Potato Sabudana Wada

Ingredients:

Sabudana - 1 cup

Potato - 3 nos (medium sized)

Green chillies - 2 nos

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Wash and clean sabudana and soak in water for 2 hours. Deskin the dried peanuts and grind it to coarse powder. After 2 hours drain the water from sabudana and let it dry. 

In a bowl, add sabudana, crushed peanuts, chopped green chillies, mashed potatoes, grated ginger, coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything well and form a dough. Make flat vadas with your hands. Press them slightly so that the vadas dont break. 

Heat oil in a pan. In medium flame add 4 to 6 vadas in hot oil. Increase the flame to high again. Keep turning sides till it turns golden brown in colour on both the sides. 

Remove from oil and put it on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Serve with green chutney and or tomato sauce.

Paneer Pakora - A tasty starter recipe

Ingredients:

Paneer(Cottage Cheese) - 1/2 kg

Red chilly Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Gram flour - 2 tbsp

Amchoor powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 2 to 3

Salt to taste

Water - 3 to 4 tbsp or as required to make a smooth paste

Method: 

Chop paneer pieces to square or cube or triange or diamond shape. In a bowl add besan flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp red chilli, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp amchoor, 1 tsp coriander powder, green chilies and mix well and make a thick paste. 

Heat oil in a pan and when hot enough reduce the flame to medium, dip one piece of paneer in the besan flour mixture. Ensure that the entire paneer piece is dipped in besan flour mixture. Fry the paneer pieces till they turn golden brown. Turn sides constantly so both the sides cook well. 

A great starter recipe for parties and also an evening time snack.

How to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo in Microwave

Kashmiri Dum Aloo can also be made in microwave. 

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes - 18 to 20

Kashmiri Chillies - 5 to 6 nos or 1 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly Powder.
Curd - 2 cups unsour.
Oil to deep fry
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Powder - 2 tbsp
Gingely oil - 1/4 cup (Mustard oil can also be used, if taste and smell can be tolerated)
Clove - 2 nos
Asafodeita - a pinch
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo in Microwave:
Wash and pierce the potatoes with fork. Micro high the potatoes for about 5 to 7 mins by placing the potatoes directly on the turn table.

Make a paste of Kashmiri chillies and whip it with the curd.

In a microwave glass shallow container add 1 tsbp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee for about a min. Add the curd paste and cover it with a lid and cook in microwave high for 3 mins and medium high for 4 mins. Add the potatoes and cook in micro high for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Corn Paneer Pakora - A healthy recipe for evening time snack

It is definitely a difficult task to find out the snack that can be served for the kids in the evening but I got this recipe from a friend which I tried and it turned out too good too. Infact I am planning to make it as a starter dish too.

Ingredients:
Fresh or Frozen corn - 2 cups
Paneer - 100 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Ginger -  1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 flakes
Green chilly - 2 nos
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Cumin/ Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Flour - 6 tbsp
Amchur Powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Soak the frozen corn for a while to remove ice.  Grate the cottage cheese. Blend the corn in a blender to make it coarse. Grind ginger and garlic together. Cut the green chillies into fine pieces. In a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste and after a minute add the crushed corn and stir fry it. Add salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a creamy texture. When the corn gets cooked remove from flame and let it cool. Add the finely chopped onion, paneer, chillies, cumin powder, chilly powder, amchur powder and coriander leaves. Add in the besan flour to bind it. Add a bit more salt if needed. If the mixture is too thick, it can be thinned by adding a little more milk. Make small balls or cylindrical shaped pieces and fry it out in hot oil. Turn the pieces around till they become golden in colour. Remove from oil and drain excess oil.

If you are making it for a party, it can be make in different shapes like square or heart shaped too.

The corn can be cooked and then blended too. 

Recipe for Dahi Kebab

This is one wonder of a starter, which I had in a party during this vacation. Got the recipe from the host and tried it myself with a slight variation.

Ingredients:
Yoghurt - 1 ltr (to be hung overnight to remove excess water)
Paneer - 150 gms
Onion - Big 2 nos
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Corn flour - 1/4 cup
Besan flour - 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 (to be powdered finely)
Salt to taste
Oil

Method to make
Cut onion and ginger into fine pieces. Saute onion and ginger in oil till oil turns transparent. Make a paste of coriander leaves. Add corn flour and besan flour to curd and mix well to make a fine batter. To this add coriander paste, salt, onion and ginger.

Cut the Paneer into cubes and let it mariante in the curd for about 1/2 an hour.

Place the paneer pieces in hot tawa and add oil till both the sides turn golden brown. It makes a great starter.

Baby Potato Golden Fry with Coriander dip - A starter recipe

A great starter for any party, which can also be used as an evening snack too.

Ingredients:
Baby Potato - 1 kg
Salt to taste
Hing Powder - 1 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tAsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Coriander Chutney

Method:
Boil and peel the skin of baby potatoes. In a pan add oil and when hot add the potatoes so that they lie side by side. (Better use a flat bottom pan). Fry the potatoes till they become crispy. Add salt (as there will be salt in the coriander chutney, the salt added to the potatoes should be less), hing, turmeric powder and fry them till golden brown. Add atleast 1/2 cup of coriander chutney to the potatoes and mix them thoroughly so that the chutney spreads evenly on all the potatoes.

Serve with toothpicks or with fork.

Paneer Cutlet (Patties)

A dish that makes a great dish for evening snacks for kids. This also makes a great starter for parties too.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 300 gms
Potato - 2 big
Bread - 2 slices
Onion - 1 Big
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste 

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes and mash them. Mash the paneer thoroughly. In a plate add 1/4 cup of water and place the bread slices flat and after a min squeeze the water from the slices and crumble them. Cut the onions and green chillies finely. In a shallow bowl, mix the paneer, potatoes, onions, green chillies, corn flour, chopped coriander leaves, bread pieces and salt. Shape the mixture into desired shape of cutlets. (heart shape, circle, or diamond shaped).

Let them set in freezer for about 15 to 20 mins.

Heat a tawa and add oil to it. Place the cutlets in the tawa. Turn after a min. Ensure that both the sides are golden brown in colour.


Note:
   Do not add more than 4 or 5 cutlets in the tawa at a time.

Baby Potato Pepper Fry

Ingredients:
Baby Potato - 1/2 kg
Oil - For frying
Salt - To taste
Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes and peel the skin. Mix salt, Coriander powder and pepper powder in 2 tbsp of water and coat it over the cooked potatoes. Shallow fry the potatoes.

Recipe of Hyderabadi Paneer Kebab

Ingredients:
Paneer - 250 gm
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Green chilly paste - 1/2 tsp
Coriander - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Salt - To taste
Oil - for frying

Method:
Mash the panner thoroughly. Mix Paneer with all the other ingredients in a shallow bowl except the oil. Shape the ingredients into small Kebabs and refrigerate them for almost two hours.


Heat oil in a shallow pan, When hot add the kebabs till the pan fits say around 6 to 8 pieces. Cook in high flame initially then when light golden in colour, reduce the flame and fry till golden brown.


Remove from oil, and place them on kitchen towel and remove the excess oil. Serve with green chutney and tomato ketchup.


Makes a great starter for parties.

Tandoori Paneer

Ingredients:
Ginger - 10 gm piece
Garlic - 10 to 12 flakes
Cloves - 5 pieces
Cardomom - 5 pieces
Cinamon - 5 pieces
Turmeric - a pinch
Jeera - a pinch
Red Chillies - 10 to 12 depending upon the spiciness.
Paneer - 100 gms
Curd - 100 gms

Method:
Cut Paneer into cubes. Soak them in warm water for a few mins and keep them aside. Grind all the other ingredients except curd into a fine paste . Beat the curd and add the ground paste to it. Coat the paste on to Paneer. Marianate it in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Add the paste to Onion slices and marianate them too.

Heat a shallow frying pan and place the paneer pieces and pour oil around the pieces. Turn the next side and fry that side too. When both the sides turn golden brown, remove from tawa. Fry the onions also the same way.

To serve, place one piece of onion then paneer then another piece of onion in a toothpick and serve it with Tomato Ketchup and Coriander Chutney.

Note: Prepare the above given paster whenever you want or you can use the ready made Tandoori Masala Powder also.

Kadaai Paneer

This is one dish we all always like to have as a side dish with Naan Roti or Phulka whenever we go out. I came to know that the wonderful araoma this dish have is due to the Kasoori Methi added to it. Kasoori Methi is nothing but dried Methi leaves. Infact this is available ready made in some brands. So there is no need to prepare it.

Ingredients:
500 grams paneer
100 grams capsicum (optional)
2 tsp. coriander seeds
5 red chilies
3/4 tsp. kastoori (dried fenugreek leaves) methi
2 chopped green chilies
2 tsp. chopped ginger
4 chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped coriander
3 tbsp. ghee
Garlic pods 6 to 8
Salt according to taste


Method:

Cut the paneer into thin pieces (cut the capsicum also the same length). Dry grind the coriander and red chillies together. Grind ginger and garlic together. In a kadai heat ghee and add ginger garlic paste and cook it for a few seconds in a low flame. Add capsicum and saute it for a few mins and when it starts turning tender add the ground powder. Add the finely chopped green chilles and cook for a few more mins. Add finely chopped tomatoes (better grind them) and cook untill the ghee comes on top. Add salt and Kasoori Methi and cook for a few more mins. Add the sliced paneer and let it cook for another 5 mins. Remove from fire, sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves and ghee fried cashew nuts on top before serving. (make sure that the cashew nuts are finely chopped)
8.Finally, add the sliced paneer and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle coriander on top and serve hot.

Recipe for Kashmiri Dum Aloo on stove top

This is a dish that could be done using both the stove top and also the microwave. While doing this in microwave, the time and the consumption of oil is reduced. A great dish that goes with Chappati and also with North Indian rice varities. If made a little less spicy, the kids will also love it for sure.


Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes - 18 to 20

Kashmiri Chillies - 5 to 6 nos or 1 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly Powder.
Curd - 2 cups unsour.

Oil to deep fry
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

Fennel Powder - 2 tbsp



Gingely oil - 1/4 cup (Mustard oil can also be used, if taste and smell can be tolerated)

Clove - 2 nos
Asafodeita - a pinch
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Sat to taste





Method:

Peel and prick the potatoes all over with the help of a fork.
Keep in salted water for fifteen minutes.Heat oil in a kadai and fry the potatoes on medium flame till golden brown. Make a paste of dried kashmiri red chillies. Mix curd with the chilly paste, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and fennel powder. Heat the gingely or mustard oil and one tbspn of ghee in a pan. Add cloves and asafodeita. Add half a cup of water and salt and bring it to boil. Add the yoghurt mixture and bring it to boil again. Add the fried potatoes and cook till the potatoes absorb the gravy and oil flots on top. Serve hot, garnished with freshly roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder.

Recipe for Microwave Paneer stuffed Lady's finger

Lady's finger, Okra, Bhindi, whatever name you call it, it is a big hit in any house hold if cooked properly. My This is a special method of cooking Lady's finger to make even those who dont like it. Combined with Paneer and  Tomato Puree, this dish, turned out to be an extremely mouth watering side dish for Chappati, though the kids might finish it  off as a starter dish.

Ingredients:

Very tender, fresh ladies’ finger - 250 gms
Paneer - 200 gms ( grate)
Oil - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - ½ cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt and sugar to taste

Method to make stuffed Lady's finger:
Wash and wipe dry the Lady's finger. Cut the top and bottom end and slit it lengthwise (care should be taken, so as not to cut it into two halves). Microwave on low for just 30 seconds. Remove and spread it on a plate.

Mix grated paneer with chlli powder, salt and oil. Stuff the lady's finger with Paneer mixture. In a flat bottom shallow micro bowl, spread the stuffed Lady's fingers and micro wave it for 30 seconds on medium. Mix tomato puree, salt and sugar (alteratively tomato ketchup can also be used). Pour on top of the spread bhindis. Cover the bowl and micro medium for 10 mins. Let it be in room temperature for 2 mins. Open the lid and microwave it in high for about 2 mins.

Serve with hot  Parathas, Rotis, Naan and Veg Pulav.

Recipe for Tandoori Potato/Tandoori Aloo

Ingredients
Baby Potatoes - 1 cup or 12 to 15 nos
Cream - 1 tbsp (optional)
Kasuri Methi - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Red Chillies - 4 nos
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Tandoori Masala - 2 tsp

Method:
Grind red chillies, ginger, coriander-cumin powder and Tandoori Masala powder. Wash potatoes nicely and pierce it with fork. Place the  potatoes on a microwave turn table. Arrange them in circle leaving place for water in the middle. Keep a cup of water in the center to prevent the potatoes from getting wrinkled. Microwave the potatoes in high for 5 minutes.

In a microwave bowl add oil and heat it for about 30 seconds. Add the grind paste and salt to the hot oil and mix thoroughly. Microwave high again for 1 min. Add the potatoes and mix well with the paste and microwave it high for about a min. Add cream and methi leaves and microwave it again for 1 minute.

Serve it as starter or as a side dish for Chappati.