Hara Bhara Chaman/ Palak Methi Chaman

This Hara Bhara Chaman is a typical Punjabi preparation. It’s simple, healthy and wholesome. With a combination of palak and methi, it’s filled with calcium and folic acid (excellent for pregnant women!). I believe in making nutritious food through the week and sinful food on weekends.     

  

I am putting up this post on a Sunday as this one is my first entry to an event. Sending this post to Herbs & Flowers - Fenugreek leaves by Mom Chef of What's Cooking and Dish Name Starts with H hosted by Akilaskitchen. 

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Preparation Time : 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 4

You need:
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1½ cup chopped spinach (palak)
¾ cup fenugreek leaves (methi)
1 tbsp butter
200gms paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
1tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
a pinch of turmeric powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder (dhania) 
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
salt to taste
1/4 tsp garam masala

Step-by-step: 

Wash and clean the spinach and fenugreek leaves thoroughly. Boil a vessel full of water, drown the leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and immediately keep it under a cold water tap for 5 minutes (this will help the leaves to retain the bright green colour).Drain and blend in a mixer to make a smooth paste 

Roast the dried fenugreek leaves in a pan till crisp (that’s an interesting smell!) 

Cut paneer into 1inch cubes. Heat butter in a pan. Fry until we get a light brown color on all the sides Drain the paneer pieces onto the kitchen towel and immediately drop them into bowl of warm water (this will keep the paneer soft) 

In the same pan, heat a tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add onions and fry till they turn golden brown 

Add the spinach-fenugreek paste and fry for a minute

Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger-green chilli paste and dried fenugreek leaves. Fry again for 2-3minutes 

Add salt and panner and allow it to cook for 2 to 3 minutes 

Turn off the heat and sprinkle garam masala 

Enjoy hot with rice or any kind of Indian bread!!

Yours Tastefully!

Palak Paneer

This green curry is very popular in North India and is often served at restaurants and parties. This vegetarian dish is a combination of spinach(palak) and Indian cottage cheese(paneer) that’s mildly spiced. Palak paneer can be exotic and simple at the same time. Most people think it’s difficult to make but it’s so easy that anyone can make it in less than half an hour (just have all the ingredients ready!) that’s not all…it’s a super healthy dish too!!

Preparation time: 10minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4

You need:
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 small bunches of palak (spinach)
200gms paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
1 medium size tomato (chopped)
2 medium size onions (roughly chopped)
10 cashew nuts
4 green chillies (roughly chopped)
¼ tsp sugar
salt to taste
½ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
a pinch of garam masala
water as required

For garnishing:
2tbsp fresh cream

Step-by-step: 

Cut paneer into small cubes and keep aside 

Cook the onions, cashew nuts and green chillies in a little water for 5 minutes. Cool and blend in a mixer till smooth (now the base of the gravy is ready) 

Wash and clean the palak leaves thoroughly

Boil a vessel full of water, drown the spinach leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and immediately immerse in ice-cold water (or keep it under a cold water tap) for 5 minutes so that the bright green colour is retained
Drain and blend in a mixer to make a smooth paste 

Heat oil and butter in a non-stick kadhai, add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes, mix well and stir on medium fire for 6-7 minutes (cook till the tomatoes turn mushy)  
After it’s cooked, add the prepared gravy and stir for another 5-6 minutes 

Now add the spinach paste, paneer, salt, kasuri methi, sugar and garam masala. Stir for about 5 minutes 

Transfer on to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh cream

Enjoy hot palak paneer with any Indian bread or rice.

Paneer Chettinad

This week did not start off well as I woke up to see that my fridge refuses to cool and while the technicians come in I decided to make the best of the ingredients that’ll rot in no time. Looked into my fridge and found a pack of paneer, some coriander leaves, few sprigs of curry leaves, butter, few tomatoes, milk, cheese, some grated coconut and ginger garlic paste. I managed to use most of them and the rest I put away in my friendly neighbour’s fridge. ‘Paneer Chettinad’, sounds weird.(I know) But I tried this crazy combination and I must say, it tasted quite good. It is paneer (which I always thought is not so southy) in a completely South Indian gravy.

Preparation time: 10-15minutes
Cooking time: 30-35minutes
Serves: 4-6

You need:

200gms paneer
1tbsp butter
2 tsps cooking oil
1 large onion (chopped fine)
8-9 sprigs of curry leaves
3 medium tomatoes (chopped fine)
1 tsp chilli powder (alter according to your taste)
½ tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
juice of half a lemon
2tsp ginger garlic paste
water as required
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
2tbsp cashew nuts

For garnishing:
coriander leaves (chopped fine)

For the chettinad masala:

2tsp coriander seeds (dhania)

½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
3-4 whole red chillies
3 green cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon
3-4 cloves
½ cup grated coconut

Step-by-step:
Soak the poppy seeds and cashew nuts in a little hot water for 10-15 minutes 

Cut paneer into 1 inch cubes. Heat butter in a pan. Fry until you get a light brown colour on all the sides Drain the paneer pieces on to a kitchen towel and immediately drop them into bowl of warm water (this will keep the paneer soft) 

Let us now make the chettinad masala. In the same pan, add the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, red chillies, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and grated coconut. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes till the aroma is released. (Do not over brown them, always toast over low flame)

Grind the masala to a smooth paste with the ginger garlic paste, soaked poppy seeds and cashew nuts (add water if required to get a chutney consistency) 

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the chopped onions. Fry till golden brown 

Add the curry leaves and the ground paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes 

Now add the chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame till the tomatoes are soft and mushy 

At this stage, add the required amount of water (add more if you want a thinner gravy)
Squeeze the lemon juice, add the paneer and allow it to boil.Cook for 4-5 minutes 

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Serve hot with phulka/chapathi / paratha

Try it out and don't forgot to drop comments here...

Yours tastefully!!