Dhaba style paneer masala

Paneer can be made into different styles, with gravy, bhurji, palak paneer, paneer makhni and so on.

Today we have tried making dhaba style paneer and enjoyed the process.

It's a flavourful side dish and your family will surely like it.

The recipe for dhaba style paneer is bit time consuming.

Ingredients

400 Grams fresh cubed paneer pieces

2 large tomatoes(chopped and coarsely ground)

3 medium sized onions (chopped and coarsely ground)

A small piece ginger grated

3-4 cloves of garlic(chopped)

2 tablespoons of coriander, chopped

Spices for tempering

3-4 green cardamom

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon broken into small pieces

2 tablespoon peanut oil/butter/ghee

(I used butter)

Dry masala powders

1 tsp kashmiri lal mirch

1/2 tsp kasuri methi

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp crushed peppercorns

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

Dry masala for marinating paneer

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp degi mirch(kashmiri lal mirch)

1/2 tsp salt

4 tablespoon curd

Method

*In a bowl add paneer, garam masala,degi mirch, curd and salt, mix well, keep aside for about half an hour.

* Wash, peel and chop onion, garlic and tomatoes. Make coarse puree with onions and tomatoes. Keep aside. 

*Grate ginger

* In a thick bottomed pan pour oil/ghee/butter. Add jeera, green cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Allow it to emit it's aroma. 

*Add coarse onion puree, cook it until it's golden brown, add dry masala powders, mix well, cook further, add coarse tomato puree, mix well, close lid cook it for about 3 minutes.

*Now keep the flame high cook for another 5 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves.

You will notice the ghee/oil/butter is coming out of the gravy.  

*In the meanwhile, In another pan add ghee, quickly mix in the marinated paneer for 3 minutes, the paneer will turn into extremely soft in texture

*Add the paneer to the onion tomato masala. Mix well. Adjust salt if needed.

*Mix well, let paneer be coated with the masalas, cook for two minutes. Off stove.

*Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

*Serve with naan, garlic naan, roti or rice.

I am sure you will enjoy this absolutely delicious dhaba style paneer masala..

*Notes

*Make the dhaba style paneer masala just before serving as the taste of got, soft paneer taste good when it's served immediately. 

* Make sure you use fresh paneer for best results.

 

Jackfruit jam. (chakka varatiyathu)

Jack fruit jam (chakkai Jam)

Jackfruit jam. It's probably the most difficult and laborious jam. But it's taste divine and all efforts taken to make this delicious traditional jam is worth try. I have used about 30 to 40 pieces from a large big ripe jackfruit.

Jack fruit jam (Chakkai jam)

Ingredients

30 to 40 jackfruits florets(chakka chulla)

500 grams of jaggery (approximately two jaggery oval shaped ones)

1/2 to 1 cup ghee

5 to 6 green cardamom (Peeled and crushed)

For melting jaggery

1 glass of water

Method

* Jackfruit pieces (chakka chulla) 30 to 40 remove seeds and outer layer of seeds. Use a large vessel, cook the jackfruit florets in pressure cooker by adding grid and water. Grind pr smash jackfruit pieces to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

* In a pan add two large pieces of black or golden jaggery, crush it into big cubes, add a glass of water and bring to boil. Use a strainer to remove impurities from jaggery.

* In a large pan mix in jackfruit and jaggery extract and blend well, add ghee 2 tablespoon and stir. 

*Keep the flame very low and allow jam to slowly cook into a soft consistency by evaporating any excess water. 

*Add two more tablespoon ghee gently stir in so that it doesn't get burnt or get stuck in the bottom of pan. 

*This task is most difficult as you need to keep stirring and be extremely cautious. 

*The jam starts leaving ghee and becomes like a soft halwa consistency. 

*You can off stove and when it reaches room temperature store in air tight containers.

Notes

*We make chakka pradhaman by adding coconut milk an integral part of feast. Jackfruit jam is served with adai or with rice adai.

*Shelf life of this dish is one year or until it lasts! It generally gets over in 3 months for us. 

*We keep jackfruit jam in small air tight containers and keep it refrigerated.

My recipe appeared on chef at large an year ago. 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/139330489488935?view=permalink&id=1786362154785752

Street style samosa

Samosas are such a treat and it requires special skills to make it, especially folding techniques. I was looking for a street style samosa recipe and finally liked cookingshooking video on street style samosa.

Here is my version of street style samosa.

Shahi Biriyani

Kothamalli thogayal ( dhaniya, kadipatha aur pudina chutney)

This is my mum's signature dish and I enjoy eating it like this! When it comes to the preparation of this delicious thogayal (chutney) there are few spices and leaves goes into it 

I make this thogayal when I have excess coriander leaves. 

Whenever we get fresh coriander leaves, I make sure to pick mint (pudina) leaves. This chutney requires a good qualities of both coriander and mint leaves. Curry leaves are growing at garden so we always have supply of fresh curry leaves.

Kothamalli thogayal (coriander chutney)

Ingredients

1 small bunch of coriander leaves

1 small bunch of pudina (mint)

Few curry leaves spring

2-3 dry red chilies

2 green chilies

A small piece of ginger thinly sliced

A gooseberry sized tamarind

1/2 cup black broken urad dal

1 teaspoon lemon extract optional (if you like it)

3 tablespoon grated coconut (optional)

Salt as required

Method

*Wash and remove leaves from coriander,mint and curry leaves. Keep the tender stems, we will cut them into small pieces and add to the thogayal before grinding.

*Slit green chilies, peel and cut ginger into julians.

*Dry roast black urad dal, tamarind, red chilies,once done, add green chilies and sliced ginger, mix in. Now add coriander,mint and curry leaves. Give a quick toss, add the sliced tender stems and  grated coconut.  Allow it to cool. Add salt.

*Grind all ingredients in pulse mode, add a little water if required. When we hand grind we usually do not add any water. The thogayal should be semi solid consistency.

*Remove from the mixer jar, store in containers. We generally don't keep the thogayal for more than a day. It gets over also as we enjoy it with food.

*Give it a try and please share 

Tips

*Dry roasting black urad dal gives a delicious aroma to the thogayal. Plus it binds the fresh leaves and other ingredients. 

*Shelf life of this thogayal is limited to two days, if kept in refrigerator. We generally make less quantity and consume same day. 

Dhaliya khichdi

I was chopping vegetables for dhaliya khichdi. Ideas started flowing. Making everyday food for family while you fasting is easy these days.

I measured two cups of dhaliya and 4 cups of vegetables. 

It hardly took about 20 minutes to put the breakfast on the table.

Dhaliya khichdi

Ingredients

2 cups dhaliya

4 cups chopped mixed vegetables

10 shallots thinly sliced

1/4 cup shelled peas

2 green chilies

One inch ginger sliced

2 tablespoon ghee/gingly oil

A pinch of elaichi powder

A teaspoon horsegram powder(kalathupodi)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2: teaspoon mustard

1/2 teaspoon white urad dal

1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped

Two strings of curry leaves

Salt as required

Method

*Wash, clean and remove excess water from dhaliya, keep aside.

*Chop vegetables like carrot,beans, cauliflower florets into small pieces.

*Peel and thinly slice shallots.

*Wash and chop coriander and curry leaves into very small pieces.

*In a pan, I used pressure pan, pour half of the ghee, add chopped shallots and saute till translucent. Now add other vegetables, peas and give a toss.

*Add dhaliya and mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder, horsegram powder, pinch of heeng, elaichi powder and pour 5 cups of water. Bring to boil.

*Close lid and keep for two whistles.Off the stove.

*Pour ghee on a heated small pan, add mustard and urad dal, let the mustard splutter. Once done add chopped coriander and curry leaves. Pour the tadka on the prepared dhaliya khichdi. Mix well and serve.

Tips

Soaking dhaliya for 20 minutes makes it soft and easy to cook.

Avarakalu crepe (hyacinth beans crepe)

I am very fond of these tiny pretty seeds, which has a unique flavour and aroma.

Many non Kannadiga people may find it not so interesting. But for me it's one of the most flavourful seed, fresh beans procured from the avarakkai (hyacinth beans)

I

Today I tried to make crepe with the ground paste of avarakalu seeds and they were absolutely yummy!

Here is recipe that I created for this dish.

Avarakkai/avarakalu crepe

Ingredients

250 grams fresh hyacinth/avarakkai beans

2 green chilies

1 inch grated ginger

Salt as required

A pinch of heeng

2: tablespoon Peanut oil/ghee

Method

* Wash and place avarakalu in mixer jar, add green chilies,ginger, salt and heeng. Grind to a coarse paste. Pour the batter into a bowl,add water if required.

*Heat a pan, spread oil/ghee, once the pan is medium heat, pour a ladalful of batter. Spread according to your choice of thickness. I like it little thick like pancakes. 

*Close the pan/tawa with a lid. Allow the crepe to cook well, remove the lid, pour ghee, flip and cook until done.

*Serve with green chutney, sambar and podi. I am sure you are going to love it.