Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a creamy and delicious north indian dish with a lovely green colour. Paneer(cottage cheese) is cooked in a spinach based gravy and is mildly spiced. Taste great with roti, naan and paratha.

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 200 gms
2. Palak/Spinach - 3 big bunches
   Oil - 2  tsp
   Sugar - 1/2 tsp
   Green chillies - 2 or 3
3. Tomato - 2 big
   Water to blanch the tomatoes
4. Oil - 2 tbsp
   Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
   Onion - 1 large, finely chopped
   Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
   Coriander powder - 2 tsp
   Garam masala - 1/2 to 1 tsp
   Kasoori methi - 1/4 tsp (crush it with your palms)
   Fresh cream - 3 tbsp

Getting ready:


1. Cut the paneer to small cubes. If you are using store bought paneer, place the cubes in hot water for 5-10 mins and then drain. This helps to make the paneer soft. It is optional to fry the paneer in a little ghee for a few minutes.
2. Discard the stems of the palak and wash the leaves well. Roughly chop them. Heat about 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add chopped spinach and sugar. Adding sugar helps to get a lovely dark green colour. Saute till spinach wilts and becomes dark green in colour. Let the spinach cool a little and grind it along with green chillies to a smooth puree.
3. Boil water in a pan and add the tomatoes and boil till the skin loosens. Place the tomatoes in cold water and remove the skin. Grind the tomatoes to a smooth pulp.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Fry the onions till light brown and then add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add coriander powder and combine well.
2. Add the tomato pulp, mix well and let it boil. Add the spinach puree and paneer cubes and combine well and bring to boil. Add garam masala and kasoori methi and cook for few more minutes. The gravy becomes thick. Add fresh cream and serve.

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Paneer 65

For Blog Hop Wednesday-Week 6, I cooked from Divyaz Easy Recipes. As I was browsing through her recipes, I got hooked by the Paneer 65. The dish is quick and simple and makes a yummy appetizer.
I have made few changes in the spice powders to suit my family's taste.

Ingedients:

1. Paneer - 250 gms, cubed

2. Red chilly powder - 1 to 2 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Cornflour - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curd/yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

3. Oil to deep fry
4. Lemon juice - optional to drizzle

Preparation:

1. Cube the paneer to medium size pieces. I used store brought paneer, so I soaked it in hot water for 5-10 mins to soften.
2. Mix all ingredients under item 2 and coat the paneer cubes well with this paste. Keep aside for 15-20 mins.
3. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying and add the paneer cubes. Fry till all sides are golden brown. Drain to kitchen tissue. You may add a dash of lemon juice before serving.

Serve hot.

This is my entry for Blog Hop Wednesday-Week 6 and Anyone can cook

Paneer Burji Sandwich

Paneer burji is a good recipe idea if you have some left over paneer. This burji can be used in a variety of ways: can be served with rice or roti as a side dish, as a sandwich filling or as a wrap filling. You may substitute paneer with soya chunks and follow the same recipe. I used this for a sandwich and it was really good and quite filling. Paneer is rich in proteins and kids will also love this sandwich.

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chilly powder - 3/4 to 1 tsp
Tomato - 1, finely chopped
Salt
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (Check cooking tips for the recipe)
Coriander leaves - chopped for garnishing
Bread slices - 6 to 8

Preparation:

1. If you are using store bought paneer cubes, soak it in hot water for 5-10 mins to make it soft. Drain to kitchen towel. Crumble the cubes with your fingers and keep  it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds.
3. Add onion and saute till it starts turning light brown.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
5. Add turmeric,chilly powder, salt and mix well.
6. Add tomatoes and saute till they are soft.
7. Add paneer cubes and combine well. Add garam masala. Stir fry for about 5 mins till paneer is cooked and the mix becomes dry.
8. Add coriander leaves and mix well.
9. Take a slice of bread and spread the filling. Cover with another slice of bread. You may toast or grill the sandwich if you like it that way.

Sending this to Proteinicious hosted by Sobha of Good Food, Quick and Easy Recipe Mela hosted by SpicyTasty and to Sandwich Mela hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala/Paneer Makhani is a very rich and creamy dish which is the most popular among paneer dishes. In  restaurant made PBM,  you can see the oozing butter and a nice reddish colour as they add food colour. When I made it at home, I used very little butter and substituted the rest with oil to make it a little healthy. If you do not mind the use of butter, you may need about 3-4 tbsp butter for the authentic paneer makhani. Instead of heavy cream, I have used low fat single cream which is again a healthier option.

The recipe looks lengthy, but that's just because I have explained it in detail. You can prepare this in 30 mins.

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes - 250 gms
Tomato - 2, to make puree (or use readymade tomato puree)
Cashew nuts - 6 to 8

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - a small piece
Onions - 2, chopped
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Chopped garlic - 1 tsp

Chilly powder - 1.5 to 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp or more (Check cooking tips for the recipe)
Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
Low fat single cream - 100 ml (optional)
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt

Preparation:

1. Soak the paneer cubes in hot water for 10 minutes. This is required for store bought paneer which will be a little hard after sitting in the fridge for days. Drain on to a kitchen towel and pat dry.
2. Boil the tomatoes in water for 5 minutes. Peel off the skin and remove the seeds and grind to a smooth paste. Puree is ready, keep aside.
3. Soak the cashew nuts in 1/4 cup of hot water for 10-15 mins.

We are now ready to turn on the stove :-)

4. Heat oil in a pan and saute the paneer cubes till they start getting light brown. Do not deep fry. Drain on to kitchen tissue and keep aside.
5. Heat another pan and pour the same oil used for frying paneer. Just add half of it and reserve the other half for step 8. Add cumin, cardamom,cloves and cinnamon and saute for a minute
6. Add onions, ginger and garlic and saute till onions start turning light brown. Add soaked cashews along with the water and boil for about 2-3 minutes.
7. Switch off the stove and let this cool. Grind to a smooth paste.
8. Heat the remaining oil and butter in a pan and saute the onion paste for a few minutes. Add tomato puree and saute till oil starts appearing.
9. Add salt, chilly powder, coriander powder and kasuri methi and combine well. Add tomato ketchp and some hot water to get the desired consistency and bring to a boil.
10. Add paneer cubes and garam masala and cook for 4-5 mins. Add cream and sugar and combine well. After adding the cream, the colour of the gravy becomes much lighter. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with roti, naan, paratha or even rice. You may add a small blob of butter at the time of serving.

Recipe source: My friend Kiran, who is a Punjabi.

Matar Paneer

First of all, let me tell you that this is not an authentic matar paneer recipe, but it tastes good. I have been searching for an authentic recipe for a few months now. Tried many recipes from the net, but was not happy with any of them. Finally, I decided to create a new recipe taking the best out of all the recipes I had. If you have an authentic recipe, please do send it to me. Would like to experiment more with paneer. Nowadays my Nikki has also become very fond of Paneer, so I feel I should make it more often. Till now I've been using store bought paneer, which is quite expensive in UK. I am planning to make it at home soon..Will keep you posted on that.

Here goes the recipe...

Ingredients:

Green Peas/Matar - 1 cup
Paneer cubes - 200 gms
Onion - 2 chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 1 or 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - a small piece
Black Pepper corns - 10
Ginger garlic paste - 1 to 2 tsp
Tomato - 1 large chopped
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp or more
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp or more (check cooking tips for recipe
Fresh cream - 1-2 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - to garnish
Oil
Salt


Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, cardamom,cloves,cinnamon and pepper corns. Saute for few seconds.
2. Add onions and saute till soft.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
4. Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chilly and garam masala powders and saute till tomatoes are soft and oil starts appearing.
5. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Grind to a smooth paste without adding water.
6. Heat a little oil in a pan and saute this masala paste for a few minutes.Add 3/4 cups of water and bring it to boil.
7. Add the green peas, cover and cook till green peas is almost done.
8. Now add the paneer cubes and combine well. Cook for a few more minutes.
9. Add fresh cream and combine well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

You may add a blob of butter on top, which makes it more delicious. Serve with roti/naan/paratha.

Linking this to Life is Green Event 

Kadai Paneer

I love paneer in any form. I usually make Matar Paneer, but this time I decided to try kadai paneer for a change. I use store bought paneer.

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes - 250 gms

Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 diced

Onion - 1 diced

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Tomato puree - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp or more

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (I use home made masala. Check cooking tips for the recipe)

Kasoori methi - a pinch

Salt

Ghee/Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Heat Ghee/Oil in a pan, add onions and saute till they are soft.

2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well.

3. Add the spice powders,kasoori methi and salt and saute for a minute.

4. Add tomato puree and saute till oil starts appearing.

5. Now add capsicum and mix well. Add some warm water and cover and cook for a couple of minutes.

6. Add paneer cubes and combine. Check the gravy and add water if required.

7. Cover and cook on low flame for few minutes.

8. Serve hot with chappathi, roti or nan.