Categories
paneer Side Dish

Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer

Paneer dishes are always favorite at home. So when I decided to make something special this time decided to try my hands on matar paneer. It turned out delicious and with paneer and matar it is nutritious too. Here is how I prepared it.

Ingredients required:

  1. Onion -1
  2. Tomato – 3
  3. Ginger – small piece
  4. Garlic – 8-10 cloves
  5. Green chilli – 2
  6. Coriander leaves
  7. Fresh green peas – half cup
  8. Paneer cubes – 1 cup
  9. Milk – half cup
  10. MTR matar paneer powder
  11. Oil – 4tsp

Method of preparation:

  • First cut the onion, green chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves as shown in the pic.
  • Puree the tomatoes
  • Take a kadai, add oil. Once it is hot add ginger, garlic, green chilli. You can use ginger garlic paste as well.
  • Once they are fried well, add the onion.
  • Once onion turns golden brown, add the tomato puree, little water from cleaning the mixie.
  • Mix well, bring it to boil. Then simmer the gas and cook for about 5min till it thickens.
  • Then add the salt, matar paneer masala, milk and mix very well.
  • Again cover and cook for 2-3min on medium flame till flavors are combined.
  • Now add fresh green peas, paneer cubes and mix.
  • Cook for another 2min and finally add coriander leaves.
Categories
Breakfast healthybreakfast OnePot

Broken wheat khichidi

Broken wheat khichidi

Khichdi is not something I grew up eating. But once I came across this recipe I prepare it regularly with rice and moong dal. I like to prepare it because it is balanced , easy to prepare and we prepare with as many or less items as per availability. Some days I add lots of veggies to the khichdi when they are available and some other day I prepare with just onion, tomato, ginger garlic. Both the ways it tastes good. I wanted to find alternative to rice so that I can prepare it for breakfast. Adding broken wheat/dalia/godhi cuts(kannada) made it taste good and was well accepted at home so now it is a regular in the breakfast menu. Here is my version of this khichdi.

Ingredients required-

  1. Broken wheat- 1/2cup
  2. Moong dal – 1/2 cup
  3. Oil – 3+2tsp
  4. Ginger- small piece
  5. Garlic – 10 cloves
  6. Carrot – 1
  7. Beans – 8-10
  8. Green peas – 1/4 cup
  9. Tomato- 1
  10. Salt to taste
  11. Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
  12. Red chilly powder- 2tsp(can be adjusted as per spice level)
  13. Garam masala – 3tsp
  14. Red chilly- 1
  15. Jeera – 1/2tsp
  16. Hing- a pinch

Method of preparation-

  • First soak the moong dal and broken wheat for about 30min
  • Take the pressure cooker. Add 3tsp oil and then add finely chopped ginger and garlic.
  • Once they are fried next add the onions followed by tomatoes.
  • Once they are half fried add carrot and beans cut into big pieces. Also add fresh or cooked dry green peas.
  • Drain water and add the moong dal and dalia.
  • Now add salt, turmeric, chilly powder and garam masala.
  • Mix everything very well.
  • Add water little above the level of the mixture. Since this is prepared little liquidy we will add more water here.
  • Cover and cook for 2 whistles. Allow the pressure to escape naturally.
  • Now prepare a tadka of oil+ red chilly pieces + pinch of hing+ jeera+ chilly powder and pour over the khichdi.
  • Mix well and serve.

Note –

  • Replace broken wheat with rice to prepare rice and moong dal khichdi
  • It tastes best when served hot so I haven’t tried in lunch box
  • You can skip the veggies to prepare plain khichidi.

Categories
Lunch OnePot pulav Salad

Mint Pulav

Mint/Pudina Pulav

I like to prepare Pulav in Different ways. It amazes me how with each ingredient this rice dish varies in taste and texture. Also there are numerous ways to prepare it. Its a dream to try as many pulav recipes and have a collection of them. This mint pulav is flavourful and my husband says gives him biryani feeling. Well that’s another confusion I have. The similarities and differences between pulav and biryani. So much to learn and explore! For now sharing the recipe of my pudina pulav.

Ingredients required-

  1. Mint leaves- 1 cup
  2. Green chilly- 2
  3. Ginger- small piece
  4. Garlic- 8-10 pods
  5. Oil – 3tsp
  6. Ghee – 2tsp
  7. Onion – 1big
  8. Baby corn – 2-3
  9. Green peas- 1/4 cup
  10. Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
  11. Garam masala – 3tsp
  12. Chilly powder – about 3tsp
  13. Salt to taste
  14. Coriander leaves
  15. Basmati rice – 1cup

Method of preparation-

  • Firstly separate mint leaves from the stalk and clean them.
  • Add them to mixie along with green chilly, ginger and garlic. You can add roasted whole spices at this stage and reduce or skip garam masala.
  • Grind it to a fine paste
  • Take a pressure cooker and add oil and ghee
  • Add roughly chopped onion and fry for 2min.
  • Now add the baby corn and green peas. You can also add diced potatoes, capsicum and other veggies of choice. I decided to keep it simple.
  • Saute the vegetables for a min. And then add the masala paste and mix well.
  • Now add washed basmati rice. I haven’t soaked it.
  • Then add salt, chilly powder (you can vary it based on tolerance), garam masala and turmeric powder. Give a good mix so that rice is coated with masalas.
  • Add water such that everything is just immersed. Adding more water may make it mushy.
  • Now cover the lid and cook for 1 whistle.
  • Allow the pressure to settle naturally and open the lid.
  • Add coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Keep aside for 10min and then enjoy it along with cucumber raita.

I have paired it with cucumber raita and roasted potatoes.

Categories
Breakfast pulav

Vermecili Pulav

Vermecili Pulav

One of the quick breakfast dish which I make often. I use roasted vermecili which saves the roasting time. If you are using non roasted vermecili, please add 2tsp oil or ghee and roast it on medium flame for about 5min and keep aside. This can be packed in lunch box as well. Only precaution to be taken is while adding water to avoid it from becoming sticky.

Ingredients required-

  1. Oil- 3tsp
  2. Ginger- small piece
  3. Garlic-8-10 pods
  4. Onion- 1big
  5. Vegetables (beans, carrots, baby corn, capsicum, green peas etc) – 1 cup
  6. Vermecili 1.5 cup
  7. Water
  8. Salt to taste
  9. Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
  10. Chilly powder- about 2tsp
  11. Garam masala – 2 tsp
  12. Coriander leaves
  13. Green chilly- 2

Method of preparation-

  • Firstly chop onion and other vegetables such as beans, carrots, baby corn, Cauliflower, capsicum. You can add as per availability. Make sure to chop them into tiny pieces.
  • Now take a pan and add finely chopped ginger and garlic
  • Fry them for a while and then add onion.
  • Once it turns golden, add chopped green chilly.
  • Next add the veggies and add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook for 3-4min.
  • Open and add the vermecili and mix well. Add the salt, chilly powder, turmeric powder and garam masala.
  • Mix well and add water just to immerse everything. Don’t add more water.
  • Cover and cook for 5min. Open and mix well
  • Add coriander leaves. Keep it aside for sometime and then serve to avoid vermecili from breaking.
Categories
Breakfast Lunch OnePot

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi bele bath

This is one of my goto recipe which I have learnt by referring a lot of recipes on internet. Those pictures from different restaurants in Bangalore always tempted me and I decided to learn it. I prepared it in number of ways and finally settled with this pressure cooker method. As the name suggests it tastes best when it is hot. If you are planning to use it for the next course of meal, do add little water and cook for a while before serving.

Ingredients required-

  1. Oil- about 5tsp
  2. Jeera – 1/2tsp
  3. Mustard-1/2 tsp
  4. Red chilly- 1
  5. Ginger- small piece
  6. Garlic- 5-6pods
  7. Chana dal – 1tsp
  8. Curry leaves – 2strands
  9. Sona masuri rice – 1 cup
  10. Toor dal – 1/2 cup
  11. Tamarind- gooseberry sized
  12. Jaggery- lemon sized piece
  13. Onion – 1
  14. Tomato-1
  15. Beans – 5-6
  16. Carrot – 1 small
  17. Green peas – about 1/4 cup
  18. Bisi bele bath powder – about 6-7tsp
  19. Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
  20. Chilly powder – 2 tsp(as per spice level required)
  21. Salt to taste
  22. Coriander leaves
  23. Ghee -1tsp

Method of preparation-

  • First wash and soak the toor dal for about 30min. This will help in faster cooking.
  • Also soak tamarind hot water for 10min
  • Finely chop the ginger and garlic. Cut onion, tomato, beans and carrots into medium size pieces.
  • Take the pressure cooker and add the oil.
  • Once heated add jeera, mustard. Once spluttered add chana dal, ginger, garlic and fry them all well.
  • Next add red chilly cut into pieces, curry leaves and mix.
  • Then add onion and fry for 2min. Next add tomatoes and mix well
  • After that beans, carrots and green peas or any other vegetable of choice can be added.
  • Now add tamarind extract and jaggery.
  • Then add washed rice and toor dal. Mix.
  • To this add bisi bele bath powder, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder.
  • Add water little more than immersing the mixture. More water helps in giving watery consistency as there is dal added.
  • Mix everything very well and pressure cook for 2 whistle. Let the pressure release naturally.
  • Now open the cooker and add little water. Gently mash the mixture and cook for about 5min on low flame. This helps in making the mixture thick and watery.
  • Add the chopped coriander leaves and 1tsp ghee.

Note :

  • If using dry green peas, soak it over night and cook for 10min before adding to the cooker.
  • Serve it with boondi or potato chips.