Karadi Achara ( Bamboo shoot pickle )

Cost of Preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Bamboo shoots ( cut into thin long strips, tightly packed into a 200 ml
cup ), lemon juice ( 3-4 tsp ), green chillis ( 5-6 nos ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), salt to taste, mustard oil ( 6 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 2 pinch ), cumin powder ( 2 pinch ).

Preparation: Dry the fresh bamboo shoots in the sun for 2-3 days. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix well.

Transfer to a glass bottle. Keep aside for 5-6 days to soften, preferably in the sun.

After the bamboo shoots become very tender, add the mustard oil along with the powdered masalas. Mix well.

Keep in a airtight bottle.

Masala Dosa

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins

Ingredients:
For the dosa batter: Rice ( 2 cups ), urad dal ( split and dehusked, 1 cup ), methi ( 1 tsp ), salt to taste.

For the Alu masala:

• Boiled Potatoes ( 3 large )
• onion ( 1 large )
• green peas ( 1/2 cup)
• garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos )
• ginger ( 1 inch )
• garam masala powder ( 1/3 tsp ),
• kasuri methi ( 1 tsp )
• chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp )
• chopped coriander leaves ( 2 tbs )
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Garnishing -

• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 4 tsp chopped cilantro
• oil/butter for cooking the dosa

Preparation: Soak the rice and urad dal for 5-6 hours. Add the fenugreek seeds and
grind into a smooth paste without adding too much water. Leave overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and mash them.

The garlic and ginger needs to be crushed into a not so fine paste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic, ginger and half of the chopped onion. Fry till onion turns translucent. Add green peas and sprinkle a little salt. Fry till the peas are half-cooked.

Add the powdered masalas. Fry for 1 min. Add the potato along with salt to taste. Stir and mix throughly. Cook for another 5 mins. Add kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.


















Heat a dosa tawa. Sprinkle a little oil. Rub with a cloth to spread the oil and absorb any excess.

Take 3/4th cup of batter and spread into a thin layer. Drizzle a few drops of oil on
all sides. Add the potato and vegetable mixture in the middle. Sprinkle a little
chopped onion, carrot, coconut and coriander. Allow the dosa to cook till light brown .

















Fold the dosa and close it. Serve hot.

Mutton Rogan Josh

Cooking Time Required: 40-45 mins
Cost of preparation: 200-250 rupees

Ingredients: Mutton ( cut into small pieces, 500 gm ), onion ( 1 no., large ),
ginger-garlic paste ( 2 tsp), Dried Ginger/Soonth powder - 1 tsp, cumin powder - 1 tsp, coriander Powder - 2 tsp, Kashmiri Degi Mirch - 1 tsp, turmeric ( 1/2 tsp), asafoetida ( 2/3 tsp), fennel powder ( 1 tsp ), green cardamom - 2 pods, cinnamon - 1-inch stick, cloves- 2 nos, bay leaf - 1 no, peppercorns ( 8-9 nos), mace ( few strands ), whole red chillis ( 2 nos), yogurt ( 1/2 cup ), mustard oil ( 6-7 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Wash and clean the mutton pieces. Drain all excess water. Add 1 tsp of
mustard oil and mix well. Keep aside for 10 mins.

Add the yogurt, salt and turmeric. Mix throughly and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
















Cooking: Heat 1-2 oil in a pan. Chop the onion into small pieces and add to the pan.
Fry till to nice brown shade. Grind into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok ( one with a heavy lid ). Add the asafoetida along with dry whole spices. Fry till they give off a nice fragrance.

Add the onion paste and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add all the powdered spices to the marinated mutton and mix well. Transfer the mutton pieces to the wok along with any remaining liquid and salt to taste.

Fry for 10-15 mins. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and cover with lid and allow to cook till the mutton is very soft and ready to fall off the bones.

Serve with white (Basmati) rice and a simple cucumber-tomato salad.

















Note: I have not used Ratanjot which gives the distinct red color to the original Kashmiri dish which is not freely available nowadays. Neither have i used red food coloring.

The gravy is a little thin and not very hot in the Original recipe and i have followed suit. One can add more chillis according to ones' preference.

Prestige Smart Kitchen Review

I am not a social reformer nor am i trying to make a name for myself by defaming others. But i believe that every voice counts and i need to make myself heard. Will be posting regular feedbacks on the products being launched in the market and my experiences with them.

These days Prestige is heavily promoting their 'Smart Kitchen' line. The company has also launched 'Exchange Offers' to boost the sales of its new products. The products are supposed to make one's life much better and easier.

I decided to buy their Induction Cook-Top as it is supposed to make cooking faster and also produces no heat thereby making the kitchen a much cooler place.

The dealer was all sugar and spice when making the sale. However our troubles started soon after when the unit developed an electrical problem within 3 months of use. It started sparking heavily and even blew out the fuse for the entire house.

We took the unit to the dealer and he said it would take 4-5 days as the company service person was not available on the same day. Ever since we have been following up with the dealer with no positive results.

Not only me but others in my office and in my friends circle have faced quality issues with Prestige products.

A word of caution for all : Please be careful when buying products from Prestige dealers.

Channa Chadchadi

Cooking Time Required: 10 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Bengal gram ( 1 cup ), onion (1 no., small), green chilli ( 1 no.),
coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), roasted cumin-chilli powder (1/4 tsp), cumin seeds ( 2 pinch ), mustard seeds ( 2 pinch ), fennel seeds ( 2 pinch ), fenugreek seeds ( 1 pinch ), 1 tsp oil, salt to taste, chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tsp ) .

Preparation: Chop the onion and green chilli into small pieces.

Soak the Bengal gram overnight. Wash and cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the seeds ( mustard, cumin, fennel & fenugreek ) followed by the onion pieces and fry till translucent. Add the green chilli and boiled bengal gram along with salt.

Stir fry for 5 mins. Add the coriander powder, oasted cumin-chilli powder and chopped coriander leaves. Remove from fire.

Serve with mudhi/muri/bhel as a snack or with rice and dalma as part of a meal.

Note: Channa chadchadi with white rice and
href="http://authenticoriyafood-oriyarasoi.blogspot.com/2010/07/cooking-time-required-10-mins-cost-of.html">Dahi Aloo is a quick-fix lunch option and can be prepared in less than 15 mins ( if one boils the channa and potato the previous night ).















To reduce the calories, one can also substitute the yogurt in Dahi Aloo with
buttermilk.

Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana Khichdi is a Maharashtrian recipe which is usually prepared on fasting days like Navratri. The recipe makes use of roasted and coarsely grated peanut powder which can be omitted in case one is allergic to peanuts. I used sesame instead when I make it for my hubby who suffers from peanut allergy.

The big tapioca pearls are preferable for this recipe as they turn out to be fluffier. But the soaking time required is more. When in a hurry, go for the smaller grains.

To cut down on the cholesterol, one can replace the ghee with refined oil and just add 3-4 drops ghee after cooking for that distinct flavour.

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup large Sabudana / Tapioca pearls
• 1 medium sized potato
• 2 green chillis
• 1 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp roasted and crushed peanuts 
• 3-4 tbsp freshly grated coconut  (optional)
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp ghee
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste ( use pink salt during fasting )
• chopped coriander leaves 
• 1 tsp lime juice

Preparation: Chop the potato and green chilli into small pieces.

Wash and soak the sabudana for 3-4 hours. Drain well and keep aside. [ Soaking and cooking time will vary with the variety used ]

Cooking: Heat the ghee and oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds followed by the green chilis and finely minced ginger. Add the chopped potatoes and fry till potato pieces become almost cooked.

Add the soaked sabudana along with salt. Sprinkle a little water if required and cook for 3-4 mins.

Garnish with the crushed peanuts, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice and grated coconut.

Serve with sweetened skimmed yogurt. A healthy snack/meal is ready.

Babycorn and Aubergine Salad

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 rupees

Ingredients: Aubergine ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), babycorn ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), tomato ( 1 no, small ), onion ( 1 no, small ), capsicum ( 1 no, medium ), roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp), lemon juice ( 1-2 tsp), salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation: Heat oil in wok. Lightly fry the aubergine and babycorn pieces. Remove and keep aside to cool down. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Cut the remaining pieces into thin slices and add to the bowl. Add remaining spices and mix well.

Serve immediately .

Sending this recipe to Deepthi's 'Healthy Snack' event :

Good Food Recipies

















Food Blog News

Sprouts Stir Fry

Cooking Time Required: 5-10 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Green moong sprouts ( 1 cup ), boiled potato ( 1 no., small), onion (1
no., small), tomato (1 no, small), green chilli ( 1 no.), coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), roasted cumin-chilli powder (1/4 tsp), cumin seeds ( 2 pinch ), 1 tsp oil, salt to taste, chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tsp ) .

Preparation: Chop the onion, green chilli and tomato into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds followed by the onion pieces and
fry till translucent. Add the green chilli and chopped tomatoes and fry till tomato
softens.

Cut the boiled potato into small pieces and add to pan. Add the coriander and chilli
powder along with salt to taste.

Fry for 3-4 mins. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with rotis and skimmed yogurt. A healthy and low calorie lunch is ready.


Note: For a variation in taste, one can add a little ginger garlic paste / sambar masala / capsicum pieces / kasuri methi.















Sending this recipe to:

Food Blog News

Mudhi Ghanta with Dried Shrimps

Cooking Time Required : 25-30 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-45 rupees

Ingredients: Channa dal ( 1 cup ), tomato ( 2 nos, medium ), potato ( 1 no, medium ), brinjal ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), pumpkin ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), grated ginger ( 1 tsp ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tbs ), onion ( 1 medium ), cinnamon stick ( 1 inch long ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), bay leaf ( 2 nos), cumin seeds ( 1/2 tsp), coriander seeds ( 1 1/2 tsp), red chilli ( 5 nos), turmeric (1/4 tsp), sukhua/dried shrimps ( 1 cup ), mustard oil ( 6-7 tsp ), cumin seeds for tempering ( 1/3 tsp ), mustard seeds for tempering ( 1/4 tsp), salt.

Preparation: Wash and soak the channa dal for 2-3 hours.

Dry roast the cinnamon, cardamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, 1 bay leaf and red
chilli ( 2 nos ).

Grind the onion along with the roasted spices into a thick & smooth paste.

Chop the tomato & potato into small pieces.

Soak the shrimp for 10 mins. Wash throughly and drain all water.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the washed shrimp and fry till it turns reddish.

Add the pumpkin and brinjal pieces and fry till they turn soft. Remove from pan and
keep aside.
















Cook the soaked channa dal with a little water, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Keep aside.

Heat 5 tsp oil in a wok. Add the potato pieces, fry for 3-4 mins and remove from wok.

Add the red chillis, bay leaf, mustard and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter and then add a little turmeric ( for color ).

Add grated ginger and follow with the masala paste after 30 secs. Add ginger garlic
paste along with a little salt after 3 mins. Cook the masala for 5 mins.

Add the chopped tomato and cook for 5 mins for it to soften. Add the crushed fish,
fried potatoes and boiled channa dal. Mix well and cook for 3 mins.

Add 1 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add more salt if required. Simmer for 5-6 mins.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: This recipe is usually prepared with Rohu/Mirkali/Bhakura head and tail. Tried
out a variation with dried shrimps and loved it.

Burrani / Bhoorani Raita

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Thick curd/yogurt ( 200 gm ), garlic cloves ( 3-4 nos ), black salt (1/4 tsp), roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), ajwain powder ( 2-3 pinch )red chilli powder ( 2/3 tsp), salt to taste, sugar ( 1 tsp, optional).

Preparation: Add the curd to a mixing bowl and beat it for 2-3 mins . Crush the garlic cloves, and add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and a little amount of water. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 mins.

Pass the mixture through a seive or a thin cloth to filter out the garlic pieces.

Serve (chilled) with Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.

Its Raining - Awards!!!

I was recently bestowed with these lovely Awards by Mugdha of (COOKING FUNDAS). She has a lovely glog with authentic oriya stuff and very good non-vegetarian recipes. Do visit her.
































Passing on the awards to my fellow bloggers!!!
1. Ushnish -COOKING AND RECIPES
2. Sutapa - TIPS FOR DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY COOKING
3. Sangeetha - Typical Indian Cooking
4. Reshmi - EasY
CooK
5. Deepa - Hamaree Rasoi
6. Melange - Mélange !!
7.Zareena - My Experiments With Food
8.Vardhini - Zesty Palette
9.Vatsala - Show and Tell
10. Sravanya - Srav's Culinary Concepts
11. Mina - Authentic Vegetarian Recipess
12. Archana - The Mad Scientist's Kitchen!!
13. Ayeesha - Torview
14. Vimitha - My
Culinary Trial Room
15. Kirthi - Krithi's Kitchen

Nadia Bara ( Coconut Vada )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Channa dal (split gram, 1 cup ), fresh coconut pieces ( 1/3 cup ), ginger ( 1 inch long ) , roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), dry red chillis ( 2-3 nos), salt to taste.

Preparation: Soak the channa dal for 5-6 hours. Wash and grind into a thick & coarse paste along with coconut pieces, dry red chilli and a little water.






























Add the grated ginger, cumin powder and salt to taste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.

Shape the paste into flat circles and put into the hot oil. Cook on both sides to a slight reddish color.





























Serve with rice and dalma or even as a snack/starters.

Poee Bara ( Malabar Spinach Vada )

Cooking Time Required : 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Poee/Malabar spinach ( 1 bunch ), potato (1 medium, cut into small
pieces), red chilli powder/ finely chopped green chillis (1/2 tsp or to taste),
besan/gram flour ( 4-5 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), ginger garlic paste (1/4 tsp), salt to taste, oil for cooking.

Preparation: Wash and clean the poee leaves. Cut into small pieces. Keep aside. Cut the potato into small pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl except for the oil.

Mix well. Add a little water if required to bind the mixture (normally the poee &
potato will leave some amt of water).












































Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 2-3 tsp oil.

Dump fistfuls of the mixture on the pan and slightly flatten it out . Drizzle with some more oil.

Cook on both sides for 3-4 mins or till done.

Serve hot with rice and dal / or as snacks .

Palak Sev Chaat

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Paalak/Spinach ( a bunch ), besan/gram flour (8-10 tsp ), sev bhujia ( 1 cup), baking powder ( 1/5 tsp ), curd/yogurt ( 4-5 tsp), sugar ( 1-2 tsp ), cumin
powder ( 1/5 tsp), salt to taste, oil for frying, sweet/spicy tamarind chutney (
optional, to taste).

Preparation: Wash and cut the paalak into strips.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the besan, baking powder, cumin powder and salt to
taste. Sprinkle a few drops of water if required to bind the besan with the leaves.

Beat the yogurt with sugar and 2 tsp of water.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok/deep vessel.

Add the palak strips to the hot oil. Fry on both sides for 1-2 mins. Remove from wok
and keep aside on a plate.

Add the sev bhujia generously over the palak pakodas. Sprinkle a little sweetened curd and sweet/spicy tamarind chutney.

Tasty Palak Sev chaat is ready to be served hot.

Note: I had to make the palak pakodas with very little besan and a bit of cornflour as i realized that i had ran out of a very vital ingredient at the 11th hour. Had made up my mind by that time to have the chaat so went ahead and made it. But i can vouch that the version i had a friend's place with ample amount of besan was better.

Alu bhendi Bhaja/Charchadi

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Ladiesfinger(bhendi) (200 gm), Alu(potato) ( 1 no., large ), green chilli (1-2 no.), cumin seeds (1/4 tsp), mustard seeds (1/5 tsp), turmeric powder(1/4 tsp), mustard oil ( 2 tsp ), salt to taste.

For the mustard garlic paste: mustard seeds (1 tsp), garlic cloves ( 4-5 nos).

Preparation: Wash the ladiesfinger and cut into small pieces . Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces than the ladies finger so that they get cooked in the same time.

Grind the mustard seeds and remaining garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a deep vessel and add the broken green chilli, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the potatoes and ladiesfinger to the spluttering seeds.

Fry the ladiesfinger and potato pieces on a high flame for 3-4 mins.

Mix the garlic-mustard paste with 1/3 cup of water and add to the wok. Add salt and turmeric and close with a lid.

Cook till water evaporates and veggies are cooked. Sprinkle a little mustard oil towards the end (options).

Remove from wok and serve with rice/rotis/parathas.

Muga Bara

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Green moong dal ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 3-4 tsp ), baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation: Soak the moong dal for 5-6 hours. Wash and grind into a thick & coarse paste along with a little water.

Add the sugar and baking powder. Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Cook evenly to a reddish brown color.
Remove from the wok and put on a absorbent paper.

Serve hot.

Note: While the sweet version of muga bara is hugely popular, one can also prepare the spicy version by substituting the sugar with green chillis, coriander leaves, onion and cumin powder.

Muga bara is also offered to Goddess Lakshmi as a prasad.

Fish and brinjal Curry

Cooking Time Required : 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Rohu/Mirkali pieces ( 2 nos, medium sized ), potato ( 1 no, small ),
brinjal ( 1 no, small), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos), turmeric ( 2 pinch), mustard oil ( 2-3 tsp ), kala jeera ( 1/2 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 5 minutes.

Cut the potato and brinjal into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan . Add the marinated fish and fry on both sides for
6-7 mins.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the chopped green chilli, kala jeera and crushed garlic flakes. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Add the potato and brinjal pieces along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1 cup of water along with salt and bring to a boil. Add the fried fish.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 7-8 mins til most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve hot with white rice.

Note: My MIL picked up this recipe during her stay in Kolkatta. Not sure about the name though.

Chicken Tandoori with lacchedar Pyaz

Cooking time required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients:

For marinate: Chicken pieces( 150-200 gms), ginger garlic paste (1 tsp), onion ( 1 half, small ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp), yogurt ( 1 tbs), Tandoori masala ( 1 tsp ), Kashmiri Lal Mirchi powder ( 1/3 tsp), salt, turmeric ( a pinch ), vinegar ( 7-8 drops).

Ghee/butter for brushing the chicken pieces.

Preparation: Make cuts in the chicken pieces. Rub salt and vinegar all over and keep aside for 10 mins.

Mix ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, turmeric, tandoori masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirchi powder, salt, chopped onion and mustard oil.

Drain any excess liquid from chicken pieces and pat dry. Add the masala paste and rub evenly over the pieces.

Put in a bag and marinate chicken pieces overnight in the fridge.















Cooking: Preheat the oven for 5 mins. Remove the chicken from fridge and keep at room temperature for 40-50 mins.
















String the chicken pieces using a skewer rod and brush ghee/butter all over.

Put into the oven and bake at 200 degrees for 15 mins. Remove from oven and brush some more ghee/butter and again cook at 200 degrees for 15 mins.

Remove from oven and keep aside for 5-10 mins.















Remove from the skewer rods.
Serve with lemon wedges and lacchedar pyaz ( thinly sliced and marianted onions ).


For the lacchedar pyaz : 1 onion ( small ), lemon juice ( 1 tsp ), pepper ( 2-3 pinch), salt.

Cut the onion into thin long strips. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep aside for 1 hour.

Sending this yummy recipe to Kirthi's event 'Serve it -Grilled'. Do check this out : Krithi's Kitchen: Announcing "Serve It" Series.. Serve It-Grilled

Kala Channa & Soya Chunks sabzi

Cooking Time Required: 12-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-18 rupees

Ingredients: Kala channa ( 1 cup ), onion ( 1 no., small ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos
), Nutrela soya chunks ( 1 cup ), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), chaana masala powder ( 1/4 tsp ),
garam masala ( a pinch), coriander powder ( 1/4 tsp ), turmeric ( 2 pinch ), salt, oil ( 1 1/2 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/5 tsp), coriander leaves for garnish ( optional ).

Preparation: Soak the kala channa overnight. The soya chunks can also be soaked
overnight else 2-3 hours also suffice.

Cooking: Wash and add the kala channa & soyabean chunks to a pressure cooker with a
little salt and turmeric. Add 1 cup of water. Cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain away excess water.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha-phutana, followed by the chopped onion and green
chillies. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

Add the boiled channa and soya-chunks along with the cumin powder, coriander powder and channa masala .Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1/2 cups of water and boil for 5 mins or till most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve with white rice / rotis.

Cheesy Dip

Ingredients: Cheese spread ( 1 tbs ), thick sour curd ( 2 tbs ), garlic & pepper tabasco sauce ( 2/3 tsp ), lime juice ( 1/3 tsp), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), salt.

Prepartion: Crush the garlic flakes and add to the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Serve with Nancho/Salsa Chips/samosa.

Note: Keep refrigerated and use with 1-2 days.

Paneer Kaliyan

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Paneer cubes ( 200 gm), fennel seeds ( 2 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), soonth/dry ginger powder ( 2 nos ), garam masala (2 pinch), coriander powder ( 2 pinch), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt, ghee ( 1 tsp ), milk ( 1 cup).

Preparation: Grind the coconut into a fine powder without adding any water and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the paneer pieces and fry till slightly golden on all sides.

Boil water in a saucepan with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the fried paneer and boil for 3-4 mins for softening.

AT the same time, combine the remaining spices except for garam masala with 1 cup of water in another wok and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 mins.

Remove the paneer pieces from the salt water and add to the boiling spices mixture. Add mil and garam masala. Boil for another 5 mins.

Remove from pan and serve hot.


Note: This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's cookbook. Made a few changes to suit my palate.