These days, due to a busy schedule, my experiments in kitchen have reduced a lot. Though I cook regularly, I make something easy and quick. But some days are different. Last week, when I was very bored of eating same thing again and again, I thought of cooking something special. This “Indian restaurant special” paneer butter masala instantly came to my mind. I have cooked this many times and we love it. I served this with garlic naan .
Ingredients: 1 cup paneer pieces 1 cup tomato puree (blanch about a and 1/2 big tomatoes in water and puree them) 2 tbl spns cashews (blanch and make a paste) 2 tbl spn chopped coriander leaves 1 tea spn ginger 1 tea spn garlic 1 tea spn chilli powder 1 tea spn butter 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds Salt
Spices (make a powder) : 1 tea spn coriander seeds 4-5 cloves 2″ cinnamon 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
Method: Heat butter and fry paneer pieces for a few minutes till they become golden brown. Do not fry for too long, they get hard. Take out the pieces. In the same pan, add cumin seeds. When they start popping, add ginger, garlic paste, onion. Fry for few minutes. Now add spice powder and mix. Add the tomato puree, chilli powder and cook for 3-4 minutes. If required, add 1/2 cup water (optional). Now slide in the paneer pieces. (Be very careful after adding paneer, do not mix the gravy too much). Add the cashew paste, salt and cook till the gravy thickens. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.
PS: Add 2 tbl spn of cream and 1 tea spn kasoori methi along with cashew paste for extra creaminess and taste. I normally don’t have these on hand, so I skip these most of the times.
Serves : 2 Preparation time : 20mins
When the work scene is tight, it’s hard to manage all the fancy stuff while cooking at home.
Even with so many things going on, I think I am managing lunch and dinner pretty well. Most of the times it is not something great, but for sure, it is something easy and very filling. Since V likes chapathis for lunch, I make them in the morning. Most of the times I make the sides in the evening so that I have to make just chapathis in the morning and carry previous days sides. But during all this, the most affected meal of the day is breakfast. I try my best to cook breakfast and recently this dish has become a regular at my home now.
I created this dish from my memory. During my college days in Belgaum, once I had visited one of my friends. Her sister made a delicious snack for us. I watched her making this dish and was very surprised by the method. Until then, I had only seen puffed rice (chirmure/murmura) used in its crispy form. But for this dish, her sister soaked the puffed rice in water, squeezed it and then prepared this dish. I simply adored the taste. I don’t remember her recipe now. But few months ago, I remembered this and tried to recreate it. I don’t know the exact name. We both love it and since it gets ready within minutes, it suits my busy schedule.
Ingredients: 2 cups puffed rice(chirmure/murmura) 1 tea spn chilli powder A pinch turmeric 1/2 tea spn coriander powder 1/4 tea spn cumin powder 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds A pinch asafoetida 4-5 curry leaves 2-3 coriander leaves 1/4 cup tomato Oil Salt
Method: Take the puffed rice in a large bowl and add water to it. Leave it for about 10mins. Then squeeze the water out of it. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add asafoetida, curry leaves. Add tomatoes, soaked puffed rice, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt. Â Mix well. Close the lid and let it cook on a medium heat for about 2mins. Take off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.
Serves : 2 Preparation time : 15mins
