Paneer Tikka Masala

I made this for the Thanks giving pot luck we had with our friends this year. I was not sure what to take for the potluck and then decided to make something with paneer.
This is the first time I made paneer tikka masala and it came out well.
I read many recipes for the same and finally adapted the recipe from cookingandme blog

Below is the recipe details
Ingredients for making Tikka

1. Paneer -  14 oz. ( I used the store bought paneer ) – cubed
2. Bell pepper – cubed ( a few ) – I used different colored ones.
3. Onions – cubed
4. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
6. Corainder powder – 1 tsp
7. Garam Masala – 1 tsp
8. Yoghurt -  3 tbsp
9. Salt – to taste
10. Kasoori methi – 1/2 tsp.
11. Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
12. Oil – 1 – 2 tsp

Method
Mix all the ingredients ( 1- 11 above ) and marinate it for atleast 30 mins.
Heat a tawa or wide pan, Add the 1 – 2 tsp oil . Add the marinated paneer , bell peppers and Onions.
Cook it until the paneer and vegetables is toasted well and keep it aside.
Note : Make sure to keep the flame on medium – high heat . You can add the paneer and vegetables separately also . I don’t have the skewers , so I directly charred both together in the pan.

Ingredients for Masala

1. Onion – 1 ( big ) – minced
2. Tomatoes – 3 ( medium ) – pureed
3. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
5. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Ginger Garlic paste -  1 tsp
7. Kasoori methi – 1 tbsp
8. Cream – 1/4 cup ( I used half n half milk )
9. Salt – to taste
10. Coriander leaves
11. Oil – 1 – 2 tbsp.
12. Garam masala – 1/2  tsp

Method
Heat oil in the pan , Add the cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the minced onions and saute until it turns brown. Then add the Ginger – garlic paste and saute for few mins
Now add the Tomato puree ,  spice powders ( corainder , garam masala , turmeric , chill powder ) and salt and allow it to boil for 20 seconds ( add  1/2 cup water if reqd )
Once the raw smell goes and the mixture gets thickened , Add the cream , Paneer tikkas , kasoori methi and corainder leaves and gently stir the masala.
Switch off the flame and serve it with hot rotis or jeera rice.

Puli Upma

Ingredients
Rice Flour – 2 cups
Tamarind extract – 1 3/4 cups
Asafoetida – a pinch
Turmeric – a pinch
Salt – As per taste
Red chilli – 2
Mor milagai – small – 4  ( optional , if it is not there , use 2 more red chilli )
Oil –  1/4 cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Chana dhal – 1tsp
Urad dhal – 1tsp
Curry leaves – few

Method
1) Soak Tamarind in water and extract the juice.
2) In a mixing bowl , Add rice flour , turmeric , salt and Asafoetida
3) Add Tamarind extract to the mix and mix it well without lumps. ( the batter should be slightly watery than the chapathi dough.
4) In the pan , Add oil and fry the Mor milagai first until it becomes black or dark brown and keep it aside.
5) In the same pan , temper Mustard seeds , urad dhal , chana dhal and red chillies,
6) Add curry leaves and Mor Milagai. Now add the Rice mixture
7) Cook it in the low – medium flame and keep breaking the lumps using the ladle. Cook until the Upma becomes soft.
Note : I used the store bought rice flour.
If the rice flour is not good , the upma might become sticky. Also You need to more oil to make this upma.

Bajji

 

Last Thursday , it was raining and both of us were feeling like eating bajji and hot chai. As soon I reached home in the evening and made potato bajji. Actually I planned to make some onion bajji as well , but ended up making only potato bajji. My daughter also enjoyed this bajji with tomato sauce..

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Besan / Kadala Maavu
• 1 tbsp. rice flour
• 1 large Potato
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Hing / Asafoetida
• A pinch  of Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method

Wash the potato and cut them into thin slices ( I used the mandolin slicer and adjusted it for correct thickness )

Take the Besan , rice flour , Salt , red chili powder , turmeric , hing in a bowl and add water slowly and mix it well to  a thick batter ( it should be too watery or too thick ) . The batter should be such a way that when you dip the potato it should coat well.

Heat the oil in the pan and once it is hot , Dip the potato in the batter and add it to the oil.  Turn the bajji and fry both sides until it is golden brown. Remove it and drain the excess oil using paper towel.  Repeat this in small batches

You can make Coconut chutney as a side dish , we all had it Maggi tomato sauce.

Variations : instead of potato , you can use onions , paneer cubes or raw banana to make bajjis. Bread or papad can also be used to make bajji’s

Modhagam ( Sweet Kozhukattai )

I made the sweet kozhukattai ( Modhagam ) for Ganesh chathurthi along with ammini kozhukattai. I already posted the recipe fo ammini kozhukattai last year.
Below is the recipe for Sweet kozhukattai
Ingredients
For the Outer covering
Rice flour – 1 cup
Salt – Very little
Gingely oil – 1 tbsp
Water – 1 - 1.5 cups
For the filling
Jaggery – 1/2 cup
Coconut – 1 cup
Cardamom powder – a pinch
Preparation
For the filling
1) Take Jaggery ,Coconut, cardamom powder  in a  pan . Mix it well and keep stirring until jaggery melts. Remove it from heat when you find the mixture is thick and does not stick to the pans
For the outer layer
1) Boil water with little salt and gingely oil
2) Add the rice flour slowly and continously stir until it forms a dough without any lumps
3) Knead the dough until it is soft
For the kozhukattai
1) Apply oil in hand , Take little dough and make a small cup , place the filling in the center and seal it
2) Do the same thing for the remaining dough and filing.
3) Place all the kozhukattai in a cooker ( I use the idly pan ) and steam it for 8 – 10 mins
Note :
1) I used the store bought rice flour. Usually rice flour is done by soaking rice in water and allowing it to dry in big cloth. Grind and sieve it to make a rice flour )
2) So the water required might vary a bit.
3) The outer layer should be warm , so make sure to make the filling first and then make the outer layer.
4) If you use frozen coconut , filling might be little watery I suggest to make it ahead and keep it in refrigerator

Okra Mor Kuzambhu

 

I prepared Morkuzambhu and potato box curry for lunch today. Few weeks back I made mango morkuzambhu. For Today’s recipe , I used Lady’s finger ( Vendaikkai ) and the ingredients used is different.

This is a simple and delicious recipe that goes well with steaming rice and hot spicy curry.

                                                 

Ingredients

Okra or Vendaikkai ( Lady’s Finger ) – 6 to 7 ( Medium )

Coriander seeds -  3/4  tbsp..

Toor Dhal -  1 tbsp

Cumin seeds-  1 tbsp

Rice -  1 tbsp

Yoghurt or thick butter milk –  2 cups

Coconut -  3/4 cup ( shredded)

Red chillies (whole ) – 2

Green chilies – 2

Salt – as per taste

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Oil –  2  to 3 tbsp

Preparation

1) Soak Toor dhal , Coriander seeds , Cumin seeds , Rice in water for 10 – 15 mins

2) In the mean time , take the yoghurt or thick butter milk in a wide bowl and whisk ( use a whisker or matthu ) until it is creamy. Add turmeric powder , salt and mix it well. Keep it aside.

3) Wash and dry pat the lady’s finger and cut into small pieces. Take a pan and fry the lady’s finger in the oil until it is well cooked and crispier

4) Take the Coconut , green chillies , red chill's along with soaked ingredients and grind it to a smooth paste.Add it to the yoghurt mix.

5) Add the fried lady’s finger to the mix. Keep the mor kuzambhu in a low flame until a froth comes up ( it should not boil as the yoghurt will curdle )

6) Do the seasoning with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Brown rice Pongal

 

I have been using brown rice to try different recipes. I made this pongal a month back and we all loved the aroma and it was very tasty.

Ingredients

Brown rice – 1 cup

Moong dhal – 1/2 cup

Whole pepper – 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Ginger – grated ( 1 tsp )

Salt – as required

pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Cashewnuts – 8 to 10

Ghee – 2- 3 tbsp

Water -  3 1/2  cups

Curry leaves - few

Preparation

Wash brown rice and moong dhal. Soak them for for about 10 mins and pressure cook with water , required salt, pepper powder , cumin seeds and grated ginger for 3 –4 whistles.

In a small pan , Add 1 tbsp  ghee and fry the cashewnuts .  Add pepper corns, curry leaves and saute in ghee for few mins and mix it to the pongal.

We had this with brinjal kothsu for the breakfast..

Avocado Milkshake

 

This is a refreshing and creamy shake that would be so delicious and good for your health anytime for the day.

Below is the details of the recipe. I am sending this to Manjula’s July Contest

                      

Ingredients

Avacado – 1  ( Pitted , peeled and diced )

Almond milk – 1.5 cups ( This is a lactose and Soy free drink ) or you can use the regular milk

Sugar –  1 –2 tbsp ( optional )

Cinnamon – a pinch

Icecubes – optional

Whey powder – 1 scoop ( You can add this if you want to make this as protein shake )

Method

Place the Avacado , almond cooconut milk , sugar , ice and whey powder in the blender.

Blend it until smooth.

Add the cinnamon on the top and serve it chill.

Note : Any fruits like Banana’s , Strawberries would be a perfect choice as well. I felt Almond milk is good for health and also was so delicious than the regular milk.

                             

Radish Curry

I usually make Sāmbhar using radish. The other day I wanted to make something different and ended up making radish curry.

Ingredients
1) Radish -  2 cups ( white one )
2) Grated coconut –1/2 cup
3) Red chillies –  2
3) Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
4) urad dhal – 1 tsp
5) salt – as per taste
6) Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
7) Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
8) Curry leaves – few
9) Asafoetida – a pinch
10) Oil
Method
1) Wash the radish and peel the outer skin. Grate the Radish.
2) Heat some oil in the pan , add the mustard seeds , once it splutters , Add the urad dhal , cumin seeds. once it starts sizzling , Add the red chillies then  the curry leaves and pinch of Asafoetida powder . Add the grated radish followed by turmeric powder and salt. Cover it and allow it cook until the radish is well cooked.
3) Add the grated coconut , stir it well and switch off the flame.
Radish curry is now ready and can be served with rice and dhal.

Mango Morkuzhambu

 

This is the first time I tasted mango mor kuzhambu. My DH wanted me to make this recipe as this is one usually made at his place.

Ingredients

Ripe Mango –  2 ( medium size )

Yoghurt – 1 .5 cups or thick butter milk

Turmeric –1/2  tsp

Salt – as per taste

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Green chillies – 2

mustard seeds – 1 tsp

curry leaves – few

Asafoetida – a pinch

fenugreek – 1 tsp

rice – 1 tsp ( soak in water )

Oil ( for seasoning and little for roasting the fenugreek )

Method

1) Wash the mangoes and chop into pieces without outer skin and seed

2) In a pan , Put the mango pieces with water , turmeric powder and little salt and cook it until tender and smash it well.

3) In the meantime , add little oil in another pan and roast the fenugreek. Take the grated coconut , green chillies chopped , fenugreek , rice in a blender and make a paste.

4) Add the paste to the mango mixture and allow it to boil for few minutes. Add salt.

5) Add the yoghurt or thick buttermilk and stir it well and remove from flame in few mins.

6) Do the seasoning with mustard along with curry leaves and asafoetida powder and add to the mor kuzambhu

You can have with white rice and paruppu usili. or you can also have with rice sevai..

Godhumai Dosai ( Wheat flour Dosai )

 

This is one of the easiest dosa to make and does not require fermentation like Idly/Dosa batter.  I usually make it when we want to make a quick dinner . This can be had with Milagai podi even if there is no time to make any chutney..

Ingredients

1) Wheat Flour – 1 cup

2) Water – 2 to 2.5 cups

3) Cumin seeds –  1 1/2 tsp

4) Green chillies – 1 or 2  nicely chopped ( depends on how spicy you want )

5) Salt – as per taste

6) Oil

Method

Mix the wheat flour with water and salt to make the batter. Make sure there are no lumps. The batter should be thinner than the regular dosa batter. Add the cumin seeds and chopped chillies to the batter ( you can also temper the jeera and green chillies in the oil and add to the batter )

Heat the non stick tawa. Add little oil and rub the tawa pan with cut onion ( or I sometimes use the temple shaped wooden block) . Pour the batter from outside so that it form a pattern ( we cannot spread like the usual batter ) . Add oil on the sides and turn the dosa when you see the corners turning golden brown. Cook for few mins on the other side till it is crispier..

You can have it milagai podi or or some chutney. 

-- My MIL makes chilli –tamarind chutney which is usually so spicy –  I have not made it yet  - will post the recipe when I make the same.

-- My mom adds little rice flour to the batter, but dosas comes out well even if we are not adding it.

Keerai Masiyal

 

I make keerai masiyal always on a weekend to give it to my daughter.. she loves this along with paruppu rice , Rasam or curd rice. 

Ingredients

Spinach –   6 to 7 cups

Salt – as per taste

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Grated coconut –  1/2 cup

Cumin –  2tsp

oil – 1tsp

mustard – 1tsp

urad dhal – 1tsp

dry red chilli – 1 or 2

Preparation

Wash and chop the spinach leaves. Cook the spinach leaves with turmeric , salt and little water. Use keerai mathu to mash it well. Grind coconut and cumin to a fine paste and add it to keerai. Allow it to cook for some more mins. Heat oil in another pan , add mustard seeds. Once it splutters , Add urad dhal and red chillis. Add the seasoning to keerai and serve hot.

-- You can also make this without coconut / cumin paste instead you can add cumin seeds while seasoning.

--  If you need to add more spice , add 1 red chilly and grind it along with coconut / cumin

Mango cupcakes

 

I made this mango muffins for the Wednesday Breakfast in the office few weeks back.. I initially thought of making this with egg and decided to go for eggless.  I browsed through some recipes and got from Holycow website.  The original recipe has mentioned to add flax seeds powder , but I did not add it,

Ingredients

All purpose Flour – 1 1/2 cup

Baking Powder – 2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Mango Puree – 1 1/2 cup

Brown Sugar – 1 3/4 cup

Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp

Almonds – Crushed ( I used silvered ) – handful

Vegetable Oil – 3/4 cup

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 375 °     
2) Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl -  all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and crushed silvered almonds.
3) In a bowl, mix the oil, sugar, mango puree and vanilla extract.
4) Mix  the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together Do not over mix.
5) With the  ice cream scoop , pour the  the batter into the muffin tray
6) Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out  clean.

Banana Strawberry Almond Bread

 

Its been a while I baked anything..I was browsing through the net for bread recipes and found a recipe from allrecipes.com. I modified the ingredients with what I had in my hand.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat flour – 2 cups

Brown Sugar – 3/4 cups

Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – 1/2  tsp

Egg – 1

Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp

Bananas –  2 mashed

Strawberries – 5 to 6 (I used the frozen )

Almonds – Silvered ( 1/2 cup ) – I crushed it to tiny pieces.

Milk – 1/4 cup ( I used 1 % organic )

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix Wheat flour , Brown sugar , baking powder , baking soda in bowl . Add almonds and mix well so that it gets coated with flour. Mash the bananas , strawberries in  another bowl. Add Vegetable oil and egg and whisk together. Mix this to flour mixture and blend everything together. Grease the loaf pan and pour the batter.

Bake for 50 mins or until the knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool it completely and Serve.

          

Chow Chow ( Chayote ) Kootu

 

Ingredients

Chayote – 2 1/2  cups

Toor dhal or moong dhal – 1/2  cup

Turmeric –  1/2 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Coconut grated -  4 tbsp

Red Chilli – 3

Cumin / Jeera – 1 tsp

Salt – as per taste

Seasoning

Oil – 1tsp

Curry leaves – few

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal – 1/4 tsp

Chana dhal – 1/4 tsp

Preparation

Peel the skin of chayote and cut into small cubes. Pressure cook chayote , dal with turmeric and salt. In the meantime , grind coconut , red chilli , cumin with little water to a paste. Now add the paste to cooked dhal , chayote and bring it to boil. Add the seasoning to the kootu and serve it hot.

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa – I can say this as Mother’s day special. This was prepared by my husband… I am also happy to share that this is my 25th post..Thanks to all my friends and my fellow bloggers for your motivation / encouragement.
Ingredients
Carrot – 10 – 12 medium size
Sugar -  2 cups
Milk – 2 cups
Cashew -  1/4 cup
Ghee – 3 tbsp
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Raisins – handful
Preparation
Peel the skin of carrots and grate them. Pressure cook milk and carrot for 2 whistles. Add 2 cups of sugar to the cooked carrot / milk mixture and cook in a low flame and keep mixing until it becomes thick and milk is fully absorbed. Add cardomom powder and fry Cashew and raisins in ghee and garnish it.
Serve it warm or keep it in refrigerator and serve. It will be even more tastier to have it with a  scoop of vanilla icecream

Chenna Poda ( Indian Cheese Cake)

This month Srivalli announced Chenna Poda ( Indian Cheese cake ) for Indian Cooking Challenge. I could not participate in ICC for quite few months.. As soon as I saw this recipe for this month’s challenge, I wanted to try it immediately and I made this last week..
We have 2 process here to make this delicious sweet.
Cheese making and baking of chenna poda

I followed the recipe from Titilating tastebuds

For Cheese
Milk ( I used  reduced fat milk ) – 1 to 1.5 gallon
Lemon juice -  1 cup
Ice cubes – 2 cups
Cheese cloth or any soft cloth ( like pillow cover )
Preparation
Bring the milk to boil. In the meantime , Squeeze lemons to get juice for about 1 cup. Pour the lemon juice slowly into the boiling milk. You will see that milk cuddles and water gets separated. Now add the ice cubes and turn off the stove.
Adding ice cubes will stop the cuddling process.
Filter the cheese / water through cheese cloth and hang the cheese cloth for 15 – 20 mins so that all water drains out.
The cheese is now ready to be used for baking chenna poda. ( Note , you can use this cheese not only for this recipe but also for other yummy sweets
     
For Chenna Poda
Ingredients
1) Cheese – 1 to 1.5  lb
2) Sugar – 1.5 cup ( 1 cup for cheese cake and 1/2 cup for Caramel )
3) Sooji or Rava – 2 tbsp. ( Soak this in water )
4)Cashews – 2 tbsp
5) Raisins – 2 tbsp..
6) cardamom powder – 1 tsp
7) water – for caramel preparation – 1/2 cup
8) Ghee / oil – little for frying cashews/raisins
Preparation
Caramel preparation – Pour 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar and boil it until the sugar syrup thickens and becomes light brown ( amber color ) .. Immediately pour it to the baking dish ( do not delay to pour or the syrup will be crystallized )
Preheat the oven to 350° F . Now mix the Cheese , soaked sooji and sugar in the bowl along with cardamom , fried cashews / raisins . Knead it well for 5 – 10 mins. Spread the mixture on top of caramel in the baking dish and ;level it.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and make some cuts on the top of foil. Bake it for 35 – 45 mins. After 45 mins , insert the toothpick or knife to see it comes out clean. Remove the baking dish and cool it.
If you prefer to have it cold , keep it in refrigerator or microwave for few secs and serve warm..

Quinoa Upma

Ingredients

 ^{Quinoa – 1 cup}

 ^{Water – 2 cups}

 ^{Onions – 1 medium}

 ^{Any vegetables ( Carrot , beans , peas , Green, Red , yellow  bell peppers ) – 3/4  cup}

 ^{Walnuts – handful}

 ^{Green chillies -  1- 2}

 ^{Oil – 1 tbsp for seasoning}

 ^{Mustard – 1tsp}

 ^{Urad dhal – 1tsp}

 ^{Chana dhal; – 1tsp}

 ^{Lemon juice –  2 – 3 tsp ( depends on how tangy you want )}

 ^{Salt – to taste}

Preparation

Take quinoa and water in a pressure cooker and cook for  3 whistles along with little salt.  In a pan , heat the oil and add mustard. Once it splutters , add urad and chana dhal.  Add green chiilies and onions. Saute the onions till translucent. Add walnuts and fry for few mins. Add the vegetables and  salt and allow it to cook ( Add little water ). Once the vegetables are cooked completely and add the quinoa. Mix it thoroughly for few mins. Remove it from heat and add the lemon juice and serve it.




Sending this to Healthy Morsels hosted by Ayeesha from Taste of pearl city   and Serve it series hosted by Krithi / Denny

Upma Kozukkattai

 

Ingredients

Rice – 1 1/2 cup ( Sona Masoori ) 

Toor Dhal – 1 1/2 tbsp..

Whole Pepper – 1 tbsp..

Jeera – 1 tbsp..

Salt – based on taste

Water – 2 1/2  to 3 cups

Seasoning

Mustard – 1 tsp..

Chana Dhal – 1tsp

Urad dhal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Asafoetida- a pinch

Red Chillies -  3 to 4 ( based on how spicy you want )

Oil –  1 –2 tbsp.

Method

1) Soak the Rice in water for 10 – 15 mins . Then drain the water completely and let the rice dry for sometime .

2) Grind the rice in the mixer until it become coarse ( like rava )

3) Add pepper , Jeera and Toor dhal and grind it once ( it should also be coarse and not too fine powder )

4) In the kadai , Add little oil and do the seasoning with the above ingredients mentioned.

5) Add  2 1/2 – 3 cups water along with the required , Asafoetida and let it boil.

6) Then Add the Rice , pepper , toor dhal , jeera mixture and mix it well. Allow it to cook for sometime.

7) Once it becomes thick like a dough , remove it from heat and let it cool sometime

8) Apply oil in the hand and make small balls.

9) Steam the Kozukkattai balls in the idly vessel for 10 –15 mins.

10) Serve with Chutney ( usually coconut , I made peanut chutney last time )