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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Dry Paneer with Whole Spices



Ingredients:

75 gms paneer, cut into small bite size cubes.
8 black pepper balls
1 " cinnamon
2 cloves
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 medium sized tomato finely chopped
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder
1 tbsp coriender leaves finely chopped
3/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:

  • Heat oil in a kadai on a medium high flame. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick and black pepper balls together. Let the oil infuse the flavours for 1 minute.
  • Add the chopped onion and saute till the onion turn light pink in colour.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
  • Add the haldi powder, red chilli powder, kashmiri mirch powder, salt and sugar and stir well.
  • Add 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and bring it to one boil.
  • Uncover the kadai and add the paneer pieces. Bring to one boil. and dry the vegetable.
  • Once all the water dries up add the coriander leaves and serve!!!!
Tips:

  • This is a very dry vegetable with suttle flavours of whole masalas.
  • This preperation goes well with rotis.
  • You can adjust the red chilli powder to suite your taste.
  • I have not ground the whole spice as I like the subtle flavour. This also helps to discard the whole spices once the dish is ready, so that you don't end up biting into the whole spices while eating.
  • Its important to add all the whole spices together. Normally whatever goes first into the oil, the food will get its taste till the end. Hence, I have added all the whole spices together so that the flavours of all the three spices are infused into the oil.

Cabbage Salad



Ingredients:

1 cup cabbage shredded
1/3 cup broccoli, cut into medium sized florets
1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1" cubes
1 spring onion, sliced
1/2 cup mushroom, cut into 4 pieces
1 tbsp sweet corn
1/2 tbsp green peas
1 green chilli slit into 4
juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon
1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
salt to taste
pinch of cardamom powder
pinch of cinnamon powder

Method:

  • Heat a kadai on a medium high flame, add oil in the kadai and once its hot add all the vegetables together.
  • Simmer the gas and let the vegetables cook.
  • Cover the kadai with the lid and stir occasionally. The vegetables should be just done. They should be crunchy.
  • Once the vegetables are done, add black pepper powder, roasted jeera powder and salt.Mix well.
  • Turn off the gas and sprinkle lemon juice, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder. Stir well and serve!!!
Tips:
  • Don't overcook the vegetables. They must be crunchy.
  • You could add the vegetable one by one but adding them together also works fine.
  • You can add any other vegetable or avoid any of the vegetables given above to suite your taste and of course availability!!!
  • This salad has Indian spices and it really tastes good. You can serve this with any Indian meal.


Batata Kaap/Fodi ( Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes (Goan Style))


Ingredients:

1 potato
3 tbsp sooji (+ 1/2 tsp haldi powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder)
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp haldi powder
salt to taste

Method:
  • Cut the potatoes into round of 1/4 inch thickness. Wash, and sprinkle salt, haldi powder and red chilli powder. Keep aside.
  • Heat a pan on a medium flame and add oil.
  • Spread the sooji on a plate. Add 1/2 tsp haldi powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji and mix well.
  • Take each piece of the potato and roll it in the sooji so that the sooji coats the potato completely and place it in the pan.
  • Sprinkle some drops of water on th epan and cover the pan with a lid.
  • Let the potatoes cook on a very low flame.
  • Uncover the pan and check if the potatoes are cooked. If the potatoes are cooked turn each piece of potato and cook it on the other side on a medium heat.
  • Cook both the sides of the potato till golden brown.
  • Serve hot with rice and varn!!!!
Tips:

  • The thickness of the potatoes can be varied. Even if you slice them thin they taste good.
  • I also add 1/2 tsp of haldi and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji to enhance the flavours.
  • The potatoes must be moist only then will the sooji stick to the potato. If its dry add a tsp of water.
  • Do not marinate the potato for too long, it will turn dark and very soft.
  • You can check if the potatoes are cooked by pricking a knife/fork.
  • Only one side has to be cooked with the lid closed. do not cover the pan while cooking the other side.