425: Paneer Pasanda

Vegetarian cooking look and tastes a lot more delicious, as the soft color of paneer heightens the colors of the other ingredients.  Paneer not only look good, but tastes delicious also. Paneer Pasanda is a rich paneer delicacy.  Normally Paneer sandwiches filled with mashed paneer filling and  paneer sandwiches are deep fried and served in rich curry. But I slightly modified the recipe like, Paneer cubes are deep fried in oil and cooked in rich gravy masala. I omitted the sandwich part and made the recipe as simple.

Ingredients

Homemade OR Store Bought Paneer             400 gms

Green Capsicum                                          1 No

Salt                                                            To Taste

Pureed Big Tomatoes                                   2 No.

Ginger Paste                                               1 Tsp.

Green Chilies finely chopped                        2 no.

Ghee                                                         1 Tbsp.

Cooking Oil                                                 for Deep Frying 

Masala Powder

Red Chili Powder                                        1 Tsp.

Garam Masala Powder                                1 Tsp.

Coriander powder                                       ½ Tsp.

Fresh Cream                                               2 Tbsp.

For Paste

Cashew nuts                                               2 Tbsp.

Poppy Seed (Khus Khus)                             1 Tbsp.

Green Cardamon                                        2 no.

For Seasoning:

Cinnamon Stick                                        ½ no.

Bay Leaves                                               1 no.

Raisins                                                      1 Tbsp.

Method:

• Cut the Paneer into cubes, deep fry in oil till golden brown and drain and put into the cold water.

• Soak cashew nuts, poppy seeds and cardamom in half a cup of warm water for 20 minutes. When cashew nuts are soft, make a fine paste in the blender. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee, add all seasonings. Now add the ginger paste, capsicum and green chilies. Fry it for 3 minutes in medium flame.
• Now add the paste and all masala powders and fry for a minute.
• Now add the tomato puree and cook till the oil separates and gravy become thick
• Now add sugar, Fresh cream and salt and mix it well.
• Now add 1 cup of water and salt. Boil the curry for 5 minutes.
• Now add fried paneer and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Paneer Pasanda is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Delicious paneer Pasanda is ready to serve. Serve with Chapatti, Pulka and Nan.

• Note

Method of preparation to make the sandwiches

•  Keep about 50 gms paneer aside. This is for the filling.
•  Cut paneer into one and a half inch squares. The paneer pieces should not be more than a quarter inch thick.
•  Now cut each square into two triangles 
•  finely chop the green chilies.
•  Now in the mashed paneer add salt, green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, raisins, finely chopped cashew nuts, and chaat masala. Mix them well.
• paneer squares cut into 2 triangles filling for paneer pasanda
• Now keep about 2 tsp filling evenly on one of the paneer triangles and cover with the other paneer triangle. Press gently . Repeat with all the paneer pieces.
•  Take all purpose flour, salt, and chopped coriander leaves in a bowl. Add a little water at a time to make semi liquid batter.
•  Heat oil in a wok on medium heat; dip the paneer sandwiches in the flour paste and deep fry on medium heat until paneer is reddish brown. Drain and keep into kitchen paper.
• Now paneer sandwiches ready for Pasanda

424: Bhindi Masala 2/ Okra Stir Fry

This is simple and mouthwatering spicy stir-fried bhindi made from tomato, chick peas , and typical Indian curry ingredients. Okra is an amazing vegetable, not only does it taste good but it’s also rich in folic acid and vitamin B6 and also it’s a low calorie vegetable.

Ingredients:

 Frozen Okra                     1 pound

Green chilies                     3 No. (Slit lengthwise)

Cornflour                          ½ Tsp.

Frozen chick peas              ½ tin

Grated ginger                    2 Tbsp.

Tomatoes                          1 no (cut into cubes)

Salt                                  To Taste

Oil                                    for shallow fry

Masalas

Red chili powder                1 Tsp.

Coriander powder              ½ Tsp.

Garam masala powder        ½ Tsp.

Fennel powder(optional)     ¼ Tsp.

For Seasoning

Oil                                   1 Tsp.

Cumin seed                      ½ Tsp.

Fennel seeds                    1/8 Tsp.

Method:

• Snip off stems of Okra. Cut them into 2 to 2 1/2'' pieces.
• Sprinkle little salt and corn flour over them and toss , keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a pan and shallow fry the okras, till crisp and keep aside.
• In mean time combine all masala powders and mix them well. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and fry for a second.
•  Now add the chopped tomatoes, chick peas and Masalas powders and cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Stir if needed to avoid the mixture from sticking to the pan.
• Add fried bhindi (okra) and mix gently. Keep on heat for two minutes and then remove the pan.
• Serve hot with chapatti or roti.

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Dahi Bhindi Masala                                                                 

Bharwan Bhindi Masala                     

Bhindi Masala - 1

                                            

423: Navratan Pulao-Cooked rice and vegetables mildly flavored with spices

 

Navratan Pulao

Rice plays an important role in the Indian cuisine. This  Navratan Pulao is a very popular recipe. This recipe attempts to bring the exotic authentic Nawabi cuisine to your table. . This Mughlai recipe is my favorite one. It is very colorful and attractive and also it tastes great and superb.

Preparation Time                      10 Minutes

Cooking Time                           20-30 Minutes

Difficulty                                  Average

Ingredients:

Long grain White Basmati          2 cups

Butter / Ghee                           2 Tbsp.

Finely chopped Paneer               2 Tbsp.

Saffron                                    2 Pinches     

Salt                                         To Taste.

Ginger paste                            1 Tsp.

Water                                      2 ½ cups- 3 cups

Vegetables:

Green Peas                               ½ cup

Peeled and diced  Carrot            ½ cup

Diced Green Capsicum               ½ no

Diced Yellow Capsicum               ½ no

Diced Red capsicum                   ½ no

Chopped  Green Beans              ¼ cup

Spices

Bay leaves                                 2 no. 

Fennel seeds  (Sombhu)             ½ Tsp,.                                                                 

Cinnamon stick                          1 no.

 Crushed Cloves                         4 no

  Crushed Green Cardamom        4 no

 Crushed Black Cardamom          1 no.

 Crushed Black Pepper               1/2 Tsp.

Nuts

Cashew nuts                              1 Tbsp

Roasted& chopped almonds         1 Tbsp

Raisins                                      1 Tbsp      

For Decoration:

Finely chopped Mint Leaves         2 Tbsp.

Finely chopped Cilantro leaves     1 Tbsp.

How to make Navratan Pulao:

• Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
• Meanwhile gently crush the saffron strands and soak them in a tablespoon of warm milk. 
• Now heat the butter / Ghee in a pan, once hot, add the Fennel seeds and once they crackle, add all other spices.
• Once the spices turn a light brown, add the ginger paste fry for a minute. stirring continuously. Lower the stove heat now.
•  Add the prepared vegetables to the pan and cook them at high heat for 2-4 minutes till all the water evaporate, while tossing them frequently.
• Now add the rice and cook while constantly tossing and stirring for about 3 minutes. All the water will have evaporated by this time and the rice and the vegetables should be coated with the spice mix and start looking dry.
• Add the salt, the saffron and 3 cups of warm water; stir everything together, and let it cook at medium to high heat for about 8 minutes or until all the water from the top has evaporated.
• Make sure your rice don’t get overcooked. When rice is cooled enough, carefully fluff with fork or spatula to separate them.
• Now heat 1 tsp of ghee in  a pan, fry all the nuts and add to the pulao/
• Now decorated with Mint and Coriander leaves.
• Serve Hot with  salads and Raitha.

Note:

• Alternatively, you may do the sauteing part in a frying pan and transfer the contents to an electric rice cooker to make your Pulao.
• The amount of water mentioned here is for Royal  Basmathi rice. The quantity may vary depending on the quality of the rice and the age of the rice.

Navratan Pulao

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