Paneer curry - the way I make it

Paneer is almost the king of dishes in a vegetarian cuisine. With it chewy mouthfeel, lovely texture and an ability to take on various flavours...maybe it deserves to be just that.
Be it a festival, a party or a wedding, paneer dishes are served everywhere in India. The best part is that it can be used without any cooking in salads too!
Here is a regular paneer dish that I usually make when I feel like making something nice for dinner.

Ingredients

• Paneer- 200 gm approximately ( I make at home, but you can use store bought ones)-cubed
• Onion- 1, chopped
• Garlic- 2, chopped
• Tomatoes- 1 big or 2 small ones
• Green chillies- 1 ( you can increase the amount
• Ginger- 1" piece
• Oil- 1 Tbsp ( you can use butter also)
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Haldi (turmeric powder)-1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya (coriander seed powder)-  1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Make puree of tomatoes, garlic, green chillies and ginger.
2. Heat oil in a Kadhai/ wok.
3. Add chopped onions and fry till they are browned at the edges.
4. Now add the tomato puree mix and stir in all the spices.
5. Cook till the oil leaves the sides.
6. Now add 1/2 cup of milk and keep mixing. If it dries up too much i.e. its ticking to the bottom then add 1 tbsp of water.
7. Add the cubed paneer and add 1/2 cup water. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
8. Serve hot with chapati,naan or bread even!

Serves 2

Bedmi / Bedvi poori and potato curry- A weekend brunch

This is a dish which brings childhood memories with each bite. My mother and my aunt, used to make it in huge quantities as we all had a habit of snacking on this poori.
My mausi and mom used to have it with tea, and sometimes with pickles, while me and my cousin would just grab one from the huge pile in the kitchen and munch on it happily.

Usually this poori is made by stuffing it like a kachori , but we make it by kneading the soaked and grounded dal with the flour.

 You will need:

• Dhuli urad dal/ washed black lentils- 1 cup
• Sooji- 1/2 cup
• Whole wheat flour-2 cups
• Ginger-1"
• Green chillies- 2, chopped finely
• Salt- 1 tsp or to taste
• Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya powder- 1tsp
• Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
• Oil- 1tbsp
• Oil for frying

How to

1. Wash the dal well and soak it for 2-3 hrs. You can also soak it overnight. I usually do that.
2. Drain the water. Add ginger and green chillies. Grind the dal coarsely. 
3. Take the coarse dal in a bowl. Add all the spices. Add whole wheat flour, Sooji and 1 tbsp oil. Knead them together. Add very little water if required. The dough should be little stiffer than a chapati dough.
4. Cover and keep for 1/2 hour. Knead again for 10-15 seconds.
5. Make small lemon sized balls.
6. Apply a little oil on the Chakla. Roll them into 4-5" diameter circles.
7. Heat the oil for frying in a kadhai.
8. When the oil is hot, then lower the flame and fry the pooris.

I made it as a weekend brunch with potato curry and we all were tummy happy.
The best part is that my little one likes it too!!

Potato curry- No onion, no garlic recipe

This is a very simple dish to make. I usually make it on days on which we are fasting. Sometimes its yummily paired with Bedmi poori (will post the recipe soon).

Ingredients

• Potatoes- 3, boiled, peeled and diced
• Tomatoes- 2
• Ginger- 1' piece
• Green chillies- 1-2 (depending on the heat you want in the curry)
• Ghee/ Clarified butter- 1tsp
• Jeera/Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Heeng/asafoetida- a pinch

Spices

• Dhaniya power/coriander seeds powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
• Haldi/ Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- 1 tsp ( you can increase or decrease as per your taste)

Method

1. Grind tomatoes, ginger and green chilies together.
2. Heat Ghee in a Kadhai.
3. Add Heeng and jeera.
4. When the Jeera sizzles and brown, add the ground  tomato paste.
5. Add all the spices and mix well. Lower the flame a little and let it cook till the oil leave sides.
6. Add the potatoes and turn them in order to coat them with the cooked gravy. Add some water. Here you can decide the amount as per your need to have a thick or thin gravy.
7. You can mash a few pieces of potatoes here to give texture to the gravy.
8. Taste and adjust for salt.

Serve hot!

Pasta Al pomodoro

"Life is a combination of magic and Pasta"

-Fedrico Fellini

I have a pasta cookbook, gifted by hubby. He knew that I loved pasta and so this book happened.
The recipes are good and somehow they turn out well even if I improvise ...simply because I don't have all ingredients at all times!

Ingredients (makes for 2)

• Onion-1 large, chopped
• Penne pasta- 250 gm, cooked in boiling water till al dante
• Garlic- 2 big cloves, crushed
• Tomatoes- 3 chopped fine (you can use ready-made paste or puree also, or sieve the tomatoes to remove seeds..I did neither)
• Parmesan cheese- 1/4 C, grated
• Kosher salt- 1 heaped tsp (you can use regular salt, but in less quantity)
• Basil leaves- 1 tbsp, chopped (you can add parsley or any other favorite herb)
• Butter- 2 spoons
• Tomato ketchup- 1 Tbsp
• Black Pepper- 1 and 1/2 tsp

How to

1. Melt the butter (I already love this!)
2. Add the crushed Garlic. Fry for a minute.
3. Add Onions, cook till soft and pink.
4. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Cook and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Add Basil leaves. Add the cooked pasta. Add ketchup and mix.
7. Adjust salt at this stage. 
8. Serve , sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Along with a nice Greek salad.

Enjoy!