Paneer Butter Masala | Party style

Let's talk about Paneer Butter Masala today. Not just any kind, the kind that you get in Indian restaurants. Why? Its one of most wanted recipes for almost all of us once in a while.

Sundar likes it so much so do I. Little girl comes frequently to pick a piece of the paneer from the masala. When you hit the search button for paneer butter masala, you get pages and pages of recipe. Almost all will be similar, but not all will give you the taste from the restaurant. 

In most Indian restaurants, dishes are more creamy and have thicker gravy. The reason is very simple - they use cream. Also they use food colors for most of the dishes to get the rich color. When I cook on day to day basis, I do not appreciate both the above. But when you prepare for the party, use of cream enhances the taste.

Palak Paneer

After a long time, I am able to sit with my blog. When I think to have some time for myself in the morning, well then postpone to evening then again change to post dinner. Some how I never find time for myself.  Hardly have some time to sit with my blog.I have been busy with my little hero's birthday party and his Ayushhomam. Everything went on very grand and nicely. Of all the guests my son enjoyed his time during the function.

The little master was introduced to all new kinda foods and he enjoyed the most was the chocolate cake and nutella. So soon, you can see more recipe using nutella :)

Lets hop into our recipe for palak paneer,

Paneer Tikka | Tandoori Paneer Kebabs

All of us are so crazy about paneer and paneer dishes. What kind of paneer dishes you like? Just anything you name it, we love them to eat, when they are with paneer. Everytime I buy paneer and prepare something that gets to my mind quick. So, it took me almost 6 months to put the skewers into use. I bought these steel skewers before the start of winter, and it came to use only now. I too have bought those use and throw ones. But, I tell you, how much ever you soak them in water and try to barbeque, they tend to burn at the end of process. So, I prefer to use the steel ones and transfer to use and throw ones or you can serve by adding them to the little tooth picks.

These are great party starters. Anyone could love it, and for any kind of people. They are too spicy, nor sweet, just tangy enough to tickle your senses :)

I remember eating these tikkas when I was in my school days. I had them in Shakes and Creams. They had their special taste of tikkas, and loved their mint chutney which came along with the tikkas. It is always that, tikkas used to just disappear the moment they come to the table. I remember we used to look at each other and keep munching one by one. Well, who finishes the tikkas early gets the chance to have that one extra piece. So, just too yummy to eat too fast! One or two or three, the tikkas makes you to crave for more and more.

Kala Jamun

Celebration time in our home! Its four years completed! Just cant believe that my sweet silly girl completed her four! Years are passing away so quick!
I just remember those nostalgic childhood days with my childhood friends, Saraunya, Priya, Archana and Jyothi. How our talks and chit-chats have changed? Just love to share with you all. How me and Priya used to escape from everyday studying, then talk about silly school stuffs and the way our parents talk and how we responded back to them! It dint stop there, then we had so much of girly girly talks in the besant beach board walk.
The Milky way ice creams, chats, etc etc... just countless. And now we talk about how our kids are growing and how to be a more patient mom like our moms. So many hows, before you count them and wonder, you will step into the next milestone in your life. Isn't this true?

Back to our recipe about the sweet I prepared for the birthday celebration. I sure was very gutsy to try something new for a whole lot of guests! It still was a hit, and now sundar takes one after one for his lunch as dessert.

Kala Jamuns are nothing but Indian cheese clad in sugar syrup and decked with shredded paneer or coconut. They are yet another delicious, delectable, appetizing sitting on the plate.

Kala Jamun are dark colored (almost black) gulab jamuns made from paneer and khoya and then deep fried and coated with sugar syrup.  Khoya is similar to Ricotta cheese, is commonly used to prepare many sweets and in some vegetable gravies. The major differences between Gulab Jamuns other than the appearance is the inclusion of Khoya along with Paneer.

You need:
Khoya - 2 cups
Paneer - 3/4 cups
Plain flour - 2-3 tbsp (all pupose flour)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk to bind, approx 1-2 tbsp
Sugar - 2 1/2 cups
Water - 4 cups
Pinch of saffron
Few drops of rose essence

Shred the Khoya and Paneer and mix them well together.

Add the flour, cardamom powder, and mix them well. Use milk to bind them well. Make sure the dough you prepare is soft and tender. It should not be dry, else it will break when you fry them in ghee.

Now prepare the sugar syrup. Bring water to boil and add sugar. Bring to medium flame until the syrup reaches single thread consistency. To this syrup add the rose essence and the saffron. Make sure you keep this syrup warm or else it will crystalise.
Now make small balls, or to your desired size. Let the ball surface be as smooth as you can make them.

Heat Ghee in a frying pan - you will feel the difference by using ghee. This is the authentic preparation too! Once it is hot, reduce to low flame and gently drop the jamun balls in the ghee. Let it cook slowly. This will take some time, only then Jamun will get cooked in the inside. You will know once done, the below one will take some more time. It is half way through, we don't want half cooked.

 

It is very important that you cook in low flame. Now, once done transfer to the syrup immediately. More important thing is, the syrup should be maintained more than warm for the jamuns to absorb the sugar. What I suggest is, you keep them in a preheated oven or use a double broiler to keep them warm. 

I wanted to share the speciality and a silly sentiment attached to this sweet. Of all sweets my favorite sweets is Badhusha. I like Kala Jamuns when I was carrying Hasini. she had plenty of them right from my tummy. 

Back to our recipe,

Let this get soaked in syrup for couple of hours. You can taste one for testing, nice way to treat yourself before anyone does. This much soaking is more than enough. 

You can also make oblong shape or something different for kids.

Now, its time to crown the princess! Hmmm, garnish the Jamun. I like to garnish with a pinch of cream cheese or paneer.

 

Send this as entry to Srav's Cooking concept Festive food,

Pepper'n paneer curry

For all pepper lovers and of course paneer favorites! 
A cheese in the spicy mixture. Paneer is the most sought out dish in our home. I wanted to prepare a very spicy paneer dish and this time not the traditional recipes from net. I'm not sure if this recipe exist! I found all the Spice jars, muddled them together to get this exceptional! 

Sometimes, we tend to use same spices for most of the curries. Do you realize the taste differs in each of them! Very true that the quantity of them in each matters and this gives different flavors to all of them.

Mattar Paneer

Paneer dishes are always carved for. Esp., I love paneer butter masala and Mattar Paneer. Both of us in our house crave for mattar paneer. This is always part of our party menu or I try to prepare once every month. This is a hit everytime I prepare. 

I do not prepare Paneer at home all the time. I do not get the patience to wait to prepare. Home-made paneer, ofcourse has excellent taste!

You will need:
1 cup Paneer cubed
1 cup Fresh/frozen Peas

For the Gravy:
2 Onions chopped
8 Tomatoes chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp Corriander powder
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tbsp Cashew pieces
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
3 Cloves, 

3 Cardamom pods, 

1” cinnamon stick, 

2 Bay leaves
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Chopped Coriander
1 tbsp Kasthuri Methi 

1/4 cup Fresh cream

In a saute pan, heat oil and add cashews. Saute it till slightly golden. Now add the chopped onions and saute till soft. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute for about a minute or until the aroma comes. Add the chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder and cook until tomatoes are soft.

Cool and grind the mixture to a smooth paste. This gravy is rich and creamy. This can be stored and used in couple of days also. You can use this to make any other curry by adding ingredients like vegetables to make Kadai Vegetable, Koftas to make Malai Kofta etc. This gravy is creamy and delicious inspite of the fact it contains no butter. The great taste comes from the slow simmering which brings the flavours together.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Saute for a minute. Now add the gravy mixture and about 1/2 to 1 cup of water based on the consistency. Stir in cumin, coriander and red chilli powders. Add salt as required. Bring to boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. This thickens the gravy and also blends the spices well. Crush the kasthuri methi in your palm and add it to the gravy. Add the peas and paneer cubes. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stir in the fresh cream. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rotis.

Paneer Rolls

Almost a month since I sat at my blog. Not too busy though, but I have not been cooking anything different from my routine.

I have been wanting to prepare this paneer rolls recipe (adopted from Tarla dalal) for a quite long time, but found time to make them only now. pretty simple and very yummmy! You have try this once, and after that I'm sure you will want to prepare it again and again. 

For the wrapper
2 cups all purpose flour (or use wheat flour)
1 tbsp ghee/oil (optional)
Salt to taste

For the Stuffing
1 cup crumbled paneer
1/4 cup approx of finely chopped red onions
1-2 green chillies, chopped finely (or as per taste)
1/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/4 tsp chopped green pepper
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1-2 drops of lime juiced

few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
salt to taste (little since wrapper also has salt)

Add the flour and salt. To this add enough water to make a pliable dough. Knead well to make a smooth dough. Once done set aside. 

For the filling, in a saute pan, add oil and onion and saute for a min or until tender. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins. Now add the other ingredients. Saute this untill the cabbage and other veggies are tender. 

Finally add lemon juice and saute for 2 mins then add cilantro springs. Finally add the paneer and saute for a minute.

Take the dough (divide into two or  three smaller pieces) and roll it out into a large rectangle. 

Cut them into smaller rectangles. 

I made some random rectangles. It does not matter much. 

As you can see, The thickness should be medium – not too thin nor too thick (too thin will break after u fill it up with stuffing, too thick will not make a crunchy snack, but will be more soft). 

Take one piece. Add the stuffing in shorter end of the rectangle making sure to leave few inches near the edges.

Roll it twice, bring the edges of the filling together (this is to prevent the filling from seeping out during frying).and then continue rolling until you reach the end. You can use water mixed with flour mixture to bind the dough. 

I applied flour water mixture at the end. And roll till the end. Now fry these up in hot oil. Serve hot with ketchup or chilli sauce of your choice.

A bite of the roll is just yummy. I do not want to empty it before sundar comes. And I always like to eat together with him beside me, it adds more taste to all my food! So just wrapping the rolls and storing in air tight containers.

Rich Creamy Paneer Peshawari

I wanted to try something different out of paneer instead of usual of chili paneer, or paneer butter masala. And I met one my old neighbors who is a north Indian who wanted me to try out her recipe - paneer Peshawari.

This can be had with either chapathi, roti or jeera rice or ghee Irice. But I always have with roti, as it gets quite heavy.

I should tell you this incident about roti. Everytime I write in my blog about roti, I remember myself making roti the first time. I made it for my parents in law and sundar, when I was in b'lore. My mil asked me to add salt to chapati dough. But I insisted to prepare without salt (thinking salt should not be added). Then I added water and made the dough, felt sticky and added some flour, then it got dry added some water, again felt sticky added more flour.

Now, enough I said to myself and prepared the chapathi. When I served it on the plates, I could see some nice papads. And they never made any complaint about eating the chapathi-papads. But, it surprises me today when I make such soft rotis which soft for the next day also!

1 cup Paneer cubed

1 Onion finely chopped;

1 Onion thinly sliced (french cut)

1 1/2 Tomatoes finely chopped;

1 1/2 Tomatoes thinly sliced (french cut)

2 Bell peppers – green, red, yellow thinly sliced

1 tsp Cumin seeds

½ tbsp Cumin powder

½ tbsp Corriander powder

1 tsp Garam Masala powder

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsps Ginger Garlic paste

1 tsp Kasthuri Methi leaves

3 tbsps Oil

2 tbsps Butter

½ cup Fresh cream

3 tbsp Cashewnut paste

Salt to taste

1/2 to 1 cup of Water

 

Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for about half an hour. Grind to a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when it begins to splutter add the finely chopped onions. Fry till onions are soft and light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and turmeric powder. Mix well and saute well until oil floats on top. This takes approx. 10 mins. The longer you fry the better the taste. This mixture should almost get mashed together (do not grind)

Now add the sliced onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. Add enough water and cook on medium. Let the veggies cook and come to a boil.

Stir in the paneer cubes, cashew paste, cream and the kasthuri methi. Add salt to taste. Serve hot with chapathi or roti.

Some facts about paneer

Paneer is a highprotein food generally substituted for meat in Indian and Mughlai and Arab recipes.

1. Paneer is a good source of calcium, which in later years helps prevent osteoporosis. Cheese provides 25% of the calcium in the food supply.
2. Paneer in moderation, is associated with lower body weight as well as reduced risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome. 

3. Paneer is a good source of protein and it reduces cancer risk.
4. According to Ayurveda Paneer is health food and it can prevent stomach disorders
5. It is supposed to help in lower, back and joint pain.Reduces risks of Heart attack.

6. Paneer has a higher quality of protein as compared to soya. If one is worried about calories, it would be a better idea to make Paneer from skimmed milk to reduce the calorie content.