Butter Paneer Masala

Butter paneer is one rich creamy dish you can prepare as a treat to yourself. This is definitely not the time to go low fat or no butter. This is a fool-proof recipe and tastes just like the one they serve at the restaurant. You can wow your spouse or your friends with this super rich and quite easy dish. Great for parties too. So go ahead and try it today. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

14 oz Paneer (bite-size pieces)

4 tbsp Butter

2 tsp Oil

1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 cup ground Tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1 cup Water

Salt

 How to:

• Heat oil in a deep pan at medium heat and then add butter. (This prevents butter from browning. Btw, i used only half the butter.)

• Now add the ginger and garlic paste and saute for a couple of mins.

• Once the raw smell disappears, add the tomatoes and cook until the oil separates for 4-5 mins.

• Then add the coriander powder, chili powder, paprika and garam masala along with salt and cook for a min.

• Now add the paneer pieces and mix well to coat completely.

• Then pour the water, mix well and cook for 5 mins with lid closed.

• Check salt for taste, lower the flame and add the cream.

• Let come to a boil and switch off.

• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with naan or rotis.

Lady's finger/Okra Masala (dry)

Ahh, i felt very lazy today morning and thought of escaping from cooking. With all my laziness by the side, I somehow made sambar with brinjals and drumsticks. Then i washed some lady's finger and got comfortable on my couch and started searching for an easy recipe to put together, i googled for okra masala and end up in Manjula's kitchen, Bhindi masala. With the name, first i thought, the dish is gonna be moist, but once i gone through the recipe, i felt 'thats exactly what i am looking for'. I mean, no chopping of onions or tomatoes, just with all the masala powders, a recipe that perfectly suits my day. With a big smile, i head to my kitchen and made the dish and it tasted really good. I enjoyed the little crispy fingers with a touch of tanginess from amchur powder and it was perfect with my sambar rice. Also, if you think the okra seems more browned, you can switch off a couple mins earlier. Trust me, you'll love it. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1/2lb Lady's finger 

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1/4tsp Asafoetida

1 1/2tsp Coriander powder

1tsp Red Chilli powder

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Amchur powder (dry mango powder)

1 1/2tsp Besan flour (Gram flour)

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Wash and pat fry the lady's finger and cut'em lengthwise.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.

• Then add the cut lady's finger, saute for a min and cook with lid closed until tender.

• Now add the coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric powder, mix well and cook with lid closed for a couple of mins.

• Add the salt and amchur powder and saute for a min.

• Then add the gram flour and gently mix the lady's fingers and cook for a min or until browned and crispy. 

Serve hot with sambar rice.

Masala Rice

The other day, i was searching for a flavored rice and started googling, i chanced upon this masala rice at http://showmethecurry.com/. The recipe was for leftover rice, but i used freshly cooked rice and was very much pleased as the ingredients seemed very simple and adding chana masala  to rice is something i would have never thought of. Also the flavor from chana masala was a total knockout, especially when fused with the aroma of freshly cooked basmati rice. This is a quick rice dish, which you can make it in less than 10 mins. If you are using leftover rice, just reheat the rice, in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 secs, with some water sprinkled to prevent drying out.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice

1tbsp Chana masala powder

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tbsp Peanuts (roasted)

2 Green chillies (minced0

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

5-6 Curry leaves

1 pinch Asafoetida

1tbsp + 1tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Pressure cook the rice along with 1tsp oil and required salt.
• Fluff it and transfer to a bowl or plate. Add the chana masala powder, mix well and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida, followed by turmeric powder.

• Then add curry leaves, green chillies and roasted peanuts. (If you have raw peanuts, add it before curry leaves and roast'em.)

• Now reduce the flame, add the cooked rice into the skillet, gently toss and cook until rice is all heated through. Check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve with raita or chips.

Tandoori Mushroom Masala

Ingredients:

8oz Button Mushrooms (Quartered)

1 Yellow onions (diced)

3 small green chilli (chopped)

1 1/2tsp Garlic (minced)

1 1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

5-6 Curry leaves

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

2tsp Coriander Powder

1 1/2tsp Tandoori Chicken powder

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

2 Cloves

1 Cinnamon stick (1/2")

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick.

• Add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Then add garlic, ginger and green chillies and saute until the raw smell disappears.

• Add turmeric powder and saute until onions turn slightly brown.

• Then add coriander powder and tandoori powder and cook for a min.

• Add the mushrooms, mix well and cook in a medium flame.

• As the mushrooms gets the heat, it releases water and let it cook until tender. 

• When the water is all evaporated, add the curry leaves, reduce the flame and cook until the mushrooms turn slightly brown.

Serve hot with steamed rice, chapathi, anything.

Paneer-Bell Pepper Masala

Ingredients:

12 oz Paneer (bite-size cubes)

1 Yellow onion (diced)

2 Tomatoes (puree)

1 Red Bell pepper (diced)

3 small green chilli (chopped)

1 1/2tsp ginger-garlic paste

1tsp Chilli powder

2tsp Coriander powder

1tsp Cumin powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

1/2tsp Fennel seeds

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1 Cinnamon stick (1/2")

1 green Cardamom

2 small Bay leaves

2 Cloves

3 cups Water

1tsp Gram flour

1tbsp Water

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Dissolve the gram flour in 1tbsp of water and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet, add fennel seeds through cloves.

• Add onions along with salt and saute for a couple of mins.

• Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell disappears.

• Then add the bell pepper and green chillies and saute until tender.

• Now add pureed tomatoes and cook for 4-5 mins in a medium flame.

• Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and cook for a min.

• Now add the cubed paneer, mix well. Then, pour the water and let it boil.

• Check salt for taste. When the water is reduced to half, add the gram flour water and cook for a min for the gravy to thicken. 

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with chapathi or naan.


Sending this dish to  “ Letz Relishh –  Paneer “  hosted by Jay.