Palak Paneer - 2, Spinach With Indian Cottage Cheese

          Though I am calling this post as Palak Paneer - 2, this is in fact, the first palak paneer that I used to do for my daughter. It's a very simple dish that does not use much spices or masalas. Back in the US, we get baby spinach packets, just wash and blanch them and use them and they taste very good in this dish, better than the regular spinach. This dish is ideal for a small group, because we are using only spinach puree here, no onions or tomatoes to give more volume, for a bigger group or party, I would recommend my other recipe here. I got this recipe from a cook book of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, a delicious recipe with minimum ingredients and maximum flavor..

Need To Have

• Spinach/ Palak  - 1 big or 2 small bunches
• Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese cubes - 1 cup
• Green Chillies - 2
• Cumin Seeds/ Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
• Garlic Cloves - 4-5, finely chopped
• Cream Cheese - 1 tablespoon (optional)

Recipe for home-made paneer here.

Method

          Remove the thick stems from the spinach, wash and add it to boiling water and immediately switch off. Remove it from the hot water, dip in cold water (I usually skip this step), drain and grind it with the 2 green chillies. I got 11/2 cup of spinach puree.

          Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts to sizzle, add the garlic and saute till it turns golden. Then add the spinach puree and boil for 2 minutes.

          Then add the paneer cubes, mix gently and cook for 2 more minutes. Finally mix in the cream cheese, remove and serve it with rotis.

Note
Since I didn't have fresh cream , I used cream cheese.
I don't fry the paneer pieces before adding, it's up to you, you can add it as such or shallow fry and add.

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Palak Paneer Bhurji/ Spinach And Cottage Cheese

          My daughter loves spinach and paneer, she likes all the curries I make with them, especially the Palak Paneer, it's her favorite side dish for rotis. But sometimes when I want to do something simple with spinach and paneer, but still very tasty, then this Palak Paneer Bhurji is my option. This goes very well with plain rotis or as a filling for sandwiches and masala dosas, or even mix it with some white rice, try it, I am sure you'll love it..

Need To Have

• Spinach - chopped, 2 cups packed
• Grated Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
• Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoon
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 1 tablespoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Kasuri Methi - Dried Fenugreek Leaves

Method

          Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the onions, ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, ( that green leafy thing in the picture is because I had chopped the onions on the same cutting board after the spinach ).

          Then add the tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add the salt, turmeric, chilly and coriander powders, saute till the tomatoes become mushy.

          Now add the chopped spinach, keep cooking till the spinach is done. Add the grated paneer and mix till the mixture becomes thick and dry. Finally add the kasuri methi ( crushed slightly between your palms ), mix well and remove.

Note
You can use chopped frozen spinach for this.
Can use store bought or homemade paneer.
Kasuri methi is available in Indian grocery stores, it gives a unique flavor, but if you are not able to find it, add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seed powder.

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Paneer Butter Masala/ Creamy Curry With Indian Cottage Cheese

          Paneer Butter Masala, a favorite of most kids, a rich creamy dish, and is sure to appear in most party menus. Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese cubes are cooked in a rich blend of spices and is garnished with kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves and a dash of fresh cream, the resulting flavor is simply irresistible. Though the dish looks so rich and delicious, it's actually pretty easy to make it. You can make your own paneer ( the method here ) or use store bought ones, both works very well..

Need To Have

• Paneer Cubes - 11/2 cups
• Kasuri Methi - 2 tablespoons
• Fresh Cream - to garnish
• Oil & Butter - as needed
• Salt - to taste

To Grind

• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Tomatoes - 2 cups, chopped
• Chopped Ginger - 2 teaspoons
• Garlic - 5 small cloves
• Cashews - 2
• Golden Raisins - 6 small
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 1
• Javentri - a small piece

Method

          Heat some oil and stir fry the paneer cubes, remove and drain to remove excess oil.

          For the paste, heat a little oil, add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and javentri ( the orange flower like thing in the first picture). When it starts sizzling and the elaichi or cloves pop, add the onions, garlic and ginger and saute for about 2 minutes.

          Now add the tomatoes, saute still it starts turning mushy, then add the turmeric,chilly and coriander powders, mix for a minute, remove and cool.

          Grind this along with the cashews and raisins, now your paste is ready.

          Heat some butter and oil, add the ground paste and salt and saute it well for about 3 minutes, if it sticks, add a little water and keep sauteing.

          Once you get a nice flavor, add the paneer cubes, about  2 cups of water, kasuri methi, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Then remove and add the fresh cream, serve it warm with some rotis or naan.

Note
Sometimes, store bought paneer turns a little rubbery when stir fried, to avoid this soak it in some warm milk after frying, till adding it to the curry.
Since it's paneer butter masala, I've added butter, but you can leave it also, it'll still taste good.
Kasuri Methi is available in all Indian stores.

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Matar Paneer/ Peas And Cottage Cheese Curry

          Matar Paneer, Green Peas with Indian Cottage Cheese, is a very popular side dish for naans and rotis and a very common dish on restaurant menus and parties. It's liked very much by kids as the main ingredients in this curry are peas and paneer, which is liked by most of them. I have used home made paneer and I didn't follow any particular recipe, just added what I felt would be right for this dish, it turned out very delicious and paired perfectly well with the rotis that we had with it..

Need to Have

• Fresh Or Frozen Green Peas - 11/2 cups
• Paneer Cubes - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 medium chopped
• Cinnamon - 2" thin stick
• Kasuri Methi - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - to taste 

To Grind

• Onion - 1 small
• Tomatoes - 2 medium
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Ginger - 1 tablespoon, chopped
• Cashews - 5
• Golden Raisins - 6
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Javentri - very small piece

Method

          Grind together all the ingredients given under 'to grind' and keep. Cook the green peas and keep, I usually microwave it with some water and salt.

          Heat some oil, add the cinnamon, when it starts sizzling add the chopped onions and saute till it turns pink.

          Now add the ground paste and saute it for at least 5 to 7 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

          Then add about 2 cups of water and salt, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat. Now add the cooked peas and the paneer cubes, mix and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally add the kasuri methi (slightly crush it with your hands), mix, cook for a minute more, remove and serve it warm with any bread or pilaf.

Note
While sauteing the paste, if it sticks to the pan, add a little water and continue sauteing.
Kasuri Methi is dried fenugreek leaves available in Indian groceries.
Javentri is a dried, orange flower like spice, found in Indian groceries, if you don't find it add one more cardamom while grinding the paste.

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Moong Dal / Green Gram And Paneer Curry

          Ever since I started using this moong dal /green gram with skin, I have become a huge fan of it, it's not only more healthy ( extra fiber from the skin) but also very tasty. I had used it in the cabbage pongal and now in this curry along with homemade paneer/ cottage cheese.  Adding paneer made this dish even more tasty and I also added some capsicum and kasuri methi for some extra flavor. We had it with pav / buns, you can even have it with some plain toast too..

Need To Have

• Moong Dal/Green Gram With Skin - 1/2 cup
• Grated Paneer/ Indian Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup
• Green Capsicum -  1 1/2 cup chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium chopped
• Garlic cloves - 4 chopped
• Red Chilly Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Garam Masala -  1/2 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 2 tablespoons
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Pressure cook the moong dal ( about the same time to cook raw rice). Heat some oil, add the cumin and mustard seeds, once it starts spluttering add the fenugreek seeds, mix till it turns golden. Then add the chopped garlic and saute till it starts turning golden brown. Now add the chopped capsicum and keep mixing for about 3 minutes.

          Add the tomatoes and saute for a minute, then add the turmeric and chilly powders along with the salt, keep mixing till the tomatoes turn mushy. Now add the cooked dal and a cup of water , mix and simmer it for about 5 minutes.

          Then add the grated paneer, garam masala and kasuri methi ( crush it between your hands before adding), mix and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve it warm with any bread of your choice.

Note
Can soak the moong dal and then cook it in a regular vessel instead of pressure cooking.
Kasuri Methi is dried Fenugreek leaves, available in Indian grocery stores.
Also readymade paneer is available in Indian stores.
Add more or less water to the curry, depending on how thick or thin you want it.
Can serve it with a dash of lemon if you want it a little more tangy.
Take care, not to burn the fenugreek seeds, gives a bitter taste to it.

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Chocolate Sandesh

          Today is a special day at Aromatic Cooking, it was this day one year back.., yeah you guessed it right, it's the 1st Blog Anniversary. I can't believe it's been so long, it was an unplanned beginning, but an enjoyable journey. At this point, I can't thank enough my blogger friends for their encouraging comments and not forget to mention their wonderful blogs from where I get the inspiration to keep going. I should also thank my family, especially my husband and daughter for putting up with my delicious (sometimes disastrous) experiments. I know I have to work still harder to make the blog even more appealing but I'll be also equally enjoying doing it. So today, to celebrate this big day, I have made some Chocolate Sandesh. It turned out really good, my daughter who's not a big fan of Indian sweets, liked this because I had made it a chocolate one. If you like milk sweets and like chocolate, then do give this a try..

Need To Have

• Milk - 1 litre or 4 cups
• Curd - 8 to 10 tablespoons
• Caster Sugar - 8 tablespoons
• Cocoa Powder - 2 teaspoons

Method

          Bring the milk to a boil, start adding the curd, when the milk starts curdling, stop adding and switch off. Now strain the milk solids in a cotton cloth (not too thick or thin). Bring the ends of the cloth together to form like a sac, squeeze out as much liquid you can. Then hang it from a faucet or door knob for about 1/2 an hour.

          Remove the milk solids (paneer/Indian cottage cheese) from the cloth, I had a little more than a cup, take 1 cup and knead it well for 5 minutes. Now add the sugar and the cocoa powder.

          Knead  it for another 3 minutes, till everything is mixed in well. Now take this in a pan and put it back on the stove and keep mixing on medium heat for not more than 5 minutes. Remove and when you can bear the heat, shape them into balls and slightly flatten them. Serve it chilled, though we liked it even at room temperature. I have decorated them with some chocolate shavings.

Note
Do not cook the mixture for more than 5 minutes, lesser is better. If you leave it longer it turns crumbly and you can't shape them into balls, but of course still edible, I got it right only on my third attempt, the first 2 times I ended up with a scrambled mixture.
I have given as 8 to 10 tablespoons of curd, depending on the sourness, you'll need more or less, don't add everything at once, add little by little.
Also you can you use lemon juice to curdle, for 4 cups of milk you'll need about 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. If you are using lemon juice, then before hanging the paneer, wash it well with the cloth, by dipping the sac in a bowl of water, squeeze the water and then hang it. This will remove the lemon flavor.
I got 10 pieces with the 1 cup of paneer that I used.
Use powdered sugar if you don't have caster sugar.

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Keerai Paneer Parathas/Spinach Cottage Cheese Flatbreads

          I had got this bunch of arai keerai, a type of greens like spinach and mustard greens. I had wanted to do the Keerai Masial and rice, but my daughter didn't want to have rice that day. I had to use the spinach the same day and I had some paneer in the freezer, so put the the two together and made these Keerai/Spinach Paneer Parathas. They came out very well, we had it with some tomato thokku and curd..

Need To Have
For The Filling

• Chopped Keerai/Spinach - 3 cups
• Paneer - 1/2 cup scrambled
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

For The Outer Layer

• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 + 1/2 cups
• Ajwain - 1 + 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Method
          Mix the flour, ajwain, salt and turmeric powder, add water little by little and make a soft dough, cover and leave it. Coarsely pound the cumin seeds.

          Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the turmeric and chilly powders, immediately followed by the spinach and salt, cover and cook for about 5 or 7 minutes till the spinach gets cooked. It should be dry, if there is water, cook it uncovered till it dries out.

          Now mix in the paneer for about a minute, remove and cool. Make ten balls out of the dough and the inner filling.

          Roll out a small circle, place one filling  and press it slightly. then close the dough over it and make a flat ball with it.

          Now, dusting with some flour roll out into discs, put it on a hot tawa or skillet, cook on both sides with some oil. Serve it warm with any pickle.

Note
While rolling out after stuffing with the filling, roll it on the side that you close, it's easier and the filling doesn't come out that much.
Only flip the parathas three times while cooking, first you place the paratha, after half a minute, make the first flip, apply some oil, make the second flip and apply oil on the other side. Once the bottom side gets some brown spots, flip the third time and cook the other side.
If you don't have ajwain/bishop weed just ignore it.
You can use any kind of greens, just make sure the filling comes out dry.

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Palak Paneer/Mashed Spinach With Indian Cottage Cheese

          Whenever I make a batch of paneer at home, the first dish I do with it is this Palak Paneer, mashed spinach gravy with Indian Cottage Cheese, this being my daughter's most favorite dish. I had made it so many times, but something or the other went wrong, nothing wrong with the dish or its taste, but with the pictures. This time, I think the pictures turned out better, so I thought I'll go ahead and do the posting. There are couple of versions that I do, this is one of them with some freshly ground masala. This is a version that I make when I have to make it for a group, the added masala increases the quantity of the dish, it's a very tasty side dish to rotis and naans..

Need To Have

• Palak Or Spinach - 2 medium bunches
• Paneer Cubes - 1 cup
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 3 tablespoons
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

To Grind

• Onion - 1 medium chopped
• Tomato -1 medium chopped
• Green Chilly - 2
• Garlic Cloves - 4
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tablespoon
• Cashews - 4
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 1
• Cinnamon - 1" piece
• Javentri - 1" piece

Method

          Blanch the spinach along with the 2 chiillies and cool. Heat some oil add the onions, garlic and ginger given under 'to grind', saute, when the onion turns pink add the tomatoes, saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.

          Cool and grind this along with the other ingredients given under 'to grind' ( the orange flower like thing is javentri). Grind the cooled spinach coarsely.

          Now heat some more oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the ground paste, saute it well till you get a nice smell, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some water, if the paste starts sticking to the pan. Then add the ground spinach and 1/4 cup water and salt and cook for another 2 minutes.

          Then finally add the paneer cubes, garam masala and the kasuri methi ( crush it between your palms), mix and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove and serve it warm with rotis or naans.

Note
Kasuri Methi is dried fenugreek leaves, available in Indian stores, you'll also find javentri there, if you don't find it just ignore it and increase the garam masala added at the end to 3/4 teaspoon.
The ground paste should be half of the ground spinach, otherwise you'll not get the nice green color at the end, the taste though will be a little different but still good.
If the green chillies are not very spicy, add a little red chilly powder while sauteing the ground masala.

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Cabbage & Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) Curry

          Usually when I make paneer dishes at home, it's mostly palak paneer ( spinach with Indian cottage cheese). This time I didn't have spinach in hand and so I tried this Cabbage & Paneer stir fry, I used homemade paneer but the store bought one also tastes good, I also added some capsicum and kasoori methi ( dried fenugreek leaves) to add a little more flavor to the dish. It turned out to be very delicious and flavorful and a great combination with both rotis and rice..

Need To Have

• Cabbage - 2 cups shredded
• Capsicum - 1 sliced
• Tomatoes - 2 sliced
• Paneer Cubes - 1 cup
• Grated Ginger - 1 tablespoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 3/4th teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1/4 teaspoon
• Kasoori Methi - 2 tablespoons crushed
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, once it starts sizzling, add the cabbage and the capsicum, saute for a minute, then add the tomato pieces, saute for another minute.

          Now add the grated ginger, turmeric and chilly powders and salt, keep sauteing it for about 5 minutes. When dry, add the paneer pieces, mix well, lastly add the garam masala and the kasoori methi and give one final mix. Serve it warm with either rotis or rice, or even use it as a filling for sandwiches.

Note
Do not overcook the cabbage and capsicum, they should retain a slight crunch.
When mixing in the paneer, be careful not to break them.
Both kasoori methi and garam masala are available in Indian grocery stores ( this info is for my Non-Indian friends).

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