Mutter Paneer

Mutter Paneer is a very popular North Indian dish that you find in almost all restaurant menu. The delicious combination of soft paneer and healthy green peas is a treat to taste buds at anytime. Mutter Paneer goes well with parathas, naan and even steamed rice. So lets learn, how to cook this tasty dish with "Flavors of Sneha's Kitchen".

Mutter Paneer

Ingredients:
250 gms paneer
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 medium onions finely chopped
1 tomato puree
1 bay leaf
2 whole dried red chilli
whole garam masala
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp kasoori methi
Salt to taste
Pinch of asafoetida
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter (optional)


Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add whole garam masala, bay leaf, dried red chilli and asafoetida. Let it infuse.
• Now add the onions and saute until it starts changing the color.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
• Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Fry till oil starts loosing out from the spices.
• Now add the tomato puree and salt. Cover and cook till the raw flavor of tomatoes are gone.
• Now add the green peas and fry for a minute.
• Add the paneer cubes and mix well.
• Add little water and let it come to a boil.
• Now add kasoori methi and butter and let it simmer for 5 mints or until the gravy reaches the desired consistency.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Note: For a slight creamier version, you may add cashew paste or cream. You may slightly roast the paneer cubes on a tawa or frying pan, if you want lil browning on your paneer cubes. You may also use the fresh green peas instead of frozen. Just boil the green peas till it gets soft, before adding in the spice mixture.

Rasmalai

Rasmalai needs no introduction. Its a lip smacking Indian dessert and my husband's favorite. This rich dessert is usually prepared on special occasions and is served after meals. So, today we are gonna learn the easiest version of this sweet dish with "Flavors of Sneha's Kitchen".

Rasmalai

Ingredients:

For Rasgullas:
3/4 cup chhena
1 cup sugar
2 cups water

For Rabri:
3 cups of full fat milk
2 1/2 cups of sugar
1/8 tsp of cardamom powder
Few saffron strands
Few drops of vanilla essence (optional)
Chopped almond and pistachio for garnishing


Method:

• In a pressure cooker mix the water and sugar and let it come to a boil.
• Knead the cheena very well till it gets smooth like a dough.
• Make small and crack free balls out of this dough.
• Once sugar syrup comes to a boil add the chenna balls and cook for three whistles.
• Take it out from the flame and wait till the pressure is gone.
• Let it come to the room temperature and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
• Take 2 tbsp of cold milk in a bowl and soak the saffron strands in this and keep it aside.
• Now in a pan boil the milk on medium flame for 10-15 mints. Make sure to stir on regular intervals to avoid sticking to the pan.
• Now add the sugar and again boil it for 5 mints.
• Add the cardamom powder and soaked saffron milk.
• Boil it for few more minutes until you get the perfect consistency. At this point of time you may add few drops of vanilla essence for added flavor. Take it out from the heat and let it come to the room temperature. 
• Squeeze all the sugar syrup from the rasgullas and drop one by one in the prepared rabri.
• Let the rasgullas soak in the rabri for couple of hrs in the refrigerator.
• Garnish it with some chopped pistachio and almond flakes and serve chilled.

Making Chenna at Home:

Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan on medium high heat. Dilute lemon juice in some water and add in the boiling milk. Allow the milk to curdle and stir gently. When the milk is curdled completely, line a strainer with a muslin/cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Strain out the curdled mixture. Now wash the curdled mixture under cold running water to remove lime juice. Now squeeze out water and place heavy weight on it to remove all moisture. In about 5 mints your chenna will be ready to use.

Note: Make sure you make small balls of rasgullas because it gets double in size after boiling. Try to make the balls faster. If you wait too long to cook the rasgullas after the balls are made, it might turn out hard.

Paneer Pakora

Paneer Pakora is a delicious yet simple snack which melts in your mouth. This can be a great choice at any party or on a rainy day. When guest come, serve the piping hot paneer pakora with chutney and I"m sure they'll be licking their fingertips ;) So, lets learn how to prepare this with "Flavors of Sneha's Kitchen".



Ingredients:

Paneer Pakoras with Green Chutney

1"square thinly sliced paneer
2 tbsp yogurt
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp grated ginger
1 green chilli minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Oil to fry

For Batter:
1/2 cup gram flour
1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
Water as needed


Method:

• In a bowl, add the yogurt, cornstarch, ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well and coat the paneer pieces gently in this mixture. Cover this with plastic foil and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hour.
• In another bowl, add gram flour, carom seeds, baking soda, garlic paste, salt and little water to make a thick pasty batter.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
• Dip the marinated paneer slices in the batter one at a time and drop slowly into the frying pan. Fry the pakoras on medium heat.Turn them occasionally, until both sides are golden brown.
• Serve it with your choice of dip. I personally like this with coriander green chutney. 

Note: Before frying the pakoras, test the oil temperature by putting one drop of batter in the oil. The batter should form a small ball on the surface of the pan, but not change color. If you want your pakoras to be little more spicy then you can add some red chilli powder in gram flour batter.

Pepper Chicken

Pepper Chicken is a hot and spicy chicken dish. This recipe is quite popular in southern part of India. If you want to add flavor and little spice in your taste bud then try this delicious and hot recipe. Its a perfect preparation to serve to your guests along with paratha, roti or naan. So lets try this with "Flavors of Sneha's Kitchen".


Ingredients:

Pepper Chicken

500 gms boneless chicken
2 large onion sliced
2 medium tomatoes sliced
1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp of grated coconut
2 tsp of coriander powder
2 tsp of chilli powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves



Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and salt. Saute until translucent.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
• Now add tomatoes and saute for one minute.
• Add grated coconut, coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
• Let it cool down and put it into the blender. Add little water to make a smooth paste.
• Now heat rest of the oil in a pan. Crackle the fennel seeds.
• Add curry leaves and immediately add the chicken pieces. 
• Sprinkle some salt and saute for 2 minutes.
• Now add the crushed peppercorns and onion tomato paste.
• Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is tender. Make sure to stir in regular intervals to avoid sticking this in pan.
• Now add some more crushed peppercorns and saute for a minute.
• Add the finely chopped coriander leaves, cover and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: Since, I have used chilli powder and peppercorns both, you will find this recipe very spicy. So feel free to adjust the spice level according to your taste bud. Though, I have used boneless chicken but this recipe tastes good with bone in chicken too.

Rajma Masala

Rajma Masala is one of the tasty dish in North Indian cuisine. This dish is very popular and favourite in Punjab. There are endless variations to make this dish but this version of rajma masala is worth giving a try. The best accompaniments to Rajma Masala is steamed basmati rice and next comes some hot Naan or rotis. So lets see how to prepare a punjabi style Rajma Masala with "Flavors of Sneha's Kitchen".


Ingredients:

Rajma Masala

250 gms rajma
2 large onions finely chopped or grated
2 large tomatoes puree
2 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
2 bay leaves
3-4 black or green cardamom
2 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of roasted cumin powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of garam masala powder
1 tsp of kashmiri red chilli powder
2 slit green chillies
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves


Method:

• Soak rajma in water for overnight. Pressure cook the soaked rajma in 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp of salt. 
• Separate the boiled rajma and leftover liquor and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaves and cardamom. Let it infuse.
• Add the grated onion and fry on medium heat until light golden color.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Now add the tomato puree and slit green chillies. Cook this mixture for 7-8 minutes until the raw flavor of tomatoes are gone.
• Once tomatoes are cooked add coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt. Saute till spices are well cooked and oil starts appearing from the corners.
• Now add the boiled rajma and leftover liquor and mix it well.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Keep stirring on regular intervals.
• Mash some of the rajmas from back of the spoon.
• Crush the dried fenugreek leaves and add in rajma.
• Let it simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Note: I prefer my Rajma to cook till they become soft enough to melt in the mouth. To make this dish little rich you can mix 1 tbsp of cream at the end, before switching off the flame.