Paneer Makhanwala Recipe

As most of us are working professional, its very hard to prepare two three items in the early morning.

And all of you must have bad experience in Cafeteria. The food is waste.

Unnecessarily they will charge you more, but the food quality will be really pathetic.

It won't be tasty as well as healthy.

Dont you think Its better to have home cooked food...

In the morning, if you will give hardly 45 minutes

Then also you will be able to cook at least one dish along with rice or chapati.

Today morning I prepared Paneer butter masala, mushroom chili fry and roti

I will share here the my version Paneer Makhanwala recipe i used to prepare when I am really hurrying up for the office. (Easy dish only when you have all the required ingredients :) )

 Cooking time : 30 mins (For beginners)

                         15-20 mins (If you can manage to do multi-tasking)

Ingredients

Fresh Paneer(cottage cheese) cut into tiny cubes 250 grams

(Size as per your wish)

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped capsium

1/4 tbsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp finely chopped green chillies

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

salt to taste

For the paste

Cashew nuts 10/12

Onion 1 (cut into 4 pieces)

Garlic  6/7 cloves

Ginger 1 inch

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

For the Garnish

Crushed Kasuri Methi 1/2 tbsp

Method: 

1. Heat the butter on a pan and add the cumin seeds
2. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and sauté on a high flame for 1 to 2 minutes
3. Add the paneer cubes and fry it till it becomes pale yellow in color
4. Add the tomatoes and cook on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes
5. Add the capsicum, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes
6. Add the turmeric powder, green chillies and 1 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously
7. Add salt and coriander and 1 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2   minutes, while stirring occasionally
8. Now remove it from the flame and keep aside
9. Dry roast Cashew
10. Blend it with onion, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and 1/2 cup water and prepare a smooth paste
11. Heat 2 tbsp oil on a pan and add the paste
12. Add 1 tbsp meat masala and stir it continuously
13. Cook it in medium flame for 10 minutes
14. Add the diced or cubed paneer. keep in mind the consistency you want before you add paneer as you will be cooking the paneer for a few minutes.
15. Stir gently and let the paneer cook in the gravy for 2-3 minutes or till they become soft and cooked
16. Lastly add crushed kasuri methi leaves to add flavours

   Now Its ready to be packed for Lunch box :)

Baghare Baingan Recipe

This is delicious preparation of the the popular hyderabadi recipe made from roasted brinjal, an accompaniment that can to be served along with Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani.

Tamarind gives the sourness that is needed and the peanut and sesame paste gives it a good color and flavor too. Have to say this turned out extremely well n tasted yummy. 

The thick and creamy sauce is perfect with steamed rice, pulav, Naan or Chapati.

It Looks too good and so tempting...

Just try it and you surely won't be disappointed.

Ingredients

Brinjals/Eggplant 8 to 10

Mustard seeds  1/4 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp

Nigella seeds (kalonji) 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves 8 to 10

Green chillies (slit) 3

Oil 4 tbsp

salt to taste

For the paste

Sesame seeds 3 tbsp

Grated coconut 3 tbsp  (Optional)

Raw peanuts 3 tbsp

Chopped ginger 1 tbsp

Chooped Garlic 1 tbsp

2 Onions chopped

Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp

Coriander powder 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds powder 2 tbsp

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp 1 tsp

(Alternate 1: Yogurt   

Alternate 2: Half tamarind and half lemon juice )

For the garnish

Chopped coriander 2 tbsp

  

Paste preparation

1. Combine the sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts on a pan 
2. Dry roast them over a slow flame till the ingredients are lightly browned
3. Add the turmeric powder, coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder, chilli powder and tamarind paste
4. Grind it to a smooth paste using ½ cup water. Keep aside

Preparation

1. Slit the brinjals, lengthwise, into four, but leave the stems on, so the brinjals remain joined at the stem
2. Marinate the brinjal with the paste and keep it for 15 minues (Optional)
3. Deep fry the brinjals till it becomes soft, Remove and keep aside
4. Soak tamarind in warm water and mash it in water to get pulp

Method

1. Heat the oil in a deep bottomed pan
2. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and nigella seeds
3. Add curry leaves and green chillies and sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
4. When seeds crackle, Add chopped onions and fry it till onion turns golden brown
5. Add chopped ginger, garlic
6. Add the paste and Keep stirring while frying to avoid getting burnt at the bottom. (Note: You can add Garam Masala while adding paste)
7. Cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan
8. Add the fried brinjals and mix once. Simmer and cook till it leaves oil (You can add ½ cup of water to avoid getting burnt at the bottom)
9. Add salt and cook covered over a slow flame till the brinjals and paste get blended well.

Garnish it with chopped Coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice or Chapati

Steamed Manda Pitha/ Modak Recipe

Margashirsha maas or Margashira masam is the ninth month as per traditional Hindu calendar. It is believed as one of the auspicious months for Hindus.
During Thursdays of Margasira month, women observe a vrat called “Margashira Lakshmi Vara Vratham”. This Vrat is also called as “Manabasa Gurubar Vrat”.
Women, Who observe Manabasa Gurubar Vrat wake up early in the morning, clean their homes, perform ritual bath and Draw beautiful kolams in tamil, Jhoti/Chita in odiya,  rangoli/alpana in hindi and foot prints of Goddess lakshmi at the entrance. They draw footprints because it is invitation to the goddess lakshmi to visit their home.

While performing puja, people give different types of Prasadam such as Fruits, Dry fruits, Panchamrita and sweets etc. In odisha, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped during the day by offering ten manda pitha along with fruits and Panchamrit. In this Puja different type of tasty cuisine like Manda Pitha, Khiri, Kakara, Chitau etc. are prepared and distributed to neighbours.

In coming days I am going to share the some traditional recipes…
I will start with Sijha Manda Pitha which is healthy dessert, steamed yet really delicious…

It is prepared in all parts of Odisha during festivals falling on Monsoon like Raja, Ratha Yatra and Post Monsoon seasons like Manabasa guruvar, Durga Puja, Kumar Purnima, Gamha Purnima etc.

In Maharastra, its known as Modak(only the shape differs  ) famous Prasad during Ganesh Puja


Ingredient :

For Stuffing

Desiccated Coconut  1 Cup
Cottage Cheese (optional)  1 Cup
Sugar(or as per taste)/Jaggery 6-7 Tblsp 
Cardamom Powder 1/2 Tblsp 
Black pepper Powder 1/4 Tsp 

For outer Covering

Rice flour 2 cups 
Water  4 cups 
Salt  1/4 tsp 

Method : 

1. For the stuffing, Put coconut, chenna and sugar  on a pan and cook for 5 minutes
2. Add cardamom powder and black pepper powder and mix well
3. Stop cooking and Now let the stuffing mixture cool for sometimes

(Note: For  making chenna/cottage cheese, Boil the milk and then curdle with a small amount of whey/lemon and collect the resulting wrap it in a cheesecloth/any cloth. Make sure extra watery fluid is strained completely)


1. Now for the outer covering, soak rice 
2. flour in 2 cups of water for 1/2 hour (or you can soak rice in water for 1 hour and grind it wet to it to make batter )
3. Take 2 cups of water on pan and add salt . Let it boil. Now lower the flame to minimum
4. Add soaked rice flour/batter and slowly stir till it soaks up all the water
5. Now switch off the flame and let it cool
6. Make ball out of it and stuff the Coconut and Chhena mixture 
7. Steam it for 15 minutes inside a steamer or idly cooker

Tips: You can put rice flour balls with stuffing on the banana leaf and steam it inside steamer or idly car. It will add a pleasant smell in Steamed Manda Pitha/Modak.

Be Creative : Be in love with life

Few people have the combination of characteristics and opportunities that allow for the big-C efforts that change culture or society. But practically, everyone is capable of creativity with a little c. 
Many of us exercise it as we come up with solutions to everyday problems, such as hiding the vegetables in a kid-friendly dish, fixing a toy or game, or expressing ourselves in writing, needlework, art or dance.

To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its charm, you want to add value to it. 

Creative activities may not be obvious, and creativity is expressed differently across the world and across subcultures.

Mixed Fruit Halwa

Ingredients:

Rava / Sooji/ Semolina  1 cup 
Sugar  2 cups* 
Apple, chopped finely  1/2 cup 
Pineapple chopped finely  1/2 cup 
Raisin  1/4 cup
Cashew nuts  1/8 cup 
Ghee  1/4 cup 
oil 1/4 cup
Pineapple essense 2 drops or turmeric powder 1/2 tblsp
Salt  A pinch 
Water  2 & 1/2 cups 

*Sugar can be as less as 1 & 1/2 cups


Method :

1. Chop the fruits and keep it mixed with 3 tblsp of sugar for atleast 30 mins
2. Heat a pan with ghee and oil and add the cashewnuts. Just give it a stir. No need to make it golden
3. Add the raisins and stir in medium flame until it gets bloated fully
4. Add the rava and roast until the raw smell goes off. No need to wait until the rava turns colour
5. Boil water side by side and add it to the roasted rava. Carefully mix as it may overflow or spill as it boils. Add salt at this stage
6. Mix well until it gets thick in consistency
7. Cook covered for 4 minutes or until done in low flame, Mix well
8. Add sugar and turmeric. Mix until its watery
9. Add the fruits without the watery sugar at the bottom
10. Keep mixing until the halwa starts leaving its sides and transfer to the serving bowl

Kalakand style Coconut Barfi Recipe

Ingredients:

Grated Coconut  - 2 cups
Milk  - 1 Cup
Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can (400 gms)
Sugar - 2 tbsp (or as per your taste)
Ghee - 4-5 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp
Almonds 

Method :

1. Melt Ghee in a pan over medium heat
2. Add the coconut and then milk 
3. Stir well. saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame
4. Now pour the condensed milk, stir and mix well.
5. Combine sugar or you can skip this step completely
6. Add cardamom powder and the mixture would reduce and begin to lose its moisture. Continue to stir, so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan
7. Continue to cook and stir till you see the ghee releasing from the sides
8. Remove from heat and transfer to either a greased dish or a pan lined with cellophane wrap
9. Cut almonds into silvers and sprinkle along with 1 tbsp coconut on top. Keep in fridge to cool for at least an hour
10. Then cut it with knife in squares  or in diamond shapes and keep back again in fridge for 20 mins

Now it is ready to be served :)