Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala or Paneer Makhani is a very popular Punjabi recipe made from Indian Cottage cheese with gravy that is thickened by using butter, onions, tomatoes and cashew paste.
                                                                        
Ingredients

        Paneer: 250 gms
        Onion Paste: 1/2 cup
        Tomato Puree: 1 cup (Boil 4 tomatoes, peel the skin and then make the puree)
        Curd: 1/2 cup
        Butter: 5 tbsp
        Ghee: 2 tbsp
        Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp
        Kasoori Methi: 2 tbsp
        Cashewnut paste: 4 tbsp
        Dhania (Coriander) Powder: 1 tbsp
        Garam Masala: 1tbsp
        Cumin Powder: 1/2 tbsp
        Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
        Chili Powder: 1-2 tbsp
        Food Color: 1 pinch
        Green Chili: 4 nos
        Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
        Cream/Malai: 2 tbsp (Optional)
        Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut the Paneer into medium sized cubes. Take a pan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and fry the paneer cubes for around 4 minutes.
2. Now take out the paneer and soak it in a container with 3 tbsp of curd. This is to make the paneer soft. Keep the paneer aside for 15 minutes.
3. In the same pan in which the paneer was fried, add the onion paste and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add green chili, ginger garlic paste and stir for another 3 minutes.
5. Add dhania powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder and chili powder. Mix well.
6. Add the tomato puree. Cook for an additional 6 minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture and if the gravy in the pan becomes too thick add some water in between.
7. Add the remaining curd and keep stirring the mixture for a couple of minutes.
8. Then add the remaining butter, kasoori methi, ghee, cashew nut paste, sugar, salt to taste and food color.
9. Now add the fried and soaked paneer cubes into the pan and mix the contents. Simmer it  for 3-4 minutes.
10.Finally add the cream to the gravy. Remove the pan from the heat and keep it aside for around 15 minutes before serving.

You can serve the Paneer Butter Masala with naan, rotis, chapathis or poori. Try this recipe and let me know how it comes out.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak Paneer Recipe is a traditional North Indian recipe made from cooked spinach (Palak) and soft  Indian cottage cheese (Paneer). Being an integral part of the Punjabi cuisine, this Paneer recipe consists of small soft Paneer cubes cooked in a Palak based creamy gravy or curry with onion, tomatoes and cumin.

As for the health benefits of Palak, we all know that it is considered a rich source of iron and calcium. In fact researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents especially against Prostate and Ovarian cancers. There are many more health benefits of spinach but that's for another time. For now lets get started with the recipe.

                           
Ingredients:

        Palak (spinach) – 2 big bunches
        Paneer – 250gms
        Onion – 2 nos (medium sized; 1 whole used for puree and the other finely chopped)
        Tomatoes – 2 nos
        Coriander leaves – 1 handful
        Ginger garlic paste – 1tsp
        Green chilli – 3 nos
        Oil – 3 tbsp
        Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tbsp
        Cumin seeds (jeera) –1tsp
        Garam masala (cinnamon and clove powder) – 1/2 tsp
        Bay leaf – 1 no
        Cardamom – 1 no
        Fresh cream (Doodh malai) – 2 tbsp
        Sugar – 1 tsp
        Kasuri methi (Fenugreek) leaves – 1 tsp
        Dhaniya powder (coriander powder) –1 tsp
        Chilly powder – 1 tsp
        Salt to taste

Method

1.  Blanch Tomato: Take a  vessel, add a liter of Palak Paneer Recipewater bring it to boil. Put tomato and cook for 8 minutes. Take out the tomato and allow it to cool. Then remove the skin and grind it to a paste and set aside.
2.  Blanch Spinach: In the same water, cook palak and coriander leaves. Add a pinch of salt so that the color of Spinach remains intact. Let it cook for 3 minutes. Remove the palak and coriander into a separate container. Set the water aside for later use.
3.  Make a puree of the cooked spinach with coriander leaves in a blender.
4.  Also make a puree of one medium sized onion with 3 green chillies.
5.  Take another vessel or kadai on medium heat. Add oil and then when it is hot add paneer cubes. Fry for 4 minutes. Take the paneer cubes out of the vessel and soak in warm water. This ensures that the paneer stays soft and tender.
6.  In the same vessel or kadai in which you fried paneer with the same oil, add jeera seeds. When it starts to crackle add one finely chopped onion. Saute till golden brown.
7.  Add onion and chilly paste and fry for 4 minutes on medium heat.
8.  Then add chilly powder and coriander powder. Mix well for a minute. Add tomato puree and cook for 5 more minutes on low heat.
9.  Then add palak and coriander paste and cook for 6 additional minutes.
10. Add fried paneer, salt to taste and add little water that was used for cooking the palak. Cook for 10 minutes until gravy like consistency. Add more water if     needed.
11. Now add cream, kasuri methi leaves, garam masala and ghee. Mix well and cook for 3 more minutes.

Serve hot with rotis, naan or rice.

Healthy Paneer Parantha Recipe

Healthy Paneer Parantha Recipe
 

This healthy yet tasty recipe is perfect pick for your breakfast. Favourite of all and if served with raita than it is one meal dish. If you want you can add the fried onions and mixed vegetables in the filling. Make your Sunday morning more special with this easy recipe.

Ingredients for Paneer Parantha

100 gm Grated Paneer

1 finely chopped Onion

Coriander leaves finely chopped

Small piece of Ginger (grated)

1 or 2 finely chopped green Chilies

Salt, Red Chili powder and Graram masala as per taste

1/2 tsp celery (optional)

Butter / Oil for frying
       

How to make Stuffed Paneer bread?

Step 1: Make dough out of whole wheat flour, as you would do for any paratha or         chapati. Mix all the ingredients in one bowl as parantha stuffing.

Step 2: Make small balls with dough. Flatten each ball a little and put a tbsp of         the filling in the centre. Cover the filling by gathering the edges. Press         and roll out using little flour into a small round parathas.

Step 3: Cook the paratha on a hot griddle. Using little oil cook until brown spots         appear on both sides.

Step 4: Now you can serve it hot with green coriander chutney or raita.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer
Another popular dish in India which is tasted and tried almost by every Indians so there nothing new I can say about this dish. I am a big fan of panner so any dish with paneer is my favorite and this dish is truly delicious. My 2% milk past the "sell by" date so I decide to make the paneer out of it. Till I made paneer I had no idea of making this dish but the moment I saw the beautiful paneer cubes, just a thought of this palak paneer made me drooling and as a result we ended up eating a rich dinner. This dish was even more tastier with the home made paneer.

Ingredients
Paneer cubes - 1 cup
Palak/Spinach - 3 cups
Garlic - 3 cloves chopped
Onion - 1 chopped finely
Tomato - 2 chopped
Green Chilies - 3
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin/jeera powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Heavy whipped Cream - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tsp

Method
Boil water in a pan and add spinach and boil for 4 mins uncovered. When it cools down grind to a smooth paste along with green chilies. Heat oil in a  skillet and add cumin seeds and when it crackle add the garlic and onion and saute till onion is soft. Add ginger garlic paste and tomato and cook for few mins and add the masala powders and cook and if needed sprinkle water to avoid burning  the masalas. Add the grinded palak and cook in simmer for 10 mins. Last add the paneer and cream and give a quick mix. Palak paneer is ready

Mutter Paneer / peas and cheese

Mutter Paneer / peas and cheese
When ever we go to a restaurant we make sure to order atleast one paneer dish and I guess mutter paneer is the most frequently ordered one as it is our family's favorite. Mutter Paneer is a delicious curry made of peas and home made cheese .Almost everyone would have tried making this dish and each one gets a different taste. I am posting my way of making this recipe. Please try it and pass on some comments.

Ingredients:
Paneer cubes - 1 packet
Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 2tsp
coriander powder - 2tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Salt as required

Procedure:
Boil the onion with little turmeric powder and blend to a fine paste and set aside. Make a fine paste out of tomato and keep aside too. Heat oil in a pan and saute ginger garlic paste. After few mins add the onion paste and saute well. Add all the powders and fry for 2 mins. Next add the tomato paste and stir continuously till the oil begins to separate from the masala. Add peas (if you are using a frozen peas thaw them first )to it and cook it for 5 mins . Last add the paneer and little water, cook in reduced heat till the gravy thickens. Mutter paneer is ready. Server with chapati , nan or roti of your choice to enjoy this dish.