MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is one famous recipe of North Indian Punjabi cuisine. It is quite easy to make this one and tastes good with tandoor roti or phulka or chapati. You can use homemade cottage cheese (paneer) or the one that is readily available in market.

Ingredients

Palak(Spinach) – 1 bunch(approx 400 gms)

Paneer(cottage cheese) – 250 gms

Onions – 2 medium

Tomato – 1 large

Ginger -1 inch piece

Green Chillies – 2 nos

Cinnamon Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Garam Masala Powder – 1 teaspoon

Cinnamon whole- 2 pieces

Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Ghee – 2 teaspoons

Cream- 2-3 teaspoons (optional)

Salt – As per taste

Method

Wash spinach leaves well and chop them (about an inch long). Boil the chopped spinach leaves in water for about 2-3 minutes. Remove the water by straining and allow cold water to run over it. Once the leaves cool down, blend them in a mixer to form a smooth puree/paste. Set aside this paste. Make a paste of onions and keep aside. Grind ginger, green chillies and tomato and keep this paste aside. Cut the paneer(cottage chesse) into cubes and fry very lightly in non stick pan in little ghee and set aside. Heat ghee in a pan and temper with cinnamon and cumin seeds. Now add the onion paste and sauté lightly till onion turns a golden brown. Now add the tomato, ginger, chilly paste and stir well for 2 minutes. To this add the spinach puree and cook for 2- 3 minutes. Add salt, cinnamon powder and garam masala powder and stir well. After a minute, add paneer cubes and let it cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add cream and palak paneer is ready to be served.

MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja- Baingan ka Bharta

Baingan ka Bharta

Baingan/Brinjals/Eggplant/Aubergines come in a large number of varieties all over the world and are loved in so many forms like bharta, baba ganoush, mousakka, ratatouille baingan baghara, masalyachi vangi, vangyache bharit.

I like the Maharshtrian style of bharta(vangyache bharit)  and especially the one made by my mother with spring onions and groundnuts. Here, I am giving you the North India style baingan ka bharta. You require the big, purple coloured brinjals for this recipe.

Ingredients

Brinjals(big, purple variety)- 2 nos

Onions (sliced) – 2 medium

Tomatoes (sliced) – 2 medium

Garlic (crushed) – 10-12 cloves

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Red chilly powder – ½ teaspoon

Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Salt- As per taste

Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tablespoons

Method

Wash the brinjals, wipe and apply oil, poke at 2-3 places and roast well on gas flame/ fire by turning occasionally. Allow the brinjals to cool and remove the outer black covering, mash and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and add onions once the mustard seeds splutter. Fry the onions for 3-4 minutes till they turn slightly golden, then add garlic and stir for a minute. Then add the roasted brinjals, tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt, stir well, cover with a lid for 2 minutes and cook on low flame. Then add chilly powder and chopped coriander leaves and give a good stir. Remove from flame and Baingan ka Bharta is ready for serving.