Paneer Tikka

Paneer tikka is a popular north-indian starter which is readily found in mostly all the restaurants. Being a big fan of all sort of vegetarian grilled food, it is one of my comfort food that I like to make quite often at home because of its hassle-free recipe. Moreover, the amount of oil or butter used during grilling can be easily controlled and the addition of cream by most of the restaurant chefs at the end of grilling the tikkas can be completely omitted, making it healthy. Check out step by step preparation of this delicious appetizer and do give it a try as it is simple and appealing yet filling dish at the same time.


Preparation time: 15 min.
Marination time: 2 hrs
Grilling time: 20 min.
Cuisine: North-indian
Type: Starter
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 500gms cottage cheese (paneer)
• 1 cup bell peppers (capsicum-red, yellow, green) cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 cup onion (cut into 1'' pieces)
• 1/4 cup tomatoes (deseeded and cut into 1'' pieces)-optional
• 2 tbsp oil or melted butter (for brushing)

For Marination:

• 1 cup hung curd
• 1/2 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tbsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tbsp chaat masala
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or crushed 
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD:

1. Cut cottage cheese, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes into 1'' pieces.                                                                                    
   
2. Take 500 gms of yoghurt or curd in a sieve and keep refrigerated till all the water gets seperated and a cup of hung curd is left on the sieve.                                                                                                                
   
3. In a bowl take all the ingredients of marination.                                                                                                                       
   
4. Mix well using a whisk.                                                                                                                               
   
5. Add all the pieces of paneer, bell peppers, onions etc. and mix gently in order to coat all the pieces well with the marination. Keep refrigerated for atleast 2 hrs. or overnight to get the best taste.                                                                                                                                                              
   
6. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for atleast an hour. No need to soak, if using metal ones.
7. Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree celcius for atleast 15 min.
8. Arrange the marinated pieces of paneer and vegetables on the skewers, keeping 3-4 paneer pieces on each skewer and vegetables in beween each paneer piece.                                                                                   
   
9. Brush oil on the skewered tikkas and keep in the oven over wire rack.
10. Grill for 10 min. on each side, until slightly charred or grill marks appear on the tikkas.
11. Serve hot with mint chutney, onions and lemon wedges.

Note:

• The more you marinate the tikka, the more tastier and juicier it will be.
• Mushrooms and broccoli can also be added in the veggie list. But do keep onions and green capscicum for extra crunch which after caramelizing give better taste to the buttery and juicy paneer tikka after grilling.

Baked Samosa

Samosa is one of the most popular snack of north India. It is a triangular shaped crisp and flaky pastry filled with spicy and tangy potato filling. The list of choices available for the filling is endless. It can be served at small get togethers like high tea or kitty parties alongwith a hot cup of tea or coffee. These are generally deep-fried but today i made them baked brushing a very little amount of oil on these and they came out very crisp and flaky.
Shaping these samosas becomes a fun activity for my 8-year old daughter who is always keen to know what i am making and will always accompany me in the kitchen.
So, try these healthy yet delicious samosas and am sure you will not miss the deep fried ones.

Ingredients:
For the pastry cover (dough)

• all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• clarified butter or ghee
• water as required

For the filling:

• 6-7 potatoes (boiled and peeled)
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1-2 green chillies
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp mango powder
• 1 tsp rock salt
• salt to taste
• coriander leaves chopped
• 10-12 raisins
• 10-12 cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp oil
• oil for deep frying

METHOD:

1. Firstly, mix the ingredients of the covering and make a hard dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 min. 
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add green peas and green chillies and cook for few min. add roughly mashed potatoes, raisins and cashewnuts and all the spices. Mix well. 
3. Divide the dough into lemon sized balls and roll out a thin roti. Cut the roti in two halves. now take one semicircle and make a cone, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre and apply little water to seal the open edges carefully and give the shape of a samosa.
4. Lightly brush all the samosas with very little oil and bake for 30-35 min. in a preheated oven at 200 degree celcius.
5. Serve hot with the coriander chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note:

• Do not over knead the dough of samosas else they will not be flaky and crisp.
• You may deep-fry these samosas instead of baking.

Instant Bhature

Chhole Bhature is the most famous north-indian breakfast. But making bhaturas at home requires a lot of patience and practise. Today, i am going to share my quick and easy recipe for making instant bhaturas which come out exactly like the ones we eat outside.  The addition of semolina keeps the bhatura puffed up for longer and gives a nice texture.

Preparation time: 5 min.
Passive time: 30 min.
Cooking time: 10 min.
Cuisine: North-indian (punjabi)
Type: Breakfast
Serves: 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup semolina (sooji/rava)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1tbsp oil
• 1-1.5 cups soda water/carbonated water (to knead)
• oil for deep frying

METHOD:

1. In a mixing bowl, take maida, sooji, sugar, salt and oil. Mix well.
2. Gradually add soda water and knead like chapati dough.
3. Cover the dough and leave for 30 min.
4. Apply oil on your hands and divide the dough into equal-sized round balls or portions.
5. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan for frying.
6. Roll out the flattened round ball into an oval or round shape.
7. Gently lift the rolled out bhatura and slip into the hot oil.
8. Press the centre of the bhatura with a slotted spatula using light strokes, bringing the hot oil over it. This ensures puffing up of the bhaturas well.
9. Deep fry till nice golden colour.
10. Serve hot with punjabi chhole and pickle.

Punjabi Rajma Masala (Red Kidney Beans Curry)

Rajma masala with rice is a very popular dish of north-india (Punjab). It is the favourite of everyone at my home. Rajma or kidney beans are a great source of protein and being a vegetarian, it becomes a necessity to cook these often. Two varieties of rajma are available in india. One is lighter called 'chitra rajma' and other one is darker known as 'jammu rajma'. In this recipe, i have used the lighter one which i find more tastier.

Preparation time: 15 min.
Cooking time: 1 hr.
Cuisine: North-indian (punjabi)
Type: Main-course
Serves: 2-3


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup red kidney-beans (rajma)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
• 2 onion (sliced)
• 4 tomatoes 
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• fresh coriander (to garnish)

METHOD:

1. Wash and soak kidney beans in 5-6 cups of water overnight.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and cook for 30 sec.
3. Add sliced onions and cook till golden brown in colour.
4. Remove from flame and let it cool.
5. Grind together browned onions and tomatoes to make a smooth paste.
6. Add all the spices to the same pan and cook for a few seconds.
7. Next, add the ground paste into the pan and mix well.
8. Cook this mixture till oil seperates.
9. Now add soaked rajma into the cooked masala and mix well.
10. Add the above masala coated rajma into a pressure cooker alongwith 4 cups of water.
11. Pressure cook till one whistle and then simmer for 30 min.
12. Add garam masala and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
13. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Note:

• Kidney beans can be boiled seperately first and then the masala can be mixed. But I like to make my rajma the way i shared.
• If u forget to soak the rajma at night. Next morning, soak these in hot water for an hour and use in the recipe.
• Adjust the quantity of water according to the thickness of curry you like.

Punjabi Raw Mango Pickle

Making mango pickle is a homely ritual in most of the households during summer. Mango pickle  is a tangy and spicy condiment which adds an extra zing to your meals. The best thing about mango pickle is that it goes along very well with any meal of the day whether its paranthas in breakfast or chhole puri in lunch or biryani in dinner. There are many childhood memories associated with making mango pickle when i used to help my mother in spreading raw mango pieces for drying in sun light and grinding spices for it. I am very fond of all kinds of mango pickles but this one is my all-time favourite. I hate buying pickles from market which are more acidic and are prepared with added preservatives. Home-made pickles are best as they are hygenically prepared and are preserved using salt and mustard oil.
Today i am sharing my mom's recipe of mango pickle which can be stored for upto a year.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 kg raw mangoes
• 3 cups salt
• 6 tbsp red chilli powder
• 3 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup fennel seeds (saunf)
• 100 gms fenugreek seeds(methi)
• 100 gms yellow mustard seeds(sarson)
• 3 tbsp onion seeds (kalonji)
• 1 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
• 500 ml mustard oil
  

Method:

1. Wash the raw mangoes thoroughly and pat dry using a kitchen cloth.
2. Cut each mango into 8 pieces of 1" size each.
3. Dry the pieces in sunlight for few hours.
   
4. Coarsely ground fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds.
5. Mix together all the spices with salt.
   
6. Put all the spice mixture over the dried mango pieces.
   
7. Pour mustard oil over them and use your hands to mix them thoroughly over all the mango pieces.
   
8. Put all the marinated raw mango pieces into sterilized container.
   
9. Keep in sunlight for few days until the mango pieces get pickled and become soft and juicy.
10. Enjoy with roti, parantha or rice.

Note:

• Always sterilize the container with hot water and then dry in sunlight to remove all the moisture before storing mango pickle into it.
• Mix the pickle every day using a dry spoon and press them tightly to remove any air pockets for few days.
• Always insure to keep the pickle immersed in mustard oil at all times.
• Never use a wet spoon to take out the pickle.
• Keep in sunlight once a month after it is fully prepared.

Dal Makhani / Punjabi maa ki dal

Dal makhani is a classic punjabi dish that you will readily find on the menu of almost every north-indian restaurant. It is a rich and creamy lentil preparation which involves slow cooking for several hours with the addition of butter and cream. For healthier option, i like to add milk instead which gives exactly the same taste and richness to this protein-packed delicacy. This tastes even better the next day after reheating properly.. thats why i generally make this in bulk during winters.

Preparation time: 8-10 hrs
Cooking time: 60 min.
Type: Main-course
Cuisine: North-indian
Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups whole black lentils (udad dal)
• 1/4 cup red kidney beans (rajma)
• 1/2 cup onions (sliced)
• 1 cup tomatoes (pureed)
• 1 tbsp ginger (crushed)
• 1 tbsp garlic (crushed)
• 1 tbsp green chilli paste (crushed)
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 tbsp cream (to garnish)

METHOD:

1. Soak black lentils alongwith kidney beans overnight for 8-10 hrs.
2. Pressure cook the soaked lentils and kidney beans adding 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt till 1 whistle and simmer for 30 min.
3. Meanwhile heat ghee or butter in a pan, add onions and cook till golden brown in colour.
4. Next, add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and saute for 30 sec.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste.
6. Now add pureed tomatoes and cook on medium flame till oil oozes out of the masala.
7. Add cooked dal to this masala and mix well.
8. Next, add milk gradually to the dal stirring continuously.
9. Let the dal simmer for 15- 20 min. 
10. Finally. garnish with cream and serve hot with naan, roti or rice.

Note:

• The longer the dal is simmered the better it tastes.
• To give more richness or creamy texture, half a cup of cooked dal can be blended and then added into the remaining dal.