The mushroom debate - Love it or leave it? |~Malai Matar Mushroom~

Mushroom, that one ingredient that evokes as many opinions as does any political debate, is one of my very favorites. I am yet to find any other vegetable (well almost..) that stimulates such strong reactions, that ranges the whole spectrum from total love to utter dislike. No wonder its known as the “meat” of the vegetable world, thereby opening itself up to such strong reactions from the vegetarians. I look at it this way – if something evokes such ardent responses (just like any opinionated person you might encounter), it definitely carries mettle and so it does. Soft yet spongy, chewy yet melt-in-your-mouth - it kindles all sorts of sensations as one bites through that succulent piece of earthiness. 

The "mushroom" love bug caught me quite early and my very first food memory of this powerhouse was when my Dad would come home after an early morning outing to Barabati stadium, where rows of wild mushroom vendors would line up. It was more of a chance that you got hold of them since they would show up only when they had enough mushrooms to sell, which ensured that those were wild rather than cultivated ones. So Dad would be back with the intensely fragrant and flavorful shiitake /brown mushrooms while we would start throwing ideas at my Ma.Till date the wooden, that atypical earthy "mushroom" aroma transports me back to the early morning hustle-bustle in our kitchen. I love every kind – from meaty portabella to the slender enokii mushrooms to the earthy crimini. Each has a distinct flavor, identity and personality that dictates their best fit.

Recently, mushrooms have been making it to my “must-buy” section of our grocery list. From omelets to pastas to- of course my very favorite mushroom masala. I use it with an enthusiasm that can only match my propensity for eggplants. Just like eggplants, what makes them so unique is their ability to soak in new flavors all the while standing strong with their identity. After trying out numerous variations of the mushroom masala, one fine day we craved for the creamy matar mushroom sans the overpowering creamy and bland gravy. Here’s the one that I concocted that has the perfect balance for our palate – melt-in-the-mouth mushrooms with just the right hint of creaminess with a blend of slightly sweet peas. Here you go:

Melt-in-the-mouth mushrooms and sweet peas soak in the smooth tomato gravy with just the precise hint of creaminess from roasted cashews. Serve it with warm chapatis or parathas.

Ingredients:
1 lb Shiitake/Crimini/White button mushrooms
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 inch Cinnamon

1 Large onion chopped
3 Tablespoom Ginger garlic paste
1 Cup Tomato puree
3 teaspoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
4-5 Roasted whole Cashews made into a paste
2-3 teaspoons Heavy cream (Optional)
1/4 Cup Green peas

For the dry masala
3 teaspoon Cumin seeds/ Jeera
5 nos. Whole Cloves
2 nos. Whole Cardamom pods

Method:

1. Slice the mushrooms as thick/thin you like & set aside. 
2. Add oil to a pan over medium high heat and saute the   onions along with the cinnamon stick till the onions are     lightly golden brown (5-6 mins). 
3. Then add 3 T of ginger garlic paste and fry over medium heat. Add little water to the paste once it dries out and repeat the process till oil floats on top.
4. Then add in the tomato puree in small amounts making sure it dries out each time before adding the next batch of tomato puree. The masala should be bright red in color. Note: Choose dark red ripe tomatoes for the best color.
5. When oil floats on top, add in chilli powder and turmeric powder and stir over medium low heat. 
6. Then add in the peas and mushrooms and toss well. Saute for 2 mins till mushrooms shrink a bit. Then,add 1/2 C of water and bring it to boil. Add in the cashew paste and heavy cream if using. Simmer over low heat for 15 mins.
7. In a separate dry pan, add the ingredients for the dry masala (3 tsps of jeera, 5 cloves and 2 cardomom pods). Dry roast till fragrant and grind to a powder.
8. Sprinkle the dry masala over the gravy just before switching off the heat.

Quick, simple and with the a relatively short grocery list, this mushroom gravy is sure to wow all the mushroom lovers out there. Move over paneer - you have competition :D

Till next time!
J

Recreating the Mexican fare ~ Mexican rice w/ Smokey Chicken fajitas & chunky guacamole~

When I think intently about that one cuisine that's closest to Indian flavors, my personal preference has always been Mexican. The spices, the intense flavors & the aroma that meld in together as a combination of several different spices are so reminiscent of our cuisine that it's really hard to pass it up. The remarkable similarities between Indian & Mexican dishes- be it the use of tomatoes, various chillies, or even the roasting of meat to develop flavors is sometimes very surprising, but when we come to think of it...it shouldn't really be. After all, almost all the essentials in an Indian curry like the tomato, potato & even the chillies have been New World exports to our subcontinent through the Portugese invaders. And there comes the connection!

Personally, I absolutely love the vibrancy - be it in the spread of dishes or the colorful serving plates...everything is so full with zest for life. The food is always as dynamic in the range & depth of flavors as is their spirited decor. One place that is responsible for making me a die-hard fan of Mexican cuisine has to be La-Taquiza in LA. Tucked away in a small strip mall-like area, don't be fooled by its humble existence. I have really lost count as to how many times I have pulled my friends to join me there and converted them into La Taquiza fans ;) The decor, the people & of course the taste of each of their dishes feels so authentic that I would imagine that this is exactly how food is cooked back in Mexico. So authentic and flavorful!

But after moving here to the Bay, I am yet to chance upon such an authentic Mexican place but I am sure it does exist somewhere. Now with being so far from La Taquiza, it is only wise for me learn the ropes of my favorite cuisine and try it out myself. Today's post is a product of that eventful Sunday morning when armed with a strong desire to replicate tastes of my favorite Mexican restaurant & with my go-to book "The Cuisines of Mexico - Diane Kennedy" for Mexican recipes, I set on this self satiating journey.

~Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) ~

This Mexican rice is so subtly flavored with tomato & garlic sprinkled with a hint of cumin powder and jalapeno (for that much essential heat kick) that it's can shine either as a stand alone dish or a suited accompaniment to another spicy side dish.

Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) - Adapted from Diane Kennedy's recipe

3 T Oil
1 C Arborio rice (Any other rice will be fine too)
1 Garlic clove Chopped
1 Jalapeno Chopped
2 C Chicken stock (You can use vegetable stock too)
1/4 tsp Salt

For 3/4 C paste
1 Medium sized tomato
1/2 Medium onion
1/2 tsp freshly roasted cumin powder.
1/2 tsp Red Chili flakes (Optional)

Method:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly in a colander till the water runs clear. This ensures that we wash off the starch so that the rice grains do not stick later. Then soak the rice for about 15-20 mins before you start cooking.
2. Make a smooth paste of tomato & onion. Reserve 3/4 C of the paste for the rice and keep aside the rest.
3. In a deep pan over medium heat, add in the oil and wait till it heats up. To check, drop a grain of rice and if it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
4. Saute the rice, garlic and jalapenos in the oil over medium heat for about 5-7 mins till the rice becomes pale golden color.
5. Then pour in the tomato-onion paste along with the cumin powder & red chili flakes and saute the rice till the mixture becomes dry (~ 2-3 mins).
6. Now heat the chicken stock and add in to the rice. Cook uncovered for ~ 10 mins till you can see holes on the surface. Cover & simmer for 5 mins more.
Tip: To avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan, do not stir the rice after adding in the stock.

This rice tastes so good be it right out of the stove or the next morning left overs. Such a hit!

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~

A quick & easy Mexican chicken dish is a harmonious amalgamation of chicken & fajitas. Chicken pieces marinated in smokey paprika and garlic powder with a generous squeeze of lemon are grilled and cut into strips. They are then tossed with thin strips of onions & bell peppers to make for a flavorfully spicy side dish.

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken thighs
1 T Smoked paprika
1 T Garlic powder (Unsalted)
2 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 Medium onions cut in thin strips
1 Bell pepper (I used mixed colored bell peppers) cut in thin strips

Method:
1. Marinate the whole chicken thighs with smoked paprika, garlic rub, lemon juice & salt. Keep aside for 30 mins - 1 hr.
2. In a grill pan (or a regular pan) over medium heat, grill the chicken pieces till browned on both sides (~ 4 mins). Take them out and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once the chicken pieces are slightly cooled (~ 5 mins), cut the chicken pieces into strips & keep aside.
4. In the same pan in which you sauteed the chicken, add in the thinly cut onions & bell pepper & toss well. This makes sure that all the browned chicken bits on the pan are taken up by the onion-bell pepper mix.
5. After ~ 2 mins or till the onion-bell pepper mix starts softening, add in the grilled & thinly cut chicken pieces and toss well.
6. Adjust for salt & lemon juice. Serve hot off the stove with Mexican rice & guacomole.

~The accompaniment:  Chunky Guacomole~
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe

Ingredients:

4 Haas Avocados

2 T Lime juice
1 Clove garlic (Finely minced)

½ tsp Cumin

¾ tsp Smoked paprika

½ Medium Onion (chopped)

1 Jalapeno (chopped)

2 Small Tomatoes (Chopped)

2 T Chopped Cilantro

½ tsp Salt

Since I prefer my guacamole chunky, I chop it up in its skin and scoop it to a bowl. Add in the lime and all other ingredients. Taste to make sure it is to your liking and change likewise.

As I recreated my favorite dishes at home, it comforts me to know that though La Taquiza might not be close to me anymore..its taste lingers for ever :D So until I find my next favorite Mexican haunt I will keep recreating the magic here in my kitchen comforts.

So here's a question - How often do you get inspired by your favorite eating joints to create the same at home?

Love,
J

Who doesn't love a twist & that too a Sriracha one? ~ Garlic & red chilli Vegetable Manchurian (dry) ~

Garlic & red chilli manchurian (dry) served with a side of vegetable fried rice

In one of our numerous chat sessions, as my conversation with my Chinese friend/colleague veered towards Sino-Indian relationship, the cultural differences and similarities, we couldn't help but contemplate on the amalgamation of Indian intricacies into Chinese cooking. It veered towards a very interesting conversation about cooking styles, spices used, favorite dishes etc. etc. and she was extremely amused to know that there prevailed a very popular fusion cuisine known as "Indo-Chinese". She had never heard of it (of course..who has unless they are from India?), and seemed intrigued by the names of dishes I was hurling at her. Manchurian, Mixed chowmein...wait what? Manchurian...what's that?

As I pondered on it a bit more, I assumed that although it's never really surprising to find tastes transcending national/international boundaries to give rise to a melange of flavors, the popularity of Indo-Chinese cuisine in India is something you have to see, to believe. This cuisine which started out as an assimilation of Indian sensibilities and beliefs into everyday cooking of the Chinese immigrants, has now been taken to a whole new level. While it's almost natural for immigrants in any country to adapt to the new place they call home (who better than me to attest to the fact that that's a very effective way to transform a dish to make their own), this fusion cooking style has perpetrated almost every nook and corner of the country. Anyone captivated by the cuisine has their own special version and everybody is right.

While my parents had no such inclination towards this form of cooking, I would happily assume that the rise of the "Chowmein-Manchurian" culture took place sometime when we were growing up. I am so elated (& grateful) to belong to a generation that grew up with the oh-so-delicious Indo-Chinese. Although my Ma never had much exposure to this cuisine, I still swear by her mixed Chowmein, Chicken Manchurian and Vegetable Manchurian that she so enthusiastically made. This is my version of the much loved Manchurian with some of my favorite spice additions. Who said that good just cannot become better? Well, here it is:

~Garlic & Red Chilli Vegetable Manchurian (dry) ~

The plate to devour!

Veggie fritters spiced with Sriracha (red chilli sauce) & crispy garlic bits are tossed with cubes of red bell peppers, assorted sauces and some more crispy garlic. Served hot garnished with a generous sprinkling of finely sliced green onions. Perfect as an appetizer all by itself or a fabulous side dish with Roasted Garlic fried rice or the Chilli garlic chowmein.

Ingredients:

¼ C Garlic – Chopped and crisped over medium heat. Used divided between fritters and sauce.

For the Garlic Veggie balls:

1 C Shredded Cabbage

½ C Carrots (shredded)

½ C Beans (Shredded)

1 tsp Chopped green chillies (Optional)

3 T Corn Flour

¼ C All Purpose Flour 

2 T Sriracha or Red Chilli Sauce

2 T Tomato Sauce

Pinch of salt

2 T Crispy garlic (mentioned above)

Oil for frying.

Sauce:

3 T Oil (in which you fried the garlic)

½ C Capsicum/Bell Pepper – In Cubes

Make a paste of the following:

1 T Dark Soy Sauce

1 T White vinegar

1 T Sriracha or Red Chilli Sauce

1 T Tomato Sauce
½ tsp Brown sugar

2 T Water

2 T Crispy garlic

Method:

1.     In a pan over medium heat, add 2 T of oil and sauté the garlic till its fragrant and light brown in color. Be vigilant since garlic burns really easily. Scoop out the garlic and set aside. They become crispy as they cool.

2.     In a wide-mouthed bowl, mix in all the ingredients for the garlicky veggie Manchurian balls. The batter should be thick so that you can make balls out of it. Add in a few drops of water if it’s too thick. I use the 1 T ice cream scoop to make similar sized balls. Make the balls and set aside.

3.     Heat up the oil over medium heat in a deep pan and fry the balls till they are golden brown in color. Keep it warm in an oven at 200oF.

4.     In the pan you fried the garlic, add in some more oil and sauté the chopped bell peppers (~30 secs).

5.     Make a paste of all the sauces along with water and add into the oil and peppers.

6.     After it boils, toss in the Manchurian balls till it soaks in all the goodness of the flavorful sauces. Adjust for salt if required.

7.     Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of green onions and some more crispy garlic.

A close look at the manchurian balls

While this dish tastes absolutely lip smackingly delicious just by itself, I served it with a side of vegetable fried rice. You could also try the Roasted Garlic fried rice or the Chilli garlic chowmein to up the garlic fest.

Till next time!
J

Fresh, light and effortless ~Pudina Murg Masala / Mint Chicken Masala~

How often have you fancied the idea of breaking away from the conventional and just drifting along with the flow? A lot many times? Quite a few times? or Occasionally? 

Whatever your answer may be, you will concur that the heady rush in flowing with your instincts totally trumps the comfort of the known by about hundred thousand times (or well maybe more!!).At some time or the other, we all have been guilty of holding on to the tried and tested in our mundane humdrum of daily routine. But on occasions, when we are presented with the time and opportunity to try something new, I believe we should grab it and hold it as tight as we possibly can.

Well! before I confuse you too much (or lead you into believing that I am nuts!), i will be deft to specify that this is about a new recipe I am talking about that I created in my kitchen while playing around with ingredients.

On one fine day a few weeks back, while ready-ing up the chicken for marination- all I knew in my mind is that I did NOT want to go the usual route (i.e. load it with the spices and masala). I imagined it to be a significantly quick cooking and light dish which can be used both as an appetizer as well as a side dish. An idea struck when my attention was drawn towards the fresh bunch of mint from the farmers market lying on the counter. There in a jiffy, the mint was in the mixer bowl with a bunch of Thai chillies and then right into the marination bowl. With a sprinkling of a very few other spices, the chicken was kept to rest along with its flavorful companions in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days before I took it out again for the main dish.

Without much ado, here’s the recipe for this flavorful, minty chicken gravy that has so fascinated both me and my husband, that I have already made it for the third time in a matter of two weeks!!

                           ~ Pudina Murg Masala / Mint Chicken Masala~

A fresh and light chicken gravy that's distinctly aromatic with mint on a canvas of sweetened onions and tangy tomatoes. A very quick and easy way to bring out the royal flair albeit the effort! 
*Served here with fresh homemade appams.

Recipe:

For marination:

1 bunch Fresh mint

4-5 Thai green chillies (Alter the quantity based on how spicy the chilies are and how spicy you would the dish to be)

1 inch piece Ginger

4-5 Cloves Garlic

1 T  Lemon juice

1/2 tsp Salt

1 lb of Fresh chicken cut into cubes

3 T Oil

1 pinch of Whole spices (2 cloves, 1/2 inch Mace, 1 Cardamom)

2 C Finely sliced Onions

1 C Chopped Tomatoes

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red Chili powder

1 1/2  tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Jaggery/Sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

1. In the bowl of a mixer, add all the ingredients for the marination and make a fine paste. 

2. Toss the chicken pieces with the marinade and keep in the fridge (for ~ 1 hr to 2 days).

3. In a saute pan over medium high heat, pour the oil.

4. Once the oil heats up, add in the whole spices. Wait for the spices to be fragrant.

5. Add in the chopped onions and fry till they are light brown in color (~ 4-5 mins).

6. Then mix in the tomatoes and the spices, cook till the oil separates.

7. Now finally add in the chicken and toss till cooked well (~ 7-8 mins).

This is one recipe you HAVE to make, to understand how flavorful chicken gravy can be without an overdose of spices. It becomes the perfect accompaniment for rice/roti/appams etc. on any given day - if you are in the mood for some playing around. At the end, I was very content that I played with my ingredients and ended up with a recipe I am going to treasure for quite sometime.

So fear not! Go ahead and have fun with your ingredients :)

Love,
J

A vegetarian's delight - Quick Paneer Biryani

So…here I am back again! 

     After almost three months and several days of incessant thesis writing and dealing with the nitty-gritty of graduate school, I am finally back to my haven – writing and reliving every bite I have loved to make and savor. Almost after every hiatus – laden with feelings of guilt and anxiety, as I sit to start penning down my thoughts, the familiarity of this blog and its comfort, suddenly makes it all seem ok. Back to my very own safe nook, where everything feels the same regardless of how fast things might have changed in the past few months.

     Regardless of all that, this long hiatus from the blog, has been one heck of a remarkable journey through a dream I have always had but never really imagined it happening. Sharing my graduation with my parents and loved ones was one of the most fulfilling experiences even though it remained equally paired with the hustle and the craziness that’s a part and parcel of submitting one’s thesis. While that’s another chapter altogether, for now let's just focus on the better aspects of life – more specifically on the delights of having my Maa here with me, feeding me to my limits and teaching me some handy tricks-of-the-trade. Utter bliss :)

     After months of eating quick-to-make familiar recipes to sail through the rough dissertation-seas, I had the great opportunity of having my Maa here with me to teach me some easy-to-make yet delightfully scrumptious meals in no time. Thankful is the word I am looking for here when I manage to cook up exotic meals in truly minimal time...truly a life saver :)

     To begin with, let’s start with a brief description of this dish. Most aptly described, I would say that it is an ideal hybrid between the royal biryani and a pulao. Pulao in the sense that all its components – such as the paneer and the rice are cooked together in a single pot unlike the biryani, but its flavors and richness match that of its exotic Mughlai cousin. Delete the time consuming part of the biryani process and pair it up with the easy pulao process and here you have a winner. This dish for sure is an absolute keeper for times when you need that one recipe to wow your family or maybe even your guests within no time.

Quick Paneer Biryani

An exotic paneer pilaf made fragrant by the sweetness of lightly fried onions & raisins along with the crunchiness of fried cashews and the aroma of refreshing mint. A delish time saving hybrid between a pulao and a biryani.

Ingredients

For the marination

½ lb Paneer (cut in ½ inch cubes)

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp Chilli powder

½ tsp Lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

3 T Oil

½ inch Cinnamon

1 Star anise (Ful chakri)

1 Large whole cardamom (Badi Elaichi)

2 Cloves

4-5 Whole peppercorns

1 Bay leaf

2 tsp Ginger garlic paste

½ tsp Turmeric powder

½ tsp Chilli powder

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

1 C Basmati rice (Soaked for atleast 15 mins)

2 C boiling water

1 Large onion (Finely sliced)

1 tsp Raisins

1 tsp Cashews

2-3 T Chopped mint leaves

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg and cardamom powder

Optional

1 T Ghee

¼ tsp rose water

Pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk

Method

0. Marinate the paneer with salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and lemon juice and set aside.

1. Heat up the oil in a vessel over medium heat.Add in the whole spices and stir until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.

2. Then add in the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and sugar to the oil. Stir constantly until the oil floats in the top (~ 3-4 mins).

3. Now mix in the soaked and drained basmati rice into the masala mix along with the marinated paneer cubes. Stir well till everything is coated with the masala (2-3 mins).

4. After the rice is well mixed, add in the boiling water to the pot. Let it then come to a boil and then simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes till done. Check in between to test the doneness of the rice.

5. While the rice is cooking, in a separate pan, fry up the sliced onions till light brown. Also sauté the raisins and cashews till fragrant.

6. Once the rice is done, fold in (aka mix lightly) the fried onions, raisins, cashews and mint leaves along with the ghee.

7. Sprinkle the nutmeg and cardamom powder and cover it for at least half an hour and then serve warm with raita or curry of your choice.

8. Optional: After the rice is done, lightly sprinkle some rose water and saffron soaked in milk before covering it up for half an hour.

Another quick variation:
Using a pressure cooker for the rice fastens the process further. Just follow the step 1-3 as given in a pressure cooker. Add the boiling water and then wait for one whistle. Turn off the stove after the first whistle and wait for pressure to release.

Here's hoping that this dish fascinates you to try your hand at it.

Have a great week ahead :)

J

P.S: I am submitting this recipe to:
- "Know your Dairy - Paneer" hosted by Amrita and Jagruti
-  "Kid's delight" hosted by Kalyani and Valli
- "Monsoon temptations" hosted by Manasi
- "Walk through memory lane" hosted by Manju and Gayatri. 
- "Kid's Delight event" hosted by Jayanthi and Srivalli.
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.

Royally simple yet simply royal ~Mughlai Paratha~

Of all the numerous culinary impressions I have formed while growing up, one particular dish that has always stood out has been this fluffy yet crunchy, simple yet with-an-impressionable-bite - "Indian-egg stuffed-flour tortillas". These evoke such strong and beautiful memories of all the Wednesday evenings (I will elaborate in a second the relevance) growing up that when I made this I literally got transported to my very happy place. Its really that simple to be in your happy place..Easy isn’t it?

Well here’s a confession - as much blessed as I am to have grown up with my wonderful siblings – I am equally if not more delighted to have grown up with this unique culinary combination formed out of a desire to ease the process of eating an omelet and a “roti” separately, which leads to the birth of this piece of  magic called the Mughlai paratha or more phonetically correct “Moghlai Paratta” in Odia. The story goes back to our usual “non-vegetarian” days (the selected days of a week all of us were allowed to have non –veg due to religious restrictions), Wednesday was just the perfect break in the middle of a humdrum week with classes and homework. That was the day all of us kids were allowed to make demands of our Ma as to what we yearned to eat and gladly for all us, most of the times we would all vote for “Moghlai Paratta”. As I look back, I get really amazed by my Ma’s ability to innovate, learn and execute such recipes which I am sure she never grew up eating. And to our absolute pleasure, there were a lot of those.

It’s quite fascinating how a simple combination of paratha and eggs with a few aromatic herbs and spices to bridge their gap, can provide a semblance of "royal" times. Honestly speaking I won’t be able to date out the origins of this “royal” dish but as far my memory goes- I remember savoring it ever since my taste buds had the slightest ability to discern complexly pleasant delicacies. So if I had to describe this in a few words – it had to be fluffy, incredible flavorful, cheese-free distant cousin of Mexican delicacy “quesadilla”- elevated to a different plane by simple additions of onions, chillies, and of course the real star of this dish – some fragrant mint leaves.

~Mughlai Paratha~

Simple Indian flatbread a.k.a paratha stuffed with an egg mixture made aromatic with fragrant mint, red bell peppers, spring onions and spicy chillies. Savored just by itself or along side a flavorful chilli garlic yogurt dip, it is fit to serve a king - albeit a modern & health conscious one ;).

Ingredients: (For one paratha)

1 Uncooked Flour Tortilla/ Paratha

(Use the cooked flour tortillas if you don’t the ones I did)

For the filling:

-      1 no. Egg

-      1 T chopped spring onions (Use regular onions, it works fine too)

-      ½ tsp finely chopped chillies

-      1 T finely chopped red bell pepper

-      ½ T Finely chopped mint

-      Salt to taste

-      Pinch of black pepper

-      Oil to shallow fry the parathas (quantity can be adjusted as per requirement)

Method:

-      In a small bowl, break the egg and whisk it with all the ingredients for the filling (Finely chopped - onions, bell pepper, mint, salt and pepper)

-      Place a flat griddle (tava) over medium heat. Once its hot, place the tortilla (or a maida roti- see below) on the dry tava (no oil added yet) and semi-cook it till just lightly done on both sides (~ 1 min)

-      Once the tortilla is semi-cooked on both sides, pour the egg mixture on the tortilla and fold it lightly to form a semi-circle.

-      At this point, add 1 T oil on the sides and over medium low heat, cover the griddle and let it cook (~ 1 min). Turn the paratha to the other side and let it cook for another minute covered.

-      Uncover the paratha and lightly press to make sure the egg is cooked through. If it oozes out, the paratha still needs to be cooked a little bit more.

-      Tip: I sliced the paratha in half on the tava itself to make it cook more evenly.

-      Once done, serve the paratha with any chutney and make sure to savor it without any disturbance ;)

Some handy notes:

-      These tortillas (Mexican culinary term for a flat bread like our roti) can be made easily at home.Just that I was not industrious enough to go through the kneading-rolling part, so I chose the easy route. Those of you who would prefer to make it from scratch, go straight ahead and make maida (all-purpose flour rotis. To my surprise, this easy route tasted as good as the fresh one and a great time saver.

-      Cooking time for these parathas will vary depending on the size of the rotis, heat used etc etc. but just make sure to cook it thoroughly so that the eggs are cooked straight through.

Well really that’s all to it but the flavor is so utterly divine that I wonder how simple things can quite literally provide the greatest pleasures. I served these with a simple Chilli garlic curd dip with fresh cilantro and well, it was perfect.

~ Chili garlic yogurt dip~

In 1/2 C smoothly mixed yogurt, mix in 1T chili garlic paste (easily available in any Asian market-the red variety) alongwith 1/4 tsp very finely minced garlic and 1T chopped cilantro. Adjust it for salt and a pinch of sugar. There you go- an easy dip ready to go.

Hope these have convinced you to make these for your kids and gift them with some very precious memories to cherish for ever.

Here's to the eternal bond between food & memories.

Love,

J 

I am submitting this to:
- "Breakfast Club" hosted by Farmersgirll Kitchen & Fuss free flavours
- "Let's cook/bake for Valentine" hosted by Simply sensational food.
- "Monsoon temptations" hosted by Manasi
- "Walk through memory lane" hosted by Manju and Gayatri. 

- Breakfast Recipes hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's.
- "Kid's Delight event" hosted by Jayanthi and Srivalli.

"Cheese"-y tricks ~ Marinated & grilled Matar Paneer

Ask any staunch vegetarian about their opinion of paneer and chances are that you might witness them profess their undying admiration for the same.Paneer or fresh cow's milk cheese holds a very special place in the appetite of Indian vegetarians. Need I mention that India is the largest producer of milk in the world? Well..that kind of explains the bias. By now you all might be aware that I am by no chance a vegetarian..and couldn't imagine being one either. So my relationship with paneer has always been more of an obligatory one. Those auspicious days when eating non-veg is a taboo..paneer or chenna is the more obvious and sophisticated choice. Its not that I am a staunch non-vegetarian either but one of my major concerns about any paneer preparation (atleast the ones that I have tasted) has always been that the flavor never penetrates well enough for the whole chunk to taste like the curry. It always seems like a blob of cheese floating in a very flavorful broth without any connection whatsoever. I guess many of you who are not blinded by "paneer- love" will agree with me on this.

So inundated with demands for paneer dishes at my place, I gave in to the pleas. Having reluctantly worked with it many a times following age old recipes, I tried my hand at treating it with more care than required. I promised to treat it with as much if not more respect as I would to any meat. Say meat, and marination becomes synonymous. Even though meat of any kind is marinated to tenderize, impart more zing and make easy the cooking process, my whole and sole reason for marinating paneer was to add more flavor to the paneer chunks so that it melds well into the gravy.

Agreeing on how I want to treat my "cheesy" subject, I marinated it with lemon juice, chili powder, little bit of ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder (how can I forget THAT! hehe). Left it to marinate overnight and grilled the chunks on a hot grill pan to achieve smokiness and of course the eye-appealing rustic grill marks. Trust me..it was SO much better. The flavors of the marinade had percolated into the chunks and each bite tasted so much more appealing to my discerning taste buds. I have been using this trick whenever I have time at hand to marinate (which is not an absolutely essential step but nonetheless vital) and must I say ...I have been converted.

This trick I am sure is bound to please the non-paneer lovers and for ardent paneer fans, this is going to top it. Just try and let me know!

Marinated and grilled Matar Paneer

Marinated and grilled paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes soak in the flavors of an aromatic, spiced tomato gravy while pairing perfectly with the mild sweetness of the green peas.  A twist to the popular Matar Paneer, it can easily be made royal by adding in a dollop of fresh cream at the end. Serve it with the Pudina aau matar palau for a complete vegetarian fare. 

Ingredients:
14 oz paneer/400g - Cut into 1 inch cubes.
For marination:

2-3 T Lemon juice
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Chili Powder
½ T Ginger Garlic paste

¼ tsp Salt

3 T Oil
1 inch piece of cinnamon
2 cloves
½ Nutmeg
½ C onion paste
2 T ginger garlic paste
½ C Fresh tomato paste

Make a paste of the following powders in 1 C water:
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp kashmiri chili ½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp Salt

1 C Green peas
Chopped cilantro for garnish (Optional)

Method:

1. Marinate the block of paneer all the ingredients for the marinade. Cover it and keep it overnight in the refrigerator. 
Note: I usually cut the paneer into cubes (1 inch) and marinate them, it leads to better marination.

2. Pour 1 T of oil on a grill pan over medium high heat and grill the paneer pieces (1 - 2 mins ) and keep aside. The pan should sizzle when the paneer is thrown in, that would ensure nice grill marks.

3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the whole spices. Once fragrant (~ 20 secs) add in the onion paste. Stir for about 1-2 mins till dry and then add in the ginger garlic paste and the tomato paste.

4. Stir the above mixture consistently (8-10 mins) so that it does not stick. Add in the paste made of powdered paste 2 T at a time. Let the mixture dry before adding the next 2 T.Continue till the oil separates.

5. Now add 2 C of water to the mixture and simmer till oil floats (~ 5 mins).

6.Then add in the grilled paneer cubes and then after ~ 5 mins add the in the green peas. Simmer for 15-20 mins over low flame.

Taste for salt and other seasonings and serve hot with Pudina aau matar pulau. Opt out of the matar in the rice if it becomes too much of peas in a meal.

This marinating and grilling technique was quite a revelation for me and I have wondered why it has not been done before. Is it lack of time or may be the fact that paneer is so universally loved in any shape and size that no one really bothered to think about it? Hmm..I might keep guessing till I find the answer but in the meantime if you do know the answer then stop by to let me know. Till then..

Enjoy!
J
I am submitting this recipe to:
-"Desi Vidheshi food fest" hosted by Kalyani
- "Cook with spices- Cinnamon" hosted by Revathi and Anu.
- "Celebrate Navratri and Diwali" hosted by Nayna and Jagruti Dhanecha.
- "Simply Sides" hosted by Sumee.