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.

 

EASY LEMON CUP CAKES (NO EGGS NO BUTTER !!!)

How fast the time flies!!! Its been one year since I posted something in my blog.My blog was kept unnoticed for long time.I apologize my fellow bloggers for not visiting and commenting on their blogs. 

 Motherhood changed my life drastically.My little man is now 9 months old. Imagine how tough it is looking after a naughty baby boy. I find it really hard to spend much time on cooking.But once  I opened my blog account I did find fairly good number of page views.Then I badly wanted to restart my blog. I wish this post be a sweet one as this is my first post after my Kannan born.This is for him.I started cooking this after making him sleep .But just after measuring all the ingredients he woke up.So the rest I completed by holding him in my hands.I was struggling to get hold of muffin cups which he tried to snatch from me:)Anyway we both enjoyed cooking this.

 Coming to these recipe.This  is a quick one bowl cake.Anything lemony is refreshing so does this cake.Usually the cake taste best on the next day. I had  a piece when it just came out of the oven and it taste awesome!!i feel this cake taste delicious even while it is hot . When ever you feel like having something truly refreshing try this out .You can make this in a jiffy since it contains no fancy ingredients and no tedious work.Here goes the recipe…

Ingredients

1.      Maida-1 cup

2.      Sugar-less than ¾ cup

3.      Oil-1/4 cup(use any unflavoured oil)

4.      Baking powder-1/2tsp

5.      Baking soda-1/2tsp

6.      Milk-3/4 cup

7.      Lemon juice-1tbsp

8.      Lemon zest- zest of two small lemons (it was around 1 tbsp or more)

9.      Lemon yellow color-tad a bit (it is purely optional)

Method of preparation

1.      Preheat oven at 180degree for 10 minutes.

2.      Take a bowl.mix all ingredients except flour  and stir till the sugar dissolves.

3.      Add the flour in  two batches and give a nice stir without any lumps.

4.      Pour in to muffin cups or greased muffin tray and bake for 30 minutes at 180degree or till the inserted knife comes out clean.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EASY FRUIT / PLUM CAKE (LIQUOR FREE)

This is a hassle free recipe as it requires no pre soaking of fruits, no hard beating of eggs, sugar or butter and more over you don’t need to bring your ingredients to room temperature!! but the result is awesome. Why don’t you try this super easy, delicious cake on this X’mas..

Recipe is adapted from here 

Ingredients

1.      All purpose flour(maida)-150gm(around 1 ¼ cup)

2.      Baking powder-1 ¾ tsp

3.      Salt-less than ¼ tsp

4.      Brown sugar or granulated white sugar-150gm( around 1 1/3 cup)(refer notes)

5.      Eggs-2nos

6.      Chopped dry fruits and nuts- 1 ½ cup to 2 cups (I used dates,kismis,cashew nuts and almonds)

7.      Butter-100gm

8.      Mixed spice-1tsp (see notes)

9.      Chopped orange peel-3 tsp

Method of preparation

1.      Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.

2.      Take dry fruits and chopped orange peel in a sauce pan. Add enough water to cover the fruits. Bring it to boil and keep in low flame for 5 minutes. Drain the water.

3.      When the cooked fruits are still hot, add the butter .Give a nice stir and allow it to melt.

4.      Add lightly beaten eggs ,sifted flour, sugar, mixed spice into this. Mix well without forming lumps. It is always better to add flour in different batches for getting lump free batter.

5.      Pour into prepared 8” inch cake tin and bake at 180 degree for 1 hour or till the inserted knife comes out clean.

Notes:

1.       If you are using normal sugar, it is better to make caramel for getting dark color cake though it is purely optional. For this, heat ½ cup of sugar(from the mentioned amount) in a saucepan .When it is completely melted and turned brown switch off the flame, carefully add ¼ cup of water. Heat again until sugar crystals completely dissolves. This is the caramel. Add this into the cake mixture once it has cooled.

2.      Mixed spice can be made by pounding a small piece of cinnamon, a clove, a small piece of nutmeg and a small piece of dry ginger.

THALASSERY CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Thalassery is a famous place of Northern Kerala.Thalassery biriyani is known for its unique taste and preparation.The main differences I noticed is  that the cooking of masala involves large number of tomatoes and it does not involve the time consuming process of sautéing of onions. Here onions are deep fried and lastly added into the masala. It gives the meat the wonderful brownish fried look and taste even without adding a drop of oil. Also the Authentic recipe uses special rice variety called ‘jeerakashla or kaima rice’, which is a small grain rice with a wonderful aroma.(bur here I have used basmati).

This recipe is Shared by our Kannur friend Shinoj ,he claims he makes the best thalassery biriyani :).Here goes the recipe….

                                                                                                            

Ingredients

1.      Rice-4cups

2.      Chicken- 1 kg,cut into medium sized pieces

3.      Onion-4nos,( big) thinly sliced

4.      Green chilly-7big,crushed or 5 tbsp crushed

5.      Ginger-2 ½ tbsp,crushed

6.      Garlic-2 ½  tbsp,crushed

7.      Tomatoe-5nos,medium sized, thinly sliced

8.      Biriyani masala-1tbsp

9.      Lemon juice-2tbsp

10.  All spices-cardomom-8nos,cinnamon stick-2nos,star anise-1no,cloves-10nos

11.  Ghee-1/4cup+1tbsp

12.  Oil-1/4 cup

13.  Salt

14.  Coriander leaves and ,mint leaves-one handful each+ few for layering

15.  Cashew and kismiss-2 tbsp each

16.  Rose water-1/2 tsp

17.  Water-7 cups(see notes)

Method of preparation

1.      Heat a tbsp of ghee in a deep bottomed vessel.saute all spices .when the aroma comes add mentioned  amount of water,rosewater and salt.Let it boil.add rice in and cook until the water dries up completely.

2.      Heat ghee and oil together in a pan.fry kismiss and cashew till golden brown.Keep it aside.fry the sliced onions in the same pan till brown.(take care not to burn the onions).Fry onions in three batches. Reserve a handful of fried onions for layering.

3.      Cook tomatoes in another pan without adding any water or oil till mushy.add the crushed green chilly ,ginger and garlic  into this and sauté until aroma comes.  Add biriyani masala.stir for 2minutes.Now add the fried onions and salt.Stir well. Lastly add the chicken and mix well to coat well with the masala.Close the pan.Let it cook for 20 miutes.You don’t need to add any water. When the chicken is fully cooked add a tbsp of lemon juice and give a nice stir.This is the masala.

4.      How to do dum-layer the bottom of the pan with one batch of  chicken masala.Spread rice on the top .Sprinkle few coriander leaves,fried onions,cashew kismiss ,few fried onions ,a tbsp of melted ghee and a tsp of lemon juice.Repeat the process until the rice and the masala is finished.. the top layer should be rice. Add plenty of cashew nuts,kismiss anf fried onions.

5.      Click here to know how to  do dum

Serve with raitha,pickle and pappad

Notes: Rice can be cooked in two ways:One I already mentioned.in this method you have to be accurate in the amount of water to be added.If water is more rice would become mushy .

Other method is draining method-  Cook rice by adding plenty of water (around 12 cups of water).when the rice is ¾ done transfer it into a strainer and drain the water completely.