Paneer Pasanda

Slightly tedious but the end result is mind blowing!

Making the Paneer
Cut 200 gm Paneer into cubes
Make paste of 1 tbsp maida + 1 tbsp cornflour + salt
Coat paneer with paste and deep fry.
In the same oil, deep fry cashewnuts and keep aside.

Masala
Dry roast the following : 1 tbsp coriander seeds + 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus) + 1/2 tbsp Jeera + 1/2 tbsp kalongi seeds. + 1 cinnamon stick + 3 cloves
Add the roasted mixture to 1 cup coconut + 1 inch grated ginger + 2 cut onions + 4 cloves garlic + 1 cup cut coriander leaves + fried cashewnuts.
Grind all the ingredients to a pase using minimum water.

Tomato Puree
Boil two tomatoes in water. Peel skin and make a paste.

Procedure

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil in kadai
2. Add paste and cook on low flame till oil separates (15 minutes)
3. Add tomato puree and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
4. Add salt.
5. Add panneer and cook for a minute
6. Add fresh cream and mix.
   

Aate jo Chilro

Ingredients

• 1 cup gehun ka aata (wheat flour)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• A few sprigs of coriander (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Water to get a batter consistency
• Oil
• Salt

Procedure

1. Mix all ingredients with water except oil, and make batter ensuring that there are no lumps. The consistency should be the same as that for idli/dosa.
2. Heat a griddle (tava) and drizzle some oil.
3. Take a ladleful of batter and spread it on the griddle. Thickness should be more than that for dosa (more like uttappam)
4. Pour oil on the sides, and shallow fry till golden brown on one side.
5. Flip and cook the other side too.
6. Remove from tawa when they are crisp and done.

Serve with curd/chutney.

Besan ka cheela

Minimum effort, and ideal for breakfast - much better than eating Maggi every day.
Indredients

• Besan - 1 cup
• Tomato chopped very fine - 1 medium sized
• Onion chopped very fine - 1
• Coriander leaves (dhania leaf)
• Salt
• Green chillies chopped very fine
• Ginger chopped very fine

Procedure

1. Sift besan
2. Add all the vegetables and salt and mix well
3. Add water to pouring consistency
4. Take a ladleful of batter and spread on a heated tava.. Add oil on the sides.
5. Cook on both sides until done

Best eaten with chutney or curd.

Dahi Wada

The ideal starter when you have someone over for dinner

For the vada
1 cup urad dal soaked overnight
salt
zeera
fine sooji rawa
For the seasoning
Jeera powder
Red chilli powder
Coriander leaves
Imli Chutney
Sweetened and chilled curd

Procedure (for the vada)

1. Grind the dal to a smooth vaste using minimum water (half cup)
2. Add salt and jeera (cumin) seeds
3. Add sooji (optional) and keep aside for 3 hours.
4. Take tablespoonfuls of the batter and deep fry till golden brown.
5. Transfer to a plate with absorbent paper.
6. Soak the vadas in cold water, and squeeze out the water gently.
7. Arrange them in a bowl.

Seasoning

• Add the chilled curd over the vadas.
• Add jeera powder and red chilli powder
• (optional) Add chaat masala
• Spread Tamarind chutney (boil tamarind paste and jaggery. Cool and add roasted jeera powder, garam masala, red chilli powder.)
• Garnish with coriander and ginger (Optional)

Kadi Pakodi

My all time favorite recipe. I wonder how I forgot to post the recipe for this earlier.

For the pakodis:

• Cut potoates, onions, and ginger real fine, and mix them well.
• Add finely cut coriander and green chillies, and mix well.
• Add salt, amchur powder (optional), and mix well.
• Add water and besan till you get a binding consistency. You should be able to spoon it without the ingredients dropping off.
• Deep fry in oil and keep aside.

For the kadi:

• Make a batter 1 parts besan, 4 parts buttermilk, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder.
• In a kadai, add 2 tblspoon oil.
• Add jeera, kalongi, fenugreek seeds, hing.
• Add the batter.
• Cook till the froth disappears.
• Add the pakodis just before serving so that they don't soak all the kadi.

Best had with Khichdi:

• 3/4 cup rice, 1/4 cup moong daal
• 21/2 cups water
• Salt
• Cook the above ingredients in a pressure cooker.
• After it is cooked, add a dollop of ghee.

Dum aloo, Aloo dum (Kashmiri recipe)

It is a very subtle dish, and high on calories. But then, if you are the ones who eat to live, I am not sure how much you will enjoy this dish.
Dum aloo is best described as fried baby potatoes in spiced yoghurt sauce.

Veggies
Baby Potatoes - 500 gms, boiled and peeled
Ginger - 1 tbsp Grated/paste

Masala
Aniseed powder / Fennel powder - 1 tbsp
Hing - A pinch
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cloves - 4
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

For the sauce
1 cup yoghurt diluted with 1 cup water

Other ingredients
Oil

Procedure:

1. Cook the potatoes, peel them, and pierce them with a fork so that they can take in the masala.
2. Deep fry them till they are golden brown.
3. In a vessel, heat oil.
4. On low flame, add bay leaf, cloves, Hing, and cinnamon and fry for 10-15 seconds
5. Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
6. Add the diluted yoghurt.
7. Add aniseed powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt.
8. Add the potatoes.
9. Cook till the gravy is reduced to a minimum

Goes well with rotis. Can be eaten with rice too.

Stuffed Bhindi

Veggies
Bhindi (Okra) - 1/4 kilo
Onions - 1-2 medium sized chopped fine
Stuffing
Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Saunf powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur powder - 1 tbsp
Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste (1/2 tbsp)
Seasoning
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp kalonji
1 pinch hing
Procedure

1. Clean and dry the bhindis. Cut the top and bottom ends.
2. Slit bhindisall the way down but not cutting them at the base. Remove the seeds.
3. Stuff them with the masala.
4. In a flat bottomed vessel, heat oil.
5. Add mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering, add kalongi, jeera, and hing.
6. Add onions and fry till golden brown.
7. After 10 seconds, place the stuffed bhindis on the seasoning.
8. Cover, and cook for ten minutes, or until done. Toss the bhindis once after five minutes.

Stuffed bhindis are best had with rotis.