Kasoori Paneer Tikka

Ingredients
Cottage cheese (paneer) 250 grams
Green Pepper 1
Red Pepper 1/2
Orange Pepper 1/2
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Green chillies 3
Ginger 1/2 inch piece
Garlic 5 cloves
Hung yogurt 3/4 cup
Green chutney 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Carom seeds (ajwain) 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Chaat masala 1 tsp
Kasoori methi powder 2 tbsp
Roasted chana dal powder 2 tbsp
Fresh cream 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard oil 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp

 

Method

Cut paneer into one and a half inch sized pieces.
Deseed and cut green, red and orange pepper into one and a half inch sized pieces.
Cut onion and tomato into cubes
Grind green chillies, ginger and garlic into a fine paste.
Take hung yogurt in a bowl. Add green chutney, green chilli-ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, ajwain, garam masala powder, half of the chaat masala, kasoori methi powder, roasted chana dal powder, fresh cream, salt, mustard oil and mix.
Add paneer cubes to the marinade
Also add all the peppers, onion and tomato and mix well
Keep aside for 20 mins
Soak wooden skewers in water for 15 mins.
Pierce onto the skewers pepper cubes, paneer cubes, onions and tomatoes.
Cook on an oiled grill. Turn the skewers a few times so that the tikkas get cooked from all sides.
Arrange the tikkas on a plate
Sprinkle the remaining chaat masala and lemon juice and serve hot. 

Cooking Time : 25 minutes 
Servings : 4

Vada Pav

Ingredients
For Sabzi
Potatoes 3
Onion 1 chopped
Green chillies 6
Garlic Cloves 6 chopped
Ginger 1" piece
Curry Leaves 8
Oil 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Hing a pinch
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Cilantro chopped

For Batter
Besan 1 cup
Rice flour 2 tbsp
Red Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Baking Soda pinch
Salt as per taste

Method
Boil, peel and mash the potatoes
Mix ginger, garlic and green chillies together in to a blender and grind coarsely.
Heat oil in a pan
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing
Once the seeds sizzle add green chillies, ginger garlic paste and curry leaves
Saute until it gets light golden color.
Add onions and saute till they become translucent
Add salt, turmeric powder, mashed potatoes and mix well.
Cook for a few mins
Add lemon juice and cilantro and mix well.
For Batter
In a bowl add besan, rice flour, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, baking soda, salt and mix well.
Add water slowly and make it into a thick consistency batter.
For Vada
Make small balls from the potato mixture
Coat the balls well with the batter and deep fry until it gets deep golden color from all the sides.
Serve hot with pav
Garnish with some peanut chutney, tamarind or coriander chutney.

Cooking Time : 35 mins
Serves : 4-5 people

Masaledar Karela Aloo

I am a great lover of Karela. This time I add aloo to the karelas and turned out to be a yummy combo.
Half of the sabzi was eaten by me as a appetizer with tamarind chutney.

Ingredients
Karela (Bitter gourd) 5
Potatoes 2 peeled & cubed
Onions 2 chopped
Amchur (dry mango powder) 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 3/4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Salt 2 tbsp + to taste
Sugar 1/4 tsp
Oil for frying + 2 tbsp
Kasoori Methi 1 tsp crushed
Cilantro chopped

Method
Wash the karelas properly. Peel and reserve the scrapings of the karelas.
Cut karelas into thin round slices.
Rub two tbsp salt and half tsp turmeric all over the karelas and its scrapings.
Set aside for five hours
Wash thoroughly and squeeze dry.
Heat oil in a kadai. Fry the sliced karelas till dark brown and crisp.
Fry the potato cubes also till brown and crisp
Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a kadai.
Add cumin seeds and hing. Let them sizzle
Add onions and sauté till they are translucent.
Add the karela scrapings
Add remaining turmeric powder, coriander, cumin powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, sugar and red chilli powder.
Adjust salt. Add the fried karelas and potato to the above mixture
Add cilantro and kasoori methi. Mix well
Cover and cook on low heat for few mins
Serve hot with rotis, parathas or rice

Thai Red Curry

Ingredients
Extra Firm Tofu  7 oz cubed
Red Curry Paste 2 tbsp
Coconut Milk 1 can 14oz
Oil 1 tbsp
Sugar  1 tbsp
Soy Sauce 3/4 tbsp
Carrot 1/2 thin slices
Onion 1/2 cubed
Green Bell Pepper  1/4 cubed
Red Bell Pepper  1/4 cubed
Baby Corn 6 pcs
Peas  1/4 cup
Snow Peas 8-10
Bamboo Shoots  4-6 pcs
Basil Leaves 10

Method
Heat oil in a pan
Once hot, add in the Red Curry Paste and mix well.
Add in the Coconut Milk and mix again.
Add Sugar and Soy Sauce
Add all the vegetables to the gravy - Carrots, Onions, Peas, Baby Corn, Snow Peas, Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Bamboo Shoots
Add in Tofu and mix gently.
Also add in some torn Basil Leaves and cook for another 5 mins
Cook till the tofu is heated all the way.
Garnish with a few more Basil Leaves
Serve hot with Jasmine Rice.

Cooking Time - 20 mins
Servings : 2-4