Herb Crusted Paneer [Without bread crumbs]

All these food shows on TV show some version of crusts being used on different ingredients. What has been stopping people to use different things to make the crust – other than Bread crumbs.

To be fair this was not the first thought that came to me :P. I was out of bread crumbs and was too lazy to make fresh one. So I googled “Crust without breadcrumbs”; all the results were telling me was “How to make breadcrumbs”. So I thought lets atleast read a recipe and then decide how to tweak it.

First thought for the base came to me was salted peanuts. Second thought was blanched almonds. Third was rolled oats – coarsely chopped. And I promise the final one was Wheat/oat bran. So I used the bran for this recipe because there was a box that was just lying around :P. I have been using this bran in chapatis and parathas but since husband didnt really like it, I use it only for mine.

Let us get to making this gorgeous paneer. 🙂

You shall need: [ serves 1]

75 gms paneer [2 chunks/slices of the size that you like]

4 tbsp oat bran

3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs [ I used corriander, Basil and mint]

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp red chilly flakes

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup milk

Oil

Shallow non stick pan

Spatula

Two small plates/shallow bowls

Method:

• Mix the bran, herbs, lemon juice, flakes and salt in one plate.
• Pour the milk in another plate.
• Cut the paneer in the slab of the size that you like.
• Dip the paneer in milk, on both side.
• Move it to the bran herb mix.
• Cover it generously and press some mix on it lightly ,as well.
• Heat the pan on a medium low heat until it is nice and hot.
• Add few drops of oil. Once it is hot enough, lower the paneer in the pan and let it stand there for a few min. Do not move it to check.

• Once you can see brown edges, add a few drops of oil on the uncooked side and flip it gently.
• Press it gently to make sure the crust cooks well on the other side as well.
• Transfer on serving dish and serve with a lemon.

I ate it with a methi roti and added a tsp of cheese spread on it, turning the paneer and roti into a burrito-ish.

Notes-

1. Next time I will like to add a few nuts to the bran as well.
2. In case you do not have fresh herbs, go ahead and use the dried ones- but fresh ones are more preferred. 🙂
3. Adding more oil is not necessary, trust me. Your pan needs to be good, though.
4. Adding a few drops of milk on the crust [while adding the crust on top of the paneer] will make sure it sticks well.

Processed with VSCOcam with p5 preset

Cheers,

Third Wedding Anniversary and HIGH

Dear Dear Blog,

A hundred apologies for not greeting you enough. But if it counts, you are always in my thoughts 🙂

So we celebrated out 3rd Wedding Anniversary on 21st nov and it was a lovely day 🙂 Three dates and super awesome memories ❤

Date 3

In the evening we went to High lounge at the WTC, Bangalore. The lounge is one the 32nd floor and has a view to die for. The food was lovely as well. The Sesame stir fry dimsums and Kirean Tacos were yummm yumm yummm.

They arranged for a beautiful bouquet for us and of course there was a photographer ready to capture the happy happy moment.

Since I was not there to review the food and all but to enjoy our day, there are not many food pics.

We later ordered a Pad Thai, our all time favorite. 🙂

The DJ was playing some gorgeous tracks and we had to hit the floor. We danced till 12 ish and then headed home as it was an hour long drive. Thank God for Ola cabs, we didn’t have to drive.

All in all, we had a fabulous time. Thank you High for making it an evening to remember.

Oh and I made a kick ass cake the next day… guess what it was eggless, low on sugar and had whole wheat too 😉

Love,

Slow Cooked Jeera Aalu/potato stir fry

Jeera Aalu is supposed to a Dhaba comfort food. Low maintenance, super easy to put together and hardly anything can go wring with this one. The version I love, has crispy edges and a pillow-y center. Oh it is to die for.

You shall need:

3 medium Size… Potatoes (Washed, peeled and cut in equal size pieces)

2 … green chillies (Slit in the center)

2 tsp… Oil

1 tsp… Jeera/Cumin seeds

2 tsp… Dhaniya powder/coriander powder

2 tsp… Jeera powder/roaster cumin powder

1 tsp… Amchoor powder/Dry mango Powder (Optional)

Salt to taste

Method:

• In a Kadhai/wok, heat the oil.
• Add the cumin seeds and green chillies.
• Reduce the heat for medium-low.
• Drain the potatoes well and wipe them with a kitchen towel/cloth. We dont want much moisture on it.
• Add them to the wok.
• Keep stirring until all the potatoes are covered with oil.
• Let it cook for about 30 min, stirring occasionally.
• Add the masalas and salt. mix well.
• Now let it cook for 20 more min, so that the potatoes are cooked through and have a crispy exterior.
• Serve with love.

Cheers,

Ghiya/Lauki with Chana Daal post a Thailand Trip

A true blue comfort food after eight fabulous days at Thailand. 🙂

Oh I went to Thailand to ring in my 30th Birthday which was on 17 Sept. It is such a beautiful, clean and gorgeous place to be. I didn’t want to come back 😦 Here are few pics from the trip.

Le Meridin, Phuket

Off to La bangla, Phuket

Snorkeling at Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi Island

Ao nang, Krabi

Ao Nang, Krabi

Krabi

Phew… I promise I will write a detailed post about the trip super soon. 🙂

Here is what you shall need for the Ghiya-Chana dal:

1 tsp… oil

1/8th tsp… hing/asafoetida

1 tsp… Jeera/cumin seeds and mustard seeds

1/2 cup… Chana dal (Soaked in water for about an hour)

1-1.5 cup…. Ghiya/lauki

1 tsp… ginger garlic paste

1 … chopped medium size onion

1… chopped medium size tomato

Juice of 1 lemon (or as per taste)

Water

Salt and red chilly powder (to taste)

2… green chillies (chopped)

coriander (optional)

Method:

• In a cooker, heat oil. Add the hing and cumin-mustard seeds.
• Now add the green chillies and onions and let them sweat.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes
• Cook it for about 1 min.
• Now add the salt, red chilly powder and ghiya and stir.
• Add the soaked dal and about half a cup pf water. (Remember ghiya leaves a lot of water)
• Put the lid on and let the first whistle be on full flame.
• Once it comes, reduce the flame to medium and let it cook for 10 min.
• Turn off the gas and let the pressure fall on it own.
• Open the cooker lid, add lemon juice and coriander.
• Reduce the liquid as much as you wish and serve with love.

Cheers,

Vegetable Layer Rice

Oh I am so proud of what I churned out today for lunch 🙂 We are having a pot luck and I offered to make the main.

This “layer rice” is also notoriously called Vegetable Biryani. However I would like to keep it the way it is 😉 Layer Rice.

You shall need: (Serves 4)

For the rice-

600 gms… Basmati Rice (Soak for 30min)

3… Bay leaves

2 tsp… shahi jeera

4…. Green cardamoms

5… peppercorns

Boiling water

2 tbsp… ghee

For the vegetables-

1 cup… cauliflower florets

3 tbsp… Oil

3-4… cubed potatoes

1/2 cup… peas

1/2 cup… cubed carrots (I didn’t add, as I didn’t have any)

1 tbsp… Kasuri Methi

3-4.. green chillies

1 tbsp… dried mint or 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves

2 tsp… Shahi jeera

3-4… green cardamoms

2-3… black cardamoms

2… bay leaves

For the Marinade-

1.5 cup… Curd (a little sour is good)

2 tbsp… Almond-Khus Khus seeds paste (Make it with a few tbsp of curd)

2 tbsp… kasuri methi

2 tsp… garam masala

Salt

Red chilly powder

1 tsp… Turmeric powder

For Assembling-

Browned Onion slices (fried)

2 tbsp… Ghee

10-12 strands of Saffron soaked in warm water

Method:

• To the boiling water, add the bay leaves, pepper corns, shahi jeera, ghee and cardamoms.
• Add the rice and salt. Let it cook for 15-17 min or until they are a little short of being fully cooked.
• Drain it in a colander and keep aside.
• In a wok, heat the oil. Add jeera, cardamoms and bay leaves.
• Add the vegetables and methi with little water.
• Cover and cook the veggies until they still have a bite. We dont want them to be over done.
• In the curd, mix the spices, some fried onion and the almond khus khus paste.
• Mix the curd with the veggies that are still warm.
• Let it sit for about 10-12 min.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add a layer of half the rice and put a sprinkle of garam masala, saffron, ghee and some brown onions.
• Layer the veggies on top of this.
• Now cover them with the remaining rice and add the ghee, saffron, garam masala and onions.
• Before serving, put it in the lowest temperature setting of the microwave to heat everything through.
• Serve with raita and salan.

Cheers

Pearl Onion Brown Rice Burrito #BM38

Oh Burritos save the dinners for me most of the time. They are my oh-My-God-what-do-I-made-today savers. Best part about them is that its one hand meal which makes flipping channels/clicking pictures easy 😛

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

You shall need:

4-5… Big chapatis

1 cup… Hung curd

2 tsp… oil

3/4 cup… cooked brown rice

1/4 cup… chopped pearl onions

2 tsp… chilly flakes

Salt to taste

1/2 cup… grated carrot

1 tsp… lemon juice

2 tsp… milk

Cheese spread (optional)

Method:

• In a pan, heat oil.
• Add the pearl onions and a little salt.
• Cook until they are soft.
• Now add the chilly flakes and rice.
• Mix well and cook until everything is combined.
• Bring it out of the pan and let it cool.
• In the hung curd bowl, add the carrots, salt and lemon.
• Add milk if needed, we need the consistency of a spread.
• Lay the chapati on a flat surface, add cheese spread (if you like)
• Now add a generous helping of rice and the hung curd dip.
• Fold it and serve it with your favorite tv channel 🙂

Cheers,

Brown Rice Biryani Pulao #BM38

For the third week we are making rice with a twist. 🙂

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

I am a brown rice fan and I make it more often than ever. Recently I picked up Roopak’s Biryani Rice spice blend. It just made the life so simple. It had everything that I used to collect meticulously before making the biryani. 🙂

You shall need:

1 cup… Brown rice (Soaked for about 4 hours)

1.5 cup… Water

1/2 cup… Peas

1/3 cup… Groundnuts

1 tbsp… Biryani masala

2 tbsp… Ghee

2 tsp… jeera/cumin seeds

Salt and red chilly powder to taste

1 tsp… turmeric powder

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, add the ghee and let it get nice and hot.
• Now add the biryani masala and cumin seeds.
• Once the cumin splutters,
• add the peas, turmeric, red chilly powder, salt and the rice.
• Mix them well.
• Add water and let it pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
• In case your brown rice variety does not cook in 1.5 cup water (based on past experience), feel free to add another half a cup.
• Serve hot or pack for lunch at work. 🙂

Cheers,

Tuver Seeng ni Kachori #BM38

I have spoken about tuver sing here and here. 🙂 It is a fabulous vegetable and is very close to gujju hearts.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

You shall need:

For the outer cover:

2 cup… Wheat flour
4 tbsp… oil
2 tsp… salt
Water

For the filling:

1.5 cup…. Shelled tuver sing
2 tbsp… oil3-4… green chillies
1 tbsp… Jeera/cumin seeds
2 tbsp… Sugar
2 tsp… Mustard seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:

• Knead the dough using the wheat flour.
• It needs to be tight enough like we make for pooris.
• Keep it in an air tight container until further use.
• In a mixie jar, add the green chillies and make it into a paste.
• Now add the tuver sing, little at a time and grind it into a coarse paste.
• In a wok, heat 2 tbsp oil and add the cumin and mustard seeds.
• Add the tuver sing and green chilly mix.
• Let it cook for 5 min on a low-med heat.
• Now add sugar and let it mix well.
• Once the mix starts to turn to a darker shade of green, turn off the gas and let it cool to room temp.
• Put the oil in another wok for deep frying.
• Now make about 25-30 balls out of the dough.
• Roll them out little and add about 1-1.5 tsp of the mixture.
• Close the ends and secure properly.
• Fry about 5-6 at a time and let me get nice and golden from all sides.
• Serve for breakfast, snack, lunch, supper with love. 🙂

Cheers,

Lauki Methi Koftas

Oh yes yes I cant get enough of that previous Kofta sauce okay. Mom usually makes Lauki kofta in tomato onion sauce, well since I am her offspring I need to make my own changes to it 😛

Here is that you shall need for the Koftas, the recipe for the gravy remains the same as here.

1.5 cup…. Bottle gourd (Wash, peel and grate it)

3-4 tbsp…. besan (gram flour)

3/4 cup… Fenugreek leaves (wash and chop)

Salt and red chilly powder to taste

1/2 tsp… Turmeric powder

1  tbsp… Dhaniya powder (coriander)

1 tsp… carom seeds

2 tbsp… warm oil (keeps the koftas soft on the inside)

Oil to fry

Method:

• In a bowl, add the lauki and the methi, mix well.
• Squeeze the lauki juices using the palm/with a fist.
• Add the spices, oil and gram flour.
• Make a dough that is of a fritter consistency.
• Test a small dollop of the koftas in the oil.
• If it splits, add little gram flour at a time and test.
• Be very careful and add only that much flour that will make sure that the kofta dont split, we dont want a pakora flavour. 🙂
• Fry them on a medium-high heat until nice and golden.
• Lower them in the gravy as described in this blog post.

Cheers,

 

Surti Papdi Bataka nu shaaq

Surti papdi or valor look like peas but the cover and seeds are harder than the peas. People in the western part of India love this vegetable and have it in various form.

Image Source: Google

Here is the easiest one first. 🙂

You shall need:

1 cup… Surti papdi seeds (Few people use the shell too in the subzi but this version is made only with the seeds)

1/2 cup… Potato – diced

1 tsp… Oil

1/2 tsp.. Cumin seeds/jeera

a tiny pinch of asafoteda

Salt and red chilly powder to taste.

1 tsp.. turmeric powder

1 tsp… Dhaniya powder

1.5 tbsp… Jaggery powder (to taste)

1 cup water

Method:

• In a cooker, heat oil and add the jeera and asafoetida.
• Add the salt, turmeric, red chilly powder and dhaniya powder.
• Add the potato and seeds.
• Mix well.
• Add the water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on full flame.
• Once the pressure escapes, open the lid.
• Turn the gas on medium flame and add the jaggery.
• Cook it for 2-3 min.
• Serve hot with chapati/bhakri.

Cheers,