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!!

Channa Masala / Chole masala

What comes to your mind when you think of Channa?...yes!! the yummy channa batura. In my childhood days, my mother used to make poori channa for most of our family gatherings or birthday parties (on demand of course). But now since my hubby and I are on a diet (trying to be very strict), we have opted for phulkas instead of the batura/poori. But it’s such a delicious dish that you can eat it with just anything…phulka, poori, pav, chapathi, batura, bread, parathas,… Now let’s move on to the easy and simple channa masala recipe

Preparation time: 10minutes (plus time for soaking channa)
Cooking time: 30-40minutes
Serves: 5-6

You need:

2 cups kabuli channa (chick peas)
2 medium sized onions (chopped fine)
2 big tomatoes (chopped fine)
2 green chilies (slit into half)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
3tbsp oil
1 tsp red chilli powder (alter according to taste)
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp cumin powder (jeera)
½ tsp fennel powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp channa masala
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
water as required

For garnishing:
Coriander leaves (chopped fine)
Juice of half a lemon

Step-by-step:
Soak channa overnight or for at least 8 to 10 hrs. (If you don’t have much time and you have very little quantity of channa, just fill a thermos flask with some hot water, add the channa and it’s ready in half the time) 

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the finely chopped onions. Once they begin to change colour, add the ginger garlic paste. Fry it the paste loses its raw smell. Now add the chopped tomato and fry again 

When the oil separates from the tomato mixture add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, chaat masala (1/2tsp), garam masala (1/2tsp), channa masala, asafoetida and salt. Fry for 5 minutes in low heat. Chop and add the fresh coriander stalks


Check the salt and spice and adjust accordingly 

Add the kabuli channa and give it a good mix 

Pour enough water to cover the channa and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles -It should become soft but not mushy (after the 2nd whistle, it starts smelling divine) 

Turn off the heat and sprinkle half a tsp each of chaat masala and garam masala 

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and garnish with chopped coriander leaves 

Serve piping hot with roti/bread of your choice and some chopped onions

Enjoy your evening!!

Yours tastefully!!

Dal Fry !!

As simple as it can get...
 
An easy and basic dish that’s probably a part of everyday dining. Made in a jiffy and hassle free, I always make sure that at least one cup of cooked toor dal is stocked in my fridge (Now that’s a free tip!)

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:                                        

1 cup of toor dal
1 medium sized onion (chopped fine)
3 pods of garlic (crushed)
1 green chilli (slit lengthwise)
1 medium sized tomato (chopped fine)
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp of cooking oil
salt as per taste
Water (if required)

For tempering:
½ tsp of cumin seeds
½ tsp of fennel seeds For garnishing:
2 tbsp of fresh coriander (chopped fine)

Step-by-step:
 Wash dal thoroughly. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook (I usually d0n’t go beyond 2 whistles so that it’s cooked but still has the moisture and is easy to mash)

 While the dal cools down, chop up the onions and tomatoes, crush the garlic pods and slit a green chilli and keep aside

Once cooled, mash the dal

Now heat 2 tbsp of oil in a kadai or a saucepan. Add the ingredients for tempering

When the seeds start popping, add the chopped onion and green chilli

Fry the onions on low flame for about 2 mins

As the onions get ready, wash and chop the coriander leaves fine for the garnish (Chop the stalks fine and add it to the tomato.. this should enhance the flavour)

Into the kadhai goes the chopped tomato and cook till they are soft. Add the garlic, salt and a tsp of chilli powder and fry for a minute. (Hmmm…savour the lovely aroma of garlic)

Pour in the mashed dal and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. (Add water in the right proportion but make sure it’s not watery )

Garnish it with chopped fresh coriander leaves

Serve hot with phulkas, chapathis or steamed white rice

Write in and tell me how this simple dish made fingers lick...

Yours Tastefully!!

Sending this recipe to Kiran's "Cooking with Whole foods" hosted by "Veggie Platter"