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Palak Paneer

I hate blanching. I like to utilise the ingredient or food item optimally.

Thus, microwaved the spinach/Palak, Pureed onion, garlic & ginger

I avoid using readymade masalas as much as possible. I believe that lesser I use the masalas out of a packet, the more authentic the taste. I will clarify: here the smoothness of cream blended with the spinach / palak cascades on the tongue right from the first morsel, roasted spices are all the way fragrant, right from the first to the last morsel..ooohhhh so earthy and such clarity in  tastes… and abundance all the way.

I try and make fresh masalas by roasting spices on the spot – fresh for the recipe which is being cooked

Puree and use ALL of the spinach/palak- no sieving for removing fibres. Believe me, it still gives “just like the restaurant” feel and taste

I DO use cream

I believe eating happens in three steps. The first is with the eyes – if it looks good it will taste good. Second with the aroma. Three with mouth and Five, most important-with MIND.

It is important to satiate the Body hunger and Mind hunger – Both

Eating should be a pleasure and so should the act of preparing it

I see it this way: if I am successful in avoiding at least one restaurant meal then small luxuries added into a home cooked meal goes a long way

Example: using cream, ghee, a dollop of butter, freshly roasted and ground spices… besides all of it is seriously fresh

Well…now the recipe… PALAK PANEER- from my kitchen

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Palak Paneer
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian-Vegetarian
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 4 bundles Fresh spinach - washed, strained and drained
  • ½ bundle Methi / fenugreek leaves washed well
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 nos. medium Onions
  • 8/10 buds Garlic cloves peeled
  • 1or 2 Green Chillies
  • Fresh Ginger/ Adrak / aadu as thick and big as first 2 fingers put together
  • 1/2 bundle Cilantro / Coriander / Kothmir/Hara Dhania - washed and finely chopped -washed well
  • 1 tsp. Tomato paste / puree
  • Powdered Roasted Masala
  • Pureed Spinach
For the Microwaving
  • Paneer/ Cottage Cheese preferred homemade OR 1 Large & 1 Small packet
  • salt
  • 1 Tbsp Oil + Ghee + 1/2 Tbsp. Half
  • 3 Tbsp. Cream or by preference fresh or packaged
  • 1 tsp. Mustard seeds / Rai I like the black grain's contrast against the spinachy green but optional
  • 2 tsp Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder it does change the green color a tad bit optional
For Roasted Masala
  • 2 tsp. Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 1/2 tsp Methi / fenugreek leaves If no fresh Methi/fenugreek seeds (half)&/or kasuri methi 2tsps.
  • 4 nos. Cloves/laung/laving
  • 8 nos. Green cardamom/elaichi
  • 6 nos. Black Peppercorns/ mari
  • 1 stick Cinnamon/ taj/ dalchini - size of a little finger
Instructions

  1. FOR microwaving.

  2. In a microwave-safe large bowl add a cup of water. Dump all the greens: Spinach/Palak & Methi/fenugreek leaves. I prepared this in peak summer so no methi leaves had to make do with seeds... was out of kasuri methi too. Microwave on a high for 7 minutes. (my microwave takes 7minutes.)
  3. Remove bowl from microwave and let the steam shoo itself away- let it sit for a while. Puree. Set aside.

  4. For the Kadai/Wok :

  5. Dry roast All the ingredients till they get a little light brown and throw a fragrance in the entire kitchen
  6. Leave them alone. Once a tad cool, make a fine powder of them. Fresh Masala to add to Palak Paneer -ready.
  7. METHOD:
  8. Puree: Onion+ Garlic+ Ginger/aadu/adrak+ Cilantro/Kothmeer + green chilli.
  9. On a high flame place the NON_STICK Kadai/ Wok Pour Oil + ghee Once heated lower the flame to medium Add Rai/Mustard+ Jeera/cumin. Allow to nicely crackle
  10. Add the Puree : Onion+ Garlic+ Ginger/aadu/adrak+ Cilantro/Kothmeer + green chilli.
  11. Lower the gas flame to lowest.
  12. Allow the Puree to brown
  13. Add tomato paste
  14. Add the roasted masala
  15. Stie well till the oil is released from sides
  16. Add the Cubed Paneer/cottage cheese
  17. Here add salt for the Paneer/cottage cheese.
  18. Add 1 tbsp. of cream- this will keep the paneer soft and give it a pleasant fragrance
  19. Let the Paneer/cottage cheese brown a little
  20. Add Spinach puree.
  21. Add another 1tbsp. of cream
  22. TASTE & adjust salt.
  23. Cover th Wok til the excess water evaporates.
  24. Transfer to the serving bowl
  25. Make a nice Cream Swirl
  26. READY TO EAT.
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Aubergine, Spinach, Green Peas Curry

#cookathome #mykitchenneversleeps
#CurriedatHome#AubergineBabySpinachGreenPeasCurry
#VelvetCurry
#quickrecipe :–

●heat wok
●add 3tbsp oil of choice – I used #SesameOil
●chop 6 cloves Garlic & add to oil
●saute till light brown
●add 2 pinches asafoetida (optional) – but makes a difference if added
●add 2 tsp #turmericpowder
●add 2tbsp #mymix #coriandercuminpowder (for #mymix, if in NZ do not hesitate to get in touch through my contact page or dm me on Instagram )
●Half tsp. Red chilli powder (optional) but elevates flavour if added
●Add:
3 large aubergines cut & cubed to Half inch pieces, 
1 cup fresh/frozen green peas
1Large packet #BabySpinach leaves washed and drained
●Salt to taste
●gently toss with a wooden spatula
●cover &cook till done.
●toss and stir just once in between
●chk taste, adjust salt if required
◆serve hot with Chapati, roti, rice, or Pita.

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Confused Curry

Confused Curry

A mixed vegetable curry combining more than five vegetables including potatoes, eggplants, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers

  • 1 Cauliflower (cut into florets)
  • 1 cm Tomato (cut into 1cm by 1cm pieces)
  • 1 cm Bell pepper (cut into 1cm by 1cm pieces)
  • 1 cm Carrot (cut into 1cm by 1cm pieces)
  • 1 cm Onion (cut into 1by 1cm pieces)
  • 1 Potatoes (cut into cubes)
  • 1 Egg plant (cut into cubes)
  • 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 2 pinches Asafoetida
  • 2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Pc Ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1 garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
  1. Boil the cauliflower florets in salt water till the water starts boiling and keep aside
  2. Prepare a tomato, bell pepper (capsicum), carrot and onion
  3. Once the oil heats up, add 1 tsp fenugreek, 1tsp mustard, 2 pinches asafoetida, 2 tsp turmeric.
  4. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for a minute
  5. Add roughly cut onions and saute till soft
  6. Add the rest of the veggies and salt to taste
  7. Add one red and green tomato – chunked
  8. Add roughly chopped potato chunks and aubergines (egg plant)
  9. Add cauliflower florets kept aside earlier
  10. Add enough water till it rises slightly from the base of the wok
  11. Cover and cook on a low flame till semi done and add jaggery to taste
  12. Taste, adjust salt and sweetening. Add a heaped tbsp of chickpea flour and toss well to avoid lumps

Continue reading “Confused Curry”

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Carrot Capsicum Potato Curry

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Carrot Capsicum Potato Curry
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian-Vegetarian
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
Main ingredients
  • 3 Potatoes large, peeled and cubed
  • 3 Carrots cubed
  • 5 BellPeppers/ Capsicum- washed
  • salt to taste
  • Sugar sweetness to taste
For the tempering
  • 2.5 Tbsp. Sesame oil or Oil of choice
  • 3 Garlic cloves - crushed
  • 2 Green Chillies
  • 1/2 tsp. Red Chilli Powder
  • 2 tsp. Fenugreek / Methi Seeds
  • 2 tsp. Mustard seeds / Rai
  • 2 tsp. Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 3 Pinches Asafoetida
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp. Cumin-coriander powder / Dhania Jeera powder
Vessel
  • A Large Non-stick WOK
Garnishing
  • handful Cilantro / Coriander / Kothmir/Hara Dhania - washed and finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Place Wok on medium flame
  2. Add Oil, Add Methi and let it crackle
  3. Add Mustard & Cumin and let it crackle
  4. Add green Chilli, Asafoetida, Turmeric Powder, Dhania-Jeera powder
  5. Add chopped coriander/ cilantro
  6. Add Capsicum
  7. Sauté for 2 -3 minutes
  8. Add Carrots
  9. Sauté the mix for 2-3 minutes
  10. Add Potatoes and salt, Mix well
  11. Cover & let it cook
  12. Keep mixing well occasionally
  13. When half done add Red chilli powder & sugar for sweetness
  14. Cover and allow the veggie to get done.
  15. Taste adjust taste with salt and sugar
  16. Serve.

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Calabash / Lauki / Dudhi Curry

See the video of this Curry on our youtube channel

Print
Calabash / Lauki / Dudhi Curry
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
A simple curry from a simple vegetable - Dudhi /Lauki / Ghiya / Sorakaya / Bottlegourd / Calabash. A Gujarati Home favourite enjoyed with Plain rice or chapatis. This recipe has been a great hit on my blog and is the highest viewed video on our youtube channel
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Gujarati, Indian-Vegetarian
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
For the Curry
  • 1 large sweet Bottle gourd - Dudhi-Lauki peeled, washed & nicely cubed (approx. 1.5 kg. when whole)
  • 2 Potatoes washed, peeled, washed & nicely cubed & immersedwater
  • 3 medium size tomatoes washed & cubed
For the tempering
  • 3 tsp. Oil of choice I use sesame oil
  • 4 pinches Asafoetida
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • Green Chillies chopped Coriander
  • 1 tsp. Cumin-coriander powder / Dhania Jeera powder
  • 1 tsp. Mustard seeds / Rai
  • 2 tsp. Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder or to taste
  • salt - to taste
  • Jaggery- - to taste
Cooking vessel
  • 1 Pressure Cooker
Instructions
  1. On a high flame, put the pressure cooker, pour oil
  2. Add fenugreek/ Methi seeds Allow to crackle
  3. Lower flame to the lowest 🙂 Add Mustard & cumin Allow to crackle
  4. Add Asafoetida , Green Chillies & Coriander/Cilantro
  5. Add Turmeric powder , Dhana Jeera powder & tomatoes Add Red Chilli powder
  6. Saute for just 1 minute Add the cubed gourd, potatoes
  7. Add salt jaggery
  8. Stir & mix well Put pressure to give 3 whistles Allow patiently for the Cooker to cool
  9. Once the pressure cooker cools, open lid transfer contents to a serving bowl Taste with a spoon and adjust taste by adding salt or jaggery
Recipe Notes

Goes well with Plain rice