Sunday 6 May 2012

Paneer Peas Masala

We used to have dinner parties with my husband's office friends once every month and this time we were asked to prepare paneer peas masala for 30 people. I have never prepared this dish before. My husband browsed through the net and came up with this recipe. He cooked the dish with me helping him in the side. Paneer peas masala tasted excellent couple of hours after its preparation. Everyone liked the dish at the party and it was almost over. Here goes the recipe, Enjoy!
Ingredients
Paneer - 250 gms (cubed)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion paste - of 1 big onion
Tomato paste - of 2 big tomatoes
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tablespoon
Double cream - 100 ml
Water - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 Tablespoon
Fresh Coriander Leaves - 1 Tablespoon (finely chopped)
Masalas
Cumin powder - 1 Teaspoon
Garam masla - 3/4 Teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 1 Teaspoon


Method
1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the paneer until it turns golden yellow. Strain the oil and keep it aside.
2. Now heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the onion paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off and add the tomatoes and sauté  for another 5 minutes.
4. Now add all the masalas along with salt and fry till the raw smell goes away. Add water and bring it to a boil.
5. Now add the paneer and peas , reduce the heat to medium and put a lid on the pan and cook until the oil separates. Do not forget to give a stir in between to avoid the paneer sticking to the pan.
6. Finally add the double cream, give a stir and turn the heat off and garnish with coriander leaves.
       Paneer peas masala is ready to be served.
Note
* You can avoid frying the paneer in oil if you wish not to.
* A pinch of kasoori methi can also be added along with the masalas.
* This dish goes well with puris and parathas.

Urad Dahl Vada / Medhu Vada (fritters)

We celebrated Tamil year in Newbury, UK with all the Tamil friends over here. Each one of us decided to prepare a dish for dinner and I was asked to prepare urad dahl vada. I tried doing it with a hole in the centre of the vada like a doughnut but found it difficult to prepare for 50 people. So just prepared them like small balls and it tasted good. It was served along with venn pongal, sambar and coconut chutney. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Oil - for deep frying
To Grind
Urad dahl - 1 cup
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green Chilli - 4
Black Pepper Corns - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - to taste
To Mix
Onion (medium) - 1 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 10 (finely chopped)

Method
1. Wash urad dahl and soak in water for not more than 45 mins - 1 hour.
2. Grind the dahl along with all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind header into a fine paste by adding very little water.
3. Mix the chopped onion and curry leaves to the dough.
4. Heat the oil in a pan for deep frying. When the oil is hot enough drop the dough carefully as little balls and deep fry until they become golden brown.
5. Drain the excess oil in a tissue paper and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Note
* Do not add too much water while grinding the dough else it will consume more oil.
* The oil should not be too hot else the fritters will brown outside and not cooked inside.
* If the oil is not hot enough it will consume more oil. Make sure the heat is in medium high.