Kalakand

Finally its the day :4 and tomorrow My Ganesha will go away. Hoping he goes happy and promise to come back next year. For today's Bhog I prepared this milky Kalakand. Its one of my favourite mithai of all time.
The slight crumbly texture and the intense cardamom taste makes it a sweet to die for.
I have used freshly homemade paneer to make this.
The recipe is inspired by one of the fellow bloggers Priyanka Sushant Verma from Cook with Priyanka.

Kalakand

Ingredients
1cup Paneer (Homemade Paneer)
200ml Condensed Milk (Milkmaid)
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
10-12 Chopped Pistachios


Procedure:

• Make the fresh paneer using the recipe in the link.
• Now in a pan, add in the paneer and the milkmaid.
• Mix well.
• Keep stirring till it starts to leave the pan.
• At this point add in the cardamom powder.
• Mix well.
• Cook till most of the moisture goes away.
• Switch off the gas.
• Take a tray, grease it with ghee.
• Pour the mixture on the tray.
• When it cools down, cut into pieces. 



Kalakand

• Serve. 

Shaam Savera (Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy)

A lot happened since my last post. I was blessed with a baby boy and time just with my little bundle of joy. I got so busy tat I had no time to cook and try new recipes or I never wanted to leave my baby alone. But now he is 4 months old so i am back with one of my most favorite recipes.
This is the dish which I always order whenever I go for dinner at Yellow Chili- Sanjeev Kapoor's Restaurants. Sham Savera is their signature dish. Made up of Spinach and rich tomato gravy this dish is surely the master of all the kofta recipes.

This recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's website with little variations here and there.

Shaam Savera

Ingredients:
For Koftas:
500gms Spinach Leaves
2tsp Gram Flour (Besan)
Salt to taste
2tbsp Oil
1tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Green Chilly (finely chopped)

For the filling of Kofta:
100gms Fresh Homemade Paneer
Green Cardamom Powder
Salt to taste

For the tomato Gravy:
5 Ripe Tomato (made into puree)
1tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
3tbsp Cashew Nut Paste
Salt to taste
2tbsp Butter
1 Green Chilly

Procedure:
For the Koftas:

• In a bowl add in the grated paneer. 
• Add in green cardamom powder and a pinch of salt.
• Remove the stems of the spinach leaves.
• Boil them in 4 cups of water.
• When cooled finely chop them
• Take a pan, add in 2tbsp of oil, add in cumin seeds + Ginger garlic paste + Chopped Spinach + 2tbsp of besan. Mix them well.
• Cook till all the water evaporates.
•  Add in salt + turmeric powder.
• Remove from stove Allow it to cool down
• Divide the spinach and paneer mixture into equal balls.
• Now take each spinach portion, press it on your palm, place a ball pf paneer in it.
• Gather it together, make into a ball.
• Do the same with the remaining spinach and paneer mixture.
• Roll the balls in cornstarch if required.
• Heat a kadhai for frying these balls.
• Fry till golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper.

For the gravy:

• Heat 2tbsp oil, add in ginger garlic paste.
• Now add in tomato puree.
• let it cook till the oil separates.
• Add in salt + red chilly powder.
• Allow it to cook.
• add in cashew paste. mix well.
• Add in butter. Mix it well.
• Allow it to cook for 2 minutes.
• Half the koftas. Place on the gravy
• Serve

Cottage cheese sizzlers with Green Rice & Schezwan Sauce

Sizzling is all about capturing the flavor of the most important ingredient “ smoke”.  The method of smoking food is a classic tradition in cuisines in an around the world. Smoking Kebabas, tikkas, are a favorite among all the foodies.

The whole drama involved in getting the hot skillet on the table with occasional steam and hiss makes the diner even more craving for the dish.

If one search on web about the origin of this spectacular dish, one may not find a lot about it as some says its American and some Italian, some even says its from the maximum city. Whatever may the origin be the sizzlers leaves you salivating for sure.

It might qualify as a culinary genius but surely a genius in tastes, presentations.

Sizzler tastes best with best made sauce be it Schezwan Sauce, black pepper sauce or simple Worchester sauce. 

Cottage cheese sizzlers with Green Rice & Schezwan Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Vegetables accompaniment:

1 cup cauliflower florets (boiled)

1 cub carrot (cubed) (boiled)

1/2 cup green peas (boiled)

7-8 baby onions

1/2 medium sized capsicum

1/2 medium sized red bell pepper

1/2 medium sized yellow bell pepper

Salt to taste

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tbsp red chilly sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1tbsp Butter

French Fries

For the Patty:

250 gms fresh cottage cheese (paneer)

2 medium-sized potatoes (boiled)

2 green chilies

1tbsp garlic and ginger paste

Salt to taste

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Red Chili Sauce

For the Green Rice:

1 cup Long-grained Rice

250 gms Coriander (Finely chopped)

6-7 Garlic Cloves (Finely Chopped)

2tbsp Olive Oil

Salt to Taste

1tsp Basil

1tsp Oregano

2tbsp Chili Flakes

For the Sizzler Plate:

2-3 cabbage leaves

Procedure:

For the boiling of the vegetables:

Take a vessel put in the cauliflower + green peas +carrots. Add 3 cups of water in it + 1 tsp of salt. Let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes.

Sauté of the vegetables: 

• Heat butter in a kadahi, add in the onions. Sauté them for a while till it changes color and turns pink.
• Add in the capsicum + red and yellow bell peppers. Saute this also.
• Then add in all the remaining boiled vegetables. Mix them all well.
• Add in Salt + Red Chili Sauce + Worcestershire sauce+ Black Pepper + Oregano + Basil.
• Let all this cook for a while. Keep it aside.

For the Patty:

• Now in a bowl, mash the boiled potato, and then add in the cottage cheese. Mix it well.
• Add in the green chilies + ginger + garlic + Red chili sauce + Worcestershire sauce. Mix them all well.
• Then divide the batter in equal part so that 3 patties can be made out of them.
• Take one part, make it in a big flat tikki (patty)
• Heat oil in pan; put the patty in it to roast it.
• Once it get cooked. Keep it aside.

For the Sauce:

• Take another pan; add 1 tsp oil in it. Then add in 1 tsp chopped garlic.
• Then add in the 2 tbsp of sauce Schezwan + 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce. Mix it well.
• After one boil, switch off the gas.

For the Green Rice:

• ·         Soak the rice for 1 hour before cooking.
• ·         Boil the rice with salt and 1tsp oil.
• ·         Heat the remaining oil in a wok; add in garlic and the chopped coriander.
• ·         Add in salt (if required) + basil + oregano + chili flakes.
• ·         Add in boiled rice.
• ·         Mix it well.
• ·         Add in lime juice.
• ·         Mix and keep it aside.

How to assemble:

• Put the plate on the stove.
• Place the cabbage leaves on it.
• Put the patty on one side of the plate. and 1 bowl of vegetables on the other side.
• On one side of the plate spread rice.
• Put some french fries on it also.
• Add 1 tbsp of butter over it to get that extra smoke.
• Add 1 tbsp of schezwan sauce over the patty and the vegetables.
• Sprinkle water so that the smoke gets even more wild.
• Serve hotttt

Hara Bhara Kebab

I am so obsessed with kebabs, so just keep thinking of trying and making everytime i feel kebabi... hehe i knw thats  a lame word...
Hara Bhara kebab the name says it all, derives its green color from spinach, some recipes do use green peas, but i am posting the recipe with only spinach. Its winters, and you get loads of these this Green veggies almost everywhere. So its wont be difficult to find them. esp in winters.
Its healthy with the goodness of spinach and homemade fresh paneer. u can use the one that is available in market, but i prefer homemade.

Hara Bhara Kebab

Ingredients:
500gms Spinach
150gms Homemade Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
2 Green Chilies
1tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
1tbsp Garam masala powder
2tbsp Besan

Procedure:

• Separate the spinach leaves from stem.
• Wash them well.
• Chop them coarsely.
• Now, in a pan take 2 cups of water. when the water starts boiling add in the chopped spinach in the boiling water. 
• Now at the count of 50 remove the spinach from water.
• Keep it aside for it to cool down.
• In the meanwhile, dry roast the besan.

• Now, In a bowl, add in the mashed paneer and the spinach.
• Add in salt + garam masla powder + ginger-garlic paste + green chilies + coriander + dry roasted besan.
• Mix well.

Now there is a little twist, you need to give smoke to the mix.

• Take some cooking coal. lit it up so that its burns properly.

• Put in a bowl, and place the bowl in the middle of the mixture.
• Place a lid over the bowl.
• Let the batter be properly smoked for 10 minutes.
• After, that divide the batter into equal balls.
• Flatten them into small tikkis.
• Heat a pan with some oil or ghee.
• Shallow fry kebabas.
• Serve hot with chutney and julienned onions and some lime juice.
• 
  

Hara Bhara Kebab

Paneer Tikka

Though, Mumbai weather is not tat cold, but still these days the temperatures are going down, and in this temperature u always want to eat something hot, something spicy.... so I made this all time favourite Paneer Tikkas, which we always order when we are out for family outings in a restaurant.  I made them in the oven... if u have a barbecue u can make these in tat too.

Paneer Tikka

Ingredients:
250gms Paneer
1medium-sized Capsicum
1medium-sized Tomato
1medium sized Onion
8 Baby Potatoes

To Marinade:
1cup Yoghurt
2 Green Chilies
1tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
Fresh Coriander
Fresh Mint leaves
Salt to taste
1tsp Garam Masala powder
1tbsp Cumin powder
1tbsp Coriander pwoder
1tsp Amchur
1tsp Red chilly powder

Procedure:
For the vegetables:

• Cube paneer.
• Cube onions, Capsicum and Tomato
• Boil the baby potatoes, just one whistle. 
• Peel them. insert the potatoes with a tooth pick.

For the marinade:

• In a bow, add in the whisk curd. mix all the items under (marination list).
• Mix well.
• Add in the cubed paneer and the other vegetables.
• Mix and keep it aside for 30min- 1hr.

• In the meanwhile, if u r using wooden skewers keep them in hot water before using them.
• Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.

• After 1 hour insert the paneer and vegetables in the skewers. alternately.

• Grill it in the oven for 15 minutes or till its done.

For serving:

• Heat a sizzler plate with cabbage leaves.
• Place the skewers on top of it.
• Serve hot with mint and coriander chutney.

Palak Paneer Paratha

I am a huge fan of the all eatables that they sell in Indigo... Previously also I had posted Basil Pesto Sandwich from their coveted menu. This time again m doing the same with Palak Paneer Sandwich..
Its a great combination of palak wid paneer in a paratha form. Its healthy and really gud for people who avoid eating green vegetables.

Palak Paneer Paratha

Ingredients:
For the Paneer Filling:
(You can refer to the recipe of Paneer Bhurjee)

250gms Homemade Paneer
2 Green chilies (Finely chopped)
1medium-sized Onion (Chopped)
1medium-sized Tomato (Chopped)
100gms Green peas
Fresh Coriander
Salt to taste
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Turmeric Powder
1tsp Cumin powder
1tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Oregano
2tbsp Olive Oil

For the Paratha;
(You can refer to the recipe of Palak Paratha)

1cup Palak (Spinach) Finely Chopped
2cup Wheat Flour
1tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
2geen chilies
1tsp ginger paste
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp coriander powder
1tsp aijwain
1tbsp curd
Water to knead

Procedure:
For the Paneer Filing:

• Heat oil in a pan, add in cumin seeds.
• When it stops cluttering add in chopped onions+ green chilies.
• After the onion turns pink, add in green peas.
• Add in salt so that the peas are cooked.
• When peas starts cooking add in chopped tomato.
• Let the tomatoes cook.
• Crumble the paneer with hands, add mix in the pan.
• Add in turmeric powder + cumin powder + coriander powder + oregano.
• Mix well.
• Add in coriander.
• Let it cook for 2 minutes. switch off the gas.
• Serve hot with parathas.

For the Paratha:

• Finely chop the spinach, green chilies..
• In a wide bowl add in flour + oil + curd + cumin powder + coriander powder + aijwain + salt + green chilies + ginger paste.
• Mix all well.
• Add in chopped spinach.
• Knead into a medium soft dough using enough water.
• Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Divide them into equal balls.
• Roll it. Apply ghee.
• Now wid a help of a knife half slit the rolled dough.
• Roll it into a cone.
• Press it.
• Roll it again into a round shape paratha.
• Heat a tawa.
• Cook on both sides with ghee.
• Serve hot.

To make the roll.

• Take a paratha, it should be piping hot
• Put 1tbsp full of paneer filling in between of the paratha.
• Roll it.
• Enjoy with Mint and Coriander Chutney.

Palak Paneer Paratha

How to make Homemade Paneer??

Sometimes when you have excess milk at home, and you dont know how to use it, the best alternatives are curd, paneer, kheer and even halwa...

You must know just how to use the right thing at the right time....

I generally make paneer at home, to use in bhurjee and to make paneer parathas... I like to use freshly made paneer for this.
Its quiet simple to make. you just need

Ingredients:
1l Milk
1.5 tbsp lime juice
2tbsp Fresh Cream  (optional)
Few ice cubes
Strainer

Muslin cloth

Procedure:

• Heat milk.
• Add in the fresh cream
• When it starts to boil.
• Switch off the gas..
• Now add in the lime juice.
• When the water separates, add in few ice cubes.
• After a while, 
• Strain it in a muslin cloth using a strainer.
• Tie the muslin cloth on a tap to remove excess water.

Note:

• In order to make use paneer in making a sabzi like paneer butter masala or anything same, put a brick over the muslin cloth in which u have strained the paneer.
• The paneer will become stiff and can be cut into cubes easily.
• In order to make malai paneer just add in the fresh cream.