Matar Paneer Curry
The most common dish of Punjab, but yet liked by everyone
INGREDIENTS
* Paneer (cut into 1" cubes) 200 gms l Shelled peas 1 cup
* 2 onions l Ginger 1" piece l Tomatoes 3 l Moti Illaichi (seeds) (brown cardamoms) 1 l 2 cloves (laung) l Curd (well beaten) (beat till smooth with wire whisk) • cup l Dhania powder (coriander) 1tsp l Red chilli powder • tsp l Amchoor • tsp
*Garam masala • tsp l Oil 4-5 tbsp
METHOD
Grind onions, ginger, laung, moti illiachi and tomatoes to a smooth puree in a mixer. Heat oil in a kadhai. Add the onion-tomato puree. Cook covered on high flame for about 5 minutes till dry. Remove cover and cook, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes till very thick and absolutely dry. Add dhania powder, red chilli powder, amchoor and garam masala. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes more till oil separates. The masala should be dry and look glossy because the oil separates which makes the masala as well as the sides of the kadhai turn glossy. Beat curd with a wire whisk or fork till very smooth. Add well beaten curd to the masala, stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes, till oil separates again and the masala turns to a bright red colour. Add enough water, about 2• cups water, to get a thick gravy. Add salt to taste, about 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook the gravy for about 5 minutes on low heat till oil separates and comes to the surface. Add peas. Cook covered till peas are done.
Add paneer and • tsp garam masala. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes till paneer gets soft. Serve hot.
Has the oil separated from the masala? Is it time to add water or should I stir fry the masala some more?
Sometimes when we do not add too much oil for home cooked meals, the oil actually does not separate and float on the surface. So, when the masala stops sticking to the bottom of the kadhai and starts to collect in the centre as a ball, it is done. The sides of the kadhai or the pan get glossy with oil too. Go ahead and add the water or any other liquid like milk or coconut milk, to get the gravy.
Arvi Ajwaini
Arvi combined with a masala of onion rings flavoured with carom seeds. A dry dish.
INGREDIENTS
* Arvi (colocasia) • kg l Onions (peel and cut into circles and separate the rings) 2 l Ginger (chopped finely) •" piece
* Green chillies (cut into thin long pieces and deseeded) 2-3
* Haldi (turmeric powder) • tsp l Tomatoes (chopped) 2
* Ajwain (carom seeds) 1 tsp l Jeera (cumin seeds) • tsp
* Dhania powder (coriander) 1 tsp l Salt, or to taste • tsp
* Red chilli powder • tsp l Amchoor (dried mango powder)
• tsp l Coriander (chopped) • cup
METHOD
Cut onion into circles and separate into rings. Pressure cook arvi with 3 cups water and 2 tsp salt to give one whistle. Keep on low flame for 4 minutes. Do not over boil. Remove from fire. After the arvi cools, peel and flatten thinly each piece between the palms.
Heat 2 cups oil in a kadhai for frying. Put 4-5 pieces of flattened arvi at one time in oil. Fry till golden brown. Remove from oil. When cool, cut each piece diagonally into •" thick slices. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a clean kadhai. Reduce flame. Add ajwain and jeera. Cook till jeera turns golden. Add onion rings and cook till light brown. Add haldi and mix for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes till soft. Add ginger and stir for a minute. Add chilli powder, amchoor, salt and dhania powder. Stir to mix well. Add 2-3 tbsp water. Boil. Add fried arvi. Mix well.
Add hara dhania and green chillies. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Serve.
Tip: If the arvi is not boiled in salted water, add a little extra salt. You can grill the arvi Instead of frying. To grill, spread the boiled arvi on a plate. Sprinkle some salt, red chilli powder and 3-4 tbsp besan. Sprinkle 3 tbsp thick curd and mix well.
Grill in an oven on a greased wire rack till brown specs appear.
Punjabi Kadhi
Makes a perfect Sunday lunch with boiled rice. A little baking powder in the pakoras make them melt in the mouth!
INGREDIENTS
* Besan (gram flour) • cup l Khatti dahi (sour yogurt) l Haldi powder • tsp l Salt or to taste 2• tsp l Red chilli powder (according to taste)
Other ingredients * • tsp jeera (cumin seeds) l Methi daana (fenugreek seeds) • tsp
Moti Illiachi (black cardamoms) 1 *2 Laung (cloves)* Dry red chillies 3-4
Pakore (Dumplings) * Besan (gram flour * Water 1/3 cup approx.*1 big onion (chopped finely) *1 small potato (chopped finely) *1 piece ginger (chopped finely) * 2 green chillies (chopped finely) * Red chilli powder • tsp* Salt 1 tsp* Garam masala 1 tsp *Dhania powder 1 tsp* A pinch of baking powder* Oil for frying.
Tadka/tempering * Oil 2 tbsp * 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)*Red chilli powder 1 tsp
METHOD
Mix khatti dahi, besan, salt, haldi, red chilli powder and 5 cups water. Beat well till smooth and no lumps remain. In a big heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil. Add jeera, methi daana, moti illaichi and laung. Add whole, red chillies too. When jeera turns golden, add curd-water mixture. Stir continuously till it boils. After one good boil, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from fire and keep aside. The kadhi thicken more on keeping.
To prepare pakoras, mix besan with water to make a thick paste. Beat well. Add all the other ingredients given under pakoras. Beat well to get a soft dropping batter. Heat oil and drop spoonfuls of batter. Deep fry 5-6 pakoras at a time, on medium heat till golden brown and crisp. Keep aside.
At serving time, add pakoras to kadhi and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the hot kadhi to a serving dish.
For tadka, heat oil in a small pan. Reduce flame and add jeera. When it turns golden, remove from fire and add red chilli powder. Pour hot oil on the hot kadhi in the dish. Mix lightly. Serve hot with boiled rice.
