One of my favorite eating places in Vizag is ‘Kebabri’, known for its North Indian and tandoori food. I especially love their stuffed flats breads prepared in a tandoor. I tried to re-create the same at home a few days ago. So, prepared Kulchas stuffed with paneer, cooked over stove top and served them with Channa Masala. Made for a hearty filling meal. I more or less followed this Paneer Kulcha recipe and am quite happy with the outcome. Tastes best hot off the stove/tandoor.

How to prepare home style Kulcha:

1 Sieve flour, baking pwd and salt. Place the sieved flour on a wide plate. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour sugar, milk, yogurt and slowly combine, to form a soft dough. Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hrs.
2 After two hrs, knead the dough gently for a mt. Dust the working surface with some flour, pinch a large lemon sized dough and roll into a small thick roti. Place a ball of stuffing in the center of the roti and enclose it from all sides and roll into a ball.
3 Dust the working surface with flour and roll the ball into a 6″ diameter thick roti. Sprinkle few sesame seeds on top and lightly roll with a rolling pin. Prepare rotis with rest of the dough.
4 Heat an iron tawa, once hot, place the kulcha and cook for 15-20 secs on high flame. Brown spots begin to appear. Flip over and cook the other side for another 15-20 secs. Drizzle some ghee or butter and roast for a few seconds on each side and remove.
5 Serve hot with any curry of your choice like Methi Matar Malai or Nilgiri Chicken Korma or Amritsari Chole.

A jhatpat sabzi with nutritious ingredients, capsicum and paneer. Appealing to the eye and the palate, this super quick, utterly simple stir fry is lightly spiced and makes a good side with phulkas or a filling for a wrap/roll. You can even add a few tablespoons of thick coconut milk towards the end of the cooking process to give it a rich flavor. Whatever you do, use kasuri methi aka dried fenugreek leaves which gives oodles of flavor to the paneer.

1 Heat ghee in a vessel, add cubed paneer and saute for 2 mts. Remove from vessel and place in warm water for 3 mts, drain and keep aside.
2In the same vessel, add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and saute for 2 mts. Add turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd and combine. Add the chopped capsicum and cook till they turn slightly soft, approx 5-7 mts.
3 Add tomatoes and stir well to combine and cook for 7 mts, with lid. Add the paneer cubes and toss the contents well and cook for 5 mts. Add garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and combine.
4 Finally, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or bread.

Today’s grilled Paneer sandwich makes for a special morning meal or brunch along with a glass of chilled juice or smoothie. Extremely flavorful and filling sandwich.

Marinate few paneer slices with 2 tbsps of green chutney, a tbsp of hung curd/yogurt, 1/4 tsp chaat masala, salt and pepper to taste for 30 mts. Grill them for 10 mts or pan roast in 2-3 tsps of oil till golden brown. Arrange lettuce leaves, onion slices, capsicum rings, tomato slices and cucumber slices on whole wheat or brown bread that is buttered on one side. Place grilled paneer, drizzle some tomato ketchup (optional) and place another slice of bread and toast both sides of bread. Serve warm.

When in season, I made optimum use of fresh green peas and froze a kilo for the summer months. Combined a small cup of peas with paneer and prepared a tomato based curry to go with rotis for our mid day meal. Matar Paneer, a culinary gem of North Indian origin, is a popular, simple to make and delectable creamy curry that is hard to resist.

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the onions and sauté, approx 4-5 mts. Add ginger-green chilli paste, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd, red chilli pwd and combine. Add few tbsps water and saute for a mt.
2 Add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 mts. Turn off heat and cool. Make a coarse paste.
3 Return this paste to the vessel, add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame, add the green peas and cook for 6 mts. Add the paneer and malai and simmer for 7-8 mts. Add salt. Simmer for a few more mts.
4 Stir in malai, garam masala pwd, Kitchen King masala and kasuri methi and combine, cook for a mt. Turn off flame.
5 Let it sit for a while before serving. The gravy thickens, so at the time of serving, add a little milk and combine. Serve hot with rotis or naan.

A chunk of paneer was sitting in the refrigerator crying out to be used. As to what to make with it was easy. Paneer Bhurji. Quick to prepare which means less time in the kitchen on a hot summer day. The beauty of this scrambled protein rich dish is its simplicity. Flavorful and satisfying. Makes for a good side with roti or bread.

1 Heat oil in a vessel, add chopped onions and green chillis, saute till onions turn transparent. Add turmeric pwd, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd and kasuri methi and combine. Add the chopped tomato and cook till they turn soft, approx 3-4 mts.
2 Add grated paneer and stir well to combine and cook for 2-3 mts. Add the low fat milk and toss the contents on medium high flame and see that the paneer does not stick to the vessel. The milk should evaporate. Add garam masala pwd and combine.
3 Finally, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or bread.

Traditional sweets are usually prepared during festive occasions in our home and its been a while since I made any Indian sweet at home. I have been craving Rasmalai since quite some time but did not get myself to make a visit to our neighborhood Indian sweet store. Today, when Nehal asked me for ‘Rasgullas’, I got down to preparing them at home. This is the first time I ventured out to prepare home style ‘Rasmalai’. One of the greatest culinary creations that has won the hearts of millions the world over. My humble Pranam (salutation) to the makers of these divine specialties!

Rasgulla and Rasmalai are milk based desserts prepared with freshly prepared chenna aka cottage cheese balls. For Rasagulla, the chenna balls are cooked in sugar syrup till they double in size and are ready to be served. For Rasmalai, chenna balls that have been cooked in sugar syrup are gently squeezed off the sugar syrup and further immersed in saffron flavored sweetened thick milk to cook till soft. One of the most elegant Indian dessert delicacy with sweet and fragrant flavors!

1 Take a heavy bottomed vessel and boil milk. Once its boiled, slowly add the lemon juice and you will find that the milk will curdle and the whey will separate. The whey will become clear which is an indication that the milk has curdled completely. Immediately add about 10-12 ice cubes and turn off flame. Leave aside for 3-4 mts.
2 Strain the whey and add the chenna to a damp cheese cloth or a light cotton cloth. Gather the four corners of the cloth and twist it gently and rinse under cold water to remove the sourness of the lemon juice. Tie the ends and hang it at a height and allow the whey from the chenna to drain completely. Leave aside for 30 mts.
3 Remove the chenna onto a wide plate. Now knead it gently for 7 mts till there is no trace of moisture and is absolutely soft on touch. This is a very crucial step in the process of rasgulla making.
4 While you are kneading the chenna, prepare the sugar syrup. Place a pressure cooker on the stove and add water and sugar and allow the sugar to dissolve. Bring it to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of cardamom pwd.
5 While the sugar syrup is cooking, make small smooth balls of the kneaded chenna. Ensure there are no cracks on the balls. Slowly add the chenna balls to the boiling sugar syrup. Place lid and pressure cook upto 1 whistle and continue to cook for another 4 mts.
6 Turn off heat. Once the pressure is off, remove the lid. The balls will double in size and become light and springy on touch. If you feel that the balls are not cooked yet, place lid and cook for another 5 mts without the whistle at medium heat.
7 Remove onto a serving dish, bring to room temp, refrigerate and serve chilled along with sugar syrup at room temp OR proceed to prepare rasmalai.

1 Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium flame and go on stirring on a constant basis for a good 30 mts.
2 Add the sugar syrup and continue to cook for another 20 mts. Add the cardamom pwd, pistachios and saffron and combine. Boil for another 5 mts.
3 While the milk-sugar mixture is boiling, work on the rasagullas. Gently squeeze the rasgullas with a flat ladle such that it forms a patty shape and the syrup is drained out.
4 Add the flattened rasgullas into the thickened milk and cook on low flame for 5 mts. They will absorb the sweet syrup and Rasmalai is ready. Turn off heat and cool.
5 Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Hope you had a wonderful start into 2010. Wishing you a safe, happy and healthy 2010! Reflecting on 2009, I’ve had an enjoyable food blogging year and look forward to another year of good food, fun and cheer.

I’m beginning the new year with a favorite appetizer, Chilli Paneer. Last week, I prepared a vegetarian Indo-Chinese meal consisting of Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup, Chilli Paneer and Vegetable Soft Noodles with Schezwan Vegetables.

Control the level of spice by reducing the amount of red chillis. Use spring onion white and greens for that authentic restaurant-style appetizer look and flavor.

1 Heat oil in a flat non-stick pan, place the thinly coated paneer pieces next to one another and shallow fry till brown. Flip over and let it brown the other side. Remove and keep aside.
2 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, pour the left over shallow fried oil (if necessary add 1-2 tsps more oil), add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute on high flame for about 30 secs. Add the chopped spring onion whites and saute for 2 mts. Add sliced capsicum and stir fry on high flame for 2 mts. Add red chilli paste, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and combine. Add the sauteed paneer and toss for a mt on high flame. Add 5 tbsps of water and adjust salt if necessary.
3 Add the cornflour water and combine on high flame, tossing the contents, for 2 mts. You will find that it becomes thick due to cornflour.
4 Add the chopped spring onion greens and combine. Garnish with more spring onion greens. Serve hot as a starter/appetizer.

Today, I went on an almost 100% raw food diet, basically to de-tox. There was a time when I was a raw food diet on a regular basis but was not consistent in maintaining it. Now, my goal is to eat raw once a week and be consistent.

Bring together 1/4 cup of boiled kidney beans (rajma), 1/2 cup cubed paneer (sauteed in a tsp of olive oil), 1 small chopped onion, 1 small chopped cucumber, 1 small chopped capsicum, 1 chopped tomato, 1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple, peeled orange segments, 1/4 cup sprouts of your choice, tbsp of chopped coriander leaves, tablespoon of honey, salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Add any fruit and nuts of your choice. For a vegan experience omit paneer.

Monday raw food diet ~

Morning: 6.15 am – Glass of luke warm lemon water sweetened with honey
Breakfast: 7.30 am – An apple, sprouts, few soaked and peeled almonds and tender coconut water
Mid Morning: 10 am – Large glass of Mosambi (sweet lime) juice
Lunch: 12.45 pm – Pineapple Paneer Vegetable Salad
Late Afternoon: 3.30 pm – 2 oranges and tender coconut water
Dinner: 6.45 pm – Spinach-Papaya-Flax Seeds Smoothie and few dates
Drank more water than usual.

Yesterday, I prepared Kaju Paneer with rotis. I was going to prepare Kadai Paneer but decided against it since I had already blogged the recipe earlier. For my readers sake and to cater to requests for party paneer dishes, here is a delicious creamy curry that is sure to be a hit.

I more or less followed Medhaa’s Kaju Paneer recipe tweaking it a bit. Thanks, Medhaa.

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the onion paste and sauté, approx 6-7 mts. Add the capsicum pieces and saute for 2-3 mts. Add ginger-green chilli paste, coriander pwd and combine. Add few tbsps water and saute for 2 mts.
2 Add milk and cashew nut paste and simmer for 7-8 mts. Add paneer, crushed kasuri methi and salt. Simmer for a few more mts.
3 Stir in malai, garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and combine, cook for a mt. Turn off flame.
4 Let it sit for a while before serving. The gravy thickens, so at the time of serving, add a little milk and combine. Serve hot with rotis or naan.

Tomato Paneer is a pleasantly pleasing creamy paneer curry that makes a great side with rotis or naan. Though tomato is the main player here, the magical ingredient is ginger-green chilli paste that sets things off while fresh cream and cashew nut paste play up to give a nutty sweet flavor. Dry kasuri methi lends a subtle depth and accentuates the earthiness of the spices. An easy, light yet rich special curry!

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the onion paste and sauté till light brown, approx 6-7 mts. Add ginger-green chilli paste, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd and cumin pwd and combine. Saute for 1-2 mts.
2 Add tomato puree, crushed kasuri methi and salt. Stir and let it simmer for 4-5 mts on low to medium flame.
3 Add the paneer and simmer for 4 mts. Add a cup of water and let it cook on medium heat for 8-10 mts or till you get the desired curry consistency. Remove from fire, stir in fresh cream/malai, cashewnut paste and garam masala pwd. Simmer for 2-3 mts.
4 Let it sit for 10-15 mts before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis or naan.