Sanket's kitchen

Paneer tikka masala

Ingredients:

For marinade  -
Plain yogurt - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Tandoori masala - 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Paneer (cottage cheese) - about 10 to 15 ounce (250 to 400 grams) - cubed
Red bell pepper - 1 medium - chopped to medium size pieces

For gravy - 
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cooking oil spray - as needed
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry whole spices - green cardamom - 2, cinnamon - 1" piece, cloves - 4, black pepper - 4, and bay leaves - 2.
Onion - 1 medium - chopped
Tomatoes - 3 medium - chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chili - 1 chopped
Tandoori masala - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin-coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Kasoori methi powder - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tbsp

For garnish -
Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp

Recipe:

Step 1 - Marinade: Mix all ingredient form 'For marinade' except Paneer and red bell pepper and whisk well into a paste. Now add cubed paneer and chopped red bell pepper. Coat them with paste and keep it in refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Step 2 - Cook paneer and red bell pepper: I cooked them in the oven. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Spray cooking oil on baking sheet and arrange paneer and bell pepper on it in a single layer. Coat excess marinade over them with a brush. Now again spray some cooking oil over paneer and bell pepper and put it inside the oven. After 10 mins, removing baking sheet from oven, flip them over and cook for 10 more minutes. Now turn oven to broiler and cook for 5 minutes. For the last time, flip paneer and bell pepper and cook for additional 5 minutes. The edges should be blackened by the end. Remove from the oven and put in a container with closed lid to retain moisture.

Step 3 - Making sauce/gravy for tikka masala: Heat 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat in a pan. Once heated add chopped onions and cook till it turns brown (about 8 to 10 mins). Keep stirring onions in between and do not let it burn. Now add chopped ginger-garlic-green chili and sautée them for 2-3 mins. Now add salt and tomatoes and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will help yield maximum flavor from tomatoes. Keep stirring in between and add some water (about 2 tbsp) once in a while to avoid burning. Now add turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder and tandoori masala and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Now turn off the heat and let it cool down. Now mix everything in a food processor to make a smooth paste.

Step 4 - Making paneer tikka masala: Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil on a medium-high in a pan. Once heated, add cumin seeds. Once cumin seeds start to splutter, add dry whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and bay leaves). Sautée for about 1 minutes (till they become aromatic). Do not let the whole spices burn (it will make gravy taste bitter). Now lower the heat to medium, and add paste (from step 3). Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Now add kasoori methi powder and garam masala and let it cook for additional 5 minutes. Keep stirring and add some water in between to maintain desired consistency of gravy. Add paneer and bell pepper to gravy, close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, sprinkle sugar and mix gently. Your authentic restaurant style paneer tikka masala is ready.

Serve with Jeera rice or Indian breads (roti, naan or paratha)!

Enjoy!

Roasted vegetable pasta

Ingredients:

Vegetables for roasting – Zucchini – 1, Cucumber – 1, Yellow squash – 1, Egg plant – 1, Red pepper – 1, Onion – 1/2. Cut all the vegetables into medium size chunks.
Vegetables for sauce – Onion – remaining ½; garlic pods – 3 chopped.
Pasta/tomato sauce  – 1 cup
Cheddar and mozzarella cheese – 1 cup (1/2 cup for making pasta sauce and remaining ½ cup for baking pasta)
Pasta – 2 cups (I prefer 100% whole wheat fusilli pasta but anything is fine)
Salt – 2 tsp (adjust as per taste),
Crushed red pepper – 1 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Italian seasoning – 1 tsp
Parsley – 1 cup chopped and rinsed
Olive oil – 2 tsp

Recipe:

Step 1 – Roasting vegetables: Pre-heat oven at 400F.  Arrange vegetable chunks on a baking sheet. Season with 1 tsp olive oil and  ½ tsp each of salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning. Mix everything together. Put the vegetables in oven and let it cook for about 30 mins. Stir vegetables every 10 minutes to cook uniformly. 

Step 2 – Making pasta sauce: Meanwhile vegetables are cooked in oven, start making pasta sauce. Heat remaining olive oil in a pan. Once heated, add 1/2 chopped onion and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5-7 mins till onions soften and turn pinkish and translucent. Add pasta/tomato sauce. Cook for about 5-7 mins. Turn heat to low-medium and add ½ cup cheese and mix everything well. Add 1 tsp salt, and remaining red pepper, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook for additional 2 minutes. Then add ½ cup parsley and mix well. Turn off the gas. Your sauce is ready. 

Step 3 – Cooking pasta: Cook pasta simultaneous with making sauce as per the instructions on pasta packet.

Step 4 – Baking pasta: Mix roasted vegetables (step 1), pasta sauce (step 2), and cooked pasta (step 3) in a baking tray. Top it with remaining ½ cup cheese and put the baking tray in oven. Cook for about 10 mins at 400F. Turn oven to broiler for last few mins to give top layer of cheese a crispy brown touch.
Remove tray from oven and garnish with remaining ½ cup parsley. Enjoy!

Note: Mozzarella cheese tend to be sticky in pasta sauce. However, baking pasta in step 4 helps to make it less sticky while eating!

Enjoy!

Cucumber-mint raita (yogurt sauce)

Masoor (red lentil) pulao

Ingredients -

Masoor dal (red lentil) - 1 cup
Basmati rice - 1 cup
Onions (small) - 3 sliced
Green chili - 1 chopped
Ginger - 1.5" piece crushed (1 tbsp)
Garlic - 5 pods crushed (1 and 1/2 tbsp)
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Whole spices - bay leaves (2 leaves), cloves (4), black pepper (5), green cardamom (2)

Powder spices (masalas) - turmeric (1 tsp), cumin coriander powder (2 tsp), red chili powder (1 tsp), biryani/pulao masala (1 tsp)

Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp

Recipe -

Step 1: Wash and rinse masoor dal and basmati rice. Soak masoor dal and basmati rice separately in water for at least 2 hours.

Step 2: Cook masoor dal - Drain water used for soaking from masoor dal. Add 2 cups of fresh water. Turn on the heat and cook till masoor dal is about 3/4th cooked (roughly 15 minutes on low-medium heat).

Step 3: Making pulao - Heat ghee on a medium heat in an oven safe pan with lid. Once ghee is hot, add cumin seeds. Add whole spices once cumin seeds start to splutter. Cook whole spices for about 30 seconds (till they become fragrant). Do not burn whole spices. Now add sliced onions and cook till it become translucent (8 to 10 minutes). Now add green chili, ginger and garlic to onions. Cook for about 5 minutes (till the raw smell of garlic is gone). Now add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes (till tomatoes become mushy). Turn the heat to low, add powder spices to it and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes (do not burn powder spices). Now add soaked basmati rice (after removing water used for soaking). Mix gently. Add 1 cup water and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat with closed lid. Now add cooked masoor dal (with the water used for cooking). Mix gently. Cook for about additional 15 minutes on a low heat with lid closed (cook till water gets evaporated).

Step 4: Baking pulao in oven - Pre-heat oven to 375 F while making pulao. Now put the pan in oven. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Step 5: Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve with Cucumber-mint raita.

Enjoy! 

Guvar nu shak (clusterbean curry)

Ingredients -

Clusterbeans (guvar) - 250 grams (roughly 1/2 pound)
oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Ajwain (carom) seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Besan (gram flour) - 1 tsp
Plain yogurt (dahi) - 2 to 3 tbsp
1 cup water
Asafetida (hing) - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Cumin-coriander powder - 2 tsp
Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp (for garnish)

Recipe - 

Step 1: Cooking guvar  - Put guvar in a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup water to it. Add half salt, turmeric, cumin-coriander and red chili powder to it. Cook for 2 whistles.

Step 2: Meanwhile whisk the yogurt and gram flour to form a paste.

Step 3: Making curry - Heat oil in a cooking pot on a high heat. Once oil is hot, add ajwain seeds and cumin seeds. Add asafetida after seeds start to crackle. Lower the heat to medium, add remaining half of turmeric and red chili powder to it. Fry for about 30 seconds. Now add cooked guvar (along with the remaining water from cooker) to pot. Mix well. Add cumin-coriander powder, close the lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Now add yogurt-gram flour paste and mix well. Let it cook for another 3-5 minutes with closed lid. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander.

Traditionally served with Indian bread like rotli or bhakri, accompanied with Gujarati (tuvar) dal and rice.

Enjoy!

Ingredients - 

Cucumber - 1/2 finely chopped
Green onion - 1 finely chopped
Green chili - 1/2 chopped (optional)
Chopped coriander - 1 tbsp
Celery - 1 finely chopped
Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tbsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tbsp (optional)

Method -

Wash and paper dry all vegetables. Chop them. Mix all the vegetables in a bowl. Add salt and pepper and relish it as an accompaniment with Indian meals.

Enjoy!

Ringan no odo

Ingredients:

1 egg plant (Aubergine)
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp asefetida
1 whole dry red chili
5 green(spring) onions - chopped (3/4th for cooking and 1/4th for garnishing)
1 green chili - chopped
1 tomato chopped
3 garlic pods - finely chopped
1" ginger - chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp cumin-corianderpowder
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp garam masala


Recipe: 

Step 1 - Bake eggplant: Preheat the oven to 400f. Coat the eggplant with a layer of oil. Pierce it with knife at 4 to 5 places. Place it on a baking sheet and put it into the middle compartment of oven. Let it cook for about 35 minutes. Change the position of eggplant a few times. When it is done, the skin will become wrinkled and it can be swiftly pierced with a a knife. After it is cooked, peel the skin and mash the inside of eggplant. Add salt, turmeric, red chili powder, and cumin-coriander powder to eggplant and mix well.

Step 2 - Cooking: Heat oil on a medium heat. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafetida. Add whole dry red chili after seeds start to sizzle. Now add green chili, garlic, and 3/4th chopped spring onions. Fry on a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Now add tomoato and ginger. Cook for 3-4 additional minutes. Now add mashed eggplant (with added spices) to it and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let it burn. Add little water if needed. Once it is cooked, turn off the stove. Garnish with chopped coriander and green onions.

Traditionally, Served with ' bajri no rotlo (Indian bread made with millet)', chaas (buttermilk), and jaggery with ghee.

Enjoy!

Brussels sprout

Ingredients:

cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
brussels sprouts - 1 pound (washed, trimmed, quartered)
green chili - 1 (chopped)
green onions -  2 to 3 (chopped)
garlic - 2 to 4 cloves (finely chopped)
lemon juice (fresh from 1 lemon)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
cheddar cheese - 1 tbsp
coriander - 1 tbsp chopped
orange zest

salt - 1 tbsp (adjust as per taste)
black pepper - 1/2 tbsp
turmeric - 1 tsp
cumin-coriander powder - 1 tbsp
garam masala - 1/2 tbsp

Recipe -

Heat 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil on high heat (cooking on high is key, because you want to sear the edges of the brussels sprouts). Add cumin seeds once oil is hot. Add sprouts, green chili, half green onions, and garlic to hot oil after cumin seeds start to sizzle, then stir frequently while still allowing edges to darken. Sear for about 4-5 minutes (might need to reduce heat to medium during this process). After sprouts are seared, reduce to medium heat and add salt, turmeric, cumin-coriander powder and pepper. Stir ingredients together and then add 1/2 cup of water. Cover and allow to cook for approximately 4 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and garam masala, mix well and cook for additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Mix well. Garnish with rest of green onions, chopped coriander and orange zest.

Serve with parboiled/brown rice or Indian bread like roti.

Enjoy!

Read article 'Importance of Brussels sprouts in diet' to learn about its health benefits.
       
Caveat:  
1. Do not let brussels sprouts overcook. Over cooking will turn them grey and soft, and they develop a strong sulfur like flavor some dislike.
2. Avoid boiling brussels sprouts. Boiling them will lose important chemical believed to have a potent anti-cancer agent.

Butter chicken

• Chicken – boneless pieces - about 1 - 1/2 pound
• Ginger/garlic – 1 tsp for marinade
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala – 1 tsp
• Hung Curd (plain yogurt) – 3 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Powder masalas: Red chili powder – 1 tsp, coriander powder – 1 tsp.

• Onions – 2 large (I prefer red ones)
• Tomatoes – 2 medium
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts – 6 to 8 pieces
• Heavy whipping cream – ½ pint
• Honey – 1 tsp
• Kasuri methi (fenugreek powder) – 1 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala – ½ tsp
• Garam masala – ½ tsp
• Coriander – chopped handful – for garnishing
• Salt – 1 tsp (as per taste)
• Butter – 2 Tsp (I used amul brand)
• Oil – 1 tsp

• Cinnamon stick – 1 piece,
• Cloves – 3 to 4 pieces
• Bay leaves – 2 pieces

Lamb shank curry