Palak paratha with paneer stuffing



Paratha tastes best with garlic pickle

Inspiration source: Deepa Pai

Ingredients:
For the paratha:
A paste made of palak, garlic, ginger, salt. Added to atta, oil, salt, water. Made into a pliable dough. In my case, pre-made by Deeps. See, how lucky I am! All ingredients are vaguely measured

For the stuffing:
Chopped paneer, cilantro, onion, green chillies ( finely chopped), dhaniya powder, turmeric, chilli powder & 1 mozzarella stick (M's addition) roughly chopped.

The rest is pretty predictive. Roll out the paratha, fill the stuffing like a hot pocket, roll out to flatten, cook on a griddle. Serve with garlic pickle . Savour.

Puffs

PUFFs , the savoury snack loved by all hag gone through major changes since potatoes are my least favourite vegetable. If potatoes could talk, they would complain of severe neglect & would bear 'identity crisis' at my kitchen. Paneer takes the place making this snack to my liking as well as my family's taste.
 As I'm known to always alter the dishes  my variation can easily substituted with potatoes,  shredded cooked chicken or boiled egg halves More substitutions are cooked black beans with salsa flavours, tandoori chicken ( total yum) & shrimp with  roasted onions & tomatoes. Told you that  I tweak!

Puffs folded in two different way...I like the first pic, the best...looks much fancier. The second one shows the  familiarity; the fond memories of  eating it at the Mangalore bakery.
























Ingredients:
Puff pastry sheets ( pepperige farm)
Paneer 400 gm, ( 1 a slab)
onions 2, finely chopped
green chillies 6-8 finely chopped
tomatoes 1, finely chopped
cilantro, few stems
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
turmeric 1/4 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp
kitchen king masala 1/2 tsp
salt
oil

Method:
Filling; Heat oil in a pan, add onions and saute till soft and translucent. Add green chillies and spice powders. Roast for a few minutes before adding paneer crumbles, tomatoes and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes and add cilantro.

Pastry sheets; Have puff pastry sheets come to room temp ( about 40 mins as per package instructions). The box contains 2 sheets. Cut the sheet in 3 and cut it in half again. This yields 12 puffs out of one box.

Baking; Place a sheet, spoon filling in the centre and fold the puffs halfway or have fout corners meet each other in the centre for a fancier looking puffs.Water may be used to glue the edges together. In my case, I didnt need to since the pastry sheets were pliable at room temperature and glued itself pretty well. Place the puff pastries in parchment lined baking tray and coat the puffs with beaten egg whites with a pastry brush. Bake at 400F for 15-18 mins. Serve hot.

Malai kofta

This one's one of the first recipe I tried from Sanjeev Kapoors collection (print out saved from 2002). I don't know if his recipe has changed over the yrs, I never felt the need to check since I think dish has been approved by my family long ago and that's all that matters.

Ingredients for kofta's:
boiled potatoes, 2 medium
paneer, crumbled, 1 cup
raisins 20
cashew nuts 1/4 cup
corn flour 1/4 cup
bread crumbs, 1/2 cup
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
finely chopped green chillies 6
finely chopped cilantro
salt

For the gravy:
Onions 2-3
green chillies 4-6
garlic paste 1tbs
ginger paste 1tbs
milk powder/ mawa 1/2 cup
fresh cream 1/2 cup
turmeric 1tsp
coriander powder 1tsp
garam masala 1tsp
red chilli powder 1 tsp
tomato puree 1/2 cup
cashewnuts abt 10
oil + salt

Part 1: Peel and mash the boiled potatoes, add all the ingredients listed in the kofta section. Mix well, form elongated rolls (this makes about 20)and deep fry. Set aside.
Part 2: Boil the onions (I pressure cook without any liquid in the vessel containing onions). Separately soak cashew nut in warm water for about 20 minutes and make a paste along with boiled onions. cool.
Part 3: Heat oil in a kadai, add boiled onion paste ( a very high chance of spluttering and blistering is expected here)and stir the paste so it reduces the water content. Add ginger garlic paste and stir for a few minutes before adding spices to remove any pungency from garlic. Add tomato puree and all the spice powder and saute for a few minutes.
Part 4: Dissolve milk powder in 1 1/2 cups of water and add to gravy. Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 mins. Finish with fresh cream and cilantro.
Add kofta's on hot gravy just before serving. Serve with ghee rice or roti's.

Paneer Jalfrezi

A variation to paneer chili with the addition of schezwan sauce.



1 block paneer ( 400g) cut in rectangle pcs
1  each- bell pepper, red onion,
5-8 green chillies, cut fine
1 inch ginger piece, julliened
3-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp hot chilli sauce (I used Taco bell brand)
2 tbsp (chings) Schezwan sauce
salt

Shallow fry paneer peices with oil to a golden brown color.
Heat oil in a wok, add ginger, garlic, bell pepper and red onions. Saute to get the onions translucent.
Add all the sauces, salt, green chillies, paneer and spring onions.
Stir fry for a few mins to soften the spring onions and coat up the paneer well.
Serve hot as an appetizer.

Methi paneer

Ingredients:
Onion- 1, finely chopped
garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
paneer- 100 gms, crumbled
methi leaves- 1 bunch,just leaves, about 2 cups
jeera - 1 tsp, crushed
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
salt

In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil and saute onion till translucent.
Add all the masala powders, salt and paneer peices.
keep stirring to mix in spices and roast paneer peices, about 5 mins.
Add methi leaves, and cover and cook for about 5 mins till leaves wilt and are cooked.
Serve hot with Chapathi.

Chilli Paneer

Ingredients
400g paneer, cut into rectangle pieces
red onion
green bell pepper
yellow bell pepper
orange bell pepper
ginger
garlic

For the sauce
tomato ketchup 4tbsp
soy sauce 2 tbsp
hot sauce 2 tbsp
chilli flakes 1 tsp
Spring onions, finely chopped
Salt

Shallow fry paneer pieces. have all the vegetables cut in big cubes and ginger and garlic finely chopped.

Make the sauce using all the ingredients for sauce.

Heat oil in a kadai and combine all the vegetables and saute well. When the vegetables are half done, and are sizzling, add the sauce and salt and mix well. Serve hot with fried rice.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients
Fried paneer 400 gms
Paalak 2 lbs
jeera 1/2 tsp
Dhaniya powder 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp

For paste no 1,
onion, 1 small
tomato, 2 medium
ginger 1" pc
garlic 3 cloves
cilantro 10 sprigs
cinnamon 1/2" pc
cloves 4
green chillies 6

For paste no 2,
boiled and cooled paalak

Heat oil, roast jeera add chilli powder, dhaniya powder,garam masala and paste no 1. Fry the paste for 10-15 mins.Add paste no 2 and fried paneer, salt and cover and cook for another 5 mins.

Paneer pasanda

A rich (cashew nut,tomato and malai) gravy based paneer dish.

Ingredients
paneer 400 gm (1 slab)
Cashew nuts 20
Onions 2
Coconut 2 tbsp
Ginger 1" piece
Garlic 2-3 cloves
coriander leaves- few sprigs
red chillies 6-8
Poppy seed (khuskhus)1 tbs
jeera 1 tsp
dhaniya 1 tsp
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1"stick
Oil 3 tablespoons
Tomato puree 1 cup
Salt to taste
Fresh cream 1/2 cup
coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Pan fry the paneer cubes till you get golden edges. Drain and set aside.
Soak cashew nuts for 20 mins in warm water.
Dry roast red chillies along with poppy seeds, jeera, dhaniya, cloves and cinnamon.
Combine onion, coconut, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves , soaked cashewnuts and roasted ingredients and grind to a paste using a little water.
Heat three tablespoons of oil in a kadai, add the ground paste and fry for 5 mins till oil leaves the masala.
Add tomato puree, salt and half cup of water and continue to simmer on low heat for fifteen minutes or till gravy thickens.
Add the fried paneer. cook to a good boil and take the dish off of heat and gently stir in the fresh cream and serve hot.