Paneer Makhani (Paneer in rich gravy)

Makes 8 cups of paneer makhani

I do not enjoy the smooth texture of a blended gravy, so I use finely chopped ingredients. But I have family that likes the restaurant look-and-feel of a blended gravy.

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tspn coriander powder 
• 1 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 2 medium tomato, finely chopped - optional
• 1 cup cashew paste (soak cashews for 10 minutes and blend) - optional
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1 tbspn cilantro, finely chopped   
• 16 rectangular 1 x 1/2 x 1/2 inch cubes of paneer

Preparation

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions and tomatoes.
3. Beat the sour cream with a spoon.  
4. Pan-fry pieces rectangular cubes of paneer in vegetable oil, and keep aside. 

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
2. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
3. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, and stir for two minutes.
5. If you prefer blended gravy with a restaurant look-and-feel, take the gravy off the heat and allow it to cool till it is lukewarm. Blend till it is smooth, and then heat on medium-high.- optional
6. Add cashew paste and stir well. - optional
7. Add salt to taste. 
8. Add sour cream and sugar and stir well. - optional
9. Stir on low-medium heat for another minute, and take off the heat.  

Garnishing

1. Put paneer cubes in a serving bowl. 
2. Stir in the curry. 
3. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Serving

1. Serve hot with any flat bread - nan, roti or paratha hot from the pan.
2. It can also be served with hot steamed Basmati rice.  

Parantha (pan-fried flat bread)

Makes 8 paranthas.
I use whole-wheat flour for daily cooking. Parathas are traditionally made with a mix of equal measures of maida (refined flour) and aata (whole-wheat flour) - making them whiter in color.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tbspn vegetable oil for dough
• 1 cup water 
• a pinch of salt
• vegetable oil for pan-frying

Preparation

1. Make a dough with the flour and oil - this should need slightly more than 1/2 cup of water.
2. Cover the prepared dough with a damp cloth for 15 minutes. 

Instructions

1. Heat the pan. Using a non-stick pan minimizes the need for oil.
2. Make eight balls from the dough.
3. Take a dough ball and roll it into a circle. 
4. Brush lightly with oil, and fold into a semi-circle.
5. Brush lightly with oil, and fold into a quarter-circle.
6. Roll it to get a triangular parantha. 
7. Take a few drops of oil in the pan, and place parantha. 
8. Add a few drops of oil at the edges of the parantha. 
9. Press down lightly with a flat spatula on different points of the parantha.
10. Turn the parantha after a minute, and pan-fry to cook completely. 

 

  Serving

1. Serve hot with stir-fried vegetables or curry. 

Sarson ka saag (Mustard greens)

Makes 6 cups of sarson ka saag.
I prefer the taste and texture of finely chopped vegetables to blended vegetables. Blending is more popular - it gives a more refined look to the presentation and reduces prep time.
Being lacto-vegetarian, I use ghee where it is traditionally used, as in this recipe. 

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 1 tspn rai (mustard seeds) 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 tspn coriander powder 
• 1-1/2 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 8 cups finely chopped mustard greens (sarson) - can be blended instead
• 3 cups finely chopped spinach - can be blended instead

Preparation (20 minutes)

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions, mustard greens and spinach - or blend to save time.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and add mustard seeds and wait till they pop.
2. Add the onions, and stir on medium-high heat till they are pink.
3. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
4. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
5. Add salt to taste. 
6. Add the finely chopped mustard greens and stir on low-medium heat for another two minutes.  
7. Add the finely chopped spinach and continue to stir for another five minutes.
8. Add 1 cup of water, and stir for another two minutes.
9. Take off the heat.  

Garnishing

1. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Serving

1. Serve hot with makki ki roti (corn roti) hot from the pan, and refrigerated lassi (yogurt shake).
2. Any flat bread - roti, paratha, nan will do in place of Makki-ki-roti. 

Peda in a microwave

Makes 24 pedas

Ingredients

• 14 oz can of condensed milk
• 2 tbspn ghee (or unsalted butter)
• 2 cups milk powder
• saffron, a pinch  
• 1/2 tspn cardamom, powdered
• 1/2 tspn nutmeg, powdered
• pistachio, finely chopped 
• 1 tbspn ghee for shaping pedas (or unsalted butter) 

Preparation

1. Chop the pistachios.
2. Keep a small bowl with butter aside.

Instructions

1. Warm the condensed milk and butter in a microwave for 1 minute and stir well.
2. Repeat step above till the mix is spluttering hot.
3. Take out of the microwave and add saffron, cardamom and nutmeg.
4. Stir in the milk powder till the paste is homogenous.  
5. Let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Grease your palm with butter and shape a tablespoon of the paste into a ball.
7. Indent on top with finger, and place on a glass or steel plate. 

Garnishing

1. Place finely chopped pistachio on the indent of each peda.  (Almonds or cardamom can be used in place of pistachios.)

Palak Paneer (Spinach and soft cheese)

Makes 8 cups of palak paneer

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped - optional
• 3 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tspn coriander powder 
• 1 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 2 cloves garlic, grated - optional
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 2 medium tomato, finely chopped
• 1 cup cashew paste (soak cashews for 10 minutes and blend) - optional
• 4 bunches of spinach
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbspn cilantro, finely chopped   
• 8 rectangular 1 x 1/2 x 1/2 inch cubes of paneer

Preparation

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions, tomatoes and spinach.
3. Beat the sour cream with a spoon.  
4. Pan-fry pieces rectangular cubes of paneer in vegetable oil, and keep aside. 
5. Put the well-washed spinach in boiling water with peppers and tomatos for 5 minutes, and blend into a paste.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
2. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
3. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Add cashew paste and stir well.
5. Add the spinach paste.
6. Add salt to taste.   
7. Stir continuously for 5 minutes, and take it off the heat.

Garnishing

1. Put paneer cubes in a serving bowl. 
2. Stir in the spinach curry. 
3. Sprinkle cilantro on top.
4. Decorate with sour cream. 

Serving

1. Serve hot with any flat bread - nan, roti or paratha hot from the pan, and refrigerated lassi (yogurt shake).
2. It can also be served with hot steamed Basmati rice.  

Steamed Basmati rice

Makes 8 cups of steamed white Basmati rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups long-grained Basmati rice
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 4 drops of lemon juice
• water for soaking and cooking

Instructions

1. Wash the Basmati rice.
2. Soak the Basmati rice in water for 20 minutes.
3. Strain the rice and put in an open pan.
4. Cook in an open pan with salt, lemon and 8 cups of water for 10 minutes on high heat.
5. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
6. Take off the heat, and serve.