Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer tikka masala is a vegetarain’s delight. It is a gourmet dish which is very simple to make. Here is a very delicious, spicy, tempting paneer recipe. All ingredients are available in home. Paneer can be bought from any Indian store.

Ingredients
Paneer – ½ lb (Cut into cubes)
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Bay leaves – 1-2nos
Dried fenugreek leaves – a pinch
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – ¾ tsp
Garam masala – 1tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Finely chopped cilantro
Oil – 3tsp
Butter – ½ tsp
Salt to taste

For grinding
Sliced tomato – 1cup
Green chilies – 2nos

For marinating
Curd – 2 ½ tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Chilly powder – 1tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tsp
Ginger paste – 1tsp
Salt to taste


How to prepare
=►Mix together curd, turmeric (¼), chilly (1), coriander (½), garam masala and ginger in a bowl.
=►Marinate paneer cubes with above mixture. Cover it and leave to marinate for an hour in refrigerator.
=►Blend tomato and green chilies to make a puree and keep it aside.
=►Heat 2tsp of oil in a frying pan put paneer into it and fry it till the paneer gets light brown (2-3min).
=►Take out paneer from the pan and keep it aside.
=► Use the same pan for making gravy. Add 1tsp of oil into the pan.
=►Put cumin seeds and when it cracks add curry leaves, bay leaves into it and sauté it well.
=►Add tomatos puree (grinded mixture) and mix it well.
=►When it is boiling add fenugreek leaves, turmeric, chilly (1), coriander (3/4), cumin powder,salt and garam masala into it.
=►Allow it cook for 3-4 min on medium flame. Add fried paneer into it.
=►Mix it properly and cook for 3-4 min.Add butter and switch off the flame.
=►Garnish it with chopped cilantro leaves.

Karela(Pavakka) fry /Stuffed bitter gourd

This one is a new dish for me and was told to me by my mother in law. She makes it once in a week. People who don't like bitter goud will start liking it. It has to be taken with plain rice.

Ingredients
Small bitter gourd – 2nos
Finely chopped onion – 1 cup
Sliced garlic and ginger – 1 ½ tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Crushed Fennel seeds – 1tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Chilly powder – 1tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp
Garam masla – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 6tsp

Thread for tying

Steps.

How to prepare
=►Take small bitter gourd(2 ½ -3inch), make one side slit and remove seeds.

For stuffing
=►Heat 2tsp of oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and allow it to crack.
=►When it cracks add finely chopped ginger & garlic into it.
=►Sauté it well till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
=►Add finely chopped onion, salt and curry leaves and fry it well (golden brown).
=►Add turmeric, chilly, coriander and garam masala powder into it.
=►Stuff bitter gourd with cooked masala mixture.
=►Tie the bitter gourd tightly with a thread so that the masala doesnot comes out.
=►Heat 4tsp of oil in a pan, put stuffed bitter gourd into it and close it with lid.

=►Fry it on medium flame. Make sure to fry both the sides. Keeping it closed with a lid makes it easy to be cooked easily.

This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa.

Vazhakka chundu /Banana flower thoran

One of my friend Bobby gave this recipe..thanks Bobby.

Ingredients
Vazha chundu /Banana flower-1

Mustard seeds - 1/4 cup
Crushed Fennel seeds – 1tsp
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Green chilies – 2nos
Sliced shallots – ¼ cup
Dry red chilly -1
Curry leaves – a few
Grated coconut – 4tsp
Oil – 3tsp

How to prepare
=►Remove 3 to 4 outer layer of banana flower. These cannot be used. Clean and chop the remaining very well.
=►Mix it with 1tsp of coconut oil and a pinch of turmeric powder and keep
it aside for 15-20min.
=►Now add sliced shallots, grated coconut, green chilies and salt into it. Mix it properly.
=►Heat 2tsp of oil in a pan and add crushed fennel seeds and mustard seeds.
=►When it cracks add dry red chilly and curry leaves along with banana flower.
=►Close it with a lid and allow it to cook for 4-5min on medium flame.
=►Thoran is ready to be served with rice.

Kuzhalappam

This is a very tasty crispy tubular shaped snack from Kerala coated with light sugar syrup. You will find this in any bakery in Kerala. This is a good tea time snack. Children will love it any time.

Ingredients
Slightly fine rice powder/pachari – ¾ cup
Sesame seeds – 1 ½ tsp
Water – 3/4-1cup
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

For grinding
Sliced shallots (Small onion) – ¼ cup
Cumin seeds (Jeerakam) – 1tsp
Grated coconut – ¼ cup
Grind it and make fine paste.

For syrup preparation
Sugar – ½ cup
Water – ¼ cup
Cardamom pods – 2-3 nos






















How to prepare
=►Grind all the ingredients mentioned above in the grinding section.
=►Mix well the slightly roasted rice flour, sesame seeds and the above grinded paste.
=►Boil one cup of water with ¼ tsp of salt.
=►When it boils add mixed rice powder and stir it continuously and reduce the flame.
=►Allow it to cook for 1-2min on sim flame and switch off the flame.
=► Make a dough out of this and if it is very stick add little rice powder to make it non sticky.
=►Knead it well and make small balls like you make for poori (smaller than chapatti).
=►Take chapatti board or marble piece and place the dough ball on to the board and press it. (Use oil or rice powder on the board other wise the rice will stick on the board)
=►Press it till it becomes in the shape of a poori.
=►Then roll it lengthwise using fingers. Place the dough on your middle finger so that it gets a cylindrical shape. Remove the dough from the finger so that it is void from inside like a PVC cylinder.
=►Heat oil in a pan and fry(deep fry) it until it becomes light brown in color.
=►Make thick sugar syrup and pour it over these.

Note – If you want more sugary you can dip the fried Kuzhalappam in sugar syrup.

Naadan Kadala Curry /Chana dal with fried coconut

This is a traditional Kerala curry, spicy and holding a prominent place on breakfast tables. Puttu and Kadala curry is the vegetarian combination that you get in any hotels in Kerala. This is relished by kids and adults alike. The below is a combination of kadala with fried coconut and spices.

Ingredients
Chana dal/Black chickpeas– ¾ cup
Finely chopped onion – ¾ cup
Sliced tomato – 3nos
Green chilies – 2nos
Sliced garlic – 2tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 ½ tsp
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Oil – 4tsp
Fennel (Perum jeerakam) – 1 ½ tsp
Salt to taste

How to prepare
=►Soak chana dal overnight and boil it with water and salt.
=►Fry ½ cup of grated coconut until the color turns brown and grind it well and keep it aside.
=►Heat 4tsp of oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and allow it to crack.
=►When it cracks add sliced garlic, green chilies and curry leaves into it.
=►Sauté it well and add finely chopped onion and a little salt. Fry it till the onion turns
light brown.
=►Next put turmeric, chilly and coriander powder and fry it for1min.
=►Add sliced tomato and mix it well. When it is cooked well add boiled chana dal into it.
=►Sauté it and add grinded coconut paste into it. Keep it for 3-4min on medium flame.
=►It is best with puttu, rava upma or chapatti.

Pazham nurukku & Rice Ada

Rice ada and pazham nuruku is mainly taken as breakfast on the Onam morning in malabar region. Pappadam is also taken along with these which gives a salty taste to the breakfast.


Preparation of pazhamnurukku
Cut 2 banana (nentra pazham) to pieces and boil it with 3 pieces of jaggery. This is for giving more sweet taste.

Rice Ada (Pancake)

It is a special breakfast for Onam. Normally rice ada is made using banana leaf. But as it is difficult to get banana leaf so I have used flat surface without using leaf or any paper. This one is a good tea time snacks also.

Ingredients
Fine rice powder – 1cup
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Melted Jaggery (Sharkkara) – 3-4tsp
Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp
Dry ginger (Chukku Podi) powder – ¼ tsp
Salt – as rqd
Oil – 1tsp
Hot Water for making dough

How to prepare
=►Make a dough with rice powder, salt and hot water.
=►The dough consistency should be like idiyappam dough (should not be dry).
After that make dough balls (Bigger than chapatti balls)
=►Make a sweet mix with melted jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom & dry ginger.
=►Place one dough on the flat surface (I used upside down of a steel plate and apply a little oil)
to spread the dough on the surface in round shape using hand.




=►Then add 2tsp of sweet mix in half portion.
=►Fold it and press all the sides using hand.
=►Place into a staeamer cooker for steaming.

Chicken Masala

Ingredients

Chicken – 1kg
Lengthwise sliced Onion – 1 ½ cup
Sliced Tomato -2nos
Finely chopped Green chilies – 3nos
Garlic paste – ½ tsp
Ginger paste – ½ tsp
Curry leaves a few
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 2tsp
Garam masala – 1tsp
Oil – 3tsp
Butter – 3tsp




For marinating Chicken
Lengthwise sliced onion – 1 ½ cup
Sliced tomato – 2nos
Ginger paste – ½ tsp
Garlic paste – ½ tsp
Coriander leaves – a few
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 2tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Oil – 2tsp
Lemon juice – 1tsp
Mix this all ingredients together.

How to prepare
=►Clean and cut chicken into medium size pieces.
=►Mix the ingredients well for marinating and add chicken pieces into it.
=►Mix it properly and keep it aside for 15-30min.
=►Heat 3tsp of oil in a thick pan and put ½ tsp of garlic paste and ½ tsp of ginger paste into it.
=►Saute it well till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
=►Add sliced onion (1 ½ cup), chopped green chilies, curry leaves and salt into it.
=►Saute it well till the onion turns light golden brown.
=►Add sliced tomato along with coriander (2tsp),chilly (1 ½ tsp), turmeric (1/2tsp)
And garam masala into the pan and allow it cook for 2-3min.
=►Put marinated chicken pieces into the pan and leave it for sometime untll the chicken is cooked well.(No need to add water)
=►When the chicken is cooked put 3tsp of butter into it and mix properly.
=►Stir it continuously and when the water is completely evaporated switch off the flame. The masala would have become reddish-brown by now.