Tangy Paneer Do Pyaza

Hello friends! I have been taking too many breaks from my blogging world. Well, all thanks to my juggling between work & home. But, honestly there is nothing better than spending time with your sweet little one. All the tiredness and worries fly away. What do you say?

With little time & opportunity to cook at length we have been managing all kinds of quick food. Honestly we also often end up eating out during lunch due to meetings or because I did not have had enough time to really cook. So, all these days whenever we get an opportunity we try to eat at home and try eating healthy, easy to cook food.

So, I had gone to the grocery store close by and there is a local chinese food vendor cooking on the street. No, I did not eat there but the aroma was too tempting to resist. So, one thing was sure for today I was to cook something chinese. I quickly picked up a packet of Mother Dairy Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and directly went to the sauce section. There I saw the new brand SAMS sauce, my husband did not want to experiment with the sauces but I did. Its an introductory pack of 3 sauces - Soy, Green chilly & Red Chilly. Reached home within 15 mts & headed to the kitchen to cook the TANGY PANEER DO PYAZA. It is cottage cheese tossed in chunks of onions/tomatoes & capsicum. It is generally cooked tangy & hot.

Here's how you make this awesomely delicious & quick dish.


Get hold of:
2 Onions  - Halve them chop them a little thick
2 Tomatoes - Halve them & chop them same as the onions
1 Big Capsicum - Halve it & slice it the same way
4 Green Chillies - Slit them  (add as much/less as you wish to)
Cottage Cheese - Long Slices as thick as the other items
Turmeric Powder - a pinch (you may not add if you wish)
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Tomato Sauce - 2 Tsp
Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp

Method:
Heat the wok & add oil. As soon as it is about to smoke add all the onions, tomatoes, capsicum & green chillies in. Toss till they are just cooked. Add turmeric powder, paneer, salt, tomato sauce & the soy sauce. Toss for a minute and serve hot with Chappatis/Paranthas/Rotis or Noodles. You may wish to serve them just as a snack.

Note:
You may add some vinegar for tang. But just the tomatoes also worked for me.
I do not like frozen paneer, the Mother Dairy or Gopaljee which are soft are good to use. You could even buy the local paneer available in the Indian shops or make fresh paneer at home.
I used Heinz Tomato Ketchup & SAMS Soy Sauce  - We liked the SAMS soy sauce.

Kalimirch Paneer (Cottage Cheese in peppery gravy)

Peppery! A strong flavor!

How does it sound to you? Well, to me it sounds delicious.

The goodness of  pepper (good for calorie reduction) in the soft, sweet & creamy gravy just makes me drool.

All we need to do is add the right bit of pepper to get the desired twist for your eagerly waiting taste buds.

We need:

• Paneer/Cottage Cheese - 200 gms
• Peppercorns -10-15 (crushed)
• Onions - 3 medium sized
• Bay leaves - 2
• Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom) - 2
• Curd - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt - As per taste

Method:
Cut the paneer in cubes. Grind the onions & keep ready. Whisk the curd with sugar in it & set aside.
Now, heat the pan, add oil & throw in the bay leaves & badi elaichi. Now, pour the onion paste & saute till it becomes light brown. To this add the crushed peppercorn & curd & let it cook till the oil finds way. Be around to ensure the gravy doesn't stick to the pan. If required add the desired amount of water & wait till it boils. Cover & cook for a few minutes so that the flavors mix in well.
The gravy is ready & the paneer cubes can be now added to this & served hot with your favorite bread!

Not a difficult recipe to follow!
There is no need to add a bowl full of spices to make it tasty.
This finger licking recipe can be cooked within 20 mts.

Note:

• Do not add turmeric to this dish - you may if you wish to create a remixed version though! :)
• Sugar is also optional
• You may add cream instead of curd to make this super rich & fluffy
• Serve with Indian bread - roti, chappati, parantha

Smoked Tandoori Veggies

You think you need a tandoor for this preparation? 
NO! Keep reading :)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets - 2 cups
• Onions - 2 Medium sized
• Capsicum - 2 Medium sized
• Baby Potatoes - 10
• Cottage Cheese (Paneer) - 250 gms
• Coriander - For Garnishing
• Lemon - 1
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Chaat Masala - As per taste

For Marination:

• Curd - 1/2 kg
• Gramflour (Besan) - 2 tsps
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsps
• Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - As per taste
• Edible Red Color - 2 pinches

Special Ingredients:
Coal - 1 medium sized
Oil - 2 tsps

Method:
In a pressure cooker cook the baby potatoes on medium flame & put it off right after the first whistle. After the steam is out take out the baby potatoes & cool them. Peel off the skin carefully without breaking the potatoes. It should be intact. Poke holes carefully in the potatoes with the help of a fork or a toothpick. Next dice the cottage cheese. Parboil the cauliflower & takeout of the water to cool it.
Prepare the marination paste by mixing all the ingredients together. Now, put the baby potatoes & the cauliflower florets & the cottage cheese in the paste & cover them completely with the coating & leave for an hour.
Meanwhile heat a non-stick pan & add oil. When ready add the diced onions & after 2 minutes add the diced capsicum. Saute till they turn translucent. Now add the cauliflower florets & the baby potatoes with the marination. Saute for another 3 minutes. Now, add the cottage cheese. Cover & cook & continue to saute every second minute for another 10 minutes. When they are done put off the flame & turn them into a bowl & keep aside. Heat the coal on an open flame to ignite it & then transfer it into a bowl. Carefully lift the bowl with the help of tongs & place it on top of the vegetables. Be ready with a lid to cover the larger bowl containing the vegetables. Pour the oil on the coal & immediately cover it with the lid. Leave it for 5 minutes. Then take out the smaller bowl & throw the coal. This is called Smoking which helps us in getting the tandoori like taste. Garnish with coriander & serve hot with chutney. Add the lemon extract & sprinkle some chaat masala for a tang.

Note:
1. You can use ghee instead of oil when smoking
2. You can try making just a tandoori paneer, tandoori gobhi or a tandoori aaloo
3. Best to make for evening snack or as a starter