MALAI KOFTA

This is one of my favorite vegetarian curry.I wanted to try my hands on this ever since I learnt cooking. I have come across many recipes but any of them was not easy .The thought of getting it right made me stayed way from trying this.one afternoon when I was taking my daily nap, I dreamed of this koftas;).suddenly I woke up and googled the recipe.Adapted from here and there and made it within 30 minutes.It turned out truly delicious. What I love in this recipe is that, no chopping and cutting involves though we need to spend a bit long time in the kitchen. I don’t mind spending some time for something interesting J

Ingredients

For the koftas

1.    Paneer-150gm, grated

2.    Potatoe-2 medium, peeled and squared

3.    Coriander leaves- a few

4.    Cumin powder-1/4 tsp

5.    Chilly powder-1/2tsp

6.    Garam masala-1/4 tsp

7.    Salt

8.    Oil for deep frying

For the gravy

9.    Onion-3medium

10.   Tomatoes-2 medium

11.  Cashew nuts-10 nos, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.

112   Ginger-1 small piece

13.Garlic-5 pods

14.Chilly powder-1 tsp

15. Coriander powder-3/4 tsp

16. Garam masala-3/4 tsp

17.  Cardamom-3 nos

18.    Fresh cream -1/4 to ½ cup

19   Water  or milk -1cup

20.     Salt

21.   Oil or butter -2tbsp

Method of preparation

1.    Boil potatoes by adding some water and salt. Once cooked, mash it.take a mixing bowl. Add all  ingredients for kofta . Mix well and knead well without lumps. Make small lemon sized balls out of this.

2.    Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the prepared balls till brown and keep it aside.

3.    For the gravy- grind together onion ginger and garlic to smooth paste. Heat oil or butter in a pan .Add cardamom. When the aroma comes add onion paste. Sauté well until it turns brown.

4.    Meanwhile grind tomatoes in to smooth paste. Once onion, ginger garlic paste is sauted well, add in tomato paste and all powders. Sauté again until raw smell goes and oil ooze out from the masala.

5.    Add water or milk and cashew paste. Once gravy thickens and achieved desired consistency add cream and kasuri methi.Give a nice stir. Switch off the flame. Drop fried koftas and chopped coriander leaves in to the gravy. Keep the curry closed for some time to let the koftas absorb the flavors from the gravy.Garnish with some cream or grated paneer.

Serve with roti or pulav.

RESTAURANT STYLE PANEER BUTTER MASALA (WITHOUT CREAM OR CASHEW PASTE)

 Paneer butter masala …the most famous and classic Indian curry.This is the one thing we order whenever we go to a vegetarian restaurant. Since the time I started cooking I ve been trying to make this dish at home and have tried many recipes from various sources but every time it ended up in a disaster. Then I just stopped experimenting with butter paneer with a misconception that I cannot reproduce restaurant quality Butter paneer at home. Whenever we buy Paneer we consume it as a stir fry or tikka.We use to have chappathi or dosa for dinner .Finding a good and easy side dish everyday is quite difficult .My husband prefers gravy side dish to tikkas.So I planned  my own recipe on this dish and decided not add any expensive ingredients like cashew or cream  .Since I dont want totake a risk on something which was never a success. But to my surprise it turned out extremely delicious !!! Exactly the same or much better than that of what we have in restaurants.  I would like to share this simple recipe with you too..Please do try and surprise your spouse and guests with this delicious curry..

Preparation time-10min

Cooking time-20 min.

Serving-2 to 3 

Ingredients

1.      Paneer-200gms,cut into cubes

2.      Onion-2 large,thinly sliced

3.      Ginger garlic paste-2tsp

4.      Tomato-2 medium ,roughly chopped

5.      Cumin seeds(jeera)-1/4tsp

6.      Cardamom-2 nos

7.      Kashmiry chilly powder-1tbsp heaped

8.      Garam masala-1tsp+1tsp

9.      Jeera powder-1/2tsp

10.  Kasuri methi-2tbsp heaped ( it is dried leaves of methi (uluva)and is available in all supermarkets)

11.  Oil-1tbsp

12.  Milk-1cup

13.  Butter-2tbsp

14.  Salt

15.  Wate-1 cup or more

16.  Sugar-3/4tsp

17.  Corinder leaves- 2 tbsps,chopped

           Method of preparation

1.      Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and cardamom.when it changes its color add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 min or till its raw smell goes.

2.      Add thinly sliced onion and salt into this and cook until onion turns transparent and slightly brown.Add the chilly powder,jeerapowder and 1 tsp garam masala.(keep the remaining 1 tsp garam masala aside).sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp of water and stir till the raw smell of powders disappears. Add the tomatoes in and cook till melts. Lastly add kasuri methi.Swith of the flame

3.      Allow the prepared masala to cool.Grind it into smooth paste by adding little water.

4.       Pour it back into the pan ,add 1 cup of water and boil the gravy in medium flame till it reaches very thick consistency.

5.      Add paneer and mix well. Pour 1 cup of milk. Heat till it reaches smooth thick gravy. Check for saltiness.Switch off the stove.

6.      Add butter and sprinkle remaining garam masala,coriander leaves and sugar evenly .keep it closed for some time.

 Enjoy this delicious curry with chappathi,naan etc..

Notes: If the curry turns too thick add little more water and just heat for few minutes.

Use only Kashmiri chilly as it gives  right thickness and color to the gravy.If you want to use normal chilly ,then reduce its quantity.

 

HOW TO MAKE PANEER-STEP BY STEP ILLUSTRATION

 I tried my level best to include step by step pictures. But I missed few ,where I had to use my both hands .so when you make this i suggest you to read the methods apart from following the pics :) 

 

Ingredients

1.      Milk-1litre

2.      Lemon juice of 1 lemon

3.      a piece of clean cloth preferably a muslin or cotton cloth.( i used a piece of one old dhothi)

Method of preparation

1.      Keep your strainer ready.Spread the cloth over it.

 2. pour the milk into a  deep bottomed vessel.Bring it to boil.

3.      When it comes to boil add lemon juice little by little.Give a nice stir.Let it curdle fully.Switch off the flame.

4.      Transfer this into kept ready strainer.Wash  under running water.Let the paneer sit for few minutes

.

5.      Now sqeeze it to remove excess water.Grind it using a mixer grinder in order to get smooth lumps free paneer.

 

6.      Place it back on the cloth.

7.      Shape it in to a square or round shaped block with help of a spoon.

8.      Fold the cloth.keep some heavy object over it.(i used one stone i collected somewhere from the beach)

9.      Keep in fridge for 3 to 4 hrs.

10.  Take it out and cut into cubes.lets make your favorite paneer dishes

NOTES: Here  i used full fat milk.Toned milk also can be used,but with toned milk the quantity of paneer will be less.With this measurement you will get around 150 gms of paneer

CHILLY PANEER

CHILLY PANEER

Ingredients

1.      Paneer (cut into cubes)-150 gm

2.      Onion (diced)-1 medium

3.      Capsicum(diced)-half of 1

4.      Green chilly(diagonally cut)-2nos

5.      Garlic( chopped)-3 or 4 pods

6.      Chilly sauce-2tbsp

7.      Soya suace-2tbsp

8.      Tomato sauce-3tbsp

9.      Cornflour-1 tbsp

10.  Pepper powder-3/4 tsp

11.  Oil-2tbsp

12.  Water-1cup

13.  Salt

14.  Spring onion n celery(chopped)-1 tbsp each(optional)

FOR  BATTER

1.      Maida-2tbsp

2.      Cornflour-2tbsp

3.      Pepper powder-1/2 tsp

4.      Garlic crushed-2 pods

5.      Salt

6.      Water

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1.      Prepare a thick batter with above mentioned ingredients.coat

Paneer pieces with batter n shallow fry them till both sides turn light

Brown.keep it aside

2.      In the same pan sauté garlic n greenchilly for a minute.

3.      Add in onion ,capsicum n salt n sauté until onion becomes transparent

4.      Add sauces,stir well

5.      Add shallow fried paneer pieces

6.      Dissolve corn flour with some water and add into this,mix well

7.      Add remaining water n keep the lid closed n let it boil or till the gravy reaches required consistency

8.      Lastly add pepper powder

9.      Garnish with spring onion n celery. its done!