Paneer Tikka Masala (Grilled Paneer in gravy)

Paneer tikka masala recipe, how to make paneer tikka masala recipe


Paneer tikka masala gravy prepared in a North Indian Restaurant style. Indian cottage cheese is cooked in onion tomato based gravy and as a final touch milk or cream is added to make it more rich and delicious.

Ingredients
Paneer: 200grms

Marination
 ½ cup of hung yogurt
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Pinch of turmeric
salt to taste

Gravy ingredients

1 cup of finely chopped onions
1 green chili slit (optional)
2 cup of tomatoes chopped (pureed)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp basic garam masala
¼ cup of milk cream
2 tbsps. cashew paste (kaju paste)
Coriander leaves chopped

Method:

• Marinate paneer with the ingredients mentioned above and set aside for 30 mins.
• Heat a Griller or Sandwitch maker with oil or butter 
• Remove the excess marination drippings and drop the paneer on griller and fry
• Just cook till the marinade dries up and the paneer turns golden. 
• This takes only 2 to 3 mins. Over frying can make paneer harder and rubbery.

For the gravy:

• Add chopped tomatoes, cashew paste to a blender and make a smooth puree, Set this aside
• Heat butter or oil in a pan, Add onions ,green chili , fry till onions turn a good golden
• Add ginger garlic paste, sauté till it gets fragrant
• Add the tomato puree, red chili powder and fry for about 5 mins or till you see the oil begins to separate.
• Add ¼ to ½ cup water , add garam masala powder & salt to taste
• Bring it to a boil and cook till you see a thick gravy for about 3 to 5 minutes on a medium flame
• Add paneer tikka and cook for 2 mins on a medium heat, dont overcooking 
• Add the milk cream of your choice,  add coriander leaves. mix and off the stove. 
• Paneer tikka masala is Ready to Serve

Spinach souffle

Spinach souffle is a savoury cheese souffle light & smooth
A soufflé s a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means "to breathe" or "to puff".
The base provides the flavor and the egg whites provide the "lift", or puffiness to the dish. Foods commonly used to flavor the base include herbs, cheese and vegetables for savory soufflés
Rich source of Vitamins Iron & calcium due to all healthy ingredients Spinach  Cheese & Eggs...Filling breakfast or evening snacks enjoy this Spinach souffle




INGREDIENTS
Eggs: 6-7
Onion chopped:1
Spinach Bunch: 2
Garlic chopped fine: 1sp
Yogurt: 4 table spoons
Salt & black pepper to taste.
Cheese(Cheddar): 2 cups

In a pan take oil heat it & add Chopped Onion
Fry  your onions and add spinach until opaque, switch off heat
In a mixing bowl add eggs yogurt salt pepper mix well.
Add spinach mix and stir in good. Lastly add grated cheese & mix
In a baking dish or Muffin moulds grease lighly with oil or spray oil
Set oven 350 degrees pour mixture in pan/ Baking dish
Cook for 25-30 min or until tooth pic comes out clean

 you can make it in Oven or else just keep the baking dish/  muffin moulds on a heated Pan( without direct heat) & slow cook for 15- 20 min.... 
Light & Airy Spinach Souffle with cheddar cheese is ready to indulge
I baked this in Cake tin & cut it in round discs

Chicken Tikki

Chicken Tikki

Enjoy this spicy chicken Tikkis this Eid with your family

Easy to make Chicken tikkis tried this without Egg & Breadcrumbs with very less oil....Here is the recipe


Ingredients Needed
2 cups finely minced boneless chicken
1/4th tsp Turmeric
2 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
1 medium sized onion, finely sliced
1sp Redchili powder
1/2 sp coriender powder
1sp All spice( Garam masala) powder
Or Chicken sukka powder
Finely chopped Coriander leaves.
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 tsp corn flour
4-5 sps Oil to fry

I used boneless chicken & Minced it
Add turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt and keep it aside.
In a blender add ginger and garlic finely chopped onions, minced chicken, coriander leaves, and grind it to a coarse paste. 
Remove it add chili powder, coriender powder & All spice powder( I added Chicken sukka powder gave it spicy twist)
Add corn flour to the ground mixture, mix it well.
Make a small balls and shape like tikkis.....
In a pan take Oil & once heatef shallow fry Till both sides are golden
Enjoy it with sweet and spicy sauce :)

Veg Manchurian & Spinach Fried Rice

Veg Manchurian & Spinach fried Rice

Veg balls Manchurian in a spicy Manchurian sauce, Chinese special with Cantonese style Spinach fried Rice

Nice way to include vegies, this is an easy recipe of Veg Balls Manchurian

Ingredients (Vegetable Manchurians)

For The Vegetable Balls

3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1 1/4 cups carrot , grated
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tbsp cornflour
5 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
salt and to taste
oil for deep-frying

For The Sauce

1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tsp finely chopped
1 cup clear vegetable
stock or water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 cup
of water
2 pinches of sugar
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method(Vegetable Manchurian)

For the vegetable balls

Combine the cabbage, carrots, onions, cornflour, plain flour, garlic, green chilli, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well using your hands.
Shape spoonfuls of the mixture into small balls.
Deep fry a few balls at a time in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

For the sauce

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan on a high flame. Add the garlic, green chillies and ginger and stir fry over a high flame for a few seconds.
Add the stock, soya sauce, cornflour paste, sugar and salt and simmer for a few minutes.

How to serve

Just before serving, put the vegetable balls in the sauce and bring to a boil.
Serve hot.

Spinach Fried Rice

Spinach fried Rice is a Cantonese style fried Rice with Spinach puree tasty & Healthy

For this Chinese special I have served it with Veg Balls Manchurian sause

Ingredients for Spinach Fried Rice

Rice: 1 cup

Capsicum: 1

Spring onion : 2

Veg stock cube: 2

Or veg stock

Grated ginger: 1sp

Spinach puree: 2 cups

Green chilies: 3

Oil: 3-4 sps

Method

Cook Rice in Vegetable stock
( If you are using pre cooked Rice then use veg stock cube(taste maker)& mix it with rice)
Blanch spinach with greenchilies for 5 min
Transfer it to cold water to retain its colour
Then blend it to fine paste, in a blender

Heat a wok, add oil then add grated ginger
Fry a bit & add chopped capsicum & spring onions
Add the Rice cooked with stock
Mix then add spinach puree mix well
Add salt to taste little( if using stock cube avoid salt)
Cantonese style Spinach Fried Rice Ready to serve with Veg Balls Manchurian

Besan Ladoo

Ganesh Chaturthi special recipes, Besan Ladoo, Rava Ladoo, Navri/Karjikai, Murukku, Patoli enjoy all Recipes

Besan Laddo, Easy Recipe for Quick Besan ladoo

Ingredients
Besan(chickpea flour): 2 cups
Sugar: 2 cups
Ghee : 1/2 cup

Method
Powder sugar & keep aside
Heat a pan add half ghee
Bring the flame to sim & add besan fry

Keep frying stirring continuously
Fry till it changes colour & looks like pic above
Add rest ghee & fry for 5 min more

Try & break the lumps formed add sugar powder
Switch off heat & cool it
Once reached room temperature add 2 sp ghee
Mix well & start shaping ladoos
Besan ladoo is ready to serve

Some popular sweets & snacks for festivals

Rava Laddo Recipe: 

Rice Murruku Recipe

Patoli steamed Rice dumpling Recipe

Navri/ Karjikai Recipe:

Navri/ Karjikai

Navri/ Karjikai is a sweet offered to lord Ganesha

Most popular snacks on festivals Navri/ Karjikai is a sweet filling stuffed kachoris, deep fried
This crispy snacks is loved by all

I have made two varieties of filling for this the first one being Dry coconut(Copra) filling
The second filling is South Indian style Dry powder of Fried gram & copra
Both tastes Devine this is a must try Recipe

Ingredients:

For coconut filling(Yields about 10)
Copra: 1 cup
Sugar: 1cup
Rava(Semolina): 4 sps

For Fried Gram filling(Yields about 20)

Fried Gram:1 cup
Copra: 1 cup
Jaggery: 1cup

For outercovering:(For 20 Navri)

Maida: 1+1/2 cup
Oil: 3sps
Water to knead
Salt to taste

Method:

For Coconut filling
Grate copra & lightly roast & toss it
Similarly roast on low flame Rava
Mix both add sugar in powdered form
Mix well, Stuffing is ready

For Fried gram(Pappu) filling
Grate copra & lightly roast & toss it
lightly roast fried gram also
Mix both add jaggery grated
Then in a blender, run to form a dry powder
   Mix well, Stuffing is ready

Seive Maida add salt to taste then add Hot oil & mix
Slowly add water to form a dough
Dough should not be too soft, make small balls

Process as shown below

Process of forming:
Take a rolling pin & Make medium puri size flat sheets
Add stuffing in middle, apply little water at one of the sides
Fold it to close & press the sides to secure
Then cut the edges with cookie cutter making a mark
As shown below, repeat same process for other filling

Heat Oil for deep frying
Once hot Place 3-4 & fry on medium heat
Till it slightly chages color
Flip it & cook both sides
Remove on absorbent, let it rest & cool down completely
Then transfer to Air tight containers

Happy Gouri Ganesha Festival, Enjoy this crispy sweet


Note: Make the Outer covering dough in batches
          Dont keep the dough for more than an hour as it will soften

Batata Vada (Deep fried potato dumplings)

BatataVada spicy potato dumplings dipped in Chipea batter & deep fried

This is a very popular snacks usually served with Soft bun/ Pav

Ingredients: (makes about 12)
For the potato filling
4 large potatoes boiled
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
2-3 green chilies
1 inch ginger grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic, grated fine
1 small red onion, chopped
few curry leaves
For the batter
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
pinch baking soda (optional)
Pinch turmeric powder
Salt and red pepper to taste
Oil for deep frying

Mash the boiled potatoes roughly. Add green chilies, ginger, salt, pepper, turmeric and amchoor. Make sure the salt is on the lower side since the batter will be salted too.
In a pan on medium, heat oil and add mustard seeds. let them crackle for a few seconds before adding curry leaves, garlic and onion.
Cook stirring often till onions turn translucent. Add the potato mixture and mix well to distribute the onion and flavored oil evenly. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Take out of the heat and mash them well. Add the coriander and mix well. Cool.

When cool enough to handle, divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and shape into 2-3 inch round balls. Keep aside ready to batter.
Heat the oil for frying in a deep pan while you prepare the besan batter.
Mix all ingredients for the batter together and add water to form a smooth thick (pancake like consistency) batter. Make sure the batter is lump free and remember that the potato already has salt, so season the batter accordingly.

Oil should not be smoking, and should be about 350 F, medium high. Check the oil temperature by putting a few drops of batter in it. If they start to sizzle and float to the surface, then the oil is ready for frying.
Coat the potato balls evenly and generously with the thick batter and gently slide into the oil. They should completely immerse in oil. Fry on medium heat till golden and crisp on all sides.
Remove with a slotted spoon on a paper towel lined plate to eliminate any excess Oil

Serve hot with Tomato sauce & Soft Bun(Pav)

Wheat Kajjayas (Wheat malpuri)

Wheat Flour Kajjaya/ Malpua for this Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

Festivities begin with preparing Sweets, Try this easy wheat flour Kajjaya for this Ganesh chaturthi festival....

Kajjaya is a popular SOUTH INDIAN SWEET. Usually made with Pounded Rice & jagery,I have made the easier version of Wheat Kajjayas....Very easy to make with very few Ingredients

Try this Recipe:

Wheat flour kajjaya Makes about 10

Wheat flour 1 cup
Jaggery 1 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Grated dry coconut 2 tsps
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Roasted sesame 2 tsps

Procedure:

Melt jaggery in water and filter it

Pour this in a pan & let it boil

As it starts boiling add copra , sesame , poppy seeds and the wheat flour 

Now switch the flame off. Mix well and let it cool. 

Pat on oiled plastic sheet , make a hole in the center

Keep Oil for deep frying in a deep dish

Once hot add one at a time and deep fry on low flame till done. 

Wheat Kajjayas Ready to serve

Note:

•  This mix should be of soft chapathi dough consistency, add 2 tsps water if Req..
•  For crispy make kajjayas thin I just pressed between my palm to shape these

Finger Millet Idli (Ragi Idli/ Nachni Idli)

In India, finger millet (locally called by various name including ragi, kezhvaragu and nachani) is mostly grown and consumed in South India, Finger millet can be ground and cooked into cakes,puddings or porridge. Ragi flour is made into Idli(Steamed Cake) & flatbreads,  including thin, leavened dosa and thicker, unleavened roti. Ragi grain is malted and the grains are ground. This ground flour is consumed mixed with milk, boiled water or yoghurt.

Finger Millet is Diabetic friendly non starchy glutten free, which makes It a very healthy alternative, Finger millet is very high in calcium, rich in iron and fibre, and has a better energy content than other cereals. These characteristics make it ideal for feeding to infants and the elderly.For children, ragi is also fed with milk and sugar (malt). 

Finger Millet/ Ragi Idli for Breakfast can be served with any dippings such as Chutney or Sambhar
Ingredients Needed:
Urad daal( deskined Black gram): 1 cup
Idli/ dosa Rice: 2 cups
Millet (Ragi)flour: 1 cup

Method of preparation:

Soak Urad daal & rice in water for 3-4 hrs
Grind both in a blender to a fine paste with 1 cup water
Then remove in a dish & add Finger millet(Ragi) flour
Mix everything & leave it to ferment for 6 hrs or Overnite
Once fermented add salt to taste & mix well
Grease Idli Mould with Oil & pour batter in each section

Keep the steamer Ready by adding water to the bottom & keep it on heat
Then place the Idli stand in the steamer & cook Idli on steam for 20 min  

Remove the stand from steamer after 5 min then Take a spatula & dip it in water then Remove idli this way it will come out Clean

Serve it with Sambhar or chutney