A Hint of Spice: Paneer

Showing posts with label Paneer. Show all posts

MALAI KOFTA

Georges Blanc once said "Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.”
This is a saying very close to my heart and the people who are close to me,know that I would cook on any given day but good things come out only when my heart is in it.Now many of you must be thinking what does it have to do with Malai Kofta? Well the first time I tried making malai kofta was my Husband's first birthday after marriage.I did not have a first hand experience till then,had not seen any one make it and I think to be honest I tried to accomplish too much that day.Soo the final result was OK,my husband was impressed but I was not happy.It is only after 6 years did I have the heart to make it again.The special occasion was our anniversary.This time I am really impressed(If I can say so myself).

For those of you who are not aware of what a kofta is please see this.Malai Kofta is a rich and delicious side dish for special occasions.It goes well with Naans,Parathas or even Jeera rice.It is a vegetarian alternative for meatballs.

Ingredients

For the Koftas

1 1/2 lb. potatoes

2 heaped tbsp each of crumbled paneer,khoya and thick malai(You can substitute this with baked ricotta cheese and heavy cream)
4-5 cashew nuts finely chopped
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp warm milk(for soaking the saffron)
Few strands of Saffron(optional)
Salt To Taste
3 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)
Oil for frying the koftas
For The Gravy
Gravy Masala
1 tblsp cashews (soaked in warm water overnight)
2 tblsp plain yogurt

Directions
1.Boil the potatoes till tender.
2.Peel and mash the potatoes and add salt according to taste.
3.Keep aside.
4.Mix the crumbled paneer,ricotta cheese and heavy cream,cardamom powder,cashews,salt(to taste),saffron threads (mixed with milk).
5.Make rounds of the potato dough and place a little of the prepared mixture in the center of each round.
6.Seal the edges and shape into stuffed rounds. Deep fry each kofta till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
7.Make the masala for the gravy as mentioned in the link above.
8.Make a paste of cashew(which has been soaked overnight,if you are all out of cashews you can use almonds)
9.Once you add the cashew paste to the gravy let it cook for few minutes,remembering to stir the gravy so that the cashew paste does not stick to the bottom.
10.The gravy will begin to change its color.Then add the plain yogurt.In this recipe I am using plain yogurt instead of cream.If you want you can use heavy whipping cream or even fat free sour cream.
11.If the gravy is too thick add water and let the gravy boil.
12.Put the kofta's in the hot gravy when you are ready to serve.
13.Garnish with finely cut cilantro or kasuri methi and serve with Naan or Hot Chapati
'njoy!!!
This goes to Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice for her Event Side Dish Showdown.Also sharing it with Divya from Dil Se for her event Show me Your Curry

10:48 PM | Labels: Almonds, Brunch, Deep Fried, Event Entrees, Fry, Kofta, Masala, Meals, Paneer, Potatoes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | 6 Comments

PANEER PAKORA

Pakora are small fritters made by dipping various ingredients in spicy chickpea batter(besan batter) and deep frying them.Pakora are widely eaten throughout India and parts of Southeast Asia, where they are a very popular snack and street food, and they are a common offering in Indian restaurants outside of the Asian subcontinent. Pakora are also very easy to make at home, for cooks who want to put a quick Indian appetizer together.

There can be many types of Pakoras Eggplant,Onions,Potatoes,Cauliflower,Corn,Lentils(Daals),Chillies,Chicken,Egg,Spinach and Finally Paneer Pakoda.(Paneer is bland Indian cottage cheese.).Once deep fried, the pakora are eaten hot, and they can be eaten straight or dipped in a variety of dipping sauces, from creamy cucumber raita to spicy mint and cilantro sauce.These Pakoras are a treat on a rainy,cold day and so easy and quick to make.

INGREDIENTS
7 oz Paneer
1 cup Gram flour(Besan)
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Roasted cumin powder(Jeera Powder)
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
Coriander leaves, chopped
Salt
Vegetable oil(For Deep Frying)

DIRECTIONS
1.Put the oil fro deep frying in a Pan.
2.Mix Gram Flour,Red Chilli Powder,Roasted Cumin Powder,Garam Masala Powder,Chopped Coriander Leaves and Salt.
3.Add water in samll quantities to the above mix to make a thick and smooth batter.
4.Cut paneer into medium size thick square shape pieces.
5.Dip the Paneer pieces in batter and let it coat the Paneer & then Deep fry the Paneer Pieces(few pieces at a time) on medium heat till golden brown.
6.Drain the fried pieces on a plate covered with Paper towel.
7.Enjoy them hot with Coriander Chutney,Mint Chutney or Tomato Ketchup.Don't forget a hot cup of Tea.
'njoy!!!!

Tips
1.You can also use Extra firm Tofu ,instead of Paneer.Just remember to drain the tofu in the whey it is stored and pat it dry using Paper Towel.
2.To check if the oil is ready for frying, put a drop of batter in it. The batter should come up, but not change color right away.

3.Make sure the temperature of oil is suitable for frying. If it's too hot the crispiness is lost and if it's not hot enough then the pakoras will be very greasy.

8:20 PM | Labels: Appetizer, Besan, Deep Fried, Fry, Pakora, Paneer, Snacks, Tofu, Vegetarian | 1 Comments

PANEER ROLL

Hey Everyone,

Sorry I am posting after a long hiatus.Just had to take some personal time off.....what with the festival season and many other things going on in life.Now I am back and fully recharged.So for a fresh start ,why don't we start with something sweet.

"Paneer Roll" is a very easy and quick sweet,which I made this Diwali.To be honest,this is not my authentic recipe but my friend Bharti's.She made it at a potluck and it was an instant hit.You won't believe it is so easy that I started measuring the ingredients and making them all the while speaking to my mom(she is in India) and was done even before my chat with my mom was halfway through...he he he that gives you an indication on how much I can talk.

Ingredients
1 cup Crumbled Paneer(Chena)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom powder)
3-4 drops kewra essence
raisins (kishmish) to garnish
1/2 cup shredded coconut to garnish

Directions
1.Prep the paneer...by prepping I mean,If you have store bought paneer crumble it and mash it so that it is very smooth.If you have home made paneer,ensure that all the water is drained and then mash it.
2.Mix all the ingredients (except raisins) well and start making them in any shape you want...peda,roll etc.
3.Garnish each roll with a single raisin and sprinkle shredded coconut over them.
4.Keep the rolls in fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
5.Store the rolls in fridge.They will stay fresh for 2 weeks (if they don't end up in your tummy before that).
'njoy!!!!

10:37 PM | Labels: Coconut, Diwali, Holi, Paneer, Quick Simple Ideas, Sweets | 0 Comments

PANEER BHURJI

Paneer is a type of soft, crumbly cheese native to India. It is one of the most common cheeses used in Indian cuisine, and it has a simple, fresh, versatile flavor which makes it highly useful in an assortment of recipes. The cheese is traditionally made with cow's milk, and it is readily available in many Indian markets. It is also very easy to make paneer at home.Paneer is also considered to be a fresh cheese, and it is never aged.Since it is made with whole milk, it is also very high in protein, making it a sound addition to a vegetarian diet.

Paneer Bhurji is a dish inspired from Anda Bhurji or scrambled eggs.Instead of egg,Paneer is scrambled here.

Ingredients
3 cups crumbled Paneer
1 white(vidalia) onion ,finely chopped
2-3 ripe tomatoes,chopped (or use tomato puree)
2-3 green chillies to taste,finely cut
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
Cilanto to garnish
1 tsp oil

Directions
1.In a non stick skillet heat 1 tsp of oil.Then add cumin seeds and green Chillies.After a few seconds add the finely cut onion and let it saute till it changes to translucent color and looses its raw taste.
2.Then add the chopped tomatoes or tomato puree,Salt,turmeric,garam masala, and red pepper(if you like it spicy).Let it cook thoroughly.
3.Finally add the crumbled paneer and mix it well with the onion-tomato paste.Let it cook for few minutes.
4.Garnish with chopped cilantro.
5.Serve with Roti or Naan.The leftovers (if you have any left) can be used as stuffing for sandwich,parathe or naan.It still tastes good.Even better.
'njoy!!!

10:24 PM | Labels: Eating Healthy, High Protein, Low Carb, Meals, Paneer, Punjabi Cuisine, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | 7 Comments

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Roasting Vegetables brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies their natural flavors.For diet-conscious folks, roasted vegetables add wonderful flavors to dishes without a lot of fat and calories. Roasted veggies like garlic, potatoes, and carrots can also work wonders as fat substitutes in recipes for mashed potatoes, sauces, cream soups, and casseroles.
This recipe of roasted vegetables is Indian style.The ingredients used for marinating the vegetables are typical Indian spices and the end result is wonderful.

Ingredients
1 medium sized red potato (you can also use baking potatoes or any other kind,although red potatoes are healthy) -chopped in medium size pieces
1 red bell pepper-chopped in medium size pieces
1 yellow bell pepper-chopped in medium size pieces
1/2 green bell pepper-chopped in medium size pieces
1 carrot-chopped in medium size pieces (or you can take 5-6 baby carrots)
1/2 Zucchini -chopped in medium size pieces
tofu/paneer(optional)

For Marinate
1 cup plain(non flavored) yogurt
1 tsp vegetable oil/olive oil
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp pav bhaji masala
1/2 tsp coriander powder

Directions
1.Line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with aluminium foil (for ease of cleaning ...you know me...love to cook,hate to clean).
2.The first vegetable to marinate and roast should be vegetables like potato,carrots,pumpkins and beets.
3.Mix the ingredients for marinate in a deep bowl and marinate the potato and carrot pieces for 30 minutes.
4.In this time period wash,scrub and cut the other vegetables in desired size.
5.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
6.Take the potatoes and carrots out of marinate (keeping them as dry as possible) and spread them on baking tray and let them cook.
7.It will take approximately 35-40 mintutes for them to cook and become tender.
8.Meanwhile mix all other vegetables and tofu/paneer in the marinade and let them stand by.
9.After the potatoes and carrots have been in oven for 20 minutes,change sides using a spatula or a spoon and then spread the other vegetables.
10.Let all the vegetables roast for another 25 minutes.
11.When all the vegetables are cooked and tender,take them out of the oven.
12.Season with chaat masala (optional ) and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Another good marinade for roasted vegetables is
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt
ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried thyme leaves

Roasted vegetables can be served with Naan,Roti etc.Leftovers can be used for sandwich fillings,pita bread fillings or even as toppings on a pizza.Yummo!!!
'njoy!!!
Sending this to girlichef for her TWO for TUESDAYS event.