An easy, homestyle gravy based dish made with paneer and potatoes. The combo of potatoes and paneer is pure love. With rotis or rice and salad, it makes for a delicious weeknight meal. This sabzi uses everyday ingredients from your pantry and is pretty straightforward.
We love paneer, especially my kids and its a great source of vegetarian protein. The popular paneer curries use ton of nuts and cream and while I absolutely love them, those are reserved for special occasions in our home. Everyday curries are fuss free and I make this paneer sabzi every other week.
I love making paneer curries in ghee but you can use mustard or olive or any cooking oil that you normally use. Here I also use a few whole spices but you can just use the powdered spices. Summer tomatoes are great right now and they enhance the taste of sabzi a lot. If you want, you can use crushed canned whole tomatoes as well.
Everyday homestyle paneer and poato curry which pairs well with rice, rotis and salad.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time30mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
1large potato
8ozpaneer
1/4cupghee
1largebayleaf
3green cardamom cloves
1tspcumin seeds
3/4cupfinely chopped onion
1inch fresh ginger, pounded in mortar pestle
3fat garlic cloves, pounded in mortar pestle
1.5cupfinely chopped tomatoes
1/2tspsugar
2tspcoriander powder
1/2tspturmeric powder
1tsphot red chilli powder
1tspsalt (or to taste)
1 tspkasuri methi, optional
1/2tsproasted cumin powder
1tspgaram masala
2tbsp chopped cilantro, garnish
Instructions
Peel and cut the potato into 6-8 pieces. Keep soaked in water. Cut paneer into triangles or squares, as you wish, do not cut too thick or too thin.
Heat ghee on medium heat in a heavy bottom pot. Once nicely warm, add the whole spices. Crackle for 10 seconds and then add the onions.Cook onions till they brown evenly.
Add the ginger, garlic and cook for a minute or so till you smell a nice aroma.Then add the powdwered spices – coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder. Cook for 2 minutes in oil until you smell a toasty aroma. If you feel that the spices are getting dry, add a splash of water.
Next add the tomatoes,sugar and salt to the potCook for 5-6 minutes till you see oil seperating on the sides and the tomatoes are pulpy. Add the potatoes and mix well. Saute the potatoes for 3-4 minutes with the masala.
Add 1 cup hot water, mix.Taste and adjust the salt of the masala and bring it to a slow boil. Once boiling, reduce the stove to medium low and cover the pot. Let cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until the potatoes are 95 percent cooked.
Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the paneer, kasuri methi, cumin powder and garam masala. Mix and cover again and let cook for another 5-8 minutes until poatoes are cooked through and the paneer has softened.
Let rest for 20 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.
This nutritious banana bread is protein rich, fibre rich and is 100 % gluten free. It made with besan/gram/chickpea flour, is aromatic with ghee & green cardamom and has a double dose of chocolate. It is nut free (though you can add nuts), eggless and one bowl. Perfect for breakfast or snack any time of the day.
Banana bread is a favorite in our house and since the kids love sweet breakfast,I make it every other week. There is always a peace of mind when there is banana bread in the fridge especially during weekdays when the morning rush is a real thing!
Chickpea flour or besan is one of the most loved flour in north indian homes, second only to whole wheat flour. It is versatile, and perfect for both sweet and savory dishes. Chickpea flour is high in soluble fiber which makes it nutritious. I make nankhatais with chickpea flour all the time but this was the first time I baked a cake with it. And it was surprising as to how well this loaf came out.
It took me few attempts to get this recipe right. I went through inspiration from the internet but ultimately came up with measurements and swapped ingredients suited to the tastes of my family. The bread isn’t overly sweet and has an amazing texture. As with banana breads, it tastes better the next day.
Now the question ringing in your mind ever since you started reading 🙂 How does it compare to regular banana bread made with all purpose flour? The answer – Quite well! It does taste different, but only slightly. Not bad at all! There is an aftertaste of besan but its very nutty & pleasing. I am a convert! I would pick this wholesome recipe over a regular banana bread made with regular flour especially since the kids often consume it as first meal of the day.The husband who isn’t a big fan of alternative flour baking, LOVED it.
You can easily make this recipe vegan but substituting neutral oil in place of ghee and using plant milk instead of dairy milk. The addition of cardamom and ghee together makes it taste like indian mithai (sweets) and we love it. However good quality vanilla or cinnamon will work great as well. A very doable, make ahead breakfast recipe for next morning while you are making dinner in the evening. It is one bowl and the ingredients are easy to find and few.
One bowl glutenfree, eggless and double chocolate banana bread made with besan/chickpea flour, cocoa and ghee. It is scented with ground green cardamom, is super moist and tastes better the next morning.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time45mins
1hr5mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Indian
Servings: 1loaf (8 by 5 inch)
Ingredients
450gmashed bananas, from about 3 large very ripe bananas
3-4tbspbaking chocolate chunksI used 70% dark chocolate chunks or use chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. I used a 8 inch by 5 inch nonstick loaf pan to bake this bread, since my pan was nonstick I did not need to spray or line it with parchment paper. If you are using a regular loaf pan, line it with parchment paper with bit of an overhang so that the loaf is easy to take out.
In a large bowl, add the bananas, raw sugar, ghee and milk. Whisk very well for 2-3 minutes until you all the raw sugar granules have dissolved.
Place a sieve on top of the bowl and add besan, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredinets. Do not skip sifting coz besan is usually lumpy and it will make the bread batter lumpy.
Add the cardamom powder. If using nuts, add them right now. Using a soft spatula, gently fold and mix everyrhing together until its cocoa color. Dont over mix.
Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and smoothen the top using a flat spatula. Scatter chocolate chunks on top.
Bake for 44-49 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. I baked mine for 45 minutes. Note that the baking times will differ depending on the size of baking pan as well as oven.
Once baked, let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Pull out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack and let cool down completely.
Slice using a sharp knife and enjoy. You can store leftovers in fridge for 2 days or freeze upto 3 months.
Notes
You canned chopped walnuts or almonds to the batter.Â
Use very ripe and sweet mashed bananas, else your bread wont be as sweet.
Instead of cardamom, you can use cinnamon as well.Â
If you are making for kids and arent a fan of dark chocolate, use regular cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the recipe.Â
You can make easily make it vegan by substituting neutral oil and plant based milk.Â
If you love spiced burgers,then this recipe is for you. These chicken patty burgers are juicy and tender and loaded with spices (but they aren’t hot). Homemade chicken burgers dont have to be boring. These are full of lot of textures and flavors throughout.
I skip the cheese altogether but ofcourse you can add cheese slices if you want. Instead I rely on the naturally fatty and creamy avocados and add them two ways. There is garlicky mashed avocado spread on the bottom brioche bun which is topped which a flavorful ground chicken patty and then for extra texture I add onions, pickles and lemony diced creamy avocados.You won’t miss the cheese I promise.
Whenever you are choosing ground chicken for making burgers, always avoid ground chicken breast – it cannot stand the high heat of cooking and becomes very chewy. I go for a dark meat ground chicken which I get from my butcher but of course I have seen variety of ground chicken in the super stores. You can use ground turkey as well. Coming to avocados, the only thing to be kept in mind is to cover them in lime or lemon juice immediately.
Burgers are very easy to make. Really! These burgers are a huge hit with the kids. They are lunchbox friendly as well. If you add right amount of lemon juice to the avocados and wrap them well, they are good for a 3-4 hours. I like adding micro greens but you can add lettuce as well.
Super Flavorful Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers packed with onions, tomatoes and avocados on a buttery brioche bun.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time20mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian
Servings: 6burgers
Ingredients
For The Chicken Patties
1tbspolive oil
1/2cuponion, finely chopped
4garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2inchfresh ginger,finely chopped
1tspcoriander powder
1/2tspcumin powder
2-3thai bird green chilies,adjust to tolerance
1tspgaram masala powder
1lb (450gms)ground chicken, room temperature (dont use ground chicken breast)
3tbspcilantro, finely chopped
3-4leavesfresh mint leaves
1.25tspsalt
For Avocado Mash
1largeripe avocado
1fatgarlic clove, minced
1tbspvery finely chopped scallions
1tbsplemon juice
1/4tspsalt
For the Burgers
4 to 6brioche buns
1large ripe avocado, diced
Onions, tomatoes, dill pickles, micro greens
Instructions
Making Chicken Patties
Heat up 1 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, spice powders all at once to the oil. Saute for 4-5 minutes on low medium heat until you see that there is no moisture in the skillet. Take off the stove and cool down slightly.
In a large bowl add the ground chicken, cilantro, mint, salt and the cooked onions and spices. Using a spatula or your hands, gently mix everything together. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Make the Avocado Spread
Peel and de seed 1 large avocado. Place it in a wide bowl, add the garlic, salt, lemon jucie and scallion. Using a fork mash the avocado.
Dice the second avocado and toss it with some salt and lemon juice. Keep ready.
Prepare the onions, tomatoes etc while the ground chicken is resting. Also brush the broiche buns on the inside with melted butter. Keep ready.
Make the Burgers
Divide the ground chicken mixture into 6 equal portions. Oil your hands lightly and roll the portions into a ball. Pat the balls using your palms and fingers to make an evenly thick patty. Repeat till all the patties are formed. Do not make very thick patties to start with since these swell up while cooking.
Heat up a grill or cast iron pan and oil it liberally.You can use a nonstick pan as well. Place the chicken patties 3 at a time on the pan and let cook. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side on low medium heat. Cover them for a minute or so towards the last minute to make sure that the chicken is cooked through. Adjust the time depending on how thick or thin your chicken patties are or the quality of your ground chicken.
Side by Side toast the brioche buns on the skilllet.
To build the burger place the botton bun on a board and spread the avocado mash on it. Next place the onion and tomato slices. Place the cooked chicken patty on top and add a few pickles. Add a few spoon fuls of diced avocados followed by micro greens. Place the top bun. Assemble all the burgers in the same fashion. Serve with french fries and beer.Enjoy!
Mango Sponge soaked in sweetened milk concoction and covered in mango whipped cream.This cake is bursting with mango flavor in each bite. It is perfect for summer birthdays or for taking along for summer gatherings. You can make it 1-2 days in advance.
Tres(Three) Leche(Milk) cakes are traditional to Latin America and they are sponge cakes that are perforated after baking and then soaked in a sauce made with three kinds of milk – evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. The sponge itself is airy and its absorbs the milk sauce to form a luscious, dense and rich cake.
There are quite a few steps to this recipe but nothing too complicated. The 3 essential steps of making this cake are – baking the mango sponge, soaking it in milk sauce and topping it with the whipped cream. You can bake and soak the cake on one day and then next day just make the whipped cream and slather it on top. You can use fresh seasonal mangoes to make a homemade puree or use store-bought mango puree.
Mango Sponge – This is an eggless mango sponge which is super easy to make and its a one bowl recipe. Mango is one of the most delicious seasonal summer fruit. There is a prominent mango flavor in this cake. I did not not use any spices or essence in the cake batter because I wanted pure mango flavor. However you can definitely add some cardamom or vanilla if you wish. The cake has a beautiful texture and it gets nicely browned. When you cut into it, the sponge is nicely dyed with natural yellow color of mangoes, there is no food color. Make sure to used the best ripest and sweetest mangoes you can find else use store bought mango puree.
Milk Sauce – After the cake is baked, it is doused in a milk sauce made with evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. Allow for at least 6 hours of chilled soaking.
Mango Whipped Cream– Simply heavy cream whipped with mango puree and flavored with green cardamom powder. This mango whipped cream is just irrestible and I can imagine it on so many things from pancakes to waffles to just on its own.
Eggless mango sponge soaked in milk sauce and covered in layers of mango cardamom whipped cream. A great cake for summer entertaining.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time50mins
Total Time1hr10mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian, Mexican
Servings: 8inch round
Equipment
Glass Mixing Bowls, Baking Tools
Ingredients
For The Eggless Mango Sponge
3/4cup mango puree (from 3-4 ripe mangoes or use store bought), see notes
1/4cup whole milk
1/3cupneutral oil
1+3/4cupall purpose flour
1+1/2tspbaking powder
1/2tspbaking soda
1/8tspsalt
3/4cupgranulated sugar
Milk Sauce
12 ozevaporated milk
1/2cup heavy cream
9ozsweetened condensed milk
For Mango Whipped Cream
3/4cupheavy cream
3tbspmango puree
4tbpspowdered sugar
1/2tspgreen cardamom powder
Instructions
Mango Sponge
Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of an 8 inch non stick round cake pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl,combine mango puree, milk and oil. Whisk for 2 minutes so that everything is combined and of mango color.
Place a large sieve(or use a flour sifter) over the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredients.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet and dry ingredients together until no white specks of flour are visible. Dont over mix.
Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Using a flat spatula, smoothen the top of the cake.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and proceed to soaking (see instructions below)
Make the Milk Sauce
While the cake is baking, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl (preferably with a spout). Whisk well. Save about 3/4 cup milk sauce for serving. When the cake is cooled, pierce the surface of the cake alll over using fork or a skewer. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake.
Mango Whipped Cream
Add the heavy cream and sugar into a chilled mixing bowl and beat on high speed for about a minute till you see its starting to get thick. Add the mango puree and cardamom powder and beat on high speed for another minute and a half till the cream is thick and spreadable.
Spread all over the cake and chill the cake for atleast 6 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
You can use the fresh mangoes to make the mango puree at home.We need 1 cup of mango puree in this recipe.I add the flesh of about 1 lb of mangoes (4-5) with 1 -2 tbsp sugar to a blender and bend on high speed. I recommend straining the puree to make sure that there are no fibres and its ultra smooth.Â
You can use a 9 inch by 13 inch rectangular cake pan to make this recipe as well. The cake might be slightly thinner.
These 4 ingredient, super easy popsicles are vegan and so perfect for those sweet craving that we all often get. I discovered how amazing matcha tastes in desserts earlier this year and there is no looking back. This green tea powder with numerous health benefits and unique taste needs to be paired with a creamy element and its rather bitter profile changes to pleasing.
Here I used coconut milk and coconut condensed milk as the creamy base along with roasted pistachios which I hand pound for a better texture in every bite. These popsicles are vegan and gluten-free but if you want to make these with dairy, just use heavy cream and regular condensed milk instead.
Easy 4 ingredient, creamy and nutty pospicles made with pistachios and matcha.
Prep Time10mins
Cook Time10mins
Total Time8hrs20mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 6popsicles
Ingredients
1/2cupraw pistachios
1.5tspmatcha powder
14 fl oz(400ml)full fat coconut milk, unsweetened
8 fl oz(230ml)sweetend condensed milk, or to taste
Instructions
In a dry pan, toast the pistachios on low heat for about 6-8 minutes. Cool down a bit. Transfer to a large mortar and pestle and hand pound to a coarse powder. Alternatively, you can grind them in a blender.
Add rest of the ingredients along with pistachios to a large bowl and using a whisk combine very well until there are no lumps.
Pour into pospicles molds and freeze overnight or for atleast 8 hours.
Unmold by dipping in warm water and enjoy!
Notes
1)If you want to make these with dairy, just use heavy cream and regular condensed milk instead and you are good to go.
Singapore Street Noodles. Easy noodles stir fried with a good dose of protein (chicken + shrimp+ eggs), vegetables, shallots, garlic, ginger and curry powder in a really hot wok. Spicy, umami, smoky all in one. It’s hard to find anyone who won’t like these delicious noodles (actually rice sticks(or vermicelli), these are our favorite dish to order at PF Chang’s.
The traditional version uses char siu pork(BBQ pork) but I use eggs, chicken & shrimp. You can skip or add any kind of protein your family likes. This is a super weeknight friendly recipe. For the vegetables I use snap peas and red bell pepper, however bean sprouts and bok choy can be used as well. Like any asian or indo chinese recipe, these do need you to prepare the ingredients before hand- chopping the vegetables, preparing the protein, softening the rice sticks etc , I would say about 20-25 minutes worth of preparation, but once you are done, from there these noodles come together in hardly 6-8 minutes.
What makes these noodles unique is the use of curry powder, the taste of the spices along with asian sauces cooked on high heat lends these noodles their signature color and flavor. That said, I don’t stock curry powder, lets just say, it is not one of my favorite things. But that won’t stop me from making these and neither it should stop you. You don’t have to buy a jar of curry powder which, if you are like me will never get used up after this dish. The secret is to make your own curry blend by mixing coriander powder +turmeric + garam masala(easily available spices in an indian pantry, see measurement in the recipe), works beautifully for that traditional flavor!
These noodles are pretty easy to make and can fit restrictive dietary needs very easily as well. Keep the following things in mind when you make these:-
Keep all the ingredients ready before you start stir frying the noodles. This includes preparing the sauce, chopping the vegetables and soaking the rice noodles. This is super important and makes your work flow so easy!
Stir fry on high heat. The right smokiness and taste only comes when the spices hit the hot wok.
Use a larger wok than you think. If you don’t have a wok, use a wide large 12 inch pan. That way the noodles will not get soggy and will crisp up nicely.
Don’t skimp on the oil. Noodles need oil to not get sticky and when the oil quantity is right, they get that charred taste instead of tasting boiled.
Since rice noodles are very delicate and thin, you want to keep those textures going forward, hence cut the chicken into small strips, no one wants to bite into a chunk of protein. Use fork to break the soft scrambled eggs into small pieces or make a thin omelette and use kitchen shears to cut it into small strips. Use medium size shrimp, or cut then into small bites if you have jumbo or extra large at home.
You can use wheat tempeh strips or tofu in this recipe to make it vegan friendly.
Use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce to make it gluten free friendly.
Other Noodle Recipes that you can check out on the blog
Rice vermecelli stir fried with chicken, shrimp, eggs and vegetables and a curry spices flavored sauce. Can be easily made glutenfree or vegan.
Prep Time25mins
Cook Time10mins
Total Time40mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
For the Sauce
1.5tbsplight soy sauce
1/2tbspdark soy sauce
2tbspshaoxing wine (chinese cooking wine, if you dont want to use alcohol, simply use chicken broth)
1tspgaram masala,see notes (1)
1/2tspcoriander powder,see notes (1)
1/4tspturmeric powder,see notes (1)
1.5tspsugar
1/2tspsalt
For the Noodles
200grice sticks(vermecelli), I use Dynasty Brand
5tbspcooking oil, divided
2largeeggs, whisked with a pinch of salt
1,6ozchicken thigh, cut into thin strips
10-12shrimp, tail on, cleaned & deveined
1shallot, finely chopped
5garlic cloves, finely chopped
1inchginger, finely chopped
1 Thai bird green chillies, finely choppedskip or adjust quantity to tolerance, see notes(2)
12-15snap peas
1/2red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Chopped cilantro, chopped scallion green parts, Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
Add all the sauce ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Add the rice sticks to a large bowl and cover with enough hot water. Soak for 5-8 minutes Once they are soft, drain using a colander and keep ready. TIP – Once the rice noodles are soft, use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles short, makes tossing and eating easy.
In a large wok, add 1 tbsp of oil and heat up. Add the whisked eggs and scramble the eggs untill they are soft cooked. Remove on a plate. Using a fork, break the egg into small pieces.
Add 1 tbsp of oil next, add the chicken to the wok. Sprinkle salt and pepper and stir fry the chicken on high heat until cooked through. Remove the chicken and all the drippings on the same plate as the eggs.
Next add another tbsp of oil and add the shrimp, sprinkle pinch of salt. Stir fry the shrimp for a couple minutes until they are opaque and turn orange. Remove on the same plate as the eggs & chicken.
Make sure that the wok is screaming hot. It will go fast from here. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the wok.
Add shallots, ginger, garilc and green chillies all at once to the wok.Stir fry on high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Don't brown too much.
Next add the snap peas and bell pepper to the wok, sprinkle a pinch of salt and stir fry the vegetables on higt heat just for a couple minutes. We dont want to overcook them.
Next add the rice noodles to the wok along with shrimp, chicken and eggs. Pour over the sauce that we prepared.
Using tongs or chopsticks or two forks, toss everything together until the noodles and the protein are well coated in the sauce and everything is heated through. This part is a little messy since these noodles do not seperate easily but work your way through.
Remove from heat and add the cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Notes
If you stock curry powder at home, use 1.5 – 2tsp curry powder instead of garam masala, coriander and turmeric. If using medium or hot curry powder, skip the green chilli.Â
Even a single thai bird chili makes these hot, if you want to make these mild, skip it.Â
Season with a pinch of salt every step of the way. It helps so much with the taste of the final dish.Â
Keep all the ingredients ready before you start stir frying the noodles. This includes preparing the sauce, chopping the vegetables and soaking the rice noodles. This is super important and makes your work flow so easy!
Stir fry on high heat. The right smokiness and taste only comes when the spices hit the hot wok.
Use a larger wok than you think. If you don’t have a wok, use a wide large 12 inch pan. That way the noodles will not get soggy and will crisp up nicely.
Don’t skimp on the oil. Noodles need oil to not get sticky and when the oil quantity is right, they get that charred taste instead of tasting boiled.
Since rice noodles are very delicate and thin, you want to keep those textures going forward, hence cut the chicken into small strips, no one wants to bite into a chunk of protein. Use fork to break the soft scrambled eggs into small pieces or make a thin omelette and use kitchen shears to cut it into small strips. Use medium size shrimp, or cut then into small bites if you have jumbo or extra large at home.
You can use wheat tempeh strips or tofu in this recipe to make it vegan friendly.
Use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce to make it gluten free friendly.
Bengali Macher Jhol.A light spicy fish curry perfect for summer months. For us indians, curries are year round, isn’t? Depending on the season, I switch between lighter or richer preparations and these days I am mostly making soupy tomato or yogurt based ones.
Turmeric rubbed fish steaks(I used fresh asian sea bass) shallow fried in virgin mustard oil are added to a nigella and bay leaf scented gravy which gets a kick from grassy green chillies. The flavors are so bright and different from the punjabi fish curry I grew up eating, but really perfect for the hot months.
You can use any kind of fish that you normally use for curries – salmon or carp work well. I sometimes make it with frozen baramundi or snapper fillets as well. This curry can be made in a jiffy and tastes awesome with some steamed white rice. Sometimes potatoes or eggplants are added for a nice variation and always allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes for the best flavors.
A light spicy fish curry from the eastern parts of india.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time25mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
To prep the fish
1.5lb (about 750g)sea bass(or rohu or salmon)cleaned and cut into steaks
1/2tspturmeric powder
1/2tspsalt
For the Jhol
1/4cupmustard oil
1/2tsp nigella seeds
3thai bird green chillies, slit
1/3cup onion paste (simply grind onion in a blender using as less water as possible)
2garlic cloves,pounded in mortar pestle
1/2tbspfresh ginger, chopped
1tspcoriander powder
1/2tspcumin powder
1/2tspsugar
1medium tomatochopped
1tspfresh lime juice
1.5cupshot water
3/4tspsalt
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the fish, sprinkle salt and turmeric and rub on the pieces very well. Let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, add the powdered spices and mix ith 2-3 tbsp of water. Keep ready.
Add the mustard oil to a heavy wok or kadai and let heat up till slightly smoky.
Carefully, slide the fish into the oil and shallow fry for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oil and place in a plate.
In the remaining oil, crackle the bay leaf, nigella and green chillies for 30 seconds.
Add the onion paste next and on medium heat, brown for about 3 minutes. Once browned add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Add the powdered spices paste next, a splash of water and fry the spices for 2-3 minutes untill you see that the oil starts seperating.
Next add the tomato, sugar and salt and fry for 2 minutes till the tomatoes have softened.
Add hot water to the masala and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the stove and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the fried fish to the gravy along with any oil thats leftover in the plate in which you kept the fish. Taste and adjust the salt once.
Let everything cook for 6-8 minutes untill the fish is cooked through. Remive from stove and mix in the lime juice. Let rest for atleast 20 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.
A healthy, fragrant and easy paneer(indian cheese) and kale pulao that is perfect for lunchboxes and quick meals.It tastes great a room temperature and keeps well for 2-3 days without changing its taste.Serve it on its own with salad, papad and raita or combine with tikkis or kebabs.
Paneer is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and in this recipe I combine it with blanched kale – another powerhouse of nutrition. The combination of dark leafy greens, ghee crisped paneer, buttery rice and aroma of spices in each bite makes this pulao irresistible. You can add vegetables like peas, spinach or greens beans instead of kale if you wish. If you want to make it vegetarian, use tofu or any plant protein in place of paneer and skip the yogurt (finish with a little lime juice instead).
A nutritious, fragrant and easy pilaf made with ghee crisped paneer and leafy kale.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time25mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1bunchkale (5-6 stalks)
7oz paneer, cut into cubes or triangles
2tbspghee
1/4cupcooking olive oil
1inchcinnamon stick
4green cardamom
2shallot, thinly sliced (or 1/3 cup sliced red onions)
1tbspginger garlic paste
1tsptumeric powder
1tspred chili powder
1/2 tspgaram masala
2tbspfull fat plain yogurt,beaten
1tspsalt
1cupbasmati rice washed and soaked for 20 minutes
1.5cupwater(or as needed for your rice brand)
Instructions
Blanch the Kale Leaves – Discard the stems of the kale and wash the leafs thorougly 2-3 times in water. Next, add the leaves to a boiling pot of water and let cook for 5 minutes. Immediately add the kale to ice water. Let cook completely. Once cooled, chop into bite size. Keep ready.
Prepare the Paneer -Add ghee to a cooking pot or shallow pan and on low heat, crisp up the paneer on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
To the remaining ghee, add the cooking oil and let heat up.
To the warm oil, add the whole spices and let crackle. Add the sliced shallots next and brown lightly for 3-4 minutes.
Add the ginger garlic paste and brown for 30-40 seconds on low medium stove.
Add the powdered spices next alomg with yogurt and saute continously for a minute or so else the yogurt will curdle. Let cook for couple minutes till you see oil seperating on seeds. Add the chopped kale next and saute everything for a minute or so.
Add the soaked rice, salt and paneer to the masala along with water. Mix well and taste the once, the water should taste salty else rice wont be flavorful.
Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot and let cook on slow heat till the water is absorbed. Takes about 10-15 minutes.
Switch off the stove, dont open the lid immediately. Let the rice pot sit undisturbed for 20 minutes.
Gently fluff the pulao and serve.
Notes
You can add vegetables like peas, spinach or greens beans instead of kale if you wish.
If you want to make it vegetarian, use tofu or any plant protein in place of paneer and skip the yogurt (finish with a little lime juice instead).
A very simple and fun coffee dessert which is one of my favorite. I am a caffeine loving person, if you cannot tell – chai and coffee anything makes me run. I am a huge fan of using the flavors of these beverages in my sweet treats. Coffee Jelly is a very popular japanese dessert. For this dessert I used the recipe from Just One Cookbook. Nami is a seasoned Japanese food blogger and this recipe came out amazing. Now these refreshing jellies do need a creamy element so I made a quick cocoa mascornpne whipped cream and scented it with little cinnamon since cinnamon is one of my favorite spice to pair with coffee.
The recipes are very easy but for the jelly, you have to start a night ahead. Make the jellies and let them set. Make a quick whipped cream next day and serve it. So breezy and your coffee loving guests will love it. If you do not want to serve with whipped cream, a dollop of chocolate ice cream is as good.
A fun summer dessert of coffee jelly served with luscious mocha whipped cream.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time8hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Japanese
Servings: 5servings
Ingredients
For the Coffee Jelly – Please follow Just One Cookbook vegan recipe link here
For the Mocha Mascarpone Cream
8ozmascarpone cream, very cold
1.5cupheavy whipping cream, very cold
1-2tbspunsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2cuppowdered sugar
1/4tsp powdered cinnamom or vanilla
Instructions
Prepare coffee jelly base according to the recipe. Pour it in individual cups and let set overnight.
For the Mocha Mascarpne Whipped Cream
Place your mixing bowls and hand beater attachments in the freezer for 30 minuutes.
Add the mascarpone chesse, sifted cocoa powder and cinnamon into a large bowl and beat on medium low speed for 45 seconds or so.
Slowly start adding heavy cream about 1/2 cup at a time and beating on low speed at the same time. You will first see that the cheese is turning liquid but dont worry.
Increase the speed once you have added all the heavy cream, increase the speed and beat on medium high for about 8-10 minutes till you see soft peaks.
Add the powdered sugar next and continue to beat on low speed until all the sugar has been mixed. The resulting cream should have soft peaks and appear fluffy & cloudy.
Chill till you are ready to assemble.
Assemble the Coffee Jelly Dessert
Add generous spoons of mich whipped cream on top of jelly, add nuts, shaved chocolate or fruits of choice. Serve chilled.
Notes
The coffee jelly recipe uses agar agar so its suitable for vegetarians.ÂÂ
Use a good quality instant coffee powder for a delicious tasting jelly.ÂÂ
You can serve with a scoop of chocolate ice cream instead of whipped cream.
Chana Dal & Sweet Potato Tikki. These crisp outside and soft on the inside tikkis (patties) are made with chana dal (bengal gram lentils) and sweet potatoes. These are fragrantly spiced with cumin, cloves and ground garam masala. The sweet potato does not make them sweet at all, rather gives them an earthly bite. I paired these skillet fried tikks with a simple paneer & kale pulao, spinach raita (yogurt), micro greens and raw vegetables to make a colorful indian super food bowl.
Having grown up in my grandmother’s vegetarian household, lentils were used a dozen ways from sweet to savory dishes and these tikkis appeared on special occasions. The lentils were ground on sil-batta (stone) with spices to which finely chopped onions, raisins and herbs were added. Sweet potatoes were not used rather grated regular potatoes and a handful of boiled lentils went in for texture in each bite. These tikkis are great with parathas & green chutney or pulao & raita alike. They can be tucked inside burger buns for a vegetarian sandwich or served over a bed of greens.
A few things to be kept in mind when you make these:-
When making tikkiswith lentils, the most important thing is the water quantity when you cook them. More water will turn them mushy while less water with leave the lentils dry and chewy. Please refer to the water quantity in the recipe.
Its best to use your hands to mix. Unless you are using a sil batta (stone grinder), leave out the blender or processor. If the lentils are cooked properly, you will be able to a make a soft tikki mixture very easily. And the texture of hand mixed is absolutely unmatched.
Since onions and chopped cilantro etc go in the recipe, keep in mind that after sitting for a half and hour or so, the mix will loosen a bit since the raw vegetables will release their moisture due to salt. So if the tikki mix feels a bit dry in the beginning, don’t worry.
These tikkis have texture, they are soft to bite into but you will taste whole lentils grains here and there.
I add roasted besan to the tikki mix. Not for binding or anything, these don’t need a binder because the starches in the lentils are enough. Roasted besan(chickpea flour) lends a nice smoky taste and does make this recipe fool proof.Plus its delicious.
There is no need for a coating of any flour etc when you skillet fry them. Fry them patiently, that’s all. If your tikki mix is right, they will not fall apart or anything.
Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentils) & Sweet Potato Tikki
Delicious skillet fried tikkis (patties) made with sweet potatoes and chana dal(bengal gram lentils)
Prep Time30mins
Cook Time30mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 12tikkis
Ingredients
For Boiling the Lentils
1 +1/3cupchana dal (bengal gram lentils)
1tspcumin seeds
1smallbay leaf
2cloves
1smallwhole black cardamom (skip if not available)
1/2tspsalt
1/2cupwater
For the Tikki Mix
200gsweet potato(boiled, peeled and cut into small chunks)
1.5tbspginger garlic paste (or simply add 5 garlic cloves and 1 inch piece of ginger to a mortar & pestle and pound to a paste)
1/2cupfinely chopped onions
2thai bird green chilies or 1 serrano (adjust to taste) ,see notes
1/4cupfinely chopped cilantro
1/2tbspfinely chopped ginger
1tbspfinely chopped golden raisins (optional)
1tbspgaram masala (used homemade or store bought, make sure its not more than 3 months old)
2-3tbsproasted besan (gram flour)
1tspsalt
Oil or ghee for pan frying
Instructions
Prepare/Boil The Lentils
Wash the lentils 2-3 times under a running stream of water and soak for 2-3 hours.
Drain and discard the water in which you soaked the lentils.Add the soaked lentils to a pressure cooker, add cumin, bay leaf, cloves and black cardamom along with salt and 1/2 cup water.
Close the lid of the pressure cooker and place it on stove. Let the stove be on high till the first whistle. After that, reduce the stove to low medium and cook for additional 2-3 whistles. After total 3-4 whistles, switch off the stove and let the pressure release naturally.
Open the lid, do not mix at once while the lentils are hot, they will turn into a mush. Take 1-2 lentil grains and press between your thumb and finger, if the grain is pressed easily and dosent feel hard, the lentils are cooked. If not, add 2-3 tbsp water and cook for one more whistle.
The lentils should not disintegrate, they shoud be cooked through but retain their shape after boiling. Pick out and discard the bay leaf, clove and cardamom, Cover the cooker and let the lentils cool down for a bit, dont let them become cold. We want to make the mix while the lentils are still warm.
Make the Tikki Mix
In a wide dish(avoid a deep bowl), add the cooked warm lentils and boiled sweet potato. Mix gently breaking the lentils and poatoes for about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the ginger and garlic, onions, green chilies, raisins, ginger and garam masala.
Gently using your hands start squishing to combine everything together. Gently mix for about 3-4 minutes, if some lentils remain whole, thats okay.
Once mixed, add the salt and 2 tbsp of roasted besan. Mix again, you will be able to make a soft ball with the mix. If you feel its too wet, add another tablespoon of besan but dont add more than 3 tbsp total. Cover and let the tikki mix rest for 20 minutes.
Shape & skillet fry tikkis
Oil your hands and divide the tikki mix into 10 or 12 equal portions.
Roll the portions into a balls, flatten the balls slightly and shape them using your palm and fingers into well rounded patties.
Make all the tikkis this way and place on a plate. At this point you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Or place them on a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze them for 6 hours. After they are frozen, place in a zip lock and store frozen for one month.
Warm up a 12 inch heavy cast iron wide skillet or griddle on medium. When nicely hot (not too hot) add 1-2 tbsp oil or ghee and place 3-4 tikkis at a time, don't overcrowd. Let tikkis crisp up for 5-6 minutes on one side. Don't add a lot of oil in the begnning,they will break. Once they are crisped on one side, drizzle 1-2 tbsp of oil or ghee on (uncooked) top and flip to crisp on second side.
Pan fry the tikkis with patience. Its takes 7-8 minutes to fry a batch on both sides.
Notes
When making tikkis with lentils, the most important thing is the water quantity when you cook them. More water will turn them mushy while less water with leave the lentils dry and chewy. Please refer to the water quantity in the recipe.
Its best to use your hands to mix. Unless you are using a sil batta (stone grinder), leave out the blender or processor. If the lentils are cooked properly, you will be able to a make a soft tikki mixture very easily. And the texture of hand mixed is absolutely unmatched.
Dont leave out the green chillies, this is the only heat in this recipe. Garam masala adds a warmth, but do add at least one sharp green chili for heat.ÂÂ
Since onions and chopped cilantro etc go in the recipe, keep in mind that after sitting for a half and hour or so, the mix will loosen a bit since the raw vegetables will release their moisture due to salt. So if the tikki mix feels a bit dry in the beginning, don’t worry.
These tikkis have texture, they are soft to bite into but you will taste whole lentils grains here and there.
I add roasted besan to the tikki mix. Not for binding or anything, these don’t need a binder because the starches in the lentils are enough. Roasted besan(chickpea flour) lends a nice smoky taste. Plus its delicious.
There is no need for a coating of any flour etc when you skillet fry them. Fry them patiently, that’s all. If your tikki mix is right, they will not fall apart or anything.
