Paneer Masala by Priya Darshini JayaKumar

This reciepe is very simple and can be made with basic ingredients at home. I use simple masalas in this dish so that my work is simple.
Also, i always make paneer at home. So, this is one reason the tastes really nice even by using everyday usage spices.
I didnt know what to call this so, im calling it Paneer Masala.

Ingredients :

Fresh Paneer - 1, cubed, made with half gallon milk.
Grinding
Onion - 2 medium indian size
Tomato - 3/4 of a big
Tempering
Oil - 4 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Others
Fresh Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp. I idikofy it make it instead of using mixie
cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander pwdr - 1 tsp
red chilly pwdr - to taste
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Store bought Tomato paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water - as needed
Milk - as needed. I added half tea cup(dollar store kanadi cup)

Method:

1. Grind the onion and tomato seperately.
2. Temper with mentioned ingredients and add the onion paste first. Wait till the moisture goes off.
3. Now add tomato paste, tomato puree(the one u ground) and Gin-Gar paste and cook untill it leaves oil. cover it and stir ocasionally to avoid burning.
4. Once it is done, add the masalas accept the garam masala. Now water and salt. Chk to ur taste and wait till it comes to a boil.
5. Now add cubed paneer and mix well. Chk salt n other spices and add some warm milk slowly.
6. Cover and cook in medium flame for ten minutes.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and remove from flame.
8. You may add kasthoori methi also at the end. It smells heavenly and add a new dimension to this simple reciepe.

Bombay Chutney by Sophia Prasanna

This is a simple recipe and very easy and quick to make for chapathis.


Ingredients :

Besan flour - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Water
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard
Urud Dhal
Curry leaves - few
Oil

Method :

Add salt and turmeric powder to Besan flour and mix with water and make a watery paste.
Make sure there are no lumps in he mix.
Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard,urud dhal and the curry leaves and add the mix to this..the whole mix comes to a boil, then put in simmer and keep mixing till the besan flour is cooked and the raw taste goes away.It will reach a semi solid consistency. Serve hot with chappathis and enjoy.

Shahi Paneer by Anu Sriram

This is a quick and easy to make side dish. No veggies in stock?? Don't worry! Make this rich and flavourful side dish to go with rotis, naan or pulao.
Making Paneer at home is very easy and here is the recipe in my blog on how to make it....
http://chandrabhaga.blogspot.com/2009/06/punjabi-thali_10.html
Coming to the recipe for this month's contest, This is Shahi Paneer. The recipe is given below.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 big (or 2 medium), finely chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Paneer cubes - 1 cup
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Kasuri methi - 2 tsp
Cashews - 1/4 cup
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 or 3
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Oil - as required
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required

How to make it:

Heat little oil in a pan, add half of the chopped onions, red chillies and cashews and fry for a while. Switch off the flame. Add kasuri methi and let it cool. Grind into a fine paste. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add cumin and when it sizzles add onions and ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes. Add tomatoes and cook until it becomes soft. Add the ground paste, corriander powder, turmeric powder, Garam masala, tomato puree, 1/2 cup water (if required) and salt. Cook on low flame until the oil separates. Add shallow fried paneer cubes. Garnish with corriander leaves. Serve hot!

Soy Manchurian by Prasanna Raghunathan

Ingredients:

Soy chunks - 1 cup (not granules)
onion - 1/2 big finely chopped
chilli sauce
soy sauce - 2 tbsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
tomato sauce - 1 - 2 tbsp
cumin - 1/4 tsp (optional)
salt
sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
corn flour - 1/2 tsp
oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Boil 4 cups of water, add soy chunks and let it cook for 5 mins. Later switch off the stove and close it with lid.
2. Mean while, add oil to the pan, add cumin and ginger garlic paste and fry for a min.
3. Add onion and saute well. Then add tomato sauce, soy sauce, chilli sauce and keep stirring.
4. Rinse the soy chunks 3 or 4 times with fresh water and squeezing them every time. This would get rid of soy smell.
5. Add sugar, soy chunks and fry for 2 mins.
6. mix corn flour with 2 tbsp water and add it to the gravy. let it thicken and soy would absorb the flavors.
6. Garnish with cilantro.

This is a high protein food with less oil/fat and can be prepared in 10 mins. It can be had with roti or fried rice.

Paneer butter masala by Vijayalakshmi Vivek

Paneer is all time favourite in my home. We all love to have it, ofcourse you can make various dishes with this ingredient as it merges with anything.Paneer butter masala has got a royal position in between dishes..
Paneer butter masala goes well with any rice and indian bread...


Ingredients :

Tomatoes -3
Onion-2
Paneer-1 pack(i used nanak)
Cashew paste/Badam paste-3-4tbsp
Bay leaves-2
Cloves-4
Ginger and garlic paste -2tbsp
Red chilli powder-1-2 tsp(acc to ur spice)
Turmeric pow-1tsp
Dania powder-2tsp
fenugreek powder-less than a pinch
Garam masala-1.5tsp
Tandoori masala/a pinch of red colour(optional)
Ghee-1tbsp
Butter-3 tbsp
Cream-3tbsp or milk-1tbsp
Corriander leaves-few
Salt to taste

Method :

1.Peel the skin of onions and cut into cubes and blanch it in hot boiling water for few mins,once they cools ,puree them.
2.Cut tomatoes into cubes and similarly blanch it in hot boiling water and peel the skin and puree them too.
3.Cut the paneer into cubes and heat a pan with ghee and fry the paneer cubes nicely and immerse them in hot water with little turmeric and salt.Remove them and put it in a tissue paper fo 15 minutes.
4.Heat 2 tbsp of butter in the pan add bay leaves ,cloves and the onion paste and fry them till light brown.
5.Add ginger garlic paste,saute it for few min,add the chilli powder then the cashew paste(i used badam paste as i didnt have cashew)for 5 minutes.
6.Add tomato puree,fenugreek powder(be cautious while putting this,more make it bitter)/kasuri methi,dania powder/corriander powder,turmeric powder,garam masala and salt.
7.Keep it sim for few minutes.
8.Add paneer cubes and add lil water mixed with red colour or tandoori masala and let it sit for some time in low flame,until desired consistency is reached.
9.Once it forms a gravy switch off the flame ,add remaining 1 tbsp butter and very little milk(or fresh cream).
10.Garnish with corriander leaves.
11.Yummy!!! Paneer Butter Masala is ready....enjoy.
Blog Linl : www.dhanyavivek.blogspot.com

Kaju Masala by Ramya Bala

This is my way of preparing Kaju Masala..Quite easy and this gravy can be used as a base for many rich gravies.To name a few,Paneer Butter masala,Malai kofta,Chicken tikka masala etc.,This is a crowd pleaser and not to mention,its my favorite.

Ingredients :

2 to 3 tbsp Broken /Whole Cashews.
1 Medium size onion chopped.
1 medium sized tomato.
1 1/4 tsp Ginger Garlic paste.
a small piece of cinammon(pattai)
2 green cardamom
2 cloves
Red Chilli powder(as per taste)
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
1 tbsp Cashew paste
1 tsp Sugar
a very small amount of tamarind paste(very little less than 1/4 tsp).
3 tbsp Heavy cream or Milk.
a pinch of crushed kasoori methi.
Water( add as per needed).
Oil
Butter(optional)

Method :

1.In a pan,heat a tsp oil/ghee and fry the cashews until golden brown.Remove and reserve for later.You can even dry roast the cashews.
2.In the same pan,add some more oil and once its hot,add the cinammon cardamom and cloves.
3.Next,add the onion and saute continuously at low medium heat until the stage before it turns golden brown.
4.Add the chopped tomato and saute continuously until its become mushy and blends very well with the onion.
5.Remove and keep it aside.Cool and grind it into a very smooth paste.(This is the basic Masala paste for many rich gravies..It can be used for later ,if its preserved properly in the fridge- If you have this masala paste,the cooking process can be done in a jiffy).
6.For the cashew paste,add water to cashew and grind it into a paste.
7.In a pan add some oil/butter,add the GG paste and saute until the raw smell fades away.
8.Now,add the masala paste,the cashews,red chilli powder,garam masala powder,turmeric powder once by one at low heat.Reserve some cashews for garnishing.
9.Next to add is water(little by little),heavy cream or Milk,salt,sugar,cashew paste.
10.Next to come is tamarind paste.
11.Stir continuously.Increase the heat from low to low medium.
12.Finally just before switching off the flame,add the crushed kasoori methi.(No kasoori methi-No problem..Even without it,this gravy tastes YUMMY..but kasoori methi adds even more flavor ;)).
13.Garnish with coriander leaves or kasoori methi and the reserved cashews.
14.Serve it with Rotis,Phulkas,Naan..We had it with dosa ;)

Blog link :
http://ramyaacooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/kajucashew-masala.html

Avasara Koottu by Saraswathy Balakrishnan

I'm not sure of a suitable name for the dish so I'm naming it as Avasara Koottu. This dish is a hot favorite of my family back in India which my MIL makes very often when her kitchen runs out of vegetables. It's an excellent side dish for chapati,poori, doasi even rice just like semi koottu poryial:Ingredients:
First pressure cook 1/2 cup toor dhal with some garlic cloves (abt 3),1/2tsp turmeric and sambar powder and salt to about 3-4 whistles..Keep aside

5 ripped tomatoes cubed
1 large red onion chopped
2 green chillies slit lengthwise
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
sprig of curry leaves
1/4tsp turmeric powder
1tsp chilli powder
chopped coriander leaves
3tbsp besen flour mixed with 3tbsp of warm water..make sure no lumps are found
salt to taste.

Method :
Coat a heavy bottom wok with 1tsp ghee and 1tsp oil. Once heated splutter curry leaves,mustard and cumin seeds followed by chopped onions. Once the onions turned brown add the cubed tomatoes with salt,turmeric and chilli powder . Saute til the tomatoes release their juice and the raw smell of the spice powders are removed. Then add in the besan mixture-once it starts to thicken add the dhal mixture and bring to boil. Adjust the level of salt and transfer to serving bowl with chopped coriander leaves..

Gatta Kadhi by Subashini Murali

This is a Rajasthani dish. I learnt this from my dh's friend's mom. She had prepared this when they had invited us for lunch after our marriage. It is very simple and easy to prepare.



Ingredients:

For Gatta:

Besan/kadalai maavu - 1 cup
Chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
Dhania/coriayander pwd - 1/2 tsp
Tumeric - pinch
Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Water

For kadhi:

Yogurt - 1 cup
Chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
Dhania/coriayander pwd - 1/2 tsp
Tumeric - pinch
Salt

Seasoning:

Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Optional:

Coriyander - Finely chopped
Curry leaves - few
Dry chillies - 2


Method:

1. Take besan, chilli pwd, dhania pwd, tumeric pwd, ghee and salt in a bowl and mix it with little water. Make a dough.
2. Boil water in a pan. Meanwhile, make thin long strips out of dough and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the boiling water and boil them for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Now take yogurt (thick), add chilli pwd, dhania pwd, tumeric pwd, salt and mix them. Add the cooked besan pieces and mix them.
4. In a vessel, add oil and jeera, add yogurt mixture and boil for 10 mins on low flame. Garnish with curry leaves, dry chillies and coriyander (optional). Serve hot with chapatis.

Papad and Tomato Bhaji by Shubha Ravikoti

Papad Tamata nu Shak :
I dunno the origin of this dish....whether its Rajasthan or
its Gujrat, But I know onething...I really relish this subzi.
I remeber having this once at my gujju friends place when I was
in college. Her mom was a great cook. I used really love anything
she used to cook. Guess it had immense love in it. They were
jain so they used to skip many vegetables, and had so many
different varieties of dishes. All the dishes I had at her
house have a special place in my memory and in my heart. This is
one of those kinds. I dont know the exact recipe as I never asked
aunty for one. Come on... I was in college... who cooks when in
college.... I never did :P. So just with some memories and some
ideas i came up with this recipe.

I just Love this recipe. Its so easy to make and so tasty.
I many a time substitute papad to sev, boondi or even ghatia.. U
can even add mixture to it it will taste awesome....:)

I have made this bhaji without any thing too... and it tastes awesome
even without any farsan in it...:)


Ingredients:

Papad (I used Lijjat) - 3 fried and made into small pieces
Tomato(preferably roma tomatoes) - 2 small
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1tsp
Sour Curd (yoghurt) - 2 tbsp
Besan (gram flour) - 1/3 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt (optional)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 slit
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Sugar - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp (only if yogurt is not too sour ...mine wasnt)
Oil - 3 tsp

Method :

In a Kadhai or a pan take oil and add the jeera and green chillies.
Let it splutter well. Now add the tomatoes and saute till tender.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and mix well.

Once the tomatoes are cooked well add the sour curd (yogurt)
and mix well. Take water in a small bowl and add the besan to
it and mix well. Now, add the besan water mix to the curds and
let it cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the fried papad and sugar and mix well. See that the
papad is soaked well in the gravy. cook till the curd starts
boiling lightly and the gravy becomes a bit thick.Noe taste the
gravy and see. Add salt if needed. U may not add salt as the
papad already has salt in it. Remove from flame and add lemon
juice and mix well. Transfer into a serving boil and garnish with
fresh chopped coriander leaves. This is a nice alternative when
ur grocery shopping is pending.

my Webpage Link : http://chutkibharpyar.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-time-to-celebrate-some.html
This should be eaten with chapathi :)