Paneer Makhanwala

Paneer Makhanwala is a traditional dish which is prepared in "special occasions" - rich in cream, spices and paneer.
It is very famous among the people who love North-Indian cuisine.
Paneer Makhanwala has always been one of my favorite side dishes in Indian cuisine.I always order this with Naan or Kulcha.
Its reddish orange color creamy sauce with paneer floating over it will bring water in anyone's mouth.
So here i am providing an easy way to prepare this delicious dish.

Ingredients:

* 250 gms Paneer(cut into cubes of 1 inch each)
* 2-3 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon cream or malai
* 3 tablespoon Tomato puree
* 1 tablespoon coriander leaves finely chopped
* 2-3 piece grated paneer
* 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
* 1 teaspoon coriander seed powder
* 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
* 2-3 Green chillies(Hari mirch) silt
* 8-10 cloves Garlic
* 1 large onion
* 10 cashew nuts(pasted)
* 1 inch ginger piece
* 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi(fenugreek seeds)powder
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* salt according to taste

Preparation:

1. Grind the onions, ginger and garlic to a paste.
2. Heat a pan and melt the butter.Put the green chillies,kasoori methi,ginger-garlic-onion paste,
turmeric powder,coriander powder,tomato puree,red chilly powder and fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Now add the malai,cashew nut paste,salt,sugar,garam masala and a little bit water and stir for 3 minutes.
4. Then add the paneer pieces and cook for a couple of minutes till the gravy thickens.
5. Finally, garnish with grated paneer and chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tip:
* Paneer can also be dip fried in butter or oil and used(if anyone doesnt like raw paneer).

Serve with: Naan or Parathas, Ghee Rice or plain rice.

Prawns with poppy seed(khus khus)

Today I am going to share a delicious recipe of prawn cooked with poppy seeds paste.
It is a very famous and tasty dish of Eastern-India. These white colored poppy seed gives a sweet and mild flavor when it is fried and pasted. It gives a creamy texture to the gravy. This prawn curry is the first choice of any prawn lovers( This is also my favorite dish).


Ingredients:

20 de veined and shelled prawns
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
2 tomatoes chopped
2 teaspoon poppy seed (khus khus) pasted
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1 tablespoon fresh cream
3 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon ghee
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Take the prawns in a bowl,sprinkle salt and pinch of turmeric and marinate for 20 minutes. .
2. Put 2 tablespoon oil in a pan and heat.Fry the prawns for 3-4 minutes and keep it aside.
3. Add rest of the oil in pan. Fry the onions till brown,then add garlic and ginger paste.
4. Then add chopped tomatoes and all masala except garam masala.Stir it on a medium flame
for 5 minutes.
5. Add poppy seeds paste and stir for 3 minutes.then add fried prawns. Stir on medium flame
and add 1/2 cup of water.
6. Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes till the gravy is thickened and then add garam masala .
7. Garnish it with cream and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with: Rice or Ghee rice.

Prawn Malai Curry

Prawn malai curry is an authentic Bengali style mouth watering jumbo prawn curry cooked in coconut milk. This is a delicious recipe from bengal's classic kitchen........
a must eat item for bengalis and sea food lovers across the globe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

8 large jumbo Prawns (Bagda or Golda chingri in bengali)
1 packet of coconut milk
1 large onion(chopped)
0.5 Inch piece Ginger
1 Pod Garlic
4 Silted Green Chili
1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
2 Bay Leaf
1 Cup Coconut Milk
2 Tsp Sugar
0.5 Tsp Turmeric powder
4tsp oil
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp garam masala powder (powdered cardamom,cinnamon,cloves)
3 tsp cumin(jeera ) powder
salt according to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash and de-vein the prawns. Rub some turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt on the prawns.
Fry in little oil till light brown. Keep aside.
2. Chop the onions. Grind the garlic and ginger to a fine paste.
3. Heat oil and fry onions to a light brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste,cumin powder,
turmeric powder,bay leaf, red chili powder and green chilies and fry for about 5 - 7 minutes
till the aroma of the spices spread and the oil separates.
4. Add to this the coconut milk and simmer it in low heat for 5 mins till the all the ingredients
mix well.
5. Then add the prawns and remaining green chillies to this mixture and cover with a lid.let the
whole thing come to a boil.
6. Remove lid and add the Garam masala powder and stir to check if the prawns have
softened.Cover it for some more time till the gravy thickens.
7. Just before taking the gravy out of the oven add ghee to it for that extra flavour.

Serve hot with: Basmati Rice or Ghee rice.

Aachari Paneer

Achari panner is a spicy dry gravy dish served hot with rotis in the homes of North India.Its specially a Punjabi dish.
So, here I am with some spiced up Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer Achari) for those who are fond of eating hot and spicy paneer dishes.
My best friend is a vegetarian and he is Gujarati(most of the Gujarati's are vegatarian).He likes all kind of paneer dishes and this recipe is specially dedicated to him.

Ingredients:

1 cup paneer, cubed
2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 fenugreek seeds (methi)
1/2 teaspoon onion seeds (kalonji)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
3 onion, chopped & 1" piece crushed ginger
5-6 crushed garlic flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 tsp amchoor(dry mango powder)
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
3-4 chopped green chillies
1/2 cup beaten curd
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat 4 tbsp oil.
2. Add 2 tsp saunf, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp methi dana, 1/2 tsp onion seeds (kalonji),1 tsp
hing and 1 tsp jeera and fry till they crackle.
3. Add 3 chopped onions and 3-4 chopped green chillies till golden.
4. Add 1 tsp haldi, 5-6 crushed garlic flakes and 1" piece crushed ginger.
5. Gradually add 1/2 cup beaten curd, stirring constantly.
6. Add 1 1/2 tsp amchoor and salt.
7. Cook till curd dries slightly.
8. Just before serving, add 300 gms Amul Paneer and a few slit green chillies.
9. Sprinkle with salt and 1/2 tsp chilli powder.
10. Add the coriander and bring to a boil.
11. Stir for 1-2 mins on low flame. Serve hot.

Serve with: Jeera rice, plain rice or rotis.

Malai Kofta

The terms "malai" is cream and "kofta" is dumplings. As the name "malai"(cream) would suggest,
this recipe consists of deep-fried dumplings soaked with a heavy, creamy sauce.
Its a dish for special occassions. Malai Kofta is the vegetarian alternative to meatballs.

Ingredients:

Kofta:
50 gms. khoya
50 gms. paneer
5 medium potatoes
20 gms. cashewnuts
20 gms. raisins
4-5 green chillies chopped fine
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. coriander chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds & salt to taste

Gravy:
125 gms. cream
75 gms. khoya or paneer
50 gms. cashewnuts
3 tsp. white pepper powder.
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1" cinnamon
6 cloves
6 cardamoms
salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Garnish:
1 tbsp. grated cheese or paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander

Preparation:

Koftas:
* Boil the potatoes, peel and smash them.
* Mix together all the ingredients except raisins and cashews.
* Take a ping-pong ball sized dough in hand.
* Flatten. Place 2-3 cashews and raisins in the centre and shape into a ball.
* Repeat for remaining dough. Keep aside.

Gravy:
* Roast the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves together.
* Dry grind and keep aside. Wet grind garlic,ginger and cashew, except ghee, to a paste.
* Heat ghee in a skillet, add powdered spices and fry for 2-3 seconds.
* Add paste and fry further for 5-7 minutes stirring well.
* Add 2 cups water,cream and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
* Warm the koftas either in the oven or on the tava(Optional: You can deep fry the koftas also.)
* To serve place warm koftas in a casserole.
* Either pour boiling hot gravy on the koftas or pour and bake in hot oven of 5 minutes.
* Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.

Serve hot with: Naan or parathas.