Paneer Tikka - Grilled Cottage Cheese

Yum. There is nothing else I can say about the taste of this spicy grilled cottage cheese skewers. I feel nostalgic when I make these skewers as it reminds me of the carefree days of college. This dish was introduced to me by one of my college buddies. There was this open air restaurant called Tandoor which served amazing oven roasted vegetarian delights right in front of the tandoor oven. It was just divine.

Ingredients

Paneer or Cottage Cheese Blocks– 100g
Onion – 1 Small
Green Bell Pepper – 1 Medium
Red Bell Pepper – 1 Medium
Tomato – 1 Plum
Yogurt – 1 Cup
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Cumin seed powder – ½ Tsp
Garam Masala Powder or Curry Powder – ½ Tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1.5 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice – 2 Tsp

Directions

• Cut the paneer into 1 inch cubes.
• Cut the peppers and onions into 1 inch square pieces.
• De-seed the tomato and cut into 1 inch square pieces.
• Mix the yogurt, coriander powder, cumin powder, curry powder and ginger-garlic paste.
• Marinate the paneer in this yogurt mixture for at least 30 minutes.
• Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so that they don’t catch fire on the grill.
• Now assemble the marinated paneer, peppers, onion and tomato on the skewers.
• Coat the grill with some cooking spray and grill until browned.
• Squeeze some lemon juice.
• Serve hot with spicy coriander chutney
• If you don’t have a grill, you can also bake the skewers in a 250 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until the paneer is nice and brown and the veggies are slightly charred

Serving Size : 4

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate

Methi Paratha - Fenugreek Wraps

Methi or fenugreek is widely used in India. It is a mildly bitter but aromatic leaf and is available either fresh or frozen in Indian grocery stores. For this recipe I usually use the frozen kind because it is easier but you can use the fresh ones too.

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 2.5 Cups
Methi Leaves – Fenugreek Leaves– 1 Cup thawed (around 130 grams)
Plain Yogurt – 1 Cup
Cumin Seeds – 2 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp
Salt – To taste
Curry Powder – 1 Tsp
Chili Powder – ½ Tsp
Olive oil – 1 Tsp

Directions

• Mix the yogurt, turmeric powder, chili powder, curry powder and salt in a bowl.
• Mix in the methi leaves and let it rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the yogurt to remove the bitterness from the methi.
• Now add the whole wheat flour and make a dough that is pliable.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Make small ping pong sized balls and roll them out into 6 inch diameter parathas.
• Spray some cooking spray on a hot griddle and cook one side. Flip over and cook the other side.
• Serve hot with yogurt or raita.

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate

Eggplant Curry

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a North Indian delicacy called Baingan (Eggplant) Bartha. It is a curry made from fire roasted eggplant and it is really delicious. But those who know me can vouch that I do not have the patience for that recipe. So I improvised. To get the smoky flavor of fire roasted eggplant, I use a dash of chipotle pepper sauce.



Ingredients

Eggplant – 2 Large
Tomato – 2 Large diced
Onions – 1 Large diced
Ginger – 1 Tsp grated
Garlic – 2 cloves minced
Cilantro – ¼ Cup chopped
Cumin Seeds – 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ Tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 Tsp
Chili Powder – ½ Tsp
Curry Powder – ½ Tsp
Chipotle Pepper Sauce – ½ Tsp
Salt – To taste
Olive Oil – 2 tsp

Directions

• Coat the eggplants with ½ tsp of oil and place on a microwave safe plate and nuke it for 10-12 minutes on high. You will know it is done when the skin of the eggplant is wrinkly and some juice oozes out.
• Cool and peel the eggplant and mash well.
• Heat the remaining oil in a sauce pan and add cumin seeds and fry for a minute.
• Then add ginger, garlic and onions and sauté until onion is translucent.
• Add the tomato and cook until soft.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, curry powder and chili powder and fry for a minute.
• Add the mashed eggplant, chopped cilantro, salt and water and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add chipotle pepper sauce and simmer for few more minutes. If you don’t like the smoky flavor then you can skip this. My daughter doesn’t like it. So I remove some for her before adding the pepper sauce.
• Serve hot with rotis.
  

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate

Spinach and Mung Beans Dal

As a child I used to hate spinach (not a big surprise). But as I grew up I acquired a taste for spinach and it is now one of my favorite vegetables. We have spinach almost everyday at home either cooked or raw. This is one of my all time favorite spinach recipes. It is really a 10 minute recipe.



Ingredients

Fresh Spinach – 2 bags cleaned and chopped
Tomato – 2 medium size chopped into big pieces
Moong Dal – Split Green Gram – 2 cups
Cumin Seeds – 2 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp
Salt – To taste
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Red Chilies – 4 or 5
Olive oil – 1 Tsp

Directions

• Cook moong dal in 4 cups of water until very soft.
• Cook spinach and tomato until tomato has cooked and spinach has wilted.
• Mix the dal, spinach and tomato and add turmeric powder.
• Add salt and asafoetida.
• Seperately heat the oil and fry cumin seeds and red chilies for a couple of minutes.
• Add to the spinach and dal mixture and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice or rotis

Servings : 8

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate

Cauliflower Rice

I prepared this for my daughter’s birthday party and it was huge hit. I used freshly ground spices but you can also use store bought spices and it will be equally delicious. You can even make the cauliflower mix the day before the party and on the day of the party mix it with some freshly cooked rice.

Ingredients

Cauliflower – 1 large broken into small florets
Long grain rice – 1 Cup
Onion – 1 medium finely chopped
Red Chilies – 2 or 3
Cumin Seeds – 1 Tbsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 Tbsp
Chana Dal/Bengal Gram – 1 Tbsp
Urad Dal/Black Gram – 1 Tbsp
Lemon Juice – 2 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp
Ginger/Garlic Paste – 1 Tsp
Salt – to taste
Olive Oil – 2 Tbsp

Garnish(Optional):
Cashews – 4 Tbsp chopped
Cilantro – 2 Tbsp finely chopped

Directions

• Heat ½ Tsp of oil in a skillet and fry Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red chilies, chana dal and urad dal until toasted and then grind into a fine powder and keep aside.
• Cook the rice with 2 cups of water and spread on a platter to cool.
• Heat the remaining oil and sauté some ginger/garlic paste and the onions until translucent.
• Add cauliflower, salt and turmeric powder and cook until cauliflower is well cooked.
• Add the spices and fry for a couple of minutes and then add the lemon juice.
• Mix well with the rice and garnish with tasted cashews and cilantro.
• Serve hot with some crispy chips.
  

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate and calculated without garnish

Avial - Mixed vegetables in coconut gravy

This dish is famous in the South Indian state of kerala and coconut is widely used in their cuisine. Avial is a mixed vegetable dish in mildly spicy coconut sauce made with lots of fresh vegetables. Unlike other Indian recipes with a whole list of spices, avial requires just cumin and green chilies and is a one pot dish that is a snap to prepare.

Ingredients

Raw Banana – 1 cup diced
White Pumpkin – 1 cup diced
Potato – 1 cup diced
Carrots – 1 cup diced
Beans – ½ cup diced
Yam – ½ cup diced
Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Green Chilies – 5 or 6
Cumin Seeds – 1 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp
Plain Yogurt – 2 cups
Salt – to taste
Coconut oil – 2 Tbsp
Curry leaves – 5 or 6 to garnish

Directions

• Cook all the vegetables with some water, salt and turmeric powder.
• Grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chilies into a smooth paste.
• Add the paste to the cooked vegetables and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the flavor gets absorbed by the vegetables.
• Remove from heat and let it cool for few minutes.
• Add the yogurt and mix well.
• Add the coconut oil and mix well.
• Garnish with curry leaves and serve with some rice.

Servings : 10

Nutrition Facts Source: www.nutritiondata.com

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate

Adai - Lentil Pancakes

If you have a toddler at home, you know how messy meal time can get. So I am always in the lookout for healthful and nutritious things that are mess free. Adai is one of them.
It is a pancake made with rice and lentils and I add different vegetable purees to make colorful adais for my daughter. It is one of the few things that she likes and I don't have to prod her to ‘take another big bite’

Ingredients

Raw Rice – 1 Cup
Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 1/2 Cup
Toor Dar/Yellow lentils - 1/2 Cup
Urid Dal/Black Gram - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilies – 2 or 3
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Salt – to taste
Curry leaves – ¼ cup chopped
Onions – 1 cup finely chopped
Cooking Spray

Directions

• Soak rice and lentils in water for 2 hours.
• Coarsely grind into a batter with salt, asafoetida and red chilies.
• Add the curry leaves and onions to the batter.
• Spray hot griddle with some cooking spray and spread batter like a pancake.
• Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
• Flip the pancake and cook the other side for couple of minutes.
• Serve hot with curry leaves pickle or tomato pickle or jaggery.
• For kids, you can puree fresh veggies and add to the batter and make the pancakes. I use beetroot puree for red adai, spinach puree for green adai and carrot puree for orange adai. You can skip the onions if your kids don’t like them.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts Source: http://www.nutritiondata.com/

Disclaimer: Nutrition Facts are approximate