Paneer with Creamy Beetroot Sauce

Ever thought of cooking Paneer in beetroot sauce just like our very regular Paneer butter masala? I don't like beetroot much as it's sweeter. But as it's healthy, I try to use in different forms. Here's is one such recipe. It was not at all sweet and you can't make out much that it's beetroot except for the bright pink colour. Do try it for sure if you want your little one to eat beetroot without telling :-)

Ingredients:

Beet root 1 small or about 1/2 cup chopped
Paneer 250gms
Onion 1 medium
Green chillies 3
Ginger 1/2 inch piece
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves 4
Salt
Cashew nuts 8
Oil 2 tsp
Butter 2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Garam nasal powder 1/4th tsp
Kasoori methi 1 tsp
Cream optional

Method:

1. Make a paste of onion, ginger and green chillies.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, garlic, beetroot, salt and cook till beetroot is fully cooked. Cool and grind it into very smooth paste by adding little water as needed.
3. Also make a smooth paste of soaked cashew nuts by adding little water as needed.
4.  Heat 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter in a non stick pan, add fennel seeds and when they crackle, add the onion paste and cook till the paste becomes brownish color.
4. Now add the beetroot paste and cook till oil oozes out.
5. Now add the coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and cook for 2 more mins.
6. Then add the cashew nut paste and mix well and cook for 2 mins.
7. Now add  some water as needed for gravy consistency, kasoori methi and cook for 3-4 mins.
8. Now add the paneer cubes, fresh cream (optional) and mix well.
9. Serve hot with roti by adding butter on top.

Beetroot Soya Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 cup
Grated beetroot 1 cup
Small Soya chunks fistful
Cashew nuts 8
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Coconut milk 1/2 cup
1 small onion finely sliced
1 small tomato chopped
1 green chilli slit
Coriander leaves 1 sp

Turmeric powder 1/2 sp 

Mint leaves fistful
Lime juice 1 sp
Biryani powder  small pinch
Sambar powder 1 sp
Fennel seeds 1 sp
Cinnamon stick 1/4 inch piece
Cloves 2
Bay leaf 1
Green cardamom 3
Oil 2 sp (or use 1 sp oil and 1 sp ghee)
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak basmati rice in water and keep aside for 20 mins.
2. Boil water in a bowl by adding some salt. When it is boiling, add soya chunks and cook for 2-3 mins and drain after that.
3. Heat the oil/ghee in a pressure cooker and add fennel seeds. When they crackle, add the cashew 
nuts. When they start to get brown, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, green cardamom.
4. Now add the onions and cook till they turn golden brown.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes and then add turmeric.
6. Now add green chillies, mint and coriander leaves, soya chunks and fry for a minute.

7. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they become mushy and then add grated beetroot and cook for 2-3 mins.

8. Now add boryani powder, sambar powder, salt and mix well.

9. Add the coconut milk, 1.5 cup water and lemon juice now and let it cook for few mins. Check salt and add if required.

10. Now add the soaked basmati rice by draining the water and cook for 2-3 whistles depending on 
the rice you used. Serve hot with any raita of your choice.