Kadhai Paneer/Cottage Cheese chunks in spicy tomato gravy

Yes, I have been vehemently denying that I can gorge on curries and gravies as I find their grilled and baked counterparts to be more healthy.

But, there comes a time when this so called 'INDULGENCE' becomes your 'NECESSITY'.

Your fervid love for the Indian Cuisine ; which encompasses so much variety, takes over everything else.It's multifarious choices can't be ignored by anyone. 

                  Yes, I felt like having this simple yet delicious combination of cottage cheese, capsicum, onions and tomatoes.....

It's quite a popular vegetarian dish in Punjabi Cuisine and can be enjoyed with Naan,  Lachha Parantha or Mirchi Parantha.I usually gorge on this with Mirchi Parantha.

So, enjoy this spicy and tangy recipe of Kadhai Paneer.

Ingredients: 

500 gms Cottage Cheese/Paneer (cut into cubes)

2 tbsp. Oil

1 tsp. Cumin /Jeera

3 Whole Red Chillies

1 tbsp. Coriander seeds/Sabut Dhania

4 Onions (chopped finely )

5 Tomatoes(chopped finely)

3 capsicum (diced)

2 Red peppers (diced)

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp.  Garlic paste

1 tsp. Ginger paste

3/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder/Haldi

1/4 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp. Coriander powder /Dhania powder

1/2 tsp. Garam Masala Powder

Ginger julienes

Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing. 

Directions :

1: Heat oil in a thick bottom kadhai.

2: Roughly pound Red Chillies and Coriander seeds with the help of mortar and pestle. 

4:Add this to hot oil.

5: Let it splutter.Add cumin seeds.

6: Add chopped onions and sauté till translucent. 

7: Add ginger paste and garlic paste.

8: Sauté and add chopped tomatoes.

9:Cook on low flame till they are mushy and leave oil.

10:Put salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, kasoori methi and coriander powder.Add 1/4 cup of water or more as per the consistency of the gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes.

11: Put capsicum and peppers in it and cook for a while till they are slightly cooked.

12:Add paneer cubes and and cook it on high flame for a while.
13: Add Garam masala.

14:Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienes. 
15: Serve with Lachcha  Parantha or Mirchi Parantha. 

Grilled Chicken On A Bed Of Red Rice With Mango Salsa

Grilled Chicken : 
Ingredients : 
500 gms chicken breast ( boneless ) 
2 tbsp Olive oil 
1 / 2 tsp Salt 
1 / 4 tsp Black Pepper Powder 
1 / 2 tsp Oregano 
1/4  Paprika 
1 Lemon's juice 

Directions : 

1 : Wash and cut chicken breast into thin strips. 

2 : Put all the ingredients except salt, pepper and paprika in a bowl. 

3: Put chicken in it and put it in a zip lock. 

    Keep it aside for 3-4 hours.

4: Grill them on a grilling plate and serve on a bed of Red rice and top it up with Mango Salsa. 

Mango Salsa

Ingredients :
1 Mango (peeled and diced)
2 tbsp Chopped Capsicum
2 tbsp Chopped Red Pepper
2 tbsp Chopped Yellow Pepper
2 tbsp Chopped Jalapeños
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1 Lemon's juice
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/2 cup Chopped Coriander

Directions :
1:Combine everything except salt,paprika and pepper.
2:Mix well.
3:Season with salt , pepper and paprika.

Pita Chips With Shish Touk and Beetroot Hummus

Ingredients:
6 Pita Pockets
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Mixed herbs

Directions:
1: Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius.
2: Combine oil, salt, black pepper and herbs in a bowl.
3: Brush pita pockets with oil and cut them into triangles with pizza cutter.
4: Put them on a lined baking tray and bake for 5-6 minutes.

Beetroot Hummus with Pita Chips

     An excellent way to incorporate health into already healthy food. Even those who dislike beetroot would love this hummus. 

Ingredients:
2 cups Boiled and drained chickpeas
2 boiled n chopped Beetroots
4 tbsp. Tahini
3 tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. Lemon juice
A pinch of Paprika

Directions:
1: Put everything in a food processor except        paprika.
2: Blend it adding chickpeas' reserve  slowly.
3: Put it in a bowl; drizzle olive oil over it n         sprinkle paprika over it.

Keema Pav

Getting  praise for the food you make or should I say , for all the creative juices you secreted to the fullest, is always a pleasure.            You tend to put so much love and care in what you cook that you feel enthralled at the beautiful comments and feedback.
                 Keema is a dish for which you can choose either chicken or lamb, though I am a little biased towards chicken.  Perhaps the reason towards this inclination is that chicken is a healthier option as compared to its counterpart.                 

         Keema , as Punabis would say, is a dish of minced meat made in ghee with aromatic spices. This combination emanates aroma which is somewhat divine and can mesmerise you. 

                 

Ingredients :
500 gms chicken mince 
3 tbsp Oil or Ghee 
2 Cinnamon sticks 
3-4 Cardamom 
3-4 cloves 
1 tsp Ginger paste 
1 tsp Garlic paste 
1 tsp green chillies ( chopped ) 
4 Onions ( chopped ) 
3 Tomatoes' puree 
1/2 tsp Salt 
1/4 tsp Red chilli powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
1 tsp garam masala 
1 tsp Cumin powder 
1 tsp Coriander powder 
1 cup Water 
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp Milk
Dollop of butter

Directions:
1: Heat oil over medium heat. 
2: Add bay leaf. 
3: Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and let it release aroma. 
4: Add ginger paste, Garlic paste and chopped green chillies and sauté till golden brown. 
5 : Add chopped onions and sauté till translucent. 
6 : Add tomato puree and cook till it leaves oil. 
7 : Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and sauté. 
8 : Add minced chicken and cook for 5 mins. 9: Add 1 cup water and cook for 5 mins on high flame till it leaves oil. 
10 : Add milk and cook for another 2-3 mins.
11: Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and add a dollop of butter.
12: Serve with Pav or Naan.

Stuffed Chicken With Grilled Peaches and Creamy Potatoes' Pot

This is quite a popular one in my house. My kids can devour the whole dish in minutes.

It's a comfort food demanding extravagant praise ; a culinary delight.

Ingredients :

2 Chicken Breasts (Boneless )

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tsp Ginger Paste 

1 tsp Garlic Paste 

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Paprika 

1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder 

2 tsp Lemon Juice 

A piece of Charcoal 

500 gms Spinach

1 cup Corn kernels

100 gms Goat cheese 

2 tsp jalapeños 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper powder 

1 egg ( beaten)

Instructions :

1: Remove skin from chicken breast and wash it.

2: Butterfly the breast and flatten it to about 1/3rd of an inch.

3:Do this by placing chicken Breasts in between 2 plastic sheets and tapping it with a rolling pin.

4:Marinate it in Olive oil,ginger garlic paste,  salt, paprika, pepper and lemon juice.

5:To give it a smoked flavor, heat a piece of coal on gas stove .It should be really hot.

6: Put it in a bowl along with chicken and cover it with foil for some time.

7: For the stuffing, sauté chopped spinach. Add corn kernels, jalapeños, salt ,pepper and goat cheese.

8: In smoked chicken breast, keep stuffing on one side and flip the other side.

9: Seal with beaten egg and grill from both sides.

Serve with Creamy Potato Gold's pot and grilled peaches.

Mutton Seekh Kebab

     Yes, this is what we tasted at La brise, Candolim ,Goa. But I am giving it my own twist to give you juicy and delicious mutton seekh kebabs. 
                 Ingredients :
500 gms mutton  mince
2 Onions (finely chopped)
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
3-4 Green chillies (finely chopped)
Few mint leaves (finely chopped)
Few coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala 
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp ghee
Coal
Butter for basting

Instructions;:
1: Clean and wash mutton mince.
2: Drain it .
3: In a food processor, add mutton mince,
     Garlic and ginger pastes and chopped            green chillies.
4: In a bowl,  put mutton mince along with rest of the ingredients except coal and butter. 
5: Mix it thoroughly. 
6:  To impart a smokey flavor, put hot coal on mutton seekh(on a foil paper) and cover it with a lid for 4-5 hours.
7: Remove coal and divide the mutton mix into equal portions.
8: With wet hands, put mutton mince on the skewers and grill in hot tandoor. 
9: Rotate it from time to time ; basting it with butter quite often. 
10: Remove from skewers and serve them with onion rings and mint sauce.

Go Goa Gone !!!

                   It's All About Goan Food

Well, connecting to my blog family and friends after a long hiatus.Been a little busy for a while.

                  Summer vacations are meant to be enjoyed outside your house,  so I had to flutter my wings to explore the treasure and diversity of our country.

                   Heading to Goa , I had a thought that I will be middling food at beach shacks. But I really enjoyed it.

            Goan Food is a nice melange of different spices belonging to Portuguese or Arabic or Konkan society.

             Xacuti chicken,Chicken  Cafarel, Vindaloo,Goan Prawn Curry, Crabs, Lobsters, Fish ; all are infused with conventional  pastes and spices. They assimilate all the spices and emanate an awesome aroma.

          There is an array of options ranging from North Indian food , Goan Food , Continental and South Indian food. Their food has a nice blend of East and West.

       Tried some of their cuisine , though only vegetarian.Non vegetarian was solely tried by my family since I happen to be a vegetarian.

          I am trying to impart some twists to some of their recipes to give you a new distinctive flavor. 

                       Enjoy!!!

                       

                     

       

Crispy Chicken Popcorn

Ingredients:
500 gms. Chicken
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. Black pepper powder
2 eggs
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup panko
Oil for frying

Directions:
1: Mix salt,  red chili powder and black powder in flour.
2: Beat 2 eggs and add to half of flour.
3: Whisk to form a thick batter.
4: Cut chicken in bite size pieces.
5: Make a mixture of cornflakes and panko.
6: Dip chicken pieces in flour and then into batter.
7: Roll it into cornflakes mix and deep fry.
8: Drain excess oil and place them on  kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
9: Serve them with chipotle- mayo dip.