Paneer Butter Masala

Another restaurant type curry easily made at home with minimum ingredients. Another recipe picked from Veg Recipes of India.

Ingredients :
Paneer : 200- 250 gms
Butter : 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf : 1
Ginger :1 inch
Garlic : 5 to 6 pods
Tomato : 4 to 5 (blanched and pureed)
Green Chilli : 2 - 3
Cashew : 8- 10 (soaked in hot water and ground into paste)
Sugar : 1/4 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Kasuri Methi : 2 tsp crushed with palms
Coriander Leaves : for garnishing (1 tbsp)

Procedure :

1. Heat butter in a pan and add bay leaf and let it cook till it is fragrant.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 10-15sec.
3. Add tomato puree and saute till it leaves oil on the sides.
4. Add red chilli powder and cashew paste.
5. Add water and let it come to a boil.
6. Add salt, sugar and green chilli followed by paneer cubes.
7. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala and stir well.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati/ naan.

Butter Chicken Masala

This is another dish I tried from the blog food bound. And I relished the taste as if I have eaten it from a restaurant.

Ingredients :

Marination Step 1 : (For 30 minutes)

Chicken : 500 gms
Oil : 2 tsp
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder :1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp

Marination Step 2 : (For 2 to 3 hours)

Yoghurt : 1 cup

For Gravy :
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Green Chilli : 2
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Salt according to Taste
Cardamom : 2 pods
Tomatoes : 6
Cashew Nuts : 10 (Soaked and ground into paste)
Sugar : 1/2 tsp
Cream : 3 tbsp or Milk : 3/4 cup
Fenugreek Leaves/ Kasoori Methi : 2 tbsp
Butter : 4 tbsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Marinate the chicken according to that given in Marination Step 1 for half an hour and prick the chicken pieces with fork so that it is well marinated.
2. Now marinate with yogurt and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Once you take the chicken put you can either bake the chicken at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes on each side.
4. Or cook the chicken on a skillet for 5 to 10 minutes. (make sure that the chicken doesn't become hard).
5. Blanch, peel and puree the tomatoes and keep it aside.
6. Heat a deep bottomed pan add 1 tsp oil and 1 tbsp butter, followed by ginger garlic paste. Cook till the smell of the paste disappears.
7. Add the green chilli and cardamom pods followed by pureed tomato.
8. Add the kashmiri chilli powder and cook till the oil leaves the side. Now add the cashewnut paste.
9. Simmer and add the sugar and 2 tbsp butter.  (if adding milk add now or move onto step 10).
10. Check for the seasoning and add salt, followed by cooked chicken.
11. Add the crushed kasuri methi and cream. (If adding milk add after step 9 and cook for 5 min).

Trevti Dal

I love Gujrathi food. Every time I see the scene in 3 Idiots where Kareena Kapoor talks about the strange Gujrathi food I laugh my ass off.  Khakra, Fafda, Dhokla, Thepla. But then konkani food also has some very funny names. All are so different to hear about. This is another dal without onion or garlic. Its also called Trevti because it has 3 dals combined together.

Ingredients :
Chana Dal : 1/3 cup
Moong Dal : 1/3 cup
Toor Dal/ Masoor Dal : 1/3 cup
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Lemon Juice : 1 tsp


Tempering Ingredients :
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Bay Leaves :1
Red Chili : 2
Asafoetida : a pinch
Ginger : 1 inch (finely Chopped)
Green Chili : 2-3 (finely Chopped)
Tomato : 1/3 cup
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Wash all the dals (Chana Dal, Moong Dal and Toor dal) and cook in a pressure cooker with a pinch of turmeric, sufficient water and salt for 8 to 9 whistles so that the dal is well cooked.
2. The dal would be well cooked and smashed by now.
3. Temper with all the ingredients given under tempering and pour on the cooked dal.
4. Garnish with lemon juice and serve hot.

Lobster Rawa Fry

It turns out you can get an allergy to anything at any point in your life. After coming to US I have turned allergic to prawns and lobster. My hands start itching the moment I touch them.
Hence all the cleaning and touching has to be done by Hubby Darling. The clicks and the recipe is mine. But the cooking is done by hubby dear R.K. I just had to give the correct measurements of all the spices.


Ingredients :
Lobster :1 (Whole)
Red Chilli Powder : 1.5 tsp
Corn Flour : 2 tbsp (White)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Asafoetida : a pinch
Salt according to Taste
Rava : To coat
Oil : To deep Fry

Procedure :
1. Wash and clean the lobster and remove it from its shell.
2. The lobster does not have a single piece of bone and hence its easier to slice into thin slices.
3. Make a paste of red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, corn flour, asafoetida, salt and water. (The paste consistency should that be of our toothpaste).
4. Apply this paste on the lobster and marinate for 1 hour.
5. Now coat this with rava and egg whites and again with rava.
6. Deep fry or shallow fry the pieces.