43 PANEER MAKHANI

Paneer(Cottage cheese) Makhani(Butter)


Fried Paneer cubes - 10 -12 ( or as needed)
Capsicum/Bell pepper - 1 medium chopped into big cubes
Onion - 2 large chopped into big cubes
Tomato paste - 2 tsp
Garlic - 3
Ginger and garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Cashew - 8 - 10
Kasuri Methi( Dry fenugreek leaves) - 1 tbsp or little more
Cinnamon, clove and cardamom - 1 each
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 bsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
Kitchen king Masala(powder) - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp


Heat a tbsp of oil and 1 /2 onions chopped and fry till transparent. To it add garlic and cashew(if you want it more thicker or creamier then can add few more cashews) and fry everything together for another 3 - 4 minutes. Remove and keep aside and when cool grind to a smooth paste.

Heat butter ,wait till it melts and add the cinnamon, clove, cardamom and cumin( These are all optional, just to give additional flavor- can always skip). Wait for few seconds and ginger and garlic paste. Saute for a minute in low flame and then add the remaining chopped onion cubes and fry to 2 minutes. Next add chopped capsicum. Fry both together for another - 2 - 3 minutes. The capsicum should still be crisp and green in color. Next add the tomato paste( Have used hunt's) and saute for a minute and add in kasuri methi and fry well till it is mixed up. Immediately add all the powders, mix well and then the ground paste. Add salt and cook till the raw smell leaves for 8 - 10 minutes. Can also add a cup of water. Switch off flame and add the fried paneer cubes.


Can cut your home made paneer into cubes and shallow fry in oil till the sides are light brown. Immediately add to the curry or if using or going to add after some time then add them immediately to cold water after frying or the other often woul be to sprinkle a pinch of salt and lime juice.

Can also use tomatoes in place of tomato paste. First put 3 ripe tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain water and remove/peel their skin. Make a paste.
OR
Cut into thick cubes, add 1/4 cup of water and cook in a microwave for 3 minutes and then make a paste.

This gravy is one of fav side dish for paratha/chapathi/roti and my kids love the paneer in them. So I usually add more paneer. Also a favourite among friends.

So I am sending this to Shama's Family's favourite food event.also sending these below to the same event.
Kulfi
Pineapple kesari
Schezwan Chicken Fried Rice
Shrimp Masala
Paneer Bhurji
Mushroom Kurma
Malai Kofta
Egg Biryani
Tomato Rice
Bhel Puri
Ragada Patties
Kothu Parotta
Egg Omelette curry
Appalam Poo Koottu


and also these to Srilekha's EFM- Parathas and Gravies event

Read more of "PANEER MAKHANI"

48 METHI IDIYAPPAM

Methi/Fenugreek Leaves/Menthya kurakku(soppu)/Vendhaya Keerai Idiyappam( String Hoppers) 

Recently have been posting many variations with Idiyappam and this another one such. Followed the recipe just like my Methi rice recipe. Is also very healthy and very tasty. You can prepare idiyappam at home or also can use store bought frozen packs.

Idiyappam - 3 - 4 cups cooked
Methi leaves - Cleaned and washed 1 - 1 1/2 cups
Onion - 1 large chopped fine
Tomato - 2 or 3 chopped fine
Green Chilli - 2 slit long
Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped or grated
Garlic - 4 flakes chopped or grated
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp( according to spice needed)
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Salt as needed
Oil - 2 tbsp




Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and curry leaves, wait for few seconds and add chopped onions. Fry till light brown. Next add green chillies, ginger and garlic. Fry for another 3 - 4 minutes. Next add chopped tomatoes. Fry till it is mashed and water leaves out and oil floats on top. Next add methi leaves chopped roughly and fry till the leaves shrink and cooked. Now add all the powders and mix well. Finally add salt and the cooked idiyappam and mix well.

Read more of "METHI IDIYAPPAM"

35 Pesarattu, Upma with Ginger Chutney

Pesarattu/Whole Moong dosa is served best with upma/uppittu and ginger chutney. This is also called as MLA pesarattu.


For making pesarattu we need

Whole green moong - 1 1/2 cups
Rice - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger - a small piece
Green chillies - 3
Onion - 1/2 of a very small one
Salt as needed

For tempering:-
Mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves - all few
Oil - 1 tsp
Can also add some chopped onions- optional

Wash and soak rice and moong together for 4 - 5 hours/overnight. Later grind along with cumin seeds, ginger, green chillies and onion to a fine paste. Need not be very thick. Add salt and do the tempering.

Upma :- I have made them in plain rava kichidi style.

Rava/Sooji Course - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped thinly
Tomato - 2 small chopped fine
Chilli - 1 slit long
Ginger and garlic - crushed together or chopped fine - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Mustard seeds, urad dhal and channa dhal - all few
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 - 2 tbsp
coriander leaves - few chopped

Dr roast rava in a pan till they are nice pink/till you get nice aroma. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, urad dhal and channa dhal. Wait till they splutter and add onions. Fry till nice brown and add ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry together for 1 - 2 minutes. Next add chopped tomatoes. Fry till they are mashed and pulpy and water leaves out and oil floats up. Add chilli powder and mix. Add 2 1/2 - 3 cups of water. Allow the water to boil and bubble up very well. Reduce flame, add salt and slowly add roasted rava by stirring well.Cover and cook for 3 - 4 mts. Add chopped coriander leaves and ghee and mix well.

Ginger/Inji/Adhrak/Allam Chutney

Channa dhal/kadalai paruppu/kadale bele - 2 tbsp
Urad dhal/ulundhu/uddi pappu - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 3 or 4
Tamarind - 2 inch piece
Hing - a pinch
Ginger - 2 inch
Jaggery - vey small piece
Coconut - 1/2 cup grated
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp


For tempering:-
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add channa dhal, urad dhal. Fry till they turn light brown. Immediately add red chillies, tamarind and ginger. Fry everything together till they are all nice brown. Just before removing add hing and suate. Remove and cool. Grind together with salt and also add grated coconut and jaggery. Grind to a smooth paste.

Temper with the tempering ingredients


Heat a tava and take a ladle of batter and pour to spread as dosas. Apply/spray oil on top. Cook both sides till nice brown. Add a scoop of upma in the middle of the dosa and fold into half. Serve with ginger chutney.

Sending this to Pari of Fooddelicious's Combo Event

Read more of "Pesarattu, Upma with Ginger Chutney"

13 GINGER CHUTNEY

Ginger/Inji/Adhrak/Allam Chutney


Channa dhal/kadalai paruppu/kadale bele - 2 tbsp
Urad dhal/ulundhu/uddi pappu - 2 tbsp
Red chillies - 3 or 4
Tamarind - 2 inch piece
Hing - a pinch
Ginger - 2 inch
Jaggery - vey small piece
Coconut - 1/2 cup grated
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp

For tempering:-
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves


Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add channa dhal, urad dhal. Fry till they turn light brown. Immediately add red chillies, tamarind and ginger. Fry everything together till they are all nice brown. Just before removing add hing and suate. Remove and cool. Grind together with salt and also add grated coconut and jaggery. Grind to a smooth paste.

Temper with the tempering ingredients.

Read more of "GINGER CHUTNEY"

47 SPROUTED METHI SEEDS RICE

Sprouted Methi(Fenugreek) seeds Rice/Palav/Pulao

Rice - 1 cup
Methi sprouts - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Green chillies - 2 slit long
Garlic - 4 flakes chopped fine or grated
Ginger - a small piece chopped fine or grated
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - few chopped
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Cardamom - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp

Wash and soak methi seeds overnight, then drain water or also can drink it or use in any curries. Cover the seeds with a wet cloth and allow it to sprout out. Usually will take 1 - 2 days. Sprinkle the cloth now and then during the period. Usually I prepare in large qty and freeze the remaining. Not only this but other lentils too. So can use them whenever I need.

Wash and cook rice seperately. Once done remove and cool.


Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom. Wait for few seconds and add chopped onions. Saute for a minute and add green chillies, ginger and garlic. Fry till onions are nice brown. Next add sprouted methi seeds. Reduce flame and keep frying for 4 - 5 minutes or until done, then add chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and add the cooked rice. Also add chopped coriander leaves and salt. Fry to mix well. Just before removing add lime juice and mix and serve.

Also sending my Methi sprouts Podi/Powder for the same event.

Sending this to CWS - Fenugreek seeds hosted by SE of Denufood event started by Priya.



Sarah Naveen of Vazhayila and Devi of Devi's Blog have passed on these lovely awards to me. Thanks Sarah and Devi for thinking about me and passing it.

Also Devi has passed on some more awards. Thank You Devi.

Read more of "SPROUTED METHI SEEDS RICE"

37 TORTILLA MIXTURE/CHEVDA

After trying tortilla chips and cereal chevda many times, thought of making this simple snack combining both ideas. Tasted great and was a perfect snack with a cup of coffee. The chips alone taste great and feels just like the kara biscuit that we do at home with wheat/maida flour.


Tortilla wraps - 4
Oil for deep frying
Salt - very little
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dalia split( fried channa dhal/pottu kadalai) - 2 tbsp
Raw peanuts - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Thick aval/puha - a handful


Cut tortillas into thin pieces using a pizza slicer or clippers. Heat oil for deep frying and in small batches. Fry till nice brown. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan add thick aval and fry till they are nicely puffed up.
Seperately in a different pan heat a tbsp of oil and add peanuts , fry for a minute and add fried channa dhal and curry leaves. Fry till nice brown. If needed can also add 1 or 2 broken red chillies and few crushed garlic flakes with skin. Mix everything together and serve.

This goes straight to Priya's Hearts for Valentine's day event

Read more of "TORTILLA MIXTURE/CHEVDA"

5 Awards

Awards from Nithu Bala of Nithu's Kitchen . Thanks Nithu for sharing them with me.

Read more of "Awards"

60 MUSHROOM BIRYANI

Mushroom/Kukurmutta/Kaalan/Kukku godugu(Putta godugolu)


Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Mushroom - 8 0Z pack
Onion - 1
Tomato - 3 or 4 medium
Green chillies - 2 slit long
Ginger and garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder/Biryani Masala - 1 tsp
Mint and coriander leaves - few
Lime juice - Half of a small lime
Bay Leaf - 2
Cardamom - 2 or 3
Clove - 3
Cinnamon - 2 small piece
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 3 tbsp


Wash rice and drain water and keep it aside for 20 mts.

Clean and cut mushroom into 4 pieces.


Heat oil in a pressure pan and add bay leaf, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Wait for few seconds and add onions cut lengthwise thinly. Fry till nice brown. Next add green chillies and ginger and garlic paste. Saute for a minute until raw smell leaves. Then add chopped tomatoes. Fry till they mashed and pulpy and water leaves out and oil floats on top. Next add chopped mushroom and saute for a minute or two and then add all the masala powders and mix and immediately add the drained rice. Fry for a minute, also add mint and coriander leaves. Next add coconut milk and 3 cups of water. Also add salt and lime juice. Reduce flame and cover and cook till done or transfer to a rice cooker and cook till done. ( Can also cook for one whistle). But I usually cover and cook till done or the rice cooker method. Serve with any raita or gravy.


Honest Scrap award from Champa at Stories from an Indian Kitchen.


Thank you very much Champa for thinking about me and sharing it with me. I am really honoured.
You can read few lines about me here.

Read more of "MUSHROOM BIRYANI"

67 SWEET POTATO PARATHA

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and a very good source of vitamin C, sweet potatoes have healing properties as an antioxidant food. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer. Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light coloured flesh.
Source Wikipedia

I try make use of this vegetable in many ways and my kids love them when added in parathas as they come out very soft and also this is the non stuff kind.


Sweet potato paratha( Non stuff method)

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Sweet potato - 1 small ( or half of a large one)
Salt as needed
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp ( or cumin powder)
Oil

Wash and cut the potato into half and add water just for immersing and cook in a microwave for 8 - 10 mts. Remove and drain water and run under tap( water). Peel the skin and with a fork press to mash them well.


Take the flour in a vessel and add salt, chilli powder, cumin seeds or powder and mix. If needed can also add some chopped coriander leaves and or chopped onion. Mix well and add the mashed potato when warm itself. Mix and add water little at a time and mix well to knead as a soft dough. Apply a tsp of oil on top and keep aside for 10 mts.

Heat a tava/griddle and take a small ball of dough and roll as chapathi/paratha. Place on the tava and cook both side. If needed add oil/butter. Serve with any of your fav side dish.

Received few awards from friends.
Award from Lissie of Salt and Spice. Jyoti of Veggie Hut and Jagruti of Joy of Cooking. Thank you Lissie and Jyoti for sharing it these with me. Few days back had posted some awards from Sara, Preethi Rajeev and Prasu passed on by here.




The Kreativ Blogger Award comes up with some set of rules and here are the rules,

1.Thank the person giving the award.
2.Copy the award to your blog.
3.Place a link to their blog.
4.Name 7 things people don't know about you.
5.Nominate 7 bloggers
6.Place a link to those bloggers
7.Leave a comment letting those bloggers know about the award.

Seven Things about me

1. Love listening to songs
2. Love Chaats esp Masala puri
3. Do not like/eat yogurt.
4. A strict vegetarian( eggetarian) though not from a vegetarian family.
5. Love cooking and trying many new.
6. Like to learn many languages.
7. Love shopping with friends.


Kavitha and Gayathri
Priya
Sadhana and Muskaan
Sarah Naveen
Gita
Sushma
Chitra
Lubna
Sangeetha
Nandini
Tina

Read more of "SWEET POTATO PARATHA"