Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Ever since I posted the recipe for Butter Chicken on my blog, I was inundated with a number of emails, some thanking me for the recipe, some tried it out and wrote back to tell me how well it turned out.  To me, that’s the best part of being a food blogging; the effort of carefully selecting a particular recipe, working on it till it’s perfected and then attempting to get the best clicks; this process comes a full circle when you, my beloved readers tries a recipe and writes back with feedback. The joy is unparalleled.

I have always wanted my blog to inspire people not just to cook, but to fall in love with the process of cooking. Inspiring, yet not intimidating is the overall objective of each recipe.  Some are simpler, some are slightly longish and tend to take longer to cook, but not many things are as satisfying as cooking a lovely meal and sharing a few good laughs with the  family, correct?

Today’s recipe then, is a simple recipe. Believe me, its so simple I would imagine almost leaving it out from the shortlist of recipes to be put up.  But honestly, its quick, no fuss and extremely high on the taste quotient. The Hariyali Paneer Tikka is a dish that makes an appearance at almost every function or party. Cubes of Paneer coated with a spicy green marinade and most often accompanied by cubes of onion and capsicum. Seems simple, correct? Believe me your family and guest will not have enough. Paneer has an innate versatility to it. The ability to blend or combine with almost every ingredient and somehow produce magical results. All you would need is some creativity and I bet, you would create a new dish each time you work with it. While we are on the topic of creatively using Paneer, here is an interesting blog on Interesting Twists to Paneer by my good friend Perinaaz Avari of Peris Spice Ladle; and whilst you are there do not miss the mind blowing collection of Parsi recipes and much more. I am sure you will love her website. And so, here too, the spicy green marinade does most of the talking. Its bright green, fresh and spicy just what an appetiser should be. The actual recipe doesn't use besan, though i did to give the marinade a little more body and texture. Another thing i changed was that i used tooth picks instead of regular skewers, really found them more convenient to pick and eat. My suggestion is dont cook the Paneer too much, just enough to char it on all sides. This ensures that the Paneer is not over cooked and rubbery.

I do hope you will like and enjoy this recipe as much as i did presenting it to you.

Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Ingredients:

• 300 grams cottage cheese, cut into 2 inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons besan (chickpea flour)
• 2 tablespoons oil 
• 1 tablespoon Mustard oil
• 1/2 tablespoon ajjwain (caraway seeds)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala powder
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 1 small capsicum, cubed
• 1 small onion, cubed
• toothpicks- to serve

Grind to a paste:

• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• ½ bunch fresh mint leaves
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1/2 cup yoghurt

 For Garnishing

• Juice of half a lemon
• Chaat Masala

 Procedure:

• Cut the onion and capsicum into cubes and keep aside. Wet the toothpicks in some water and remove. 
• Combine all the ingredients mentioned under head "grind to paste" and grind in a blender till it reaches a creamy consistency. Empty in a bowl and keep aside.
• In a non stick pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry the besan till it has the consistency of wet sand. By now it should release a nutty aroma. Add in the ajjwain seeds and mix well and take off the flame.
• Now, combine both the curd and besan mixtures. Mix well.
• Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, the turmeric powder, garam masala powder and mix well. This is the hariyali marinade.
• Heat the oil (for frying) in a non stick pan.
• Now, pick an onion cube and coat well with the marinade. Line on a toothpick. Similarly, coat a paneer cube and line on the same toothpick. Follow this with the marinated capsicum.
• Continue this sequence for the remaining cottage cheese cubes. The cottage cheese cube should be in the center and the onion and capsicum cube on either side.
• Fry the cubes in the oil for 2 minutes a side. Remember, we need the golden brown char on all sides of the cubes.
• Garnish with lemon juice, drizzle some chaat powder and serve hot.

Chatpati Subzee Paneer (Tangy Cottage Cheese with Vegetables)

After celebrating Easter festivities, we were to attend three wedding in a span of four days. So then, with all those celebrations and festivities done, it was time to give the tummy a well-deserved break.  I thought it would be nice prepare a vegetarian dish  this week.

This is one such recipe that ticks all the check boxes when you are looking for a quick, high on taste, nutritious recipe and more importantly doesn’t give you that feeling of guilt even after you’ve had your fill. The ingredient that that holds everything together is the chaat masala. This tangy spice mix is perhaps the Amitabh Bachchan of the culinary world. Put in two tablespoons in a bland dish and presto, you have a taste blockbuster.

Paneer (cottage cheese), is something we prepare regularly for either lunch or dinner.  Once a North Indian staple, it is now readily available in stores and supermarkets; my mum though makes awesome paneer at home. The gentle texture and the ability to adapt itself to any ingredient or cooking technique like grilling, barbeque or even stir fry make it a chefs favorite. Pair it with the ever reliable bell peppers and you have a combination that’s finger licking good…

We had it with chappatis, but it makes a good combo with rice or naan. 

Chatpati Subzee Paneer

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
• 1 large Capsicum, cubed
• 2-3 baby corns, sliced
• 1 large onion, cubed
• 1 large tomato, cubed
• 1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
• 4-5 flakes garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 4 large tablespoons Chaat Masala (and some for garnishing)
• Few sprigs of corriander for garnishing
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

•  Heat oil in a pan and saute the garlic and ginger till the garlic is just about turns brown.
• Next, add the onions and saute till they caramelise. Once the onions caramelise, add the tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are limp.
• Now, add the red chilli flakes, sliced baby corn and bell peppers and give it a good stir. Do not cook them  for long as the veggies would go soft.
• Add the paneer and stir well. Mix well. 
• Sprinkle the chaat masala well across the pan. Sprinkle some water in the pan and give it a good mix. The water will help the chaat masala to stick well on the veggies.
• Lastly, add the salt. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.

Malai Kofta (Cottage Cheese Dumplings in a rich tomato gravy)

What’s in a name?” quoted Shakespeare. “Lot’s”, I’d say, if the name is “Malai Kofta”. And so, as promised on my facebook page, here is the recipe for this culinary equivalent of the hydrogen bomb.

I must not hesitate to admit that this was one of the more difficult dishes I’ve made. What sets this dish apart this that it is that although it is extremely popular (almost a “cannot-do-without) at wedding functions and large festivals. This mildly spiced, almost sweetish gravy is a combination of finely blended spices and enriched with cream, onion and tomatoes. Can I see you salivating already?

Let me tell you, making this dish is a long drawn and elaborate process; however, it will be worth the effort when you have a soft, perfectly fried koftas covered with creamy gravy, that you will want to share with your family and friends.

The taste queens loved it, and I’m sure you will as well.

Go ahead, indulge!!

Malai Kofta

For the Koftas:- (will yield about 18 medium sized koftas)

•          220 grams Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
•          80 grams dried fruits; roughly chopped (I used almonds and raisins)
•          1 tablespoon corn flour (and some more for dusting)
•          Oil for frying
•          Salt to taste

For the Gravy:-

•          1 cup boiled onion paste
•          1½ cup tomato paste
•          2 tablespoons tomato puree
•          3 tablespoons cashew paste
•          2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
•          2 green chillies, roughly chopped
•          1 teaspoon cumin seeds
•          1 teaspoon red chilli powder
•          1 teaspoon turmeric powder
•          1 teaspoon garam masala powder
•          3 tablespoons ghee (Clarified butter)
•          1 cup fresh cream (I skipped this)
•          Whole Spices (2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 small bay leaf)
•          Salt to taste
•          Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Procedure:

To make the kofta’s:-

•  Heat a pan on a low flame, dry roast the almonds and raisins till they change colour. Once done allow them to cool and then chop them roughly.

•   In a bowl, roughly grate the cottage cheese, add 1 tablespoon corn flour, salt and mash it together such that it forms a single lump

•  Now take a lemon sized piece and roll it well between your palms. Then make a small well in the center and fill in some of the chopped dry fruits. Cover the well and roll it once again between the palms of your hand. Repeat the process with the other Koftas. Dust each kofta with corn flour and keep aside.

• Fry the koftas in oil on a low flame till they are bright orange in colour. Frying on a slow flame will ensure that the Koftas are cooked right to the center and pass the ultimate test of being crisp on the outside and soft inside.

•  Once done remove and drain on an absorbent paper.

     For the gravy:-

•     In a heavy bottomed pan heat ghee, and add in the whole spices. Sauté spices till you have a fragrant aroma from them.
•      Once the spices are done, add the onion paste and allow it to cook till the oil leaves the sides. Now, add the ginger garlic paste and stir well, allowing to cook.
•     Add the cashew paste and mix well till the onion and cashew paste have integrated well. This will take time. You will know it’s done when the mixture moves around the pan in a single lump.
•     Now, add the spice powders, green chillies.
•     Once the spice powders have integrated well, add in the tomato paste and puree & salt. Allow this to cook well. If required, add in a cup of water at this point.
•      If you are using cream, add it in at this point.
•      Add the koftas in the gravy and give it a stir.
•     Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and  accompanied with parathas