Karanji kai

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 cup Fine Rava, not what we generally call as 'bombay rava'
3 tbsp maida
1-2 tbsp Ghee/Butter
make a dough using just enough water, knead and set aside.

Filling:
1/2 cup Desiccated coconut/ Copra
1/4 cup khus khus/ poppy seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1/2 cup Confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp Powdered Elaichi
cashew nuts, raisins
Oil for frying

Method:
Dry roast coconut, khus khus, cashew nuts and til seeds together. Add sugar, raisins and elaichi powder.

Make small pooris from the dough, spoon in a tsp of the filling on one half of the circle and fold along the center. Wet the ends of poori with some water or milk ad fold over the other half, seal and twist the ends.

Heat oil to medium heat. Drop the karanji into oil and fry until they turn golden brown in color.
Can be stored for a week, if it lasts.

karkala cake

This bowl of goodness is neither a pudding or a cake but is called as both all over Mangalore and Karkala. What's in a name, anyway?
I've been dreaming of relishing this ever since my last visit to India. Incidentally this has been the new 'sweet' dish as an addition to the wedding's breakfast eats taking the place of good old Ksheera/sheera. Karkala cake a new dish?  OK, maybe not new to those living in India, but it is to me who missed out on a whole decade of weddings and other religious occasions back home.

The recipe was found in an almost neglected and as a scrap piece of shabbily written recipe with more scribbles  covering the rest of the paper around it. As excited as I was to find the hidden treasure, I was  also skeptical of the mood I was in while I took down the recipe. Now I was really hoping  I  had paid attention,  as the writing didn't look as neat as it would on my good mood days. Yikes! You know what I mean! ;)

Either way, I was on a quest to make it till I get this right! 
Glad I did, because it turned out heavenly....yeah yeah, bit heavy for just a mush of Yumm'ness but, my friends along with me are  the one's that relished this and gave a positive review so you just have to take my word for it!    Trust me!
    
 So here goes the real part you've been waiting for...
recipe courtesy - Raj maam ( a wedding cook who makes amchi food finger licking good) 


Ingredients:
2 cups ground whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2.5 cups water(warm)
1 cup ghee (yes, u read it right!)
1/4 cup chopped cashew
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Roast wheat flour in ghee till light brownish on a slow to medium flame stirring constantly. The unmistakable aroma of roasted wheat flour is hard to miss. (I usually add 1 whole cashew in the beginning and when the cashew turns brown I know the roasting is done)

Now add all cashew and raisins. Roast for another 2 minutes. At this stage cashew browns real quick.Add the sugar while stirring constantly.

Add the warm water and cardamom. Stir till the whole mixture comes into a ball & leaves the sides of the pan without sticking(which is pretty quick).Done!
See, it was easy after all.
Serve warm.

This dish went to Uma's Poovathingal's house for the Haldi-kukkum prasadam on occasion of Laxmi pooja.
G's note: there is no way you could mess up this dessert. I can take pride in vouching for this fail proof recipe. I'm not going to take credit to the recipe but I assure you that this is a life saver for last minute get-together. I certainly hope that my friends will relish and indulge in this heavenly dessert, guilt free with me.

The most favourite part of making this (apart from taste testing, of course!) was the cleanup of the kadai..absolutely clean, like it was never used... now there is absolutely no excuse or reason to not make this, is there?!
In closing, this wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!

key lime pie

Ingredients:
Crust:
5 TBS butter, melted
1-1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Filling:
1can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice
2 tsp grated lime zest
2 egg yolks

Meringue:
2 eggs, separated, use only whites of 2 eggs
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, combine ingredients and pat down into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon zest; blend in the egg yolks. Pour the filling into the crust.

For the meringue, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar and remaining teaspoon zest until the mixture is stiff. Spread the meringue over the filling; spread it to touch the edge of the crust all around. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.

Cilantro hummus

I went hummus crazy a few yrs ago when I tried Mediterranean sandwich at Panera for the first time. Panera needs no introduction for bread loves all over the east coast. The sandwich had nothing fancy to it but whatever simple staple they use, it is pretty awesome in itself.
Coming back to hummus, I ordered this separately at Panera's just to speculate & get to the bottom of " what really makes this so great!". A few tries to perfect this led to an amazing sense of pride of actually bringing the taste close to the original. Check it out to believe it!
Pic coming soon...

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained ( to cut down on sodium)
2 jalapeno, finely minced
2 pinches, red pepper flakes
juice of one lime
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
2 tbs tahini ( sesame oil)
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small garlic clove
salt

Method:
Process the chickpeas, cilantro and garlic until well blended and smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl, make a well and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve with pita chips or a spread to subs and sandwiches.

G's note: this can be stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Jeev kadgi podi

Deep fried to crisp.
Masala- rice flour, chilli powder, hing, salt, water.

Maggie...top 5 fav's

Guacamole

 Guacamole is a versatile & simple cool dish that is a quick to put together crowd pleaser. Finally, something that is good to the palette is actually good for you. Avocado ( read as good fat) for heart, onion for blood purification, tomatoes for a healthy glow. All goodness in one!

This side is no-brainer. I like to keep my dish simple & fresh using  avocado's that are firm but gives in whe are pressed gently, just ripe tomatoes, fragrant tender cilantro & crisp jalapenos. This creamy, smooth goodness makes you want to skip the chips & go straight to the dip!















Ingredients:
2 large avocados
freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 lime
1/2  red onion, finely minced
1 small ripe tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
10 stems cilantro, finely chopped
salt

Directions:
Seriously, you need directions?!
Chop  avocados into cubes and mash them very slightly with a fork. Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl and serve along with salsa and tortillas of your choice.

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Remove the tough lower stalks of Asparagus.
( To do so, hold the top end and bottom end of asparagus and bend. The Asparagus should snap easily with a crisp cut. Save the top, discard the bottom)

Place the asparagus in baking sheet, pour olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt and toss to coat.

Roast for 15minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and broil for 5 mins on low.

kesari baath

Ingredients:
1 Cup rava
3/4 Cup sugar
3 tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1 tsp Everest milk masala powder
cashew nuts and Raisins
2 Pinches saffron

2-1/2 Cups water

Method:
In a large heavy bottomed heat ghee and rava, roast over low heat for about 7 to 8 minutes until you see a change in color and the rava has a roasted aroma.

Add cashew nuts, raisins, milk masala powder, elaichi, sugar and saffron. Roast for few more minutes.

Bring water to a boil. Take rava away from flame and add all the water, stir, cover and let cook on simmer for about 10 mins. At this point all the water must have been evaporated and the ghee would have seperated from the kesari baath. Garnish with more roasted nuts. Serve hot.

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.

Cream cheese frosting

The sweetish tangy icing goes perfect as a frosting for the spice infused carrot cake.

Ingredients:
12 oz.( 1 1/2 sticks) full-fat cream cheese, chilled
12 Tbsp ( 1 1/2 sticks) butter, unsalted, room temp
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners sugar

Method:
In the large bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until very soft and light for about 5 minutes. Decrease the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, beating after each addition and finally increase the speed to medium for 5 minutes longer.
The icing is now ready to be spread since it is at room temp. If adding pecans, hold the iced cake by base in one hand and use the other to touch pecan bits to the icing. The cake needs to be chilled before serving.

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted
To toast them, put them in a 350 oven on a rimmed baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. let them cool on the pan.

Chicken Biryani

The long overdue recipe for G's Biryani recipe is finally here! Biryani lover's rejoice...this dish has been showered with lot of praises, pat on the back and a many many smiles from DH. All thanks to SG for a great masala base....Banne Nawab Hydrabadi chicken biryani

Ingredients for marinade:
Chicken 5 lbs, cut, cleaned, bone intact
yogurt- 1 cup
Biryani masala- Banne Nawab
chilli powder- 1 tsp
ginger paste- 1 tsp
garlic paste- 1tsp
lemon juice- 3 tbsp of juice of one lemon
salt

for layering
Rice, 4 cups, halfway cooked with whole garam masala, ghee and salt
Fried onions, 3 large onions, thinly sliced( I try to make a freshly batch but store brought will do if u r not as picky as me)
boiled eggs, about 8 ( cook in boiled water for exactly 5 mins), peel
cilantro and mint, chopped roughly
saffron- 2 tbsp soaked in 1/2 a cup of warm milk


Part 1, Mix up all spices and chicken, cover, refrigerate and let marination do the work overnight. If pressed for time, 4 hrs is minimum required time for good biryani, but I don't want it just good, I am after the best!

Part2, heat oil in a kadai, fry 3 large onions and set the onion aside to drain on a few paper towel. Remove excess oil from kadai, leaving abt 3 tbsp to roast the chicken. Brown the chiken, a few at a time without overcrowding the pan. The purpose here is to brown the surface to get a caramalised taste, at this point I am not worried about chicken not being cooked. Remove all the roasted chicken and set aside.To the kadai, add about cup of water to deglaze, stir constantly and gently add all the browned chiken. Cover, simmer and cook till done. Open and reduce any leftover liquid from the chicken on high heat.

Part 3, In a a heavy bottomed vessel, boil 6 cups of water, add whole garam masala ( 4 bay leaves,2 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, a couple pieces of cinnamon sticks,star anise, few peppercorns), 4 cups of rice, 4 tbsp ghee and salt. Cover and take off the heat to slow cook. In about 30 minutes all the water will have absorbed and the rice cooked halfway....just the way we want it.
Now, spread the rice on a large platter to cool off a little to prevent cooking further. Spoon the saffron milk at one tsp at a time, in about 6 places to color as well as flavor the rice. Do not mix further. A fork can be used to lightly rake the rice to get different shades of yellow from saffron.

Part 4, In a oven proof casserole/dish, layer in half the rice on the bottom, sprinkle 1/3 of cilantro and mint leaves, layer chicken, fried onion, boiled egg nestled between chicken and some more of cilantro mint leaves. Layer second half of rice, fried onions and cilantro mint leaves to completely cover the chicken. Cover the casserole with aluminium foil and bake.

Part 5 , Heat oven to 250F and place the biryani in the oven for about an hour. This final baking gives the 'DUM' effect, cooks the eggs and rice and the gets the chicken to flavor the dish to perfection.


*G's Note*: I let the chicken biryani sit in the oven for longer until it is time to serve since I do not recommend reheating the dish for obvious reasons while entertaining friends.

Podi/ bhajo's

Paagil podi (pic 1) cauliflower bhajo (pic 2)









Leave it to 'Amchi's' to take something healthy and deep fry and relish it like it's the best thing in the world....but hey, I'm not complaining....I am equally guilty of having a nostalgic fondness towards podi's and bhajo's with dalithoy. Yum!

Bhajo's batter is made using besan,rice flour, chilli powder, hing and salt.Usually made out of cauliflower, potato,onion.

Podi's that uses the masala mentioned below are made of kadi ( raw jackfruit), Pagil( kantola), Goint( parwal), karathe(bitter gourd, Mashingasang (drumsticks).

For the podi guli:
Rice- 1 Cups, soaked in water for 2-3 hrs
Red chillies – 20
Hing – 1/4 tsp
salt
Grind all these ingredients into a coarse thick paste with minimal water and apply this to the the choice of your vegetable. Deep fry the goodies and enjoy with dalithoy and rice.

5 min choc cake

Ingredients:
4 tbsp all purpose flour
3 tbsp choc chips (any kind)
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
i pinch salt
1 egg
5 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a coffee mug. Microwaave on high for 3 mins. Cool for a minute. Sare and enjoy!

berry ice cream

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup strawberries
lime juice out of 1 lime
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Method:
In a medium sauce pan over low heat cook berries, sugar, lime zest & juice of 1 lime stirring occasionally, until berries begin to burst. Remove from heat and add strawberries,  mash a few berries leaving a few intact.



Cool the sweetened berries to room temperature add heavy cream * extract then churn in the ice cream maker till it thickens (about 25 mins).


Pour into a plastic tub (with airtight lid), line with wax paper & secure with lid. Freeze 2 hrs for a softee treat or 4+ hrs for tight scooped ice cream.

Madgane

Ingredients
1 cup bengal gram /chana dal
15 cashews
1 cup grated jaggery
1 cup coconut
2 tbsp rice, soaked in water
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Pressure cook dal and cashew nut, just cooked till soft.
Grind coconut with rice to a smooth paste and use a sieve to strain and get milk.
In a heavy bottomed pot, add cooked dal, jaggery, cardamom powder and coconut milk. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Serve hot.

Amrakhand

Ingredients:
2 Cup of yogurt
1 Cup Mango pulp
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tbsp Everest milk masala (* see below)
a big pinch of saffron strands
1/2 Cup Pistachios, coarsely chopped
10 almonds, crushed
1/2 tsp elaichi powder

Method:
Place the yogurt in a colader thas has been double lined with cheese cloth. Refrigerate covered, overnight. Place a plate under the colander to catch the drips .
Add the sugar, mango pulp, elaichi powder, Everest milk masala, saffron, pista and almond to the thick yogurt. Garnish with saffron, pista and almond. Serve chilled with poori.

* Everest brand sells a kesar milk (powder) that has dried nuts ( coarsely crushed)in them that is added to warm milk for the saffron flavoured doodh. It can be used for flavouring kheer as well.

Happy Ugadi!

Clockwise:- starting from happla kismuri ( 6 O'clock), vodi, taushe sasam, dalithoy, chane ghashi made with the same masala as tori ghashi, nelkadle upkari, madgane, amrakhand with rice.

Happla kismuri

Ingredients:
Red Chillies Pappad/ Happol - 5
Onions,finely chopped - 1
Green Chillies - 3 finely chopped
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Coconut oil - 2 tsp
Cilantro, few stems, chopped
Salt

Method:
Roast the Pappad on high flame, apply oil. Crush green chillies in grated coconut add this to chopped onions, cilantro and salt. Hand crush the pappad and mix it with coconut onion mixture. Serve immediately.

Chane upkari ani phov

This is one of the breakfast eats which is done at most Konkani get-together's yet is not liked very much if done at home. It is considered very thoughtless of the host if at all it is served to any guest...no idea why! With last minute guest visiting all the time, sometimes it is inevitable to fix this breakfast up. I love this all the more now that I'm away from my home and it is a rare breakfast eats for us over here. A very simple non complicated breakfast.


















CHANE UPKARI
Ingredients:
brown skinned chana – 1cup
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Red chillies 3, cut in half
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:
Soak chana for 4-6hrs.
Pressure cook the chana till soft and tender.
Heat oil in a kadai, for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds,red chillies and curry leaves. Now add the cooked chana and salt. Bring it to a good boil. Garnish with coconut. Serve with Phov.

PHOV
Ingredients:
Thin poha 2 cups
coconut 1 cup
jaggrey 1/4 cup, grated
Jeera 1/4 tsp
coriander seeds 1/4 tsp
red chillies 4-8
mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
oil 1tsp

heat oil and roast red chillies, jeera and coriander seeds.
Crush the roasted spice with jaggrey, salt and coconut with a mortar and pestle. Add this coconut-spice mixture till the masala incorporates with poha. Make a seasoning with oil, mustard seeds,red chillies and curry leaves and add this to mixed poha.
This poha in a konkaniites home is served with one or more of the following:-banana, upma, chana upkari, chivda.

Nelkadle upkari

This dish is the recipe shared by one of a great cook, Shyamala Kini who posts wonderful pics on a group "Konkani Amchi Food" on FB. Something so simple, yet, delicious and a new found dish made from the common ingredient....the peanuts.
So, my inspiration source of this dish is S akka.

Ingredients:
Peanuts 2cups,
mustard seeds
red chillies
curry leaves
salt

Method:
Peanuts need to be soaked in water for 4-6 hrs. Pressure cook.
heat oil and season with mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Add cooked peanuts and salt and bring it ot one boil. Serve as a side.

Upma

The upma served here with tea, bhusa mixture and parle-G, just the way my babies love it.

Ingredients:
Rava 2 cups
mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
urad dal 1/4 tsp
green chillies 4, slit
curry leaves 1 sprig
water 4 cups
ghee 3tbsp
cocnut 4tbsp
sugar 3 tbsp
salt

Method:
Boil the water and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a kadai and season with mustard, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves.
Add rava and roast on low flame till the rava has a toasted aroma. Add salt and sugar mix well and take off flame. Pour the 4 cups of boiling water, coconut and mix well. cover and and cook on low flame for 15 mins which will completely cook the rava and doubles up in volume. Stir to mix up all the seasoning that settled on top of the upma. Serve it with poha, bhusa mixture, chivda or as is.

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.

Arvi chatpata

Ingredients
Arvi roots-boiled like poatoes, peeled, cubed,
Oil- 1 tbsp
mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
curry leaves- 1 sprig
turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp, crushed
Dhaniya powder- 1/4 tsp
chaat masala- 1/4 tsp
salt

Heat oil in a kadai and all the above ingredients listed above and saute lightly to crisp the arvi chunks.

Shrimp 65

Ingredients:

For the marinade:
3 lbs Shrimp
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1 egg
salt

cooking oil for deep frying

For seasoning:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
6-8 Italian peppers
4 green chillies, slit
2sprig curry leaves
3 tbsp chilli garlic sauce (I used Ching's secret)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp schezwan sauce
Salt to taste
5-6 stems spring onions

Method:
Marinated the shrimp and set aside for about an hr.
Heat oil for frying the shrimp and fry them to medium rare without overcrowding the oil.
Heat oil in a kadai/wok and add seasoning ingredients one at a time in the above order, sauteing for a few minutes before adding the next ingredient.Toss fried shrimp to coat well. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve as an appetizer.

Vaingana/gulla sagle

Ingredients:
Gulla/thai green eggplants 12-15
Coconut -1 cup
Red chillies 6-8
Tamarind paste 1/2 tsp
methi seeds 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

prep:
Slit egglpants into 4 from the bottom keeping the stem intact.

Grind together the coconut, red chillies,methi seeds, coriander seeds, salt and tamarind to a coarse paste. Spoon this paste in the cut slits of eggplants. Set aside.

Heat oil in a flat heavy bottomed pan and season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the stuffed eggplants and let it sizzle in the seasoning, turning the eggplants as it roasts on medium heat. After roasting for a few minutes, add the rest of the ground masala, if any and cover and cook for about 10 minutes to cook completely on low heat. Do not stir the dish too much which may break the eggplants. Serve hot as a side dish along with rice.

Pomfret fry

Pomfrets cut up into 1 inch
red chilli powder
 tamarind,
 turmeric
 hing
 salt.

 All the ingredients are just a eyeball measurement.

Mix well and chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.
Coat the fish in dry mix using 1 tbsp of rice flour, salt and red chilli powder and set aside.
Shallow fry on medium hot skillet using about a tsp of oil around the edges of each peice.

Rabdi

Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 cup paneer, grated
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
a few strands saffron

For the garnish
1 tbsp crushed almonds

Heat milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and bring it to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and add the paneer crumbs, condensed milk, cardamom powder and saffron. Cook on low heat for 5 mins. Garnish with crushed almonds. Chill overnight and serve.

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.

Tawa Bhaji

Ingredients
2 big red onions
1 green bell pepper
1 medium potato
cauliflower florets
2 green chillies slit
1 tomato
1 inch pc ginger finely chopped
paneer cubes
2tsp kitchen king masala
1 tsp paneer makkanwala powder
1/4 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp kasoori methi
cilantro for garnish
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste


Method
In a kadai, heat oil, add onion, fry potaoes cooked for a few minutes and add the spices and stir for a few minutes. Mix in rest of the veggies and paneer, saute to crisp the vegies, simmer and cook for a few minutes, covered. Garnish with cilantro and crushed kasoori methi. Serve with paratha/ chapathi.
G's note: there is no added water to this dish and the veggies have a slight crunch to them and not completely cooked.