Nawabi Paneer

Today I’m sharing a recipe, which made my husbands taste buds dance. Oh yah! In my house I’m the one who always talk about eating healthy & the exact opposite version is my husband. He loves recipes filled with ghee, cheese & all the dishes filled with lots of fat. Now with opposites we try to maintain a very good balance in our food habits. Most of the time it runs my way with healthy food but sometimes it’s his way too.

So coming to the dish it is his way of having healthy dish & he just loved it. This recipe is filled with richness of cashew, sesame & peanuts at the same time with creaminess of paneer.

Ingredients

2 Cups diced paneer (Square/Triangle)

1 cup sliced onions

3 Tbs tomato paste

½ Cup green peas

½ Cup coconut milk

¼ Tsp turmeric

2 Tsp red chili powder

Salt

1 Tbs ghee

Coriander leaves for garnish

For masala paste

2 Tomatoes chopped

1 Tsp jeera seeds

1 Tbs coriander seeds

2 Tbs peanuts

8 to 10 Tbs cashew nuts

1 Tsp sesame seeds

1 Tsp poppy seeds

2 Cloves

2 Cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon piece

1 Inch ginger

4 Garlic pods

1 Tbs ghee

Heat pan with ghee. To that add all the masala paste ingredients other than tomatoes & cashew nuts. Fry them for couple of mins. (Don’t over fry them) Switch off heat & allow them to cool. In a mixer add the roasted ingredients along with tomatoes & cashew nuts. Grind it to smooth paste.

Heat pan with1 tbs ghee  & add paneer cubes to pan. Fry them till they are well fried both sides. Remove them & keep aside. To the same pan add 1 tbs ghee & add the onions. Fry them till they are translucent. To that add the ground masala, peas, coconut milk, tomato paste, turmeric, red chili powder & salt. Bring them to boil on low heat. If desired add 1 cup water to get the gravy consistency. Last add the paneer cubes to gravy & cook it with closed lid for 10mins. Garnish it with the coriander leaves & it’s ready to serve.

Serve warm with chapati or roti.

Note: 

For little healthier version you can replace paneer with tofu.

I added tomato paste to get the color. You can totally exclude it if you don't have it.

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Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi bele bath is one of my hubby's favorite dishes. Mostly I make it on lazy weekends to wind up my cooking section fast. I love replacing Indian rice with Korean rice, as it is sticky & flavorful. There is nothing much to say about this recipe as almost everyone would have made & tasted it.

Ingredients 

3 Cups cooked rice

½ Cup toor dal

1 Big onion sliced

3 Big tomatoes chopped

3 Carrots grated

½ cup green peas

1 Tbs tamarind pulp (Adjust accordingly)

2 Tsp red chili powder (Adjust accordingly)

¼ Tsp turmeric

1 Tbs bisi bele bath powder / sambar powder

½ Cup coconut cream / coconut milk

¼ Tsp sugar

1 Tbs olive oil

Salt

Seasoning

1 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs peanuts

1 Tbs channa dal

1 Tbs urad dal

1 Tbs mustard & jeera

5 Red chilis
1Tsp hing

Few Curry leaves

For Bisi bele bath powder 

1/2 Tbs chana dal

1/2 Tbs urad dal

2 Tbs dhaniya (Coriander seeds)

¼ Tsp methi (Fenugreek seeds)

4 Red chilis

3 Cloves

2 Elachi

1 Inch cinnamon stick

2 Marathi mogga

¼ Cup curry leaves

Heat a pan with one-tablespoon oil. Add onions to pan & fry them till they turn translucent. To that add tomatoes, carrots & peas & sauté them for 5 mins. Switch off heat & allow it to cool. (Sautéing the veggies enhances the taste) Now pressure-cook toor dal & sautéed veggies for 2 whistles.Heat a pan & dry roast the powder ingredients. Switch off heat & let them cool before grinding.

Take a wide pan or a bigger vessel to mix the rice & toor dal.  Heat the pan with two tablespoons of oil & to that channa dal, urad dal & peanuts. Fry them well & last add mustard & jeera, redchillis, curry leaves & hing. To that add the toor dal mixture along with 4 cups water. Now add the tamarind, turmeric, red chilli powder, bisi bele bath powder, coconut cream or coconut milk, sugar & Salt. Mix them well & taste it for the flavors. Now slowly mix the cooked rice to the gravy. If necessary add another 2cups water & bring it boil. Allow it cook on low heat for 10mins & switch off heat.

Serve warm with papad or boondi. 
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