Author: djkaradia

Serves 4
Ingredients
• 250 gm Paneer, cut into approx 1 inch squares
• 200 gm onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1tsp fresh ginger, garlic paste or finely chopped
• 200 gm tomatoes washed and chopped
• 2 tbsp ground almond and cashew nut
• 100 ml double cream
• 2 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Chilli powder to taste
• Salt to taste.
• 1/4 tsp garam Masala
• A small handful of coriander leaves, chopped

This is a popular dish, especially in restaurants. It can be made very mild to very spicy, with spinach leaves only or with a mix of spinach and fenugreek leaves. In this recipe, I have used some fenugreek leaves.

Serves 6
Ingredients
• 200 gm spinach / palak
• 100 gm fresh fenugreek/methi leaves or 2 tbs dry methi leaves (Kasoori methi)
• 100 gm Paneer Cheese cube or block
• 2 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium onions
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 green chillies
• 200 gm of 1/2 cup chopped or tinned tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin and coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 cups of water, approximately
• 1/2 tsp garam Masala

Instructions
1. Peel, wash, chop onion, ginger, and garlic roughly or grind in a food processor.
2. Cut paneer into bite size squares.
3. Wash, chop spinach, and fenugreek/ methi leaves. Boil in a very little water for 10 minutes.
4. Cool and grind to a paste.
5. Measure all other ingredients and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a pan.
7. Add cumin seeds, a large pinch of asafoetida, and let the seed splutter.
8. Add the chopped/ground onions and let it cook till medium brown
9. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook it for 1 to 2 min. Keep stirring it.
10. Add the tomatoes, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric, salt and chillies Now let the tomato cook, stirring frequently, until oil begins to separate from the gravy.
11. Add the spinach, mix thoroughly, and add a little water to get a thick custard like consistency.
12. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. It is important to cover it, as hot spinach bubbles and splatters everywhere.
13. Meanwhile in a frying pan, with a little oil, cook paneer cubes on each side for about 30 to 40 seconds. Just enough to get ever so lightly fry. If you are using a block of paneer. Just fry the whole block for similar time on both flat sides. Once cooked and cool, cut them in cubes.
14. Add paneer/cheese cubes to the spinach, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
15. Add a little garam masala. Turn heat off. 16. Serve hot with Chapatties or Paratha.

Methi is an Indian leafy vegetable that looks a little like clover leaves. It is used in various dishes for its flavour. It has a distinctive aroma and taste. Methi is available from most Indian grocers in bunches of fresh leaves, as
dry leaves called ‘Kasuri Methi’. This Particular dish tastes better when made with fresh methi leaves.

Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
• 500 gm. potatoes (tiny new potatoes, when available, are nicer)
• 1 large bunch of methi leaves (prepare them by mainly keeping leaves with very tender stock only) wash and chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste or grated.
• 1-2 tbsp mustard or other cooking oil.
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder or 2 finely chopped fresh chili (adjust to taste).
• Salt to taste.

Instructions
1. Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces and wash well. If new potatoes are used they need not be peeled.
2. Clean methi by picking leaves off the stem. Very tender stems can be left in too.
3. Wash well and chop lightly on a chopping board.
4. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai.
5. Add cumin seeds (jeera) and wait until seeds splutter.
6. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry a little for 40 to 50 seconds.
7. Add methi leaves and fry until they collapse completely.
8. Add potatoes, spices and salt. Stir thoroughly. Turn heat down.
9. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring from time to time, until the potatoes are cooked. If fresh or frozen methi is used and it is cooked on the correct temperature, no additional water is required. However, if it begins to catch or burn, sprinkle a little water, as required.
10. Once the potatoes are cooked, adjust salt and chillies, raise heat, and stir-fry until all water is absorbed and oil begins to separate from the dish.
11. Serve with raita and chapatis or Plain Parathas.

This very popular vegetarian dish in Punjab. It is traditionally served with plain, boiled Basmati rice, as part of a combination referred to as “Rajma-chawal”.

Serves 6-10
Ingredients
• 2 tin of kidney beans
• 3 tbs cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds or jeera
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste or grated
• 1 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2-3 medium tomatoes (175-200 gm.), washed and chopped or 200 gm. tinned, peeled tomatoes pureed
• 1 level tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin and coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chill powder adjust to taste • 1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp garam Masala
• 1 to 2 cups water (adjust to your requirement)
• A small bunch of coriander leaves

Instructions
1. If using tinned kidney beans, drain and rinse them.
2. Grind onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor, all together or chop finely.
3. Measure all ground spices and keep aside in a bowl, keeping garam masala separate.
4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
5. Add cumin seeds and wait until they crackle/splutter.
6. Add onions, garlic and ginger mix and fry until onions are nicely browned.
7. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander powder, chilli powder and salt. Stir for 10-15 seconds (don’t let the spices burn).
8. Add tomatoes and fry until oil begins to separate the oil.
9. Add to kidney beans and stir for a minute or two.
10. Add water, if required. The amount depends upon how thick you want the gravy to be. Let the beans boil briskly for a few minutes.
11. Taste and adjust salt, chilli etc. Now add sugar and mix well.
12. Crush a few kidney beans with a spatula, to give it a thicker, mushy looking gravy.
13. Add garam masala, half the coriander leaves and mix. Turn heat off.
14. Close the lid to allow the flavour to infuse.
15. Place in a serving bowl & garnish with the rest of coriander leaves.
16. Serve hot with Tandoori Roti or Chapatti or Boiled Rice.

Serve 4-5
Ingredients
• 500 gm ladies finger or okra or bhindi
• 1 medium potato, peeled and sliced in a quarter or half
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste or grated
• 2 to 3 fresh red or green chillies chopped
• 1 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds or mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin and coriander powder
• 1/6 tsp or less chilli powder or to taste
• 1/2 tsp dry mango powder or amchoor (Mango powder)
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• Salt to taste

Instructions
1. Wash and dry thoroughly all okra. This is important, if they are wet, the curry will become very slimy! You can spread them on a kitchen towel for a few hours to dry properly. You can also give them a rub with the kitchen towel. Actually frozen sliced okra are less slimy
2. Remove and discard the stalk end from each okra
3. Slice okra in circles about a 1 to 2 cm
4. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. Add cumin/mustard seeds and let them splutter. If using mustard seeds, keep the lid on, because they jump.
6. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Do not let it burn.
7. Add okra stir fry for a few minutes, reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 5 10 minutes or so.
8. Add thinly sliced potatoes and all spices except garam masala and mango powder. Stir fry for a few minutes, reduce heat to low-medium and cook covered for 15 minutes or so. DO NOT ADD WATER, it has its own, which is released during cooking.
9. Once okra are cooked, add garam masala and mango powder. Stir fry until all the natural water is evaporated and the bhindi looks shiney with oil.
10. Serve hot with a rice and yougurt or chapatties.

Method:
1. Boil in salted water, along with turmeric, until the red lentils turn to mush and the yellow peas are soft, but not mushy. This should take about 30-40 minutes. If it begins to look dry, add more boiling water, don’t let the water
evaporate fully.
2. Now heat the ghee and oil to a medium-hot, add cumin and mustard seeds. Once they finish spluttering, add ginger garlic paste and fry for 20/30 seconds making sure of not letting it burnt. Now add tomatoes and cook them until oil starts separating.
3. Add chili powder, if you like it hot.
4. Add cooked lentils and mix well and cook the dal for another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Chopped coriander leaves and torn curry leaves.
6. Serve with boiled rice or any Indian bread.

Serves 2 -3
Ingredients
• 100gm moong dal with or without skin
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 300 gm fresh spinach leaves, washed and chopped finely
• 1 1/2 inch root ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbs coarsely chopped garlic
• Salt to taste (1 tsp.)
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder
1-2 fresh green chillies
• 2 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin and coriander powder

Instructions
1. Wash dal well.
2. Drain the water off. Now soak the dal in the warm water for half an hour to one hour.
3. Wash and chop spinach.
4.Add oil to a sauce pan. After spluttering the cumin seeds, add garlic and ginger to the hot oil, fry for 10 to 20 seconds.  Add turmeric powder, chillies and drained dal. Mix everything well.
5. Now add chopped spinach and mix everything well. Cook the dish for 15-20 min. Keep stirring time to time
6.Check for water and if dal is not fully cooked yet, and not enough water, add some water and cook until dal is soft.
7. Serve with Chapatties.

Serves 4
Ingredients
• 250 gm. Paneer Cheese block, cut into cubes
• 3 tbs. fine corn flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Oil for deep frying
• 2 tbs. oil for cooking masala
• 1 onion, peeled and grated or ground*
• 1 tsp. grated ginger*
• 1 tsp grated/crushed garlic* (optional)
• 1 small green pepper de seeded and cut in to cubes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• A large pinch of black pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. light Soya sauce
• 2 tbs. tomato ketchup, adjust to taste
• 1 tbs. hot chilli sauce, adjust to taste
• 1 tbs. chopped Spring Onion
• *These 3 can be ground together in a chopper.

Instructions
1. Make a batter with corn flour, salt and water. Beat well, until smooth.
2. Dip paneer pieces in batter and deep fry quickly. Heat the oil in a wok or karahi, Slow cooking makes them absorb too much oil and paneer becomes hard. Keep aside.
3. Remove all oil from the wok except tablespoons. Heat it and stir- fry ginger, garlic, onion and fry until onions are brown.
4. Add green pepper and saute.
5. Add salt, pepper, sugar and monosodium glutamate (this improves taste and preserves colours), Soya sauce, tomato ketchup and chilli sauce. Stir all in well.
6. Add paneer cubes and stir fry gently turning them over so that all pieces are coated well.
7. Garnish with chopped spring onion and mix. Serve hot.

Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 400 gm. tinned chickpeas ( 1 tin) Or 300 gm dry chickpease soacked over night and boil them in pressure cooker on low heat for 40 -50 minutes or till they are cooked and quite soft to squeeze with 500 ml water with a tea bag for nice brown colour. Make sure there is enough water in the cooker. If not sure, switch the cooker off after 15-20 min, let it cool down before opening the lid and check for the water and add more if require

• 1 medium onions, peeled
• 1/4 inch piece of ginger
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped finely or 1/2 tinned tomatoes pure
• 1 1/2 tbs cooking oil
• 1 tsp ajwain (caraway) seeds (can be replaced by 3-4 cloves, 1 medium cinnamon stick and 3-4 peppercorn)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp of coriander and cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala and 1/2 tsp mango powder
• A small bunch of coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely
• 1 cup of water

Method:

1. Peel, wash and chop onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor or (finely) by hand.
2. Heat oil in a pan.
3. Add cumin/ajwain seeds and let the seeds splutter. (or other whole spices)
4. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Fry until golden to light brown (not burnt).
5. Add all powdered spices except garam masala and salt. Stir for 10 seconds to release flavors.
6. Add tomatoes and cook until oil separates.
7. Add chick peas with it’s water, stir and add more water if not enough. How much gravy you want is a personal choice. I usually have it with a thick gravy.
8. Adjust salt, mango powder and chilli to your own taste and likes.
9. Cook briskly for 15 minutes
10. Take off the heat and add garam masala and coriander leaves, saving a few leaves for garnish.
11. Serve hot with Poori or choice of your bread

This a nice way to cook cauliflowers. The amount of gravy is your choice, you can make it quite clingy. You don’t have to add potatoes, if you choose. If you don’t have yoghurt, use tomatoes instead.

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
• 500 gm potatoes
• 500 gm.cauliflower
• 1 tea cup thick yoghurt* or dahi, beaten (you can used 1 cup chopped tomatoes instead)
• 2 tbs oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, crushed or shredded
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander and cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
• 1 tsp chilli powder, adjust to taste
• 1-2 cups water
• 2 tbs chopped coriander leaves

Instructions
1. Boil the potatoes in their skin, keep them bit crunchy peel and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Clean cauliflower and cut into florets. Don’t cut them too small, or they will disintegrate when cooked. Blanch them in boiling water for 3 – 4 min. Drain them.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. When seeds begin to splutter or turn brown, add ginger, garlic and fry for a 10 -20 second
4. Add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder and salt. Stir all spices well.
5. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and stir. Cook for 8-10 min.
6. Add beaten yoghurt* and stir well for further few minutes till cauliflower and potatoes are cooked. This is yoghurt sauce.
7. Add boiling water according to the consistency you want. Bring to boil and simmer until cauliflowers and potatoes are cooked. This takes only a few minutes, if cauliflower is fresh.
8. Add half the chopped coriander leaves. Use remaining leaves as garnish.
9. Serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Paratha.