Kadhai Paneer

This is one paneer dish which does not require too much of preparation......predominantly tomato flavour with just the right amount of kasoori methi makes this a unique blend of flavours...must try for the paneer lovers!

Ingredients:

1 capsicum, cut lengthwise

1 medium tomato, grated

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1" ginger, crushed to paste

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp kashmiri mirch powder

3/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp kassori methi

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a skillet add the onions and saute for a minute. Add ginger and garlic paste and mix well. Cook the onions on a medium low flame till onion turn light brown in colour.
• Add the grated tomato and let it cook on a medium low flame till the tomatoes start leaving oil.
• Add tomato ketchup, capsicum and sugar and mix well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes till the capsicum are crisp but done.
• Uncover and add coriander powder, jeera powder, kashmiri mirch powder and mix well.
• Add water as per required and mix well.
• Add salt and the paneer pieces. Cook for 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle kasoori methi and cook for a minute.
• Serve with any Indian bread!!!!

Tips:

• At any stage if the masala gets dry add 1 table spoon of water at a time.
• The consistency of the gravy should such that it coats the paneer pieces. This dish does not have thin gravy.
• When you add grated tomato, you can cook it by covering the skillet.
• You can also use homemade tomato puree or blanched tomato instead of grated tomato.
• When using grated tomato ensure that you do not add the skin of the tomato.
• You can also use readymade tomato puree in such a case you will have to reduce the use of tomato ketchup.
• You can also add yellow and red capsicum along with the green capsicum to give varied colour to the dish.

Kanyachi Bhakri (Onion Bhakri) Goan Style

Ingredients:

1/3 rd cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup rawa

3 tbsp fresh coconut grated

1 green chilli, chopped

1 tbsp coriander leaves

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp oil

1 tsp ghee

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a tawa on a medium flame
• In the meanwhile mix rawa, onion, green chilli, coriander leaves, sugar, grated coconut and salt together.
• Add water and mix. Add water so that all the ingredients can be brought together. (do not add too much of water.
• Spread oil in the pan and spread the mixture on the pan with the help of hand.
• Turn the gas on sim, cover the pan and let the bhakri cook on low flame. It will take about 3-5 minutes.
• uncover the tawa and spread ghee on both the sides and turn the bhakri.
• Roast the bhakri on both the sides till golden brown.
• Serve hot with homemade butter!!!!

Tips:

• See that once you add liquid into rawa do not let the mixture rest, immediately put it on the pan to cook.
• In this recipe approximately 1/4 cup of water has been used. this can however vary. Just ensure that the mixture must not have the consistency of batter. water is used just to get the ingredients together.
• don't spread the mixture too thin or too thick.
• you can also use butter to enhance the flavour.

Neerpansachi Bhaaji (Goan Style)

Ingredients:

1 cup neerpanas, cut into 3"

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp of freshly grated coconut

1 green chilli, slit into 2

1/4 tsp mustard

pinch of hing

1 tsp of oil

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a skillet on a medium high flame. Add oil. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
• Add hing and green chillies and immediately add the cut pieces of neerpanas and mix well.
• Add salt and cover the skillet and cook. Stir occasionally. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time if required.
• Once the neerpanas is almost done add garam masala powder and stir well. Cook till the neerpanas is almost cooked.
• Add the grated coconut and cook for one more minute.
• Serve with rice and dal!!!

Tips:

• you can increase the quantity of the oil if required.
• fry the neerpanas pieces well this will help it retain its shape and not get soggy.
• This is a very light and dry vegetable to be served as an accompaniment.
• you can garnish with coriander if you like, but i prefer without it.
• You can also add green peas to this vegetable.

Kakdi Koshambir (Cucumber Salad) Goan Style

Dry Bhindi with Moist Onion

Ingredients:

100 gms bhindi

1/2 onion grated

3 cloves of garlic crushed

2 tsp oil

1/4 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/8 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

Method:

• Cut the head of bhindi and keep aside.
• In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and shallow fry the bhindi on a low flame. Add salt and mix. cover the pan and let the bhindi cook on a low flame. stir occasionally.
• Once the bhindi is cooked transfer in a plate and keep aside.
• In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and add the grated onion and crushed garlic and cook till the onions turn pink in colour and there is no raw smell of the onion.
• Once the onion is cooked add the bhindi and mix well.
• Add salt, jeera powder and haldi powder and mix well.
• Cover the pan and let the bhindi cook with the masala for a minute.
• Uncover the pan and add black pepper powder and mix well.
• Serve hot with roti!!!!

Tips:

• You can also deep fry the bhindi. But this way it taste good aswell.
• you can add 1 slit green chilli if you need.
• keep adding 1 tsp of water at a time when cooking the bhindi.
• don't overcook the bhindi, keep it juicy.

Baigan Paneer

Ingredients:

1 cup brinjol- cut into bite size cube

1/2 cup paneer- cut into bite size cube

2 tsp oil

1 medium onion chopped

1 tomato grated

3 cloves garlic- grated or finely chopped

10 grains of methi seeds
1/4 tsp rai

1 1/2 tbsp tomato ketch up

1/4 tsp haldi powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder

salt to taste

pinch of dalchini powder

pinch of cardamom powder

1 tsp oil

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadai. Add the brinjal pieces and fry them till done. In the same oil fry the paneer pieces. 
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add the methi seeds. once the methi seeds change colour add the onion. Saute the onion till light brown in colour.
3. Add the grated garlic and saute. Add the grated tomato and saute till the tomatoes are cooked.
4. Add the haldi powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, kashmiri mirch powder and salt and mix.
5. Add the tomato ketch up and mix well.
6. Add the fries brinjal and paneer pieces and mix
7. Sprinkle a pinch of sdalchini powder and cardamom powder and serve hot!

Tips:

• the skin of the brinjal should be peeled.
• you can use 2 tbsp of tomato puree instead of grated tomato.
• see that the methi seeds are not burnt, just when they change colour add the onion, otherwise the methi gives bitter taste to the dish.

Beetroot Salad

Neerpansachi Fodi/Kaap (Goan Style)