Friday 28 November 2014

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.


 

Wednesday 26 November 2014

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.