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Shahi Paneer

>> Friday, September 10, 2010

Shahi Paneer is one of the popular dishes of Punjab. When it comes to Punjabi cuisines, you need to be generous with the amount of ghee/butter. This recipe is very easy to make at home. And it goes well with rotis, parathas and even jeera rice.
As I'm a Paneer lover, Shahi paneer is always given a "Shahi" treatment in my kitchen and my dinning table. :) Why not? Who can resist the thick, rich gravy........
So let us get onto "The KhasamKhas" dish of all times.


Ingredients:
1 cup paneer, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup dry nuts
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
10 tsp vegetable oil/ghee
Salt to taste


Method:
Fry paneer in oil till they are golden brown in color. Remove from heat and put in hot water to remain soft. In a large pan, saute dry nuts, onion and green chillies, until onions become translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 min. Remove from heat and let it cool.


Make a fine paste in blender. Pour back to same pan and fry again for sometime. Reduce the flame and add all masalas and salt. Saute for 2 mins.
Add cream to the mixture and stir well. Cook at low flame and add paneer cubes to the gravy. Cook for 2 mins. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot with tandoori rotis or jeera rice.
Note: If the gravy is thick, add in some milk to obtain the desired consistency.


This entry goes to "Letz Relissh!!-Paneer" by Jay.

    

Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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Kiwi Shake

>> Thursday, September 9, 2010

So, now here we have another summer cooler.."The Kiwi"....
Kiwi is the king of cocktails and I've once tasted Kiwi Martini Cocktail. From that day, I was in search of a chance to work on this cute little fruit.


These days, I'm into playing with fruits and fruit juices. So, here is my yummy Kiwi Shake!!


What I like about Kiwi is the gorgeous green color and the tangy taste. And when you combine them with milk, sugar and vanilla ice cream, makes it just tempting!!


Ingredients:

2 Kiwi Fruit
1 cup Milk
Sugar - as per taste
Vanilla Ice cream - 1 scoop


Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend them well.
Serve cold. Garnish with kiwi cubes.



Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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Mango Lassi

>> Wednesday, September 8, 2010

When it comes to summer, there is no fun without mangoes. In my hometown, we have a big mango tree in our backyard. In my childhood, me and my friends, we will climb that tree and pluck all mangoes, no matter whether they are raw or ripe. I just love those memories.. I must admit that I'm a good tree climber... :)


I bought a box of my sweetie mangoes from a Mexican grocery store. Lemme tell you guys my mom prepares excellent mango lassi. That's just perfect!! And what's unique is the hint of ginger in it.. This gives lassi a spicy flavor... Yes, ginger aids in digestion of mangoes.. but i like the gingery twist in my sweet mango lassi...


After this riotous combination of mangoes and yougurt, I'm going to get into other fruity combinations... I believe every fruit blended with yogurt, is just awesome!!


And when it comes to Alphonso mangoes, rich, pulpy and smooth as butter... they are bursting with flavor. Blend them with yogurt, little sugar and oh my!! you are with your perfect summer drink!!!

Ingredients:

2 large Alphonso mango, cut into small cubes
1 cup yogurt
3 tbsp Sugar or as per taste
1/2 cup Milk, if required
1 tsp ground ginger
2-3 ice cubes


Method:

If you don't have fresh mangoes, substitute with 1 cup canned mangoes and if using sweetened mango pulp, reduce the amount of sugar.
Combine all the ingredients, except milk, in the blender. Blend well. Adjust the ingredients as per the taste.
Pour the milk, little by little, until you reach the desired consistency.
Serve garnished with nuts or mango slices.


Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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Kuwaiti Chicken Biriyani

>> Friday, September 3, 2010

Although I'm not perfect in biriyani, I've tried making it in number of ways. Cooking chicken and rice in layers, cooking both together, preparing in pressure cooker and this goes on. And everytime I find a difference in outcome. And yesterday I tried by cooking half cooked chicken and rice in layers. Believe me, this came out to be perfect. And when you accompany it with raita, pickle and green salad, it becomes "WOWY!!".


It's true that making biriyani yourself and eating it, is one of the most cherishing experiences in life.

I always suggest that whenever you're preparing biriyani or pulao, use good quality of basmati rice. This results in best flavor and appearance.


Ingredients:

For rice
2-1/2 cups of basmati rice, washed
3-1/2 cups of water

For chicken
500g chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
1 tsp chilli pwd
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp mint leaves, chopped
Salt, as per taste
Pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 1/4 cup of water

Whole Spices
2 bay leaves
4, 1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves and green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
3 tsp cumin seeds

Garnish
8-9 cashewnuts, fried
1 tsp chopped cilantro


Method:

Boil water in medium saucepan and when it boils add rice to it. Cook until rice is half cooked. Remove from heat and spread over large platter to cool.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan and add in all the whole spices. Saute for 1 min and add onion and saute until golden brown. Add garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant.
Now add tomato and all masalas. Cook till tomato becomes soft. Add chicken pieces and some water, stir until chicken gets almost cooked. Add salt and remove from heat.


In a medium pot, place half quantity of prepared rice and the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and mint over it. Cover the top with the remaining rice.

Pour the saffron water on top. Cover firmly with pot lid and cook over low heat for 30 mins or until rice is cooked.

Garnish with cashewnuts and cilantro. Serve with raita and green salad. Enjoy!!

This entry goes to "Festive Rice" event by Torview.



Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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Garlic Naan

>> Thursday, September 2, 2010

If I'm not wrong, naan is favourite of every Indian and so mine too. I'm a true lover of naan and I love it in any form. Last Saturday, we had our lunch at Indian hotel, LA and we ordered garlic naan, shahi paneer, chicken 65, vegetable pulao and raita. Oh my god! I had tummy-full and I thought "Why not prepare Garlic Naan?" And there we go....



I used to think, for preparing naan we need tandoor.. But, I read in some cookbook that we can prepare them in oven... Wow! I was jumping in joy.. Even Sree was surprised when he saw Garlic naan for dinner.. He was not ready to believe me that I've prepared them in home. Atlast I shown him how I did... :)

So, here I go for you all................


Ingredients:

4 cups - All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp - active dry yeast
1 tsp - Baking Powder
4 tbsp - warm milk
2/3 cup - plain yogurt
2 tbsp - ghee
2/3 cup - milk
1/2 cup - chopped cilantro
2 tsp - minced garlic
2 tbsp - sugar
1/2 tsp Salt

Method:

Mix together warm milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let it stand until frothy. In a medium bowl, take flour, baking powder and salt. Make a depression in center and fold in the frothy mixture, yogurt and ghee. Mix together and use milk to knead it into a smooth ball of dough.

Oil a medium bowl and place the dough into it. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and keep aside for atleast 1 hour to rise.

Once dough has risen, punch down and knead in minced garlic. Take 8 balls out of the dough. Roll the ball out, using rolling pin, into an oval about 6 inches long.


Preheat the oven at high broil mode. Oil the baking sheet and place the naan on it. In each batch, you can make two naans.

Brush naan with melted ghee and broil for 5-6 minutes or until brown. Take it out, brush some more ghee onto it, sprinkle chopped cilantro and chopped garlic and broil for another 1-2 mins.

Serve warm with paneer butter masala or another rich curry.


This entry goes to Two for Tuesdays Volume 12 hosted by Girlichef.


Also it goes to BSI-MILK hosted by Sanyukta.

Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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Happy Krishna Janmashtami with Rasmalai

>> Wednesday, September 1, 2010

  


Janmashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna. Although, I'm celebrating it today but the real charm of this festival exists in India. Rasa lila, Dahi Handi or uriadi are the major events on Janmashtami.


I still cherish the memories of Dahi handi (Matki Phod) in Mumbai, where teams of young men, called as Govinda, form human pyramids to reach high hanging pot filled with buttermilk and break it with a blunt object.


I remember, early morning Mom will draw little footprints outside the house with rice-flour, walking towards the house.I will keep fast the whole day and by evening Mom will prepare yummy food and sweets. The divine aroma itself kills me. After doing evening puja, I'll be found only in kitchen... ;) How can someone resist those killing aroma? And one of the favourite dishes prepared on Janmashtami is "Rasmalai".


Rasmalai is a milk sweet made with Paneer (cottage cheese) and it is served chilled. Sometimes, mom will prepare them without including saffron and sometimes with saffron, but in either way, it tastes delicious.

So this time I thought of preparing Rasmalai. Initially, I thought it would be difficult to make, but then it turns out to be quite an easy recipe. Only thing you need to take care is while preparing paneer dumplings. So, now here is the recipe of everyone's all-time favourite, Rasmalai.

  
Ingredients:

Milk (2% milk) - 3 cups ( for paneer)
Milk (2% milk) - 1 cup ( for rabadi/malai)
Condensed milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup ( for making syrup)
Sugar - 3 tbsp (for malai)
Cardamom - 1/2 tbsp
Saffron - 5-6 strands
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Pista/Almonds/Cashews - for garnishing



Method:

For Paneer:

Boil milk in a heavy bottomed vessel by stirring constantly. When it comes to boil, add lemon juice slowly and keep stirring. Milk fat is washed out in whey water and remaining is the protein. Add cold water to this to stop curdling process, as we need soft paneer out of it and also this removes the flavor of lemon from paneer.
Strain it using muslin cloth and hang it for an hour till it drain completely. After that, rub it with clean towel for 5-6 mins. This will knead the dough and also remove some extra moisture left behind. To check whether the paneer is ready, take little bit of paneer and rub it using your thumb and you should be able to make smooth ball with it. Your paneer is ready.
Make small golf size balls and flatten slightly.

To cook paneer balls:

Take 3 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a pressure cooker. Heat it at high flame for sometime and once the water starts to boil, reduce it to medium flame, add paneer balls into it and close the lid. Let it whistle twice or cook for 7-8 mins. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 1 min. Keep it under running cold water and once the steam is gone, open the lid. Now you'll find the paneer balls are double in size. Keep it aside.

For Malai:

Boil the milk with sugar, cardamom and saffron in a medium flame. Keep stirring for about 20-30 mins. Now add condensed milk into it. Boil for 15 mins more. Adding condensed milk will enhance the texture of malai. Keep stirring constantly. By this time, milk will turn into thick syrup. 

Take paneer balls out and press gently to remove water from it. Add it to the malai, so that the paneer balls will absorb the milk. Remove from heat.


Let it cool or refrigerate, as it is served chilled. Garnish it with pista, almond or cashew.


Enjoy this delicacy!!! 


This recipe goes to BSI-MILK event hosted by Sanyukta.


Have you enjoyed this recipe or photos? Do follow this blog, share it with your friends and help this blog grow. This will motivate me to carry on with my passion. Hope you've enjoyed your time here and thank you for visiting me!!!

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