Rich Paneer Curry

Not for the calorie conscious!

This curry is cooked made in butter and cashew / almond is ground in milk are added for extra richness.

To be ground into paste:

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves

Onion - 1 large

Other ingredients :

Paneer - 200gms cut into squares

Onion - 1 medium 

Tomato - 2 large or 3 medium

Capsicum - 1 medium

Fenugreek seed - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tbsp to 1 tbsp( I used 1 tbsp and my husband found it too sweet. Kids loved it though!)

Milk - 1 cup

Cashewnuts / Almonds - 1 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Refined Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Garnish:

Coriander leaf 

Green chillies slit

Grind the onion, garlic and green chilli into a fine paste.

Cut the other onion, capsicum and paneer.

Grind the cashew with 1 tbsp milk into a coarse paste.

Grind the tomato into a purée.

Use a heavy bottom vessel. I used a pressure cooker. The lid is not necessary.

Heat the oil and butter together. 

Splutter the fenugreek seeds.

Sauté the cut onions till nearly brown.

Add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes.

Once it starts browning , add the Chilli powder, Jeera powder and Garam masala.

Looks very dry? Not to worry. Sauté for a minute on low flame.

Add the tomato puree.

Sauté till oil starts to seperate.

Add the sugar. Reduce if you don't like the curry to be sweet.

Salt and turmeric powder goes in next.

Add the cut paneer and mix well.

Add the ground cashewnuts / almonds with the rest of the milk.

Boil for a minute and add the capsicum.

Cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally.

Decorate with coriander leaf and green chillies.

Tastes great with both chappathi and rice.

Fried Rice

Who does not like fried rice??

This Chinese dish is a staple at all restaurants. And you can easily make it at home too.

White rice - 1 cup

Garlic - 3 or 4 cloves

Red chillies flakes - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 big , chopped 

Carrot - 1 big, chopped

Beans - 8 , cut into thin rings

Cabbage - 2 cups after shredding

Capsicum - 1, cut into small cubes

salt

pepper - 1 tsp

sugar - 1 tbsp

Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp

Celery - 1 stalk

Spring onion - 1

Soak rice in water for 10 minutes. 

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan with a tight lid.

Fry the drained rice till it starts to pop. 

Add a tsp of salt. 

Boil 2 cups of water in a separate vessel.

Now add the boiling water to the fried rice.

Cover the vessel and reduce flame.

Cook for exactly 10 minutes. Do not open in between. And no peeking even after the 10 minutes. Keep closed for a further 20 minutes. Then fluff up the rice with a fork.

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Cut all the vegetables.

Heat the 2 tbsp oil till it shimmers.

and add the minced garlic. 

When it starts turning colour add the red chilli flakes.

Next add onions.

Next add the carrot, cabbage and beans.

Add salt. Be careful as the rice is cooked with salt and the soya sauce ( which we will add later) is salty. 

Mix well and cook covered for 1 minute.

Next add the capsicum.

Mix and cook for 1 min.

Make a well in the centre of the vegetables.

Add the sugar in the middle so that it starts to caramelize. This might take upto 2 minutes. Reduce flame. But don't stir the vegetables. 

Mix the vegetables with the caramelised sugar.

Add the pepper. Mix well.

Make a well again and add the soya sauce.

Mix everything well. 

Next is the rice.

Mix well and fry on high flame for 1 minute.

Decorate with celery and spring onion.

Note - The rice can be cooked a day in advance and kept in the fridge.

Easy fruit Puddings

EASY EASY DESSERT!
During the month of Ramadan , my friend - Safeena Harris usually serves a pudding for her Iftar party. It is so easy to make and can be made much ahead. It tastes good without the cream and cake. How easy is that!

Milk - 1/2 liter

Sugar - 2tbsp

Condensed sweetened milk - 2tbsp

Custard powder - 3 tbsp heaped

(opt) Cake - vanilla/banana/chocolate- crumbled 5tbsp

Banana / Apple - ripe - cut into small pieces - 1 cup

(opt) Toasted almonds/pistachio - cut into slivers - 5tsp

(opt) Whipped cream made from 50ml cream

Mix 1 cup milk with the custard powder and keep aside.

Boil the rest of the milk with the sugar and condensed sweetened milk.

Add the custard syrup and mix well.

Continue cooking for 1 more minute, stirring continuously.

Arrange the serving dish with the cake and Banana.

Pour the hot custard on top.

Decorate with the nuts.

Let cool to room temperature and pour cream on top.

Refridgerate until serving time.

Variations:

This pudding can be made with all non-citrus fruits other than banana like apple and mango.

If using Pineapple, use cooked pineapple and pineapple cake.

Vegetables Schezwan style

Cabbage - 1 cup, cut into big cubes

Onion - 1 small, diced

Zucchini - 1, cut into big cubes

Carrot - 1 large, cut into rounds, parboiled

Broccoli / cauliflower - 2 cups, parboiled

Capsicum - 1 small, cut into big cubes

Schezwan sauce - 4 tbsp , reduce / increase as necessary

Cornflour - 2 tbsp

Oil - 2tbsp

Salt

Sugar - pinch

Heat oil and add the cabbage with 1/2 cup of water. heat until water evaporates.

Add the onion. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the zucchini and fry for a minute.

Add the rest of the vegetables and salt.

Add the sauce and mix well.

Add 1 cup water and the sugar.

Mix the flour with some water and add to the vegetables.

Cook till the gravy thickens.

Decorate with spring onion.