Paneer Stuffed Pooris

Paneer is fresh Cottage Cheese, most often used in South Asia. An all time favourite and a great source of Calcium, Phosphorous, Vitamins, minerals and proteins. Builds stronger teeth, helps burn fat. It protects against heart disease by lowering the fat deposition in the arteries and prevents cancer.
There are many more health benefits of Paneer, but I have listed only few out here. On the whole Paneer is a purely vegetarian healthy and tasty product.
You have many delicious paneer recipes.
Today I shall post stuffed Paneer Poori

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

1cup finely chopped Methi leaves (I used Kasoori methi)
½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
2 cups wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp fresh curd 
2 tbsp melted ghee
salt to taste

FOR STUFFING

200gms grated paneer
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies (I deseeded the chilies before chopping them)
1 ½ cup tightly packed coriander/methi finely chopped 
salt to taste I also used a bit of chilli powder and amchur.....

Method 

Add all the ingredients mentioned under the dough. Knead it stiff, divide into equal portions, cover and keep aside.

Roll out one portion of the dough into a thin round, pu one portion of the stuffing in the centre and bring the edges together to cover the stuffing completely. Roll out again into a circle.Repeat with the remaining portions and stuffing to make more stuffed puris.

Heat the oil in a Pan and deep fry the poori, till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides. 

Your poori stuffed with paneer is ready 

Methi Muthia

Methi or fenugreek is an important part of our Indian households. They are rich in vitamins and a storehouse of many minerals. It enhances breast milk production, controls diabetes, protects from cancer,helps in digestion,reduces cholesterol and also helps in weight loss.

I had chickpea flour/ Besan in my kitchen and had some fresh methi grown in my kitchen garden. So I planned to make a quick Healthy Gujarati snack. Methi Muthia. A steam cooked dumpling with methi leaves.

Methi Muthia- A healthy Gujarati snack

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 5 people

Ingredients :
2 Cups packed Methi/ Fenugreek leaves
2 cups : Besan/Chickpea flour
1tbsp: yogurt
2tbsp: semolina
1tsp: sugar
1/2 tsp: chilli powder
Salt as per taste
1tsp: Haldi
1tsp: Coriander/ Dhania powder
2 tbsp: Oil
2tbsp: paste of green chilli ginger and garlic
1/2 tsp: Baking powder
1tsp: Pepper powder
2tsp: white Til/Sesame seeds
1tsp: Jeera/Cumin seeds..

Mix all the above ingredients, make a soft dough and set aside for about 15-20 
minutes. 

Now make make sausage shaped long rolls and place them in a greased container.

Steam them in a cooker for 15 minutes or till done

Slice the roll one's it's cool

Temper the ingredients as mentioned below
For Tempering 
2tbsp : Oil
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
 pinch of asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Add the sliced muthias and fry them for 2-3 minutes and now garnish them with chopped coriander.

Alternatively the sliced Muthias can be deep fried as well. Happy Eating :-) 

Spicy Fish curry Kerala Style

 KERALA STYLE RED FISH CURRY 

• ½ kg Fish ( Any fleshy fish)
• 3 tbsp Oil ( Kerala style is with coconut oil)
• 1 Medium sized onion chopped finely
• 2 green chillies
• 2tbsp ginger garlic paste
• Kokkam- 3 or 4 shredded
• Kashmiri Chilly Powder 3tsp ( Adjust according to your spice level)
• Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds ½ tsp
• Fenugreek powder/ Methi : 1/4 tsp
• Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
• Water: ( As required)
• Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
• Lime juice- 1 lime
• Salt: As per taste

METHOD:
Wash the fish thoroughly. Clean the fish with salt, to remove the raw fish smell.
Marinate the clean fish pieces in chili powder turmeric powder salt and lime juice for ½ hour
Soak the kokkam in little water and set aside.
Make a paste of kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder and coriander powder. Add little water and set aside.

In an earthen pot heat coconut oil (You can use a pan as well. But for that authentic taste usage of earthen pot and coconut oil)

Add ¼ tsp of fenugreek seeds and ½ tsp of mustard seeds. One’s they splutter add chopped onions, after the raw smell of the onions fades, add green chillies and curry leaves, then add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute on medium flame, Now add the paste made of chilli, turmeric, fenugreek and coriander powder. Saute it for a while, ensure you don’t burn it. One’s the oil surfaces; add two cups of hot water, salt and kokam along with its water, co. Bring it to a boil. Now add the marinade fish, ensure that the fish pieces are well covered in the gravy. Now swirl the pot, and mix the contents. Remember to swirl the pot every 7-8 minutes. It takes about 20 minutes for the fish to cook. Taste the gravy, if it is very sour remove one or two kokkam from the gravy and if it’s not sour enough add kokkam. Put off the flame. Add a bit of coconut oil and garnish with curry leaves.
Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per your choice.

Note : Make sure you don’t use a ladle to move the fish while cooking as it tends to break.
The fish curry tastes better the next day, as the fish gets soaked in the spicy gravy.

Spicy Tomato Chutney

INGREDIENTS

§  Tomatoes - 2 kgs, ( Chopped finely)

§  Salt - 3 tbsps

FOR TEMPERING:

§  Oil – 150ml

§  Mustards seeds - 1 tsp

§  Cumin seeds - 1 tsp (optional)

§  Methi seeds- 1/4^th tsp

§  Rai or mustard seeds -2/3^rd tsp

§  Turmeric powder-1/4^th tsp

§  Urad dal - 1 tbsp

§  Dry red chilis – About 5

§  Curry leaves - 5 sprigs

§  Hing - 1  tsp

§  Red chili powder – 3tbsp

METHOD

 Dry roast methi and Rai seeds till they change colour. Grind to a fine powder and set aside. Wash and chop the tomatoes finely and keep it aside. Now heat 50 ml oil in a large pan and add the tomatoes. Cook on high flame for 2 minutes, now reduce the flame and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and roasted fenugreek/mustard powder.Keep mashing the tomatoes with a ladle throughout the process. Turn off flame. Heat 150 ml oil in a separate pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow spluttering. Add urad dal and dry red chilis and allow the dal to turn red. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and mix for a few secs. Turn off flame and allow to cool for a minute. Mix and add this tempering immediately to the cooked

Tips:

§  You can increase the amount of red chili powder based on your taste preference.

§  . During summer months, it should be refrigerated on the day of preparation. You can store in the fridge not more than a week.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
Tomatoes: 1 Kg
Garlic cloves: 10
Onion: 2, sliced.
Sugar: 4 tbsp.
Salt to taste

FOR SPICE BAG
Cloves: 5
Cardamoms: 5.
Cinnamon stick: 2".
Cumin seeds: 1tsp.
Peppercorns: 1 tsp.
Vinegar: 1/2 cup.

METHOD

Wash and chop the tomatoes. Chop garlic and slice onions. Put them all in a pressure cooker. Let it cook for two whistles. Open the cooker when completely cooled. Grind the mixture. Pour the ground mixture into another vessel through a sieve. Now add sugar, salt, vinegar, and the spice bag into it and let it simmer on a medium flame Reduce heat and simmer for about 1-20 minutes. Remove it from the flame and allow it to cool. Now it’s ready to be bottled.

Baingan Ka Bharta using Dahi

Ingredients

·                     1 medium Brinjal – cube sized chops

·                     1 medium Onion finely chopped

·                     5 green chillies finely chopped

·                     2 tbsp roasted crushed peanuts

·                     1 cup whipped curds. Can use some water if the curd is too thick

·                     Salt to taste

·                     1 tsp oil

·                     Some freshly chopped coriander for garnishing.

For tempering

1 tbsp oil

2-3 dry red chillies

2 tsp cumin seeds

Method:

Add in the cubed brinjals in pressure cooker add ½ cup of water and cook for two whistles. After the pressures off, take the brinjal out and chop it roughly.

In a pan heat oil and add the cooked brinjal. Fry it for about 10 minutes till it turns golden in color. Take it out and keep aside to cool.

In a bowl add whipped curd, onions, green chillies and cooked brinjals. Mix it well and add salt to it. Now add the crushed roasted peanuts and mix it well.

Tempering

Add oil in a pan., when the oil is hot add cumin seeds, when it splutters add red chillies and pour this over the bharta and then garnish it with coriander leaves.

Happy Eating.

Crab Curry

Ingredients :

 1 kg Crabs cleant

4. Onions medium sized- chopped finely

2 big ripe tomatoes- chopped finely

3-4 green chillies

Ginger, garlic & green chili paste – 1tbsp

1 tsp garam masala

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder ¼ cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut Milk- ½ tbsp

Method: In big container heat oil, fry onions till golden brown, after that add the ginger garlic chili paste & cook until raw flavor is gone. Now add turmeric, red chili, coriander powder & cook it by adding little water to the mixture. Make sure you don’t burn them. After the spices are cooked, add tomatoes (or tomato puree) and sauté for a while. Add garam masala. Add a cup of water and cook for about 10-15 minutes with a lid on. Now add the clean crabs, cover it with lid & cook it for 10 minutes. Now add the coconut mixture and cook for 5 minutes. This curry needs more chilly and salt. Cook it till you get your desired consistency. Garnish with coriander. It’s ready to eat.