finely - 1/2 tbsp

Garlic minced finely - 1/2 tsp

(or ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp)

Coriander powder / malli podi - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Kasuri methi / dry fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp (I din't use it this time)

Cashewnuts - a handful, grind to paste

Butter - 2 tbsp

How to make it

Heat the butter in a pan, add the onion paste and fry for 2 mins. Then add the ginger and garlic (or paste), chilli powder, Coriander powder and Garam masala. Saute for another 2 mins.

Now add the pureed tomatoes and Cashew paste, and salt. Stir well and leave on sim for about 5 mins.

Add the paneer and let cook. If the gravy seems too thick, add little water and keep cooking for about 5-6 mins.

Remove from fire, adjust the taste and serve it with hot rotis

p.s. - excuse the picture quality. I clicked it in such a hurry :)

SPAGHETTINI POMODORO

This is a recipe for a fresh, healthy Italian meal that is light and simple and takes only minutes to make. It's similar to Olive Garden's or Macaroni Grill's capellini pomodoro, if you're a fan of that dish.

Ingredients

serves 4

12 ounces Spaghetti pasta

2 pounds fresh peeled and diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh chopped basil leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to make it

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Cook approximately 10 minutes, or to desired firmness. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a deep skillet and turn heat to medium. Finely mince garlic and add to skillet, being careful not to burn.

Dice tomatoes and reserve juices. Add to skillet and turn heat to low. If using canned tomatoes, add tomatoes and juices to pan. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook on low about two minutes, or until tomatoes are heated.

Add drained pasta to tomato mixture. Toss well. Add 1/2 cup fresh torn basil leaves to pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese and additional ground pepper.

p.s. - I added a small amount of cut Zuchini since I din't want tomatoes as the only veggie ;)

KAIMA IDLI

I know, there are many die-hard fans for Saravana Bhavan Kaima Idlis. These Kaima Idli's are real sinful idlis as they are deep fried even after cooked. Sin once a while is excused, I hope.

Ingredients

serves 2

Left Over Idli's: 4 [Cut into Square shape]
Onion: 1 [Finely Chopped]
Garlic: 4 [Finely Chopped]
Green Chili: 1 [Finely Chopped]

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green Capsicum: 1/2
Curry Leaves: 6
CorrianderLeaves: 2tsp [Finely Chopped]
Oil: 1 Cup [To Deep Fry the Idli's]
Oil: 2 tsp [To Saute the vegetables]
Chilly Powder: 1/4tsp [Adjust according to your Spice]

Red chillies - 2
Salt: 1/4tsp
Lemon: 1/2 [juice]

How to make it

Cut the Idli's in square shape, as shown in picture and Deep Fry Them. If you have refrigerated the left over idli's, you have to get back those idli's to the room temperature before frying.

In a Pan, heat oil, add mustard and let it pop. Now add Finely Chopped Garlic pod's and Curry Leaves.

Add the onion and add salt, turmeric powder and mix well.

Now add the capsicum and mix them well. add the chilli powder.

Add the fried Idlis and mix well with the masala's. add coriander leaves, before switching off the flame.

Serve by adding lemon juice over the kaima idli's.

Tastes best with onion and cucumber Raita.

TOMATO VATHA KOZHAMBU

Vatha Kozhmabu is one of the most famous recipes in tam brahm traditional cooking. I got to learn this wonderful recipe from my MIL who has a magical hand when it comes to cooking. This is not at all difficult. Here it goes

Ingredients

serves 2

Tomatoes - 4 medium sized or 2 if its big

Tamarind - make a ball to the size of a lemon saoked in a cup of water for a while or 3 tsp if using a paste

Vathal (manathakaali) - 1/2 a cup

Sambhar powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Hing - a small pinch

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

curry leaves - a few

oil - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

How to make it

Grind tomatoes, tamarind to a medium watery consistency

Heat oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds, curry leaves.

Add Vathal and Hing and fry for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, sambhar powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

Let it boil for 5-6 minutes and turn color. Add salt to taste. Serve it with Hot rice

p.s. - For a thicker consistency, mix a small amount of rice flour and pour it.