Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Achari Paneer Tikka

Achari Paneer Tikka's are a delectable snack bites. The word achar means pickle & the spice mix that is used here in making these tikki's is used in most of the Indian pickles. This spice mix adds flavor to paneer when mixed in marination. While making the spice mix I fried spices a little crisp to get fine powder rather than coarse. I oven baked  these tikki's, but you can also pan fry them for a quick finish. To extend this recipe you can make a creamy tikka masala using this tikka's. For now I'm sharing this tikka recipe with you all. Here is a recipe for pan-fried Paneer Tikka dish, which can also be converted as a baked dish. 
Prep Time-2hrs {1hr 30mins marinating + prepping}
Cook Time-20mins
Serves-2People
Ingredients
12 to 15 pieces of paneer
2Tsp oil
For marination
1/2Cup curd
1/2Tsp turmeric
1Tbs ginger garlic paste
1Tbs corn starch
1Green chili
1Tsp lemon juice
Salt
Achari mix
1/4Tsp jeera
1/4Tsp mustard seeds
1/2Tsp dhaniya
1Tsp fennel seeds
2Red chili's
Pinch of methi seeds {6 to 7 seeds}
Directions 
- Heat pan & add achari mix ingredients to it. Briefly fry them for few seconds. Switch off heat & cool them. Grind them to smooth powder & keep aside.
- In a bowl add in marination ingredients.  Next add in grind achari masala powder & mix them.
- Fold in paneer pieces in to marination. Close it with a lid & allow it to sit for minimum of 30mins.
Baked Version
- Pre-heat oven @350F & line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Line paneer pieces in a row & bake @350F for 10mins. Brush oil on all sides. In to the oven for another 10mins.
- Paneer pieces will be lightly browned on top & all the masala will be dried up.
- Remove from oven & cool them. 
Stovetop Version 
- Heat a pan & spread oil on it. 
- Lay few paneer bites on pan individually.  Fry them till they are brown on both sides. 
- Repeat the same with rest of the paneer pieces. 
- Enjoy as they are or serve with ketchup.
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Monday, May 4, 2015

Gobi 65

Gobi 65 is a easy to make quick snack. My favorite version of 65's is Paneer 65 & always loved to order it or make it at home. This time I tried baked version of gobi 65 & interestingly it turned out to be great. As I have mentioned in my blog many times, I'm not a fan of deep-fried foods. I love shallow frying anything & everything. It kinda gives me a satisfaction that I'm taking control on what I dump in to my tummy. So with that inspiration I made Gobi 65 in both baked & shallow frying versions. I liked both the versions, but loved the shallow version as it has right amount of crispiness & oil to it. Sharing both versions of this dish here. Enjoy them as you like.
Prep Time- 45mins {30mins marinating + 15mins}
Cook Time-30mins
Serves-2people
Ingredients
30 to 40 Cauliflower florets
4Tbs oil {for shallow frying}
2Tsp {For baking}
Water
Batter 
1/2Cup corn flour
2Tbs all-purpose flour
2Garlic cloves grated
1Tsp grated ginger
1/4Tsp turmeric
1Tsp red chili powder
1Tsp garam masala powder
2Tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Directions
Marination
- In a bowl take all the ingredients under batter. Add in little by little of water to make a some what thick batter. Adjust taste if needed.
- Now add in florets to batter & coat them well. Allow them to sit in batter for 30mins.
Baking 
- Pre-heat oven @350F & line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay marinated florets in line on the sheet & in to the oven for 10mins.
- Remove from oven & by now the batter should be dried out. Brush oil on the florets on both sides & again in to oven for 15mins.
- Now you can see a nice crust on top of the florets.
- Remove from oven & cool them off on counter.
Shallow Frying
- Heat pan with 4tbs oil. To pan add few battered florets & fry them on both sides.
- Remove them on to a paper towel & repeat with rest of the florets.
- Serve them with ketchup & enjoy.
Note
- Chili powder I use for cooking is extra hot & spicy. Adjust it in recipe as needed.
- You can replace garam masala with chat masala powder.
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Kanda Poha Recipe | Kanda Pohe | How to make Kanda Poha

Kanda Poha is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast dish. It is simple yet filling breakfast dish to start fresh mornings. While growing up my mom made this as a snack & some times she even served it for dinner too. Like my mom I make this dish for dinner as it is easy to make & also love making this dish on hot summer nights as it consumes very less time in making. This recipe can be customized according to your taste easily. The best part of this recipe is it is a microwave version & consumes less time than the stove-top method. 
You can also check the other recipes for Kanda Poha Maharashtrian Kanda Poha & Madhya Pradesh version of Kanda Poha by clicking the links. 
Prep Time-10mins 
Cook Time-6mins in microwave 
Serves-2people 
Ingredients 
2Cups thick poha {Flatten rice or beaten rice}
1Onion finely chopped 
1/2Cup broccoli florets 
2Green chili's slit into half 
Few curry leaves 
Lemon juice for taste
2Tbs grated coconut
Coriander leaves for garnish
Salt for taste 
Tempering 
1Tbs oil
1Tsp jeera 
1Tsp mustard 
2Tsp urad dal 
Directions 
- Take a strainer & add poha to it. Under running water wash poha & keep aside.
- In a microwave bowl add oil, jeera, mustard & urad dal. Microwave for 1min. 
- Next add in finely chopped onions, green chili's, turmeric & curry leaves. Microwave for 1min & mix with a ladle. Back into microwave for another 1min.
- Next add in salt & broccoli florets to bowl. Microwave for another 1min & mix with a ladle. Back into microwave for another 1min. 
-  Add in poha & salt to bowl. Microwave for 1min & you are done. 
- Mix in lemon juice & grated coconut. Taste poha & adjust salt, lemon juice if needed. 
- Garnish with coriander leaves {I skipped} & serve warm. 
Note
- You can add in grated carrot, potato & green peas to make it much yummier. 
- I skipped adding coriander leaves as they were non available at that time. Add it for a much flavorful dish.
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