Kadai Paneer

It is not hard to sell any Paneer recipe to me as I am a self confessed Paneer lover.Though I usually do not deviate from the usual PBM route,ever since I tried Matar Paneer,I am open to trying out new Paneer dishes.So it was no wonder when Srivalli posted a step by step recipe of Kadai paneer,I was tempted to make it right away.

Fresh Paneer,crisp Capsicum and a melange of masalas in a tomato gravy was bound to be a hit.


Unlike side dishes featuring paneer,this one is not very rich or laden with butter/oil/cream to make it tasty.Sometimes,the most simplest of recipes are the most tastiest,don't you agree?

Kadai Paneer


Ingredients


Paneer - 200 gms,cubed
Capsicum - 1 medium,cubed


Red chilly - 1[I used the long variety-Byadge]
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp


Oil - 2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1' piece
Onion - 2,chopped finely
Green chilly - 2,whole
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Tomato -2,pureed
Salt to taste


Method


Coarsely powder red chilly and coriander seeds and keep aside.
Chop the paneer into bite-size cubes and saute in 1 tsp oil till golden brown on both sides.Drain from the pan and immerse in about 2 cups of boiling water and keep aside.
Sauté the capsicum in the same pan till it starts browning.Drain and keep aside.
In the same pan add the remaining 1 tsp oil and add the red chilly-coriander powder,cloves and cinnamon and sauté for a minute.
Add the onions,whole green chillies and stir till it starts becoming golden brown,then add the ginger garlic paste,red chilly powder and mix well.
Continue to sauté for two minutes, add tomato puree, salt. Cover with lid and let the puree cook.
When the tomato puree is well cooked, add the roasted paneer,roasted capsicum and mix well. 
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Notes

• If you are using fresh homemade Paneer,you can add it straight to the curry.No need to roast or soak it in hot water.

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Ambya Gojju ~ Ripe Mango Curry

Come Mango season and there's no dearth of recipes featuring Mangoes.A while back,I used to believe that mangoes should be eaten as is,but not any more.There are so many varieties of mango in the market these days and I am tempted to do so much with it!

I love Banganpally mangoes and I can identify it even if I eat it blindfolded.I shouldn't be very proud of this because Ajay and his parents can identify each and every mangoes in the market with just a whiff,or even a glance.I always enjoy the talk going on between them regarding mangoes of the season.Sometimes it goes 'this season Kalapadi is not so good,and so is Malgoa',and then Ma-in-law says 'goinT* ambos have gone so expensive,but without them how can we indulge in ambe upkaris and gojjus?'


There are certain mangoes meant for certain dishes.For example,this gojju requires small and juicy mangoes[with fibers] so that it can be dipped into the sauce and eaten to the hearts content.This is very similar to Ambya Upkari,the only difference being,this one is served cool and requires no cooking![except for the seasoning].

                                                        [Kalapadi Mangoes]


Ambya Gojju


Ingredients


Ripe mangoes - 8-10[small variety]
Jaggery - 1 cup,melted[or you could use an equal amount of grated jaggery]
Roasted red chillies - 2[I used the long variety called Byadge]
Tamarind - one small piece[a channa size]


For the tadka/seasoning


Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing/asafoetida - 1/2 tsp


Method


Wash the mangoes well under running water.Wipe clean with a kitchen towel and peel,do not discard the peels.
In a big pan put all the mango peels and add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and keep aside.
After 5 minutes,mash the skins with hands till it oozes out mango pulp,collect as much as you can and throw away the skins.
Take one mango and make pulp with it,add it to the above mix.
Grind together red chillies and tamarind to a coarse powder.
In a pan,add the mangoes and mix in the skin pulp and the mango pulp.

Add a pinch of salt and the red chilly-tamarind powder and mix well.
In a pan add oil for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds.Add hing.
Mix the seasoning to the prepared mangoes and keep refrigerated till serving.

Notes

• Pick small,juicy varieties of Mango for this dish.[*goinT is a generic name for mangoes which are particularly used for curries like this]
• Gojju tastes best when chilled so keep it refrigerated for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

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Molten Center Chocolate Cupcakes

One of the first recipes I bookmarked when I got hold of The Big Book of Baking,this one is a very simple recipe.What I liked most about the recipe is the quantity of the ingredients,almost half of regular cupcakes and it yields 8 big Cupcakes[since I have a 9 hole Cupcake tray,I adjusted a bit here and there to get 9].

Many of my readers expressed concern over uncooked batter when I posted the Molten Lava Cake,though personally I have no problems in baking/eating it,I was amused because many people felt that way.This recipe uses chocolate pieces as the molten centers and it creates a gooey center and there's no question of uncooked batter too.

Having baked a 'cooked' MLC sometime back,I was wary of over baking the cupcake and kept a close tab on it while it baked.While the recipe says 190C,I went with 180C which is the temperature I bake my cupcakes in.The centers were not 'cooked',but the chocolate was not gooey either.I had to Microwave the cupcake[after it baked] for 15 seconds and then the chocolate slowly started melting.But I didn't have to do it after all coz the cupcakes disappeared as soon as they came out of the oven!

Molten Center Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from The Big Book of Baking


Ingredients



Butter - 55 gms
Castor Sugar - 55 gms
Flour - 85 gms
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
Egg - 1
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Milk - 1-2  tbsp
Chocolate - 100 gms,chopped into small cubes


Method

Preheat oven to 190C.Line a cupcake tray with paper cups or use a silicon muffin pan.
Sift together flour,baking powder and cocoa powder.Keep aside.



Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
Mix in egg and vanilla,beat for one more minute.
Sift in the dry ingredients and beat until the last trace of flour disappears.If the batter seems too stiff,add milk to 'loosen' the batter.The final batter should be of dropping consistency.





Pour half of the batter into the cupcake molds.Make an indentation with the back of a spoon and place the chopped chocolate on top.Pour the other half of the remaining batter and cover the chocolate.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or till the cupcakes have risen and firm on top.
Let it cool for 2-3 minutes,then remove the cupcakes from the tray and cool on a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar on top and serve.




Notes

• As I mentioned earlier,the centers were not so molten,so you can try baking it at a higher temperature for a gooey center.190C or 200C would be ideal.
• I found the cupcakes to be a lot less sweet for my liking,nothing that a drizzle of Hershey's couldn't save,but if you are serving the cupcakes on their own,increase the sugar.I think 70 gms would be fine.
• The original recipe calls for self rising flour,so if you have it--use it and skip the baking powder.

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