Grilled Cottage Cheese Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

350 g paneer
3/4 tbsp yellow chilli powder, (or red chilli powder)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp gram flour
1 heaped tsp carom seeds, (ajwain)
2 tbsp Yoghurt or curd
1/2 tsp garam masala


Method

1. Soak 4-6 bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes.

2. Cut the paneer into 4cm cubes. Sprinkle with the chilli powder and the salt. Toss everything together and ensure the paneer is evenly coated. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

3. Combine the gramflour with the carom seeds and Yoghurt or curd. Coat each paneer cube in the spiced cream and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Thread the paneer onto the skewers and sear under the grill for 3-5 minutes on each side - until deliciously smoky and charred at the edges. Serve straight away, sprinkled with garam masala.

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Spicy Pumpkin / Butternut Winter Squash

Kaddu ki sabji is a popular dish served with roti, puri or parathas in northern India and Pakistan and commonly served for holidays, festivals and other special occasions. It has a slightly sweet flavor that is nicely offset by the heat of the chilis and the tang of the mango powder.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

approx 4 cups of 1 inch cubed pumpkin
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 chilis chopped
1/2 tsp fenugreek seed
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mango powder
1/2 tsp sugar
red pepper to taste
salt to taste
2 Tb oil

Directions

1. Heat the oil in small wok (khadahi) or skillet and when hot add the fenugreek and cumin seeds and let them sizzle until brown.
2. Turn the heat down a little and add onion, garlic and chilies.
3. Cook until the onions are nicely browned but take care to not burn the garlic.
4. Add the spices and pumpkin and toss.
5. Turn the heat to low and cover and cook until pumpkin or squash or kaddu is soft and mash able.
6. Toss occasionally until pumpkin is separates oil. Serve and enjoy.

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Chana Masala

Cook time: 60 min + overnight soaking

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channas/Garbanzo Beans – 2 c
Water – 8 cups
Tea bags – 2
Black Cardamom – 1
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1″ pc
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1.5 tbsp
Hing/Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
Crushed Tomatoes – 14.5 oz can/400 gms
Channa/Chole Masala – 1 tbsp
Anardana – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1/2 tsp
Amchur/Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Onions & Green Chilles – for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak the Channas overnight.
2. Transfer the Channas and the Water it has been soaking in into the pressure cooker.
3. Add in Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Black Cardamom, Teabags & Salt. Mix
4. Close pressure cooker and allow it to whistle thrice, lower heat and cook for another 20 min.
5. Once done, allow the pressure to go down and then open.
6. Seperate the water and the Channas, do not discard the water.
7. In a pan, heat Oil on medium heat.
8. Once hot, add in the Asafoetida and right after that add in the Crushed Tomatoes.
9. Cook till the Tomatoes seperate from the Oil.
10. Add in the Channa Masala, Chaat Masala, Red Chilli Powder, Dry Mango Powder & Anardana Powder.
11. Mix well.
12. Add in the Channas/Chole and mix again.
13. Add in the Water that had been set aside, little at a time.
14. Mix occasionaly and cover and allow the channas to cook.
15. Repeat the process till the water is all consumed and the consistency of the gravy looks good.
16. Garnish with Onions and Green Chillies.
17. Serve hot with Puris, Bhaturas, Bread, Chapati, Parathas or Naan

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Aaloo Gobhi Bhurji

Aaloo Gobhi Bhurji

Ingredients: 

1    Medium size head of cauliflower

1 medium potato

1    Medium size onion – fine chopped

2    Cloves of garlic- minced (2 teaspoons

       minced)

1    Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1    Medium green chili – fine chopped

2    Teaspoons coriander powder

½   Teaspoon red chili powder

½   Teaspoon turmeric powder

1    Teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)

1    Teaspoon cumin seeds

1    Pinch of asafetida (Hing)

3    Tablespoons vegetable oil

1    Teaspoon salt or to your taste

2    Tablespoons chopped coriander 

      leaves

Directions:

1.  Cut the cauliflower in small florets and potato into small cubes.

2. On medium high heat add 2 tablespoons oil in a  pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida, and fry them for 2 to 3

    minutes, or till cumin seed become brown.

In a pan add cumin seeds, asafetida & oil and fry

3.  Add chopped onions and minced garlic, sauté them for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions

     become light brown.

4.  Add coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder and mix and fry for

     few seconds. 

5.  Add grated cauliflower and potatoes, sprinkle salt and mix with masala, cover the

     pan and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until cauliflower and potato become

     tender.

6. While cooking with the spatula periodically stir'

7.  Add grated ginger and chopped green chilies, mix and cook. If there is water in the

      bottom then turn the heat high so that all the water evaporates quickly. Once the

      water dries up turn the heat down to medium. 

8.  Sprinkle mango powder and 1 tablespoon oil, with the spatula mix everything

     together and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, keep turning the cauliflower upside down,

     once masala becomes brown turn the stove off.

9. When ready to serve transfer bhurji in to a serving dish'

Cauliflower bhurji is ready

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Achari Aaloo Baigan

Achari Aaloo Baigan

Ingredients :- 

2 tbs vegetable oil

1/2 tsp each OF cumin seeds, kalongi, fenugreek seeds (methi) and fennel seeds (saunf), mustard seeds.

1 tbsp ginger shredded

1 tsp garlic chopped

1 tsp coriander powder (dhania)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 eggplant or brinjal, washed and cubed

2 medium potatos, washed and cubed

2 medium tomatoes, washed and cubed

lemon juice and salt to taste

freshly chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil and fry all the seeds till they splutter

2. Add the ginger,garlic, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and fry for half a minute.

4. Now add the tomatoes and pour some hot water. Cook untill oil seperates. 

5. Add the potatoes, mix well, add a spalsh of water and close and cook for 3minutes.

6. Now add the brinjal and again cook for about 3 minutes

7. Close and cook on medium flame till the vegetables are tender.

8. Uncover and reduce the excess liquid over high flame or add some extra water, whiever is necessary.
Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice. Mix well and remove from gas.

9. Serve it hot !!!!

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Yummy Chole !!!!!!

The Indian chickpea curry is great to taste and easy to make combo......

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas/chole/kabuli chana/garbanzo beans (drained)

1 medium onion , chopped

2 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon haldi (tumeric powder)

1 teaspoon dhaniya powder (coriander powder)

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon chat masala

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

2 -3 green chilies (optional)

2   teaspoon ginger garlic paste

1 small tomato , chopped

pinch of asafoetida (heeng)

pinch of carom seeds (ajwain)

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves/ Cilantro for garnishing



Method:

1. Boil the chickpea in cooker or use garbanzo beans out of can.

2. In pan put vegetable oil, carom seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf, cumin seeds and let it splutter.

3. Add chopped onions and fry them until red, add ginger garlic paste , chopped green chili, further fry them for 2 mins. Add salt.

4. Add turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala n chat masala to it and saute.

5. Add chopped tomatoes and fry until oil separates.

6. Add boiled chickpea and fry for 2 more minutes.

7. Add water and keep it on boil for 5 mins

8. Garnish with coriander and serve with any other Indian bread/ rice.

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