Mutter Paneer - Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese with creamy tomato sauce

Mutter Paneer

Mutter Paneer is a popular North Indian Dish. Its a delicious preparation made with Mutter(peas) and Paneer(Indian cottage cheese) in a creamy tomato/onion sauce. I do add fresh cream to this dish which is optional. Also many prefer to fry the Paneer cubes before adding to the gravy/sauce. This depends on you as well. I do not fry it anymore and I find that it does not make a big difference to the dish flavor-wise but it does give the paneer cubes a beautiful golden color.

Ingredients:

• 225 gms / 1/2 lb Paneer (Cottage cheese) cubed
• 225 gms / 1/2 lb  frozen Peas
• 1 large red onion pureed
• 2 large tomatoes pureed
• 4-5 cloves garlic and 1" ginger -minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste(optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 black cardamom
• 1tsp- 2tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream
• salt to taste
• Oil

Mutter Paneer

Preparation : Heat  oil in a Kadhai/thick bottomed pan. Add the bay leaves and Black cardamom followed by the onion puree. On medium flame saute the onion till its golden brown and add the minced garlic and ginger. Fry for about a minute. Add the tomato puree. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes till it combines well with the onion /garlic. Now add the dry spices-turmeric, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder. Mix it well. Add the tomato paste. Add a little water for the gravy about 2-3 cups. Bring it to a boil. Add the peas and cubed  paneer. Cover and let it simmer on medium low for about 10 -15 minutes. Now add the cream. Mix it well. Adjust the salt. Take it off the heat. Garnish it with fresh Cilantro. Mutter Paneer is ready to be served. Enjoy it with any Indian bread or Cumin Rice. This recipe serves 4.   

Zayekedar Dal - Split Moong and Split Urad

What do split Moong dal and Split Urad dal have in common...Yeah, you got it they are both split. So I thought why not combine them both and let them be happy. I was trying to play matchmaker to the dals(lentils). Not that there's anything wrong with being Split or Single. The result was amazing, you get one Zayekedar Dal.

Ingredients :

• 3/4 cup Split Moong Dal (with the green husk/Chilka)
• 3/4 cup Split Urad Dal (with the black husk/Chilka)
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1" piece of ginger chopped
• 1 Jalapeno pepper chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin-cilantro powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• salt to taste
• Oil

**You could use 2-3 small green chillies slit lengthwise instead of Jalapeno pepper.

Preparation :

1. Wash the lentils/dal and add 3-4 cups of water , turmeric powder, chopped ginger and salt. Pressure cook until cooked.
2. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan/kadai . Add the cumin seeds, when they splutter add hing(asafoetida). Immediately add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute till they are golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and Pepper.Fry for about 3-4 minutes until the oil leaves the masala(or until the tomatoes are well blended). Add red chilli powder, cumin-cilantro powder. Mix well. Add the boiled dal . Bring it to a boil and let it simmer on slow flame for 2-3 minutes .
3. Your Zayekedar dal is ready to serve. Serve with rice or any Indian bread of your choice. Garnish it with fresh Cilantro leaves and serve it along with a lemon/lime wedge.
   

****This dal does have a tendency to thicken, so add more water depending on whether you are going to serve with Rice or Indian bread.

Aloo Baingan Ki Subzi - Potato and Eggplant in Tomato gravy

Potato and Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal is an easy dish to prepare and goes well with any Indian Bread. Now Eggplant is one vegetable which I find where either people love it or just can't stand it. I belong to the category of people who can't have enough of it. How can you not fall in love with the beautiful purple color. Also I love colors and love to be surrounded by them , so you guessed it right , I'll always have Eggplants at home..though I'm the only one who eats them...sad. But I do keep on trying new recipes so my kids and my husband can eat a little more of this beautiful vegetable. So far the only recipe they love is Baingan ka Bharta..(because you really do not see any baingan..its all mashed up..poor Baingan, lost its identity by the time its on the table.) I'll soon post that recipe when I make Baingan Bharta, till then enjoy this Aloo Baingan Ki Subzi.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 small eggplants unpeeled and cubed
• 2 medium size potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 2-3 green chillies slit lengthwise
• 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin-cilantro powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the chopped onions and garlic. Saute till they are golden brown.
2. Add the tomatoes and slit green chillies. Fry for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin-cilantro powder and salt. Add the diced potatoes and eggplant. Mix it well.
4. Cook covered on medium heat until the vegetables are almost cooked. (You could add a little water about 1/4 cup , many a times it will cook in the tomato gravy itself).
5. Now cook uncovered till fully cooked.
6. Ready to serve. Garnish with fresh Cilantro.

Aloo Gobi ki Sabzi

This is an easy recipe and except garlic it just uses the dry spices. Sometimes you need a little change in the way you prepare a particular dish. Sometimes I like to be a minimalist -just use lesser ingredients. Here the main flavor would be of garlic. You could make this Aloo Gobi without Garlic too if you are not much into garlic.

Ingredients:
1) 2 medium size Potatoes(Aloo) diced
2) 1/2 Cauliflower(Gobi) chopped into medium size florets
3) 1 cup frozen or fresh Peas
4) 5-6 cloves of garlic freshly grated
5) 1-2 whole red chillies
6) 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
7) 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
8) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
9) 1 teaspoon chilli powder
10) 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
11) 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder)
12) 1/3 cup heavy cream
13) Salt to taste
14) 3 tablespoon Olive oil
15) 1 cup water
* You Could use regular oil too.



Preparation:
1) Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add the Mustard seeds. When they splutter add Cumin seeds. Wait for it to splutter and add the whole red chillies.
2) Add freshly grated garlic and saute till you no longer get the raw smell of garlic.

3) Add the chopped potatoes and Cauliflower. Fry for about 4-5 minutes. Add turmeric powder,red chilli powder,amchur powder and Garam Masala. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.

4) Add 1 cup of water and cook covered on medium heat till almost cooked.

5) Now add the frozen peas and mix well. You will see its almost getting dry. Cook uncovered on low heat.

6) Just when you see the peas are almost cooked add the heavy cream. Cook on medium heat. The heavy cream will get absorbed into the Sabzi and will soon become dry.

7) It will look like this when its done.

8) Ready to serve with your choice of any Indian Bread. I serve mine with Garlic Parathas.

Dal Makhani - Maa ki Dal

Dal Makhani is very nutritious . Its also called " Maa ki dal" . My mom used to make this when we were kids when the weather got a little cooler. Making this dal brings back childhood memories. Now I want to make this for my kids. This dal also reminds me of the dhaba food. The slow cooked food which was simply delicious.

This is my mother's recipe. I'm happy to share my Maa ki dal with you.

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 cup Whole Black Urad dal
•  1/2 cup Chana dal
•  1/2 cup Rajma
•  1 cup finely chopped onion
•  4-5 cloves of garlic chopped
•  1 inch piece of ginger chopped
•  2-3 cloves
•  4-5 black peppercorns
•  4-5 green chillies slit
•  1 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped
•  1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
•  1 teaspoon red chilli powder
•  1 teaspoon Garam Masala
•  1/2 teaspooon Cumin seeds
•  pinch of hing(asafoetida)
•  Salt to taste
•  3 tablespoon oil
•  2 tablespoon butter
•  freshly chopped Cilantro for the garnish

Preparation :

•  Combine Black Urad dal, Chana dal and Rajma with water and soak it overnight. Now if you are pressed for time you could do the quick substitute for soaking. Soak these dals in boiling hot water for about 30 -40 minutes. Keep it covered.
•  Now pressure cook the mixed dals along with salt, turmeric, chopped garlic , ginger , cloves ,peppercorns and about 5-6 cups of water. Cook till dal is cooked . I would say about 6-7 whistles.
•  Heat oil in a pan. Add Cumin. Once Cumin splutters add hing. Add the onion and saute till golden brown. Add the tomatoes and green chillies and fry till the oil leaves the masala.
•  Add red chilli powder . Mix well. Fry for about a minute or two and add the boiled dal mix. Bring it to a boil. You could add a little water as this dal thickens quickly. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. This is a slow cooking dal preparation. The slower you cook the tastier it gets. Add Garam Masala ,butter and the chopped Cilantro. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
•  Ready to serve with  Cumin (Jeera )Rice , Parathas, Phulkas , Naan or Kulcha . It also tastes good with garlic bread.