Paneer Fried Rice

I have started making fried rice regularly as the school has started and kids demand on fried rice is more these days :). Its absolutely delicious and reminds me of my childhood memories . Those were the days when we look for all opportunities to have fried rice...But I didnt know its very easy to make until I tried once.

Ingredients

1. Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Beans - 1/2 cup
3. Carrots - 1/2 cups
4. Green pepper - 1/2
5. Paneer - 2 cups
6. White Onion - 1
7. Green onions - 2
8. Garlic - 6-7 cloves
9. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
10. Soy sauce - 2- 2 1/4 tsp
11. Red Chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp
12. Salt - as needed
13. Oil - 4-5  tbsp

Method

1. Boil basmati rice with water(ratio doesnt matter here...but if you are particular use rice: water 1:2) in a vessel for 10 mts.
2. Add half of the salt to the boiling rice
3. Drain the water and cool the rice in a large plate
4. Fry paneer with little oil in low flame for few mts till it turns light golden brown
5. Heat 3 tbsp in a pan and add garlic 
6. When the garlic starts turning light brown, add onions and salt
7. Then add vegetables one by one in every 5 mts(I added first beans, then carrots and then green pepper)
8. Cook the vegetables in low flame for 5-10 mts till the raw smell is gone
9. Add the pepper powder and mix well. 
10. Add the paneer to the boiling mixture and saute in low flame
11. Now its time to add our favorite soy sauce and chilli sauce which gives the chinese fried rice flavor. 
12. Head the mixture for 2-3 mts.  Add green onions and remove it from the flame
13. Add the mixture to the rice and mix throughly but slowly 

Paneer fried rice is ready for attack :)

Strawberry Smootie

This is a perfect drink to start the mornings. I love the color and it tastes great !!!..

Ingredients

1. Strawberry - 1 cup
2. Grapes - 1 cup
3. Banana - 1
4. Cherry - 1/2 cup
5. Millk - 1 cup

Method : Blend all ingredients in the blender till you dont find any chunks. 

Paneer Do Pyaza

Do Pyaza(2 onions) is derived from Persian meaning two onions and its basically a South Indian curry. I got this paneer recipe from Vahrehvah.com when I was browsing for some easy to make spicy curries but with paneer. This recipe is simple and so the ingredients. I didnt have to look at this recipe more than once but yet delicious.

No of servings : 4

Ingredients :

1. Paneer : 1 cup
2. Onions - 2 big(chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 1 
4. Green or Red pepper - 1/2 
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Green chillies - 2
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Cashwenuts - 10(grinded)
11. Kasturi Methi 
12. Seasoning - Cumin seeds
13. Salt - as needed

Method

1. Cut paneer into pieces and fry the paneer with oil in low flame till they turn light brown
2. Heat oil in another pan and add cumin seeds
3. When it splutters, add chopped onions
4. Cook onions in a very low flame for 5-7 mts with salt so that its gets cooked thoroughly and dissolves in the curry
5. Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies and fry for few mts
6. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. (You can add some water to avoid the powder to avoid getting burned out
7. Grind the green chillies and tomatoes to a fine paste. Add the grinded paste to the boiling mixture. 
8. Grind the cashewnuts in a mixer and add it to the mixture. Cashewnuts help in thickening the curry
9. Rub Kasturi methi leaves on your palm and sprinkle on the mixture. 
10. Cook the mixture in a medium flame till the raw smell of tomatoes and pepper are gone. 
11. Add paneer cubes and mix it well.
12. Curry is ready to serve with rice/roti

Optional : Add big chunks of onions if you like onions and want the crunchy texture

Rajma Masala

Rajma(a.ka Red Kidney Beans) Masala is a Punjabi dish and a very popular vegetarian curry in India. Though it has its roots in North, Its popularity is mainly due to the high nutrient value. Its a good protein substitute for vegans. It  can also be made gravy or dry and it has only common ingredients

No of servings : 6
Ingredients

1. Rajma(Red Kidney Beans)  - 2 cups
2. Onions - 1 (Big, chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 3(Big, Chopped)
4. Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
5. Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Green chillies - 2 (chopped)
8. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
9. Kastoori methi leaves - 1 tsp(optional)
10. Salt - as needed ( approx 2 tsp)
11. Seasoning items
1. Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Method

1. Cook Rajma in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles with little salt. Rajma is hard at first but once its cooked, it turns very soft. Make sure its half cracked for the masala to get in. 
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. Once it splutters, add the chopped onions.
4. Add salt to the mixture as it removes the moisture content from onion and helps in cooking fast. 
5. Add garam masala powder, ginger garlic paste and mix well. 
6. Now it is the right time to add the chopped tomatoes. Wait for the tomatoes to smash well and become puree. 
7. Add Coriander powder, Red chilli powder. You can also add the rajma water(the water remains on cooking Rajma in cooker) to avoid the masalas from over cooking or from getting burnt. 
8. Rub the kastoori methi leaves on your palm and sprinkle on the mixture
9. Kastoori methi leaves gives you a good flavor to any curry and its a common ingredient in north Indian curries. 
10. Cover the lid and wait for the mixture to thoroughly cook and you don't see many chunks. This step is very important as we dont want to have many chunks except for Rajma. 
11. Add Rajma to the mixture and cook in simmer for few mts. 

Rajma masala goes very well with Plain Rice, Roti, Phulka, Chappathi. A very healthy curry . Please try out and let me know your comments. 

Capsicum Tomato curry

As others, we are also new lovers of bell pepper family(Capsicum). I feel, Capsicum tastes delicious when its half cooked. So I was skeptical on making this recipe as this is basically a curry style and it makes capsicum fully cooked. To my surprise, its not a "Oh, not again" kind and its worth a try

No of servings - 5

Ingredients

1. Onion - 1
2. Tomatoes - 5
3. Green Capsicum(aka Bell Pepper)(Medium) - 1 
4. Red capsicum(aka Bell pepper)(Medium) - 1
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Garlic - 5 pods
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste. 
2. After the strong smell reaches your nose, add onions with salt
3. When the onion shines, its time to add some tomatoes
4. Let the mixture cook in high flame and wait for tomatoes to get mushy
5. Add green and red pepper and allow it to cook for 5 mts
6. Add the turmeric, masala powder and simmer down for 10 mts. 

Serve with rotis and paratas. 

Cauliflower Potato and Peas Curry

I was looking to try something different (than my regular recipe) with potato and cauliflower and yet a simple one. And Voila !!!..I got this recipe on the first search and it absolutely tasted good. The masala ingredients give you a spicy flavor and in Tamil, we call this kind of flavor as "Varuval". It goes well with any mild flavor dishes like "More kuzhambu"  or even roti/paratas. With no more dragging...lets dive into recipe
. 
No of Servings - 6

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower(Big) - 1
2. Potatoes(Medium) - 4-5
3. Peas - 1 1/2 cup
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin powder - 1 1/2 tsp
6. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
7. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Tomato - 2 (Grind it and make a tomato puree)
9. Salt - to taste
10. Coriander leaves - to garnish
11. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method  

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and add cauliflower, potatoes, peas
2. Add some water with salt and allow it to cook (10 mts)
3. When its half cooked, add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder and 
4.  Add some water if the mixture gets very dry
5. Simmer down for 15-20 mts with no lid.
6. When the mixture dries and the vegetables are cooked, its ready to be served. 

Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu

I got this recipe while I was browsing for some new "try-out" dish for friends gathering event. Though I dont prefer to follow any new recipe for gatherings/potlucks and make guests as guinea pigs , I was pretty sure on this recipe that it would never go wrong. Like I thought, this one was perfect for a winter afternoon and received lots of credits.
No of Servings - 4

Ingredients

1. Eggplant - 5-6
2. Onions - 1
3. Garlic - 2-3
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Tamarind water - Lemon size tamarind soaked in water
6. Salt - to taste
7. To grind
1. Tomato - 1 
2. Coconut - 1/4 cup 
3. Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp 
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 
5. Black Ground Pepper - 1/4 tsp
6. Channa dal - 3/4 tsp 
7. Urad dal - 3/4 tsp 
8. Red chillies - 5 
9. Curry leaves - a few
8. Tempering 
1. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp 
2. Curry leaves - a few 
3. Red chillies - 2

Method  

1. Dry roast the "To grind" ingredients and grind it to coarse paste 
2. Put "+" in egg plant and stuff it with this grinded paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, onions and tumeric powder. Saute onions for few mts with salt. 
4. Add the stuffed egg plants and fry in simmer till the eggplants shrink. 
5. Add the remaining paste and 1.5 cups of water. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3-4 mts
6. When the egg plants are half cooked, add the concentrated tamarind extract
7. Simmer down and let it cook  till the mixture thickens and the oil seperates out from the water. It would take 20-25 mts approximately
8. Remove the kuzhambu from the flame
9. Heat oil in another pan and add tempering items
10. Add the tempering to the kuzhambu.