Peas Paneer

Peas Paneer

By
Sandhya Khattri
Peas paneer or matar paneer is a festive recipe, this dish is popular all over india and among Indians all over the world. Deep fried cottage cheese cubes and green peas make this recipe a protein rich recipe.
Usually this recipe is prepared with onion and tomato paste which makes it heavy.
I am making a lighter version of this recipe without using onion. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:

Preparation Time : 10minutes | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves :4
Recipe Category: Lunch/Dinner | Recipe Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients:

Paneer or cottage cheese-200gms(cubed and deep fried)
peas-1cup
Ginger-1/2inch piece
Green chillies-4
Tomatoes-4-5
Coriander powder-1 tablespoon
Red chillipowder-1/2 teaspoon
Salt-to taste
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder-1/4 teaspoon
Lemon juice-extracted from 1 lemon
Oil- 2 tablespoon for gravy + extra for deep frying paneer cubes
Method: Cut paneer into cubes
Grind ginger, green chillies and tomatoes.

Heat oil in a pan, deep fry paneer cubes till golden in color.
In a pan heat one teaspoon of oil, add peas to it, sprinkle some salt over it, mix well cover the lid and cook on medium to low flame for 5 minutes, check peas will be cooked and turned out soft.

In the same pan heat 2 tablespoon of oil, add red chilli powder and immediately add tomato paste, mix all the remaining spices except garam masala powder, roast till oil separates. Add paneer , peas and one cup of water to it, let it boil for 5-6 minutes, simmer the flame, cover the lid let is cook for another 1 minute, oil will float on top.
Peas paneer or matar paneer is ready to serve with phulka or rice.
Add garam masala powder and lemon juice just before serving.

Notes:.
This recipe can be pressure cooked too, in that case you don’t have to cook peas first, just roast peas and paneer in tomato puree and cook till one whistle.
If you are deep frying paneer or koftas in oil, don’t use the same oil for gravy, use that oil for deep frying another vegetable or side dish, else color of gravy will came out dull, always use fresh oil for the gravy.
You can also prepare the same recipe with adding onion paste and not deep frying paneer cubes

Tags:matar paneer recipe , how to make peas paneer , cottage cheese recipes , matar paneer no onion no garlic recipe , festival recipes

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Spicy Potatoes Recipe

Spicy Potatoes Recipe
By Sandhya Khattri
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4servings
Spicy potatoes is a side dish recipe in which boiled potatoes are simmered with freshly roasted and powdered spices. This can be served as a chaat too, I usually serve this potatoes with kachauris and dates and tamarind chutney, you can have this with poori too. In this recipe you can use boiled baby potatoes too. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:

Ingredients
Boiled potatoes-8-10
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt-to taste
Lemon juice- 1 lemon
Dry mint powder- 2 teaspoon
For dry roasting:
Cumin seeds- 2 teaspoons

Coriander seeds- 1 tablespoon
Cloves-2
Black cardamom-1 
Pepper corns-10-15

Instructions: heat tawa or griddle, take all the ingredients of dry roasting, stirring continuously roast them on medium flame till aroma arises and spices are dark brown in color. Let them cool completely, grind them to coarse powder.
Peal and chop potatoes.
Heat oil in a wide pan or kadhai, add spice powder to it, roast for a minute, add potato pieces, salt and mint powder to it, mix well, simmer the flame, cover the lid and cook for 5-6 minutes(stir once in between) till potatoes are slightly crisp from outside, switch off the flame, mix lemon juice to it. Serve hot as an accompaniment with any meal course of your choice

Tags: spicy potoates recipe , how to make spicy potatoes , fry recipes , north Indian food recipes , side dishes , appetizers , north Indian recipes , gluten free, vegan

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Tomato Onion Uttapam Recipe

Tomato Onion Uttapam
By Sandhya Khattri
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 servings
Tomato Onion Uttapam is a quick and easy breakfast recipe prepared without any extra preparations. This can be served simply with tomato sauce and anyother chutney of your choice, you can serve it with sambhar too. I usually prefer to cook it on non stick tawa for ease, it can be cooked on normal tawa too with proper greasing. Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:
Ingredients
Sooji or semolina- 1 cup
Curd-1/2 cup
Green chillies-2-3
Tomatoes-2(only skins)
Onion-1
Oil-for shallow frying
Curry leaves-8-10
Salt-to taste
Water-1/4 cup
Instructions:

Dice tomato skins, chop onions, green chillies and curry leaves.
Beat curd with water, add sooji to it mix well remove all lumps.
Add salt, chopped green chillies, curry leaves and half portion of onions.
Leave it for 5-6 minutes, check the mixture, if required add more water it should be of pouring consistency.
Heat non stick tawa, apply few drops of oil to it, adjust the flame to low, pour 1 tablespoon of mixture over it and spread immediately.sprinkle some diced tomatoes and onions over it, pour few drops of oil over the uttapam and from sides,slightly press the veggies with the help of spatula.
Check if it is golden brown from lower side, with the help of spatula and supporting with knife
turn the uttapam.
Cook for another 1 or 1 and ½ minutes, onion and tomato pieces will be cooked slightly and their crunch will remain. Prepare uttapams from remaining batter.
Serve hot with sauce or chutney of your choice.

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Watermelon Juice

WaterMelon Juice

By Sandhya Khattri
June 12, 2013
Water Melon Juice of Tarbooz ka Sharbat is an easy to prepare, healthy summer drink, that doesn't require any cooking. Fresh Juices are always better in comparison to packed ones.Watermelon as name suggests has lot of water content in it, rich in vitamin A & C and potassium , as this fruit is available only in summer hence one should take the maximum benefit of it.  Instructions and ingredient required for this recipe are as follows:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 0 seconds
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Watermelon : 15-16 big pieces(approx 750gm)
glucose powder- 2 tablespoon
Instructions: Chop water melon in small pieces, with the help of knife try to remove the seeds as you can.
Put them in blending jar, blend it for few seconds, stop and again blend for few seconds, just on and off the switch this will not crush the remaining seeds of watermelon, doing it with the help of hand blender makes it very easy to prepare.

Pass it through the soup strainer so that you can get thick juice.
Check taste if sweetness is less according to taste add glucose powder to it.
Serve immediately
Notes: Prepare just before serving.
Before juicing place watermelon in fridge for some time to get it chill, I don’t add ice to it.
It is said that after eating watermelon don't drink water for some time, hence I avoid to drink water for 1/2 an hour after taking this juice.

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Sweet & Sour Mango Chutney | Raw Mango Recipes

Sweet and Sour Mango Chutney
By Sandhya Khattri
May 30, 2013
Sweet & Sour mango chutney is easy to prepare recipe , with the sourness of raw mango and flavor full spices, sweet and tangy in taste goes well with paratha , poori or simply as a spread on bread slice, you can have this handy in fridge as it can be preserved for a week.
Ingredients required and detailed instructions of the recipe are as follows:

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Serves: 1/2 cup
Ingredients
Raw mangoes- 2
sugar-1/2 cup
mixed spices(fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, onion seeds or kalaunji, cumin seeds and black mustard seeds) - 1 teaspoon
turmuric -1pinch
salt-to taste
oil-1 teaspoon
red chilli powder-1/4 teaspoon
Instructions

• Peel and roughly chop raw mangos, Puree them in grinder need not to add water 

• Heat oil in a pan, add mix spices , saute till aroma arises and they cooked, add redchillipowder, turmuric and salt to it,
•  Add mango puree to it, mix well, simmer the flame cover the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes

• Add sugar to it, cook uncovered on medium heat till sugar starts to thicken, stir in between.as it starts leaving the sides of pan, switch off the flame.
• Let it cool completely, store in a glass bottle, use when required.
  

Notes: Don't over cook sugar, but water content should be dried up properly

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Sooji Khicha | Sooji ke Papad | Sun Dried Recipes

Sooji Khicha
By Sandhya Khattri
May 29, 2013
Sooji Khicha, sun dried recipe for preserving semolina in form of papad. Easy to prepare, a light papad recipe goes well with dal chawal or simply with evening tea. Detailed instructions and ingredients required for the recipe are as follows:

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total Time 4 days
Serves: 25-30papads approx
Ingredients
Sooji or semolina- 1 cup
water- 6 cups
salt -to taste
cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions:

In a heavy bottomed pan, I am using pressure cooker, add sooji and water  mix well, leave it for 5-7 minutes so that sooji can soak enough water, mix well, place this pan on high flame for boiling, stirring continously till mixture starts boiling add salt to it, as  its color changes towards transparent. switch off the flame, let it cool for another 10-12 minutes

add cumin seeds to it, mix gently. Pour one table spoon mixture on plastic sheet make papad by spreading it in circular motion., repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
Sun dry it for 3 -4 days, at the end of the day one you will be able to turn papads, remaining 2 -3 days are required for proper drying.
You can deep fry them or microwave them too.
Notes: When preparing for the first time, always try with small quantity. consistency (thickness) of mixture is important for proper spreading of papads.
If mixture is not cooked properly and papads are not dried properly they will not rise while frying.
My entry to Akila's event.

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