Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:
Paneer - 1 cup cubed
Peas - 1/2 cup (optional)
3 Onions - Chopped finely
6 Tomatoes - Sliced
1 Green chilly - Long cut diagonally
1 tsp - Ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp - Kasthuri methi
1/2 tsp - Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp - Red Chilli powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 Cup - Milk
2tbsp - Butter
3 stks - Coriander leaves
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt as required
Oil as required
Fresh Cream or Milk

For Garnishing:
Fennel seeds,Cashews.

To roast and grind:
Roast Cashews,Cumin seeds,Dhania,Cloves,Cardamon, Cinnamon stick in ghee and powder them.


Method:
1. Boil milk till the quantity becomes half and keep aside.
2. Cook tomatoes till the skin becomes soft enough to remove. Peel of the skin and puree them by blending.
3. Saute two onions in ghee and grind them to make a paste.
4. Fry the paneer cubes in oil or ghee. Do not deep fry.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek and fennel seeds.
6. Then add the finely chopped onions,green chilli, kasthuri methi leaves. Fry them until golden brown.
7. Now add the ground onion paste and ginger garlic paste.
8. Add the ground paste of spices, red chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt as reqd and saute for 3-4 min in medium flame.
9. Then add the pureed tomato. Add little water and close and cook till the gravy becomes thick.
10. Now add the fried paneer cubes and milk. Boil them in low flame for 2-3 min.
11. Garnish with fried cashews,coriander leaves and fresh cream (optional).
12. Serve this paneer butter masala with paratha or naan.

Spicy Fried Idly

Ingredients:
10 Cooked idlies
4 medium sized tomatoes - Finely chopped
2 Red chilles
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp Chana daal
1 tbsp Urad dhal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Chilli powder
1 String Curry leaves
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Pinch of hing
Salt as reqd
Oil as reqd
Increase or decrease the quantity as required.


Method:
1. In a pan add oil. Once the oil is hot add Mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
2. Add the Curry leaves, Channa dhal, Urad dhal, Red chiiles, Chilli flakes and hing. Fry them till the dhals become crispy.
3. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes, chilli powder and salt, fry them till the tomatoes are cooked well.
4. The above mixture sholud be in the form of a paste.
5. Cut the idlies into pieces and mix them to the above mixture.
6. Fry till the idlies are coated well with the mixture.
7. Remove from flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Its an excellent dish for evening snack or dinner.

Paal Payasam

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Raw rice/ Sona Masoori
4 cups Milk
1 cup Sugar (less or more as per taste)
5 Cardamom (powdered)
Cashews - as reqd
Raisins - as reqd
Ghee for frying


Method:
1. Wash the rice in water thoroughly, drain the water and mix Rice, Milk, Sugar and Cardamom powder in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook on high flame and when the steam starts coming out, put on the weight and cook till the first whistle.
3. Immediately after the first whistle lower the flame and cook exactly for half an hour(don't mind about the number of whistles after lowering the flame).
4. In a pan add ghee and fry the cashews and raisins.
5.Garnish the payasam with the fried cashews and raisins.
Serve hot or chilled.

Capsicum or Bell Pepper Rice

Ingredients:
5 Red chillies
2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Urad dhal
3 tbsp Peanuts
1 string Curry leaves
1 tsp Garam Masala
3 mixed color Capsicums
Cooked rice
Oil/ghee


Method:
1. Dry roast Red chillies, Mustard, Cumin, Coriander, Urad dhal, Peanuts and Curry leaves. Grind them coarsely.
2. Mix the garam masala with the ground mixture.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds.
4. Now add the capsicum and saute it until cooked.
5. Once its done add salt and the ground masala and cook it for a minute.
6. Add the cooked rice to this Capsicum masala.
7. Serve with raita or Potato chips.
This Rice is so yummy and all my friends liked it a lot. And its my husband's favourite dish too... :)

Murukku

Ingredients:
2 cups of Rice Flour
1/2 cup of Urad dhal
1 tsp Sesame seeds
3 tsp Butter
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Chilli powder (optional)
Salt as reqd
Water as reqd
Oil for frying


Method:
1. In a pan take urad dhal and fry till it turns golden color, then keep it aside for some time.
2. Grind the roasted urad dhal into fine powder.
3. Mix rice flour, ground urad dhal, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, salt and little water into correct consistency of flour mixture (for easy pressing in a murukku press).
4. Now melt butter and add it to the above prepared mixture.
5. Then press the mixture using a murukku press in a sheet smeared with oil or a white cloth.
6. Fry them in the pan containing hot oil.
7. Take them out once it turns golden brown.
8. Crispy and yummy murukkus are READY!!!!!

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:
1 cup Assorted veggies (diced)
2 Onions (finely chopped)
2 Tomatoes (finely chopped or crushed)
2 tsp Ginger garlic crushed
2 Green chillies
1 tsp Dry mint leaves
4 stks Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
2 Bay leaves
2 Cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks (small)
2 Cardamon
½ tsp Cumin seeds
½ tsp Fennel seeds
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
½ tsp Garam masala powder
2 tsp Coriander /dhania powder
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
6 tsp Oil
2 cups Basmati rice
3 tsp Ghee
2 tsp Lemon Juice
3 cups Water
1 cup Curd / yogurt

Method:
Take a wide sauce pan, heat oil or ghee, add all dry spices (bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, cumin seeds and fennel seeds). Roast them for a while, then add slit green chillies, dry mint leaves and finely chopped coriander leaves. Fry them until they turn crisp. Now add chopped onions, fry till golden, followed by crushed ginger garlic. Saute for couple of minutes, then add chopped tomatoes along with turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala and coriander/dhania powder. Let the tomatoes cook till soft and then add the vegetables along with salt. Wash and add basmati rice at this stage.

In a pressure cooker, just add 1 cup of curd and 3 cups of water to the gravy and cook for up to 2 whistles. Wait for the pressure to release then add a tsp of ghee(optional) and lemon juice. Garnish with coriander leaves and mix carefully without breaking the rice.

Aloo Methi

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 medium, peeled and cubed
Fenugreek Leaves - 1 bunch fresh or 1/2 pkt frozen
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped
Garlic - 5 cloves, finely chopped
Green Chilies - to taste, finely chopped
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chili Powder - to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
1. Wash Fenugreek Leaves well (2 to 3 times) in a tub of water and chop.
2. Place leaves in a medium bowl and sprinkle salt on them.
3. Heat Oil in a medium pan.
4. Add Onions, Green Chilies and Garlic. Mix well and cook until Onions are translucent (approx 3 minutes).
5. Add Potatoes and Salt, mix well and cook 7 -10 minutes (until potatoes are almost cooked).
6. Squeeze out all the water from the Fenugreek Leaves and add it to the Potatoes. Mix well.
7. Add Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder and Turmeric Powder. Mix well, cover and cook for approx 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
8. Turn off stove and add Tomatoes. Mix well, cover and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
9. Serve hot with Rice or Parathas.