PANEER MASALA

 PANEER MASALA

Paneer ( Indian Cottage Cheese) is probably the most popular dish in many Indian cuisines. Wherever you travel in India almost every restaurant will have some dishes made with paneer. Likewise, it remains a favourite in most Indian homes. 

Earlier, we used to make paneer at home ourselves but these days, especially in the cities, paneer is bought off the shelf from most stores.  It is made and sold by many reputed brands. Nowadays paneer has become more popular since people - especially vegetarians- have become more conscious of their need to have sufficient protein in their diets.

I recently came across this informative article in the website of Modern Diagnostics . It gives in detail the amount of protein etc contained in paneer and its various health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other dishes made with Paneer such as:-

• Palak Paneer
• Shahi Paneer
• Paneer Tawa Fry
• Chatakedar Paneer

Today's recipe is for a simple yet tasty dish that I make often at home. We generally have this with hot rotis. Please try it out and let me know how it was for you! 

Ingredients:-

• Paneer, 200 gms
• Onion, medium-sized, 1
• Tomatoes, medium-sized, 2
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
• Sugar, 1 tsp
• Kasuri Methi, 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Fresh Cream, 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:-

Cut the paneer into cubes

Peel and finely chop the onion

Cut the tomatoes and grind them in a small mixer jar to make a puree

Finely chop the coriander leaves

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai, when it gets heated add the cumin seeds, saute till it changes colour

Now add the finely chopped onions. Saute till they turn slightly golden in colour

Next add the tomato puree and mix well

To this add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt to taste

Mix well so that the spices, onions and tomato puree get well blended together

Add 1 tsp of sugar which will give a little sweetness to the dish 

Crush the kasuri methi lightly between your palms and add to the mixture

Mix in the garam masala powder 

Add a little water to get a gravy like consistency

Next, add the cubed paneer, mix well and let the mixture come to a boil

Reduce the flame and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes 

Now add the fresh cream and mix well 

Switch off the gas and transfer the Paneer Masala to a serving bowl

Finally, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve the Paneer Masala with hot rotis

ABC JUICE

 ABC JUICE

We have ABC Juice once in a while and find it useful.  While going through my blog recently, I was surprised to find I had not posted about this earlier- so here it is. Better late than never! 

ABC Juice first came into prominence from the East Asian wellness programs of China and Taiwan. Now everyone knows that the acronym ABC Juice comes from the principal ingredients of Apple, Beetroot and Carrot ! This juice was swiftly adopted to wellness programs worldwide. It became very popular for the benefits derived from drinking it. 

The major health benefits are that this drink is rich in antioxidants, supports liver function, helps digestion, boosts immunity etc as detailed in this article from Radcliffe Labs. 

It is widely believed that for the best results, you should have ABC Juice first thing in the morning- on an empty stomach. Having this a few days a week, it is said, is good for health. 

Ingredients:-

• Apple, 1
• Beetroot, 1/2
• Carrot, 1
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece
• Lemon, Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Honey, 1 tbsp
• Water,  1/2  to 1 cup  

Method:-

Wash and clean the apple, beetroot and carrot

Remove the core of the apple and cube it

Peel the beetroot and cut into pieces

Lightly peel the carrot and cube it 

Add the apple, beetroot and carrot to a mixer jar

Add the ginger and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon

Add water and mix in the honey

Run the mixer till you get a smooth juice 

You can have the juice as it is retaining the fibre

Or, you can or strain it through a strainer and then drink the clear juice

CAULIFLOWER GREEN CURRY

 CAULIFLOWER GREEN CURRY

Cauliflower (called Phool Gobhi in Hindi, Pookosu in Tamil,  Phulkobi in Marathi and Hookosu in Kannada) is used quite frequently in most Indian homes as it is a fairly versatile vegetable. All over India, you will find many dishes made using cauliflower- either singly or in combination with other vegetables. 

Cauliflowers are a good source of antioxidants and have numerous health benefits. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with cauliflower such as  :- 

• Gobhi Shimla Mirch
• Aloo Gobhi Stir Fry 
• Cauliflower Ambat
• Cauliflower Talasani

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet yummy curry made with cauliflower.  I have adapted this from Cauliflower Green Curry in the YouTube video by Anushruti for Rajshri Foods.

We tried this for lunch today with hot chapatis and it tasted great. 

Ingredients:-

• Cauliflower,  400 gms approx
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Juice of 1/2 Lime 

For the Ground Masala : -

• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 cup
• Green Chillies, 4
• Ginger, 2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, 1/2 cup
• Mint Leaves, 1/4 cup

For Seasoning:-

• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cloves, 3 
• Green Cardamom pods, 2 to 3
• Cinnamon, 1 " stick
• Peppercorns, 5
• Oil,  2 tbsp 

Method;-

Wash the cauliflower and break into florets. Immerse the florets in a bowl of water adding a little salt and turmeric powder for about 10 minutes to get rid of the impurities if any

Wash the florets again in clean water and steam them till they are almost done. Make sure they are not over cooked

Crush the spices ( cloves, cardamom,  cinnamon and peppercorns)  lightly using a mortar and pestle 

In a mixer jar, grind together coconut gratings, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and mint leaves to a fine paste adding 1/2 cup of water. Keep this ground masala aside

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the cumin seeds, when they sizzle add the lightly crushed spices and saute till they become aromatic

To this add the freshly ground masala and salt to taste and saute till the raw smell goes

Now add the steamed cauliflower florets, mix well, add water as required to get a curry like consistency and bring to a boil

Lower the flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Switch off the gas, add juice of 1/2 a lime and mix well

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Cauliflower Green Curry with chapatis

MULLANGI PALYA

 MULLANGI PALYA

One of the commonly available vegetables in India is Radish. This is called Mullangi in Kannada, Tamil, and my mother tongue, Konkani. It is called Mooli in Hindi. In Kannada, "Palya" is like a side dish or " subzi" as you would say in Hindi. 

This article in Manipal Cigna explains the many health benefits of Radish.  I, therefore, make it a point to make dishes using radish from time to time.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes using radish such as:-

• Radish & Tomato Salad
• Mooli Parantha
• Mulangi Batate Sukke
• Mullangi Kootu

Today's recipe is for an easy to make stir fry of radish. I have adapted this from the YouTube video in Kannada for this dish by Saviruchi Recipes.

We enjoyed this for lunch today- served as a side dish with hot steamed rice and rasam.  You can also serve this with chapatis.

Ingredients;-

• Radish, 500 gms
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal,(Bengal Gram Dal), 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram Dal), 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Onions, 2
• Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander Leaves, for garnish

To Be Ground To A Paste (Masala)

• Green Chillies, 4 to 5
• Ginger, 3/4 " piece
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 3 tbsp
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Mustard, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Salt, 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash the radish thoroughly, cut and discard the two ends, then lightly peel the radish

Chop them into cubes or roundels

Peel and chop the onions

Finely chop the coriander leaves

In a thick bottomed kadhai , add 1 cup of water and a little salt, and bring to a boil 

Add the radish, lower the flame and cook for 5 minutes till the radish gets done

The radish should get cooked yet remain firm. Keep aside. 

In a small mixer jar, grind together green chillies, coconut gratings, ginger, curry leaves, mustard, jeera, turmeric powder and a little salt, adding water as required - to get a paste with a chutney like consistency 

In the same kadhi, heat oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the jeera and when it sizzles, add the chana dal, urad dal and curry leaves. Saute till the dals change colour.

To this add the chopped onions and fry till they become translucent

Now add the freshly ground paste , mix well and let the masala cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes

Next add the cooked radish, mix well and cook on medium heat till the radish gets well blended with the masala

Finally, switch off the gas and garnish the dish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve Mullangi Palya as a side dish with hot steamed rice and rasam or with chapatis

MORINGA LEAVES AND POTATO STIR FRY

 MORINGA LEAVES AND POTATO STIR FRY 

Years ago, many houses in India had Moringa/Drumstick trees in their garden and fresh moringa leaves were easily available. These days most houses don't have their own drumsticks trees but their leaves fortunately are available on line through Amazon etc ! 

You may be aware that Moringa Leaves are considered to be super healthy. Their health benefits are detailed in this article from PharmEasy. "Moringa Leaves- 16 Health Benefits You Should Know". They can boost immunity, control blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthen bone density and improve digestion. 

Moringa/Drumsticks Leaves, prized for their medicinal properties are called, "Murungai Keerai" in Tamil,  "Nugge Soppu" in Kannada and "Mashinga Palle" in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find  recipes for dishes made with moringa leaves, such as:

• Mashinga Palle Sanna Polo 
• Nugge Soppina Rotti.
• Drumsticks Leaves Curry 
• Drumsticks Leaves Kuzhambu

Today's dish is an easy to make stir fry in which we use drumstick leaves and potatoes. I have adapted  this from Drumstick Leaves Recipe by Swasthi in Indian Healthy Recipes.

I tried this out recently. It tasted great- served as a side dish with hot steamed rice and sambar. 

Ingredients:-

• Moringa Leaves, 100 gms  approx 2 cups
• Potatoes, 3 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Split Bengal Gram ( Channa Dal), 1 tsp, 
• Asafoetida, (Hing) 1/8 tsp
• Green Chillies, 3
• Curry Leaves, 6-8 
• Salt, to taste
• Cooking Oil,  1 and 1/2 tbsp ( I used Coconut Oil) 

Method:-

Remove the moringa leaves from the stalks. Wash them in several changes of water. Drain them through a colander to remove all the water. Keep aside

Chop the garlic cloves, slit the green chillies

Wash and boil the potatoes, when they are cool enough to handle peel and cube them

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the cumin seeds . When this sizzles, add the chopped garlic and chana dal and saute till the dal changes colour

To this, add the asafoetida, split green chillies and curry leaves . Saute for 1-2 minutes.

Next add the potato cubes, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well

Now add the moringa leaves and cook covered on medium heat stirring from time to time till they wilt

(If the moringa leaves are not tender, sprinkle a little water and cook covered on medium heat till they are done)

Switch off the gas and transfer the dish to a serving bowl

Serve the Moringa Leaves & Potato Stir Fry as a side dish with hot steamed rice and sambar or rasam.

VEGGIE CHEESE SANDWICH

 VEGGIE CHEESE SANDWICH

These days  people frequently debate the amount of proteins needed by those with a predominantly vegetarian diet. The whole issue of proteins has assumed greater significance in the last few years. We largely eat vegetarian food at home. To supplement our diet, I often make Veggie Cheese Sandwich for breakfast or as an evening snack with tea. 

I generally use Amul Cheese Slices  - which is rich in protein and is sugar free. It is a good source for calcium and milk proteins. It is said to contain 18-20 gms of protein in 100 grams. Please be aware that processed cheese is high in saturated fats and sodium. Therefore it must- like everything else- be eaten in moderation.

Two big advantages of making these sandwiches : 1. They can be made easily and 2. They can be made quite fast. 

You can be creative in your choice of veggies and seasoning. Sometimes, I use green chutneys as a filling, sometimes boiled potatoes too. We love this easy cheesy sandwich which is healthy and tasty too! 

Fun Fact: as a proud Indian, I am partial to Amul products. Did you know Amul processes 35 million litres of milk daily empowering 3.6 million dairy farmers across 18,600 village co-operatives? Amul products are exported to over 50 countries all over the world. 

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread Slices ( I prefer wheat or brown bread)
• Veggies: Tomato, Onion, Capsicum, Coriander Leaves
• Cheese: Amul Processed Cheese slices
• Seasoning: Catch Chaat Masala, Salt
• Butter: Amul Garlic and Herb Buttery Spread  or butter of your choice

METHOD:

Wash the veggies, wipe them dry and slice them

Spread a layer of butter on the inside of the bread slices

Then place the Amul Cheese Slice,  on top of it place the tomato slices, onion rings, and capsicum pieces 

Season with Catch chaat masala, a little salt, and a few finely chopped coriander leaves

Cover this with another slice of buttered bread

I used the Prestige Sandwich Toaster with fixed sandwich plates to toast the sandwiches

Alternatively, you can toast the bread sandwiches on a lightly greased tawa or griddle 

Once one side gets done, flip and toast the other side 

Serve hot with tomato sauce ( I use Maggi Hot and Sweet Tomato Chilli Sauce) for breakfast or as an evening snack with tea/coffee. 

MEEN PULIMUNCHI

 MEEN PULIMUNCHI

After our return from the United States, we felt like having something really hot and spicy.  So a few days back, I got some King Fish/ Seer Fish/Indo-Pacific King Mackerel) which we call 'Surmai" locally. To tickle our taste buds, I made a very popular Mangaluru dish called Meen Pullimunchi. 

We should thank the Bunt community for this lip smacking dish. "Meen" of course means "fish" and "Pulimunchi "  comes from two flavors that  characterise this dish: "puli" tamarind that is sour and "munchi" chillies which are spicy. This goes great with neer dosas or hot steamed rice.

As readers of this blog would know by now, at home we make fish curries from time to time. Seer fish are really good for health. It has lots of Omega 3 fatty acids, lean protein and Vitamin B 12 while being low in calories and carbs. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other dishes made with good-for-health Seer Fish, such as : 

• Seer Fish Tawa Fry 
• Mangalorean Fish Curry
• Chettinad Seer Fish Fry

I have adapted today's dish from the YouTube video for Fish Pullimunchi by the well-know Chef Nehal Karkera, who himself is from the Mangaluru region. 

We had this for lunch with hot steamed rice and loved every bit of it! Please do try it out and let me know what you thought of this dish! 

Ingredients: 

• Seer Fish, 5 slices, 450-500 gms
• Turmeric Powder, for marination 
• Onion, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Green Chillies, 2 
• Ginger juilennes, a few 
• Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

To Be Dry Roasted:

• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4-5
• Kashmiri Red Chillies, 2-3 
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Black Peppercorns, 10-12
• Fenugreek Seeds, 1/4 tsp

 For The Ground Masala 

• Garlic Cloves, 3-4
• Onion, small sized, chopped, 1 
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece
• Tamarind (soaked), 1 and 1/2 tbsp  
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the fish slices 3-4 times in water, then dab them dry 

Apply turmeric powder and salt to the fish slices 

Keep aside to marinate for about 15 minutes

Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water 

Slit the green chillies

Peel the ginger 

Make a few juliennes ( thin strips) of ginger 

In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds,  peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds,  for about 2 minutes on medium flame till they give off a good aroma. Keep aside

Then dry roast both types of chillies for 1 minute on medium flame. Keep aside.

Allow the roasted ingredients to cool

In a mixer jar, grind together all the roasted ingredients along with garlic cloves, chopped onion, turmeric powder and soaked tamarind to a fine paste adding water as required. Keep the paste/masala aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil, in a kadhai, add 2 tbsp chopped onion and curry leaves 

Fry until the onion get slightly browned 

To this, add the ground paste and water to get a consistency of a thin curry 

Add salt to taste, add ginger juliennes and slit green chillies

Mix well and bring it to a boil  

Lower the heat and let it simmer for 6-7 minutes on medium heat 

Now gently add the marinated fish slices one by one

Add more water if required.

Do not stir at all once the fish has been added

Cook the fish in the curry for 5-6 minutes on medium heat

Check the salt while the fish is cooking

Switch off the gas. 

Allow the fish to remain in the dish for about 10-15 minutes for it to fully soak the flavours. 

Serve with  hot steamed rice