Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a yummy nutrious dish which contains iron rich spinach and protein rich cottage cheese.

Ingredients :

• spinach/palak-4 bunches
• onions-3
• tomato-1
• greenchillies-5
• ginger-1 inch piece
• oil/butter/ghee
• paneer/cottage cheese-250 gm
• fresh cream-1tsp
• sugar-1tsp
• cinammon-1 small piece
• garam masala powder-1/4 tsp(optional)
• salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

1.First of all, cut the paneer into cubes and soak it in hot water.

2.Clean palak .Boil little water in a vessel .After the water is boiled ,soak the cleaned palak for just 5min and take it out.Retain the water.

3.Cut onions and tomato.Heat 2tsp of oil in a wok and saute the cut onions and tomato along with cinammon,ginger and green chillies.

4.After the palak is cooled ,grind it in a mixer to form a paste.

5.Grind the onion tomato sauted in a mixer.Heat 2tblsp oil/butter/ghee(using butter/ghee enhances taste) in a wok and saute the ground paste for about 5min.

6.To the above, add ground palak and 2 cups of water that was retained and let it boil for 10 min or till the raw smell is completely gone.Add required  quantity of salt and mix well.Meanwhile, take out the paneer cubes from water, heat 1 tblsp of oil/ghee in a frying pan and fry them .

7.Add the fried paneer cubes to the palak gravy.If the gravy is very thick,then add some more water and add some salt if needed , 1tsp sugar , 1/4 tsp garam masala powder (optional) and mix well. Cook for another 5 min or till the desired consistency(semi liqiud) is reached.

8.Last but not the least, garnish the yummy palak paneer with a dash of fresh cream and serve hot with chapathis/rotis/phulkas/kulcha/nan.

Quick hot and sweet platter

When there is no time to cut and cook vegetables for dinner,here is a quick recipe for a spicy onion tomato saute and another for mango raitha.

Ingredients for Mango raitha:  

• Ripe Mangoes-2
• jaggery-2tsp
• thick curds-2cups
• oil-1/2 tsp(for seasoning)
• greenchilli-1
• redchilli-1
• mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
• pinch of salt                                                                                   

Method of Preparation:

1.Select 2 juicy ripe mangoes.

 

2.Extract pulp from the mangoes and transfer it to a wok.Add jaggery and cook for 5min.Let it cool.

3.Now, add curds, pinch of salt and mix well.

 

4.Transfer the above contents into a bowl.Garnish with  green, red chillies and mustard seeds seasoned in 1/4 tsp oil.

  

 note:cooking mangoes removes any bad effects caused by eating mangoes as it is.

Ingredients for Onion Tomato Saute:

• Onions-3big
• tomatoes-2big
• greenchillies-2
• red chilli powder-2tsp
• kasoori methi-2tsp
• Jaggery-2tsp
• oil-2tblp
• turmeric-1/2 tsp
• salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

      1.Finely cut onions and tomatoes.

2.Pour oil in a kadai/wok, splutter mustard seeds ,add slit green chillies and finely chopped onions.Saute for 2 min,add turmeric powder and saute for another 2-3 min.

3.To the above, add finely chopped tomatoes,  jaggery, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.

4.Now,.add Kasoori methi(enhances taste ) and saute well for about 5 min.

5.Spicy Onion Tomato Saute is now done.Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve both the mango raitha and onion tomato saute with hot chapathis.