Paneer and Mixed Vegetables Pulao - Cottage Cheese and Mixed Vegetables Pilaf

Paneer & Mixed Vegetables Pulao

Paneer & Mixed Vegetables Pulao

This is another quick and easy one pot meal. This recipe does not use onion and garlic. It really comes handy on certain auspicious days according to the Hindu calendar when we are required to cook without onion/garlic. Also many people are allergic to onion/garlic, so this recipe is for them as well. I know this first hand as my FIL(father-in-law) is allergic to garlic and when they were visiting us I cooked many dishes without garlic and many of them without onion as well.  I was really surprised at the results. Also, since I just love fresh herbs I try to incorporate a lot of that in my cooking as well. I happened to have fresh mint and had to use this in this recipe. I hope you like my minty flavoured Pulao.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 cup paneer diced
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (peas,carrots, green pepper,red pepper)
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2-3 green chillies slit
• a few fresh mint leaves
• 1 tomato chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• cinnamon stick
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin-cilantro powder
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation : Wash and Soak 2 cups of rice in 4 cups of water. Keep this aside for around 15-20 minutes.Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom and cinnamon stick. Add the grated ginger. Fry for a minute. Next add green chillies , chopped tomatoes and mint leaves . Fry for about 2 minutes on medium flame. Add  the diced Paneer and mixed vegetables. Stir fry for about another couple minutes.Then add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and cumin-coriander powder. Add rice with the water which we had kept aside earlier. Let this cook uncovered on medium flame. Now when you see that most of the water has dried up (like 85-90%) set the stove to the lowest flame and cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes.

Paneer & Mixed Vegetables Pulao is ready to serve. Serve with Raita of your choice.This recipe serves 4. Enjoy. Bon appetit !!!

Paneer & Mixed Vegetables Pulao

Palak Paneer - Spinach and Cottage Cheese

I'm back. I've been back for a while from my vacation. I always find it hard to get back to blogging if I take a break.  I guess its a case of the Blogger's Block. I did have a very relaxing and good time in India though. Got to meet  up with family and my kids had a wonderful time as well.

Today's recipe is one of my favourites. Its an easy and classic North Indian recipe. 

Ingredients :

•  2 large bunches of Spinach (Palak) - washed and chopped
  
•  250 gms Paneer (cottage Cheese) - cubed
  
•  1 onion finely chopped
•  4 cloves of garlic minced
•  1 tomato chopped
•  2 green chillies chopped
•   1/2 tsp turmeric powder
•  1/2 tsp red chili powder
•  1 tsp cumin - coriander powder
•  salt to taste
•  oil

Preparation :  Blanch the chopped Spinach for about 3 minutes. Let it cool and then grind it  until you get a course texture. Heat oil in pan. Add the chopped onion. Fry till golden brown. Add the minced garlic. Fry for about a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Fry for about 2 minutes and add the dry spices - turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin-cilantro powder. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes until its all well combined. Add the Spinach paste and mix well. Add the cubed Paneer. Add Salt and mix well. Add little water if required. Cover and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Palak Paneer is ready to serve with any Indian bread. I even love it with Jeera Rice- Cumin Rice. This recipe serves 4. Enjoy.

Hydrangeas Cupcakes- Vanilla Cupcakes

Its been a while that I posted a recipe here. Have been a lot busy as recently started a new job. It takes a little time to get into a routine especially if you've been a full time mom for the last three years. But I'm loving it. Its GOOD busy. My younger one gets to be at his school and daycare and interact with kids his age and I get some time away from the never ending household chores.

Last weekend we all went to the Nascar Event(car Racing) at Dover Delaware. Both my kids and my husband are great fans of Nascar. At my house you will hear nothing but Nascar conversations and friday nights and weekends they will religiously follow it on TV. Though each of them follow a different driver. That day none of their drivers won, but it was an interesting race and we all had a good time.

Also I happened to bake these vanilla cupackes over the weekend and I wanted to try my hand at decorating them with hydrangeas. These are my favorite flowers. They are just so beautiful and love their colors. I particularly love the bluish purple hydrangeas. Though I could'nt quite get that color for the icing.

  Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 eggs   
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup orange juice 

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degress C) and line muffin cups with paper liners. I have used mini muffin cups which will yield 24 mini cupcakes.
• In a bowl sieve together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Keep it aside.
• Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer or a hand mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add the Vanilla extract and mix it well.
• Now add the flour mixture and orange juice alternately in about three additions and mix it well.
• Fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. 
• Allow to cool for about an hour and then decorate them with buttercream icing. I have used wilton tip #2D for my hydrangeas.

Recipe adapted from The joy of Baking.

2nd Blog Anniversary and Happy Mother's Day...

Wishing all mothers a very happy Mother's Day. Also I'm so happy that Curry and Beyond is celebrating its 2nd anniversary.

It has been a beautiful journey and I have made such wonderful friends and learnt so much. Thanks to you , all my awesome readers for your support and encouragement. Curry and beyond wouldn't be here without YOU !!!.

Princess Cake

 Vanilla cake with Buttercream icing.  

Begin by baking two 9" cakes and one dome shaped cake. They are cooled for an hour and then the center of each cake is cut out. This will make it easy to insert the Barbie doll and  the cakes will form the Barbie's elegant dress. Then apply the pink icing in between the layers and then around it. Let it be in the refrigerator for about an hour before you can pipe the icing and make the dress. A real barbie doll is then wrapped with plastic and inserted in the center of the cakes. Soon you are ready to dress up your Princess doll. You can use your imagination and and make the dress of your choice using different decorative icing tips.

Voila , your Princess Cake is ready to Party !!!

This Princess cake was baked for a friend's daughter's 5th Birthday. I'm gald I could help. It was worth the time and effort when I saw the look on her face and the joy it brought her...That was priceless!!! Also all the kids at her birthday party(including my 2 boys) were happy and excited and could'nt wait to have a slice of this cake. Must say so I was a little emotional when it was the cake cutting time..LOL.Well got a bit attached to my Princess as this was my first attempt at making this cake.

Saved a slice of this cake for You, You and You..All of my readers !!!. Enjoy.

Palak Pakodas- Spinach Fritters

Palak Pakodas are an excellent choice for appetizers or hors d'oeuvres. If you are planning to have a dinner party for family and friends, these pakodas will be a favorite with your guests. Also if you are in a mood for a quick and easy snack with your tea , this is a great option. Especially on dull rainy days, hot Palak Pakodas / Spinach fritters with your hot ginger tea is sure to put you in a wonderful and cheerful mood. 

Ingredients:


1 bunch Palak/Spinach finely chopped
1 1/2 cup besan / gram flour
2-3 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder
salt to taste
water
Oil for deep frying

Preparation :

• In a bowl , mix together all the ingredients listed above except Spinach and oil . Add water as needed so as to make a thick batter. Make sure that there are no lumps. Now add the chopped Spinach/Palak and mix it well.* 
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan for deep frying the pakodas. 
• Scoop the pakodas batter with your hand and gently drop them into the oil or use a spoonful of batter and gently drop them in the oil. Fry on medium heat till golden brown in color. 
• Palak Pakodas / Spinach fritters are ready to be served with green chutney or Ketchup and a hot cup of ginger tea. This recipe yields about 20-22 Pakodas / fritters and serves 4. 

* If you find the batter is not thick enough to make pakodas, add a little besan/gram flour.

Puran Poli - Indian Flatbread with a stuffing of lentil cooked with Jaggery.

I love Puran Poli and made these for Gudi Padwa. These are made for special days and mostly for festivals. Gudi Padwa is the festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated to ring in the Hindu new year.

Now in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh this festival is called Ugadi. In Tamil Nadu, it is Puthandu and Baisakhi in Punjab. The Sindhis call it Cheti Chand and the Manipuris call it Sajibu Cheiraoba.

Also Puran Poli or Puranachi Poli is made in other states of India too and known as Holige, Obattu, Bobbatlu, Bhakshalu and Poli. Whatever name you call it , it is just divine...

I followed the recipe from one of my dear blogger friend Pavithra. Her blog Dishes from my Kitchen has such amazing recipes with detailed step by step instructions. Her presentation and clicks are mesmerising and professional. It was a pleasure to use her recipe and I was happy as I made the Puran Poli for the very first time and everybody at home loved it. Click here to check out her blog and check the original recipe for Obattu/Puran Poli.

Ingredients :

For the Poli -Flatbread 

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Wheat Flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp warm oil
Water as needed

For the Puran - Stuffing
1 1/2 cups Chana dal /Bengal Gram Dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
2 cups Jaggery
10 Cardamoms (powdered)
1 tbsp Ghee
Ghee for roasting
Some wheat flour dusting

Preparation :

Prepare the dough for the Poli /Flatbread. Mix together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl listed under the ingredients for the Poli except water. Add water little at a time. Knead the dough well. Add some oil , cover and keep aside for about 5 hours.

Prepare the Lentil Stuffing. Wash and soak Chana Dal for about 1/2 hour. Then cook it in a pressure cook with 1 cup water , turmeric and salt. Cook until fully cooked for about 3 whistles.

Now take the cooled dal and drain if you have any water and mash it to a fine paste using a food processor.

Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan or Kadhai. Add the mashed Chana dal and the jaggery. The jaggery will melt and keep cooking on medium flame till the mixture thickens. *

Get if off the flame and add the powdered cardamoms and keep aside. The mixture will further thicken and dry out once it cools down. Now divide the dough into 10 -12 equal sized balls and likewise divide the cooled stuffing mixture into 10-12 equal sized balls.

Now its like making any stuffed paratha- You roll the dough ball into a small circle using a little flour for dusting. Now place the stuffing onto the circle. Close it and press gently so as to be able to roll it into a paratha/roti. Roll it gently using a little flour.

 Now fry this Puran Poli on a heated griddle/Tawa using some ghee. Cook on both sides.

Your Puran Poli are ready to be served. Serve warm with some ghee and a glass of milk. Its simply divine...

* I have used a different method for step#4. I added the jaggery with the chana dal paste and cooked  them together. Pavithra melted the jaggery first and strained it. Then she used this with the dal paste and cooked them together.