Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer 200gms
2 big onions
3 big tomatoes
Cashew nuts 7-8
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Coriander powder 1 sp
Kasturi Methi powder 1 sp
Garam masala powder 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp
Turmeric powder 1/2 sp
Butter 3 sp
Fresh cream 2 sp (Optional, I have not used it here)
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil water in a bowl by adding some salt. Add onions as whole or by making 2 slits when the water is boiling and remove after 3-4 mins when the onions are half cooked and not too mushy. Make a paste of this after cooling down.
2. Follow the above step for tomatoes as well. When the tomatoes are cooled down, peal the skin off and make a paste.
3. Soak the cashew nuts in water for 30 mins and make a paste of it by adding 2-3 sp water or milk.
4. Heat 1/2 sp butter in a pan, add cubed paneer, sprinkle little salt and fry for a minute till the edges become slightly golden color. Now add the paneer cubes to a bowl with cold water and keep it aside.
5. Heat 1.5 sp butter in a pan, add the onion paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
6. Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
7. Now add the coriander powder, Katsura methi, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and cook for a minute.
8. Now add the tomato purée and cook till the oil separates.
9. Now add the cashew nuts paste, mix well and add the cubed paneer by draining the water.
10. Add a small cup of water and cook for 5 mins and adjust the consistency of the gravy as required by adding little more water if required.
11. Add garam masala powder, mix well.
12. Add the remaining butter on the top, and add fresh cream also at this step if you are using and serve hot with any roti or paratha of your choice or as a side dish to any pulao. We had it with Tri Colour Paratha .

Tri Colour Paratha

Ingredients:

Chapathi flour 3 cups
Spinach 1 cup
Beetroot 1 small
Carrot 2
Green chilli 1
Red chilli powder 1.5 sp
Cumin powder 1.5 sp
Garam masala 3 sp
Sesame seeds 3 sp
Oil 1.5 sp
Salt

Method:

 1. Blanch spinach in boiling water for few mins. Alternatively, you can microwave spinach for 2 mins without adding additional water and then cool and grind to a smooth paste by adding one green chilli.
2. Grind carrot into smooth paste by adding 1-2 sp water if required.
3. Also gring beet root into smooth paste by adding 1-2 sp water if required.
4. Take the spinach paste, add salt, 1 sp red chilli powder, 1 so garam masala powder, 1/2 sp cumin 
powder, 1 sp sesame seeds, 1/2 sp oil and add flour that is sufficient for the spinach paste and knead the dough. Adjust the amount of flour accordingly and no need to add additional water.
5. Repeat the process in step 4 for carrot paste and beet root paste also separately.
6. Now we have the 3 colored doughs ready.
7. Take small lemon sized dough from each color, roll it between the palms to make it about 10cm length each.
8. Now keep these 3 colored doughs as a stack and roll them into round shape by closing the edges.
9. Now start rolling the parathas with a rolling pin. You can use rice flour or chapathi flour to sprinkle slightly for the parathas not to get sticky. Make the parathas on the tawa as normal by adding oil or ghee on both sides.
10. Yummy and colorful tri color paratha is ready. Enjoy it with any gravy curry of your choice. We had it with Paneer butter masala.

Amritsari Machhi (Amritsari Fish Fry)

         I made this Amritsari Fish fry today using Salmon fish. Salmon, apart from having many health benefits, is rich in Omega-3, which are essential fatty acids. These help in healthy brain functioning, improving memory, lowering the risk of heart diseases and many other cancers. That's why salmon is also called Brain Food.  
         I always used to use other indian fish varieties before as Salmon generally tastes bland compared to other fish types. But trust me, this recipe turned out so yummy that I am going add Salmon to our menu regularly from now on. With these many health benefits and a yummy recipe in hand, it's worth giving it a try. But you can also use any other fish and follow the same recipe if you wish to. Here goes the recipe :)

Ingredients:

Fish (I used salmon) 200 gms
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp (adjust to your taste)
Kasturi methi crushed 1/2 sp
Turmeric powder 1/2 sp
Amchur powder 1/4 sp
Biryani powder 1/4 sp (or use garam masala powder)
Tandoori masala powder 3/4 sp (or use any curry seasoning powder 3/4 sp)
Lemon juice 1 sp
Salt to taste
Besan powder 3/4 sp
Ajwain seeds 1/2 sp
Oil 2 sp

Method:

1. Marinate fish pieces with all the above mentioned ingredients except besan, ajwain seeds and oil and leave it for 1 day in refrigerator preferably if you are using salmon or for over night if you are using any other fish.
2. Dry roast besan powder till nice aroma comes from it and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add ajwain seeds and let them splutter. Then add the fish pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame turning them to the other side in between.
4. Now sprinkle the besan powder all over the fish pieces and mix gently and cook for another 5 mins.
5. Serve hot with onions and lemon.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

Bhindi 250 gms chopped into small pieces

1 large onion

3 medium tomatoes

Fennel seeds 1/2 sp

Ginger small piece

Garlic cloves 3

Green chilli 1

Ginger garlic paste 1 sp

Turmeric pinch

Coriander powder 1 sp

Cumin powder 1/2 sp

Red chilli powder 1 sp

Garam masala powder 1/2 sp

Cashew nuts dry roasted 7-8

Thick yogurt 3-4 sp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Oil 2.5 sp

Method:

1. Heat 1.5 sp oil in a pan,  and then add chopped bhindi and fry for 2-3 mins in high flame.

2. Now add salt, mix well and cook on medium heat for about 5 mins till the bhindi is nicely cooked and it's edges are slightly darkened.

3. Make a coarse paste of ginger, garlic and green chilli and keep it aside.

4. Make a powder of roasted cashew nuts.

5. Grind the tomatoes and make a paste and keep it aside.

6. Now add 1 sp oil in a heated pan, add fennel seeds and let them crackle.

7. Add finely chopped onions and cook till they become slightly grown colour.

8. Add ginger garlic green chilli paste and cook for a minute and then add turmeric.

9. Now add the tomato paste and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and oil starts to separate.

10. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, cashew nuts powder, salt and mix well

11. Now add the yogurt and mix well.

12. Then add the bhindi pieces, mix and cook for 2-3 minutes for the bhendi to absorb all the flavours.

13. Now add garam masala powder,mix well.

14. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Pepper Prawns Gravy

Ingredients:

Prawns 175gms
Onions 2 medium finely chopped
1 small tomato chopped
Garlic cloves 2 crushed
Fennel seeds 1 sp
Pepper corns 1 sp
Chilli powder 1 sp
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Turmeric pinch
Coriander powder 1 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste

For Marinade:

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1/2 sp
Turmeric pinch
Lemon juice 2 sp
Salt

Method:

1. Wash the peeled prawns and add the ingredients listed for marination and keep it aside for 15 mins.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and when they crackle, add crushed garlic and fry for few seconds.
3. Now add the onions and fry till they become brown colour and then add turmeric.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
5. Now add tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
6. Add salt, coriander powder to this and cook for a minute.
7. Now add the marinated prawns, mix it and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Then add half cup of water, put a lid on and cook for about 5 mins till the prawns are cooked.
9. Now add the crushed pepper powder, mix well, cook for a minute.
10. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Murgh Hariyali Kabab

Ingredients:

Chicken 250gms (can use boneless also)
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Mint leaves 1/2 cup
Green chillies 3
Garlic cloves 3
Ginger 1/2 inch piece
Lemon juice 2 sp
Thick yogurt 2 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste
Butter 1 sp

Method:

1. Marinate chicken by mixing all the ingredients except butter and keep it overnight preferably.
2. Pre heat oven to 180C.
3. Brush some melted butter on a grill tray lined with foil paper and place the chicken in single layer and coat some butter on the chicken pieces also. You can also use skewers if using boneless chicken.
4. Bake for 20 mins and after that, turn the pieces to the other side, coat with some butter if required and bake for another 15 mins.
5. Squeeze some lemon and serve hot with onions.

Grilled Prawns

Ingredients:

Prawns 200gms
Lemon juice of half lemon
Garlic cloves 2 crushed
Pepper corns crushed 1/2 sp
Curry seasoning powder 1/2 sp ( store bought, optional)
Coriander powder 1/4th spoon
Cumin powder small pinch
Chilli powder 1/2 sp
Vinegar 1/2 sp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 sp

Method:

1. Wash the prawns and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
2. Marinate the prawns by mixing all the above ingredients and keep if for an hour.
3. Pre-heat the oven at 180C and bake the prawns for about 10mins and then put in grill mode for 5 mins.
4. Serve hot as a starter. Do not bake for very long as the prawns will become rubbery.