Capsicum Paneer

I had been meaning to post this recipe for a long time. Whenever I'd make it, I'd either forget to take photo's or forget halfway through. Well, today I got everything I need! Finally!

This dish is ideal for a day where you might be craving a "light" meal. I always service it with dal and roti. I'm starting to crave it just thinking about it!

Let's get started!

Ingredients:

• Capsicum (bell pepper); Red, green, yellow, one of each
• 2-3 roma tomatoes, pureed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 tsp coriander powder
• 2-3 tsp cumin powder
• 2-3 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp tumeric
• Salt, to taste
• About 1 c. paneer, cubed (learn more about paneer here)
• 1 tbsp oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Once it's hot, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once those start popping add the chopped onion.

2. While the onions are cooking, wash and cut your bell peppers! 

3. I usually start by cutting them julienne style 

4. Then I line them up and chop them into small, but size pieces

5. Have I mentioned that this dish is actually super pretty? So, so colorful! =)

6. Don't forget to stir your onions occasionally while cutting your peppers! Once the onions are cooked, add your pureed tomatoes. If you like it more dry, only use 2 tomatoes, and use more if you like more gravy. I usually use three, but you'll find what you like!

7. Let the tomato puree cook for a minute or two and then you can add the coriander, cumin, red chili, and tumeric powder. Also add some salt.

8. Give this a good stir and now you're ready to add your cut up capsicum

9. I add a little water to keep it from sticking. As you can see I added a liiiiittle too much, but that's okay! Most of it evaporated anyway 

10. Cook this for roughly 5-10 minutes, or until the peppers start to get tender. You can add water as needed if it starts sticking, and stir often.

11. While this is cooking, cut up your paneer into bite size cubes. The amount you use is up to you, Raj really loves his paneer so I tend to put more, but you can adjust!

12. Once the bell peppers are tender, add in the paneer

13. Let this cook for a few minutes warm, or until the paneer is heated through and viola! Yummy, delicious, light capsicum paneer!

Paneer

I felt that it was necessary to make a post dedicated to paneer, as I know a lot of people may not know what this is, American's especially.

Paneer is a type of Indian cheese and we actually use it quite frequently in our home. Rather than explaining what it is in every recipe that requires it, I'll just have this as a reference!

Raj once explained paneer to me the first time I had it. My first ever Indian food experience was at a restaurant called the Taj Mahal (so cliche!). He ordered our food for us since I had NO idea what any thing was. He ordered us paneer as the appetizer. He said to think of cottage cheese, the curds to be more exact. So I'm here imagining cold cottage cheese and then the waiter comes out with big cubes of this fried . . . stuff.

I won't lie. I wasn't a fan at first, it was too weird for me, but now I looooove paneer!

We usually purchase it from our local Indian grocer, however I've found it at our international market so you may have to look around to find it. I like to buy it frozen, but I've seen it in the refrigerator section also. You could also try and make your own!

Poha

I abslutely adore Poha. It's spicy, it has potatoes, what's not to love? Poha are flattened rice flakes. I'd never heard of them before I started cooking Indian food, but Poha can be found at your local Indian or international grocery store.

Ingredients:

• 1 c Poha*
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large potato, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 limes
• salt to taste

Like I mentioned, Poha is flattened rice flakes. I've seen the store selling two kinds. Thick and thin. I honestly don't know the difference, but I always buy the thick kind!

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan with high sides. Once hot add the cumin and mustard seeds.

2. When the seeds start to pop, add the onion and green chilies. Cook until onions are translucent.

3. Add tumeric powder and cook a minute longer.

4. Add potato pieces and stir well to distribute the tumeric powder. If the pan seems a little dry you can add a little more oil. Keep an eye on this and stir every so often so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

5. While the potato's are cooking, dump your poha into a colander and rinse in water. Let it sit for at least five minutes (just wet from the rinse, not soaking).

6. Once the potato's are fork tender add the poha and let it cook for an additional five minutes. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and add salt to taste.

Your poha is ready! It is best eaten with some toppings. We add peanuts (that have been fried!), pyaaz (onion with lime juice added), and bhujia (they're like little crispy sticks). There are different kinds of bhujia you can buy as well!

Dahi (yogurt)

When I first learned you could make yogurt at home I was mind-blown. I was even more mind-blown when I realized how ridiculously easy it is! While I am still learning to like this plain yogurt (I'm so addicted to my favored Chobani yogurt!) Raj loves it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon whole milk*
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt

It's very important that you use whole fat milk for this recipe. I've never tried using anything like 2%, but from what I've heard you shouldn't.

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a heavy bottom pot. 

2. Bring milk to a boil on medium heat. Stir it every so often. Be careful not to scald the milk, or let it boil for to long! As soon as it starts boiling and a foam appears, take it off the heat. 

3. Keeping the milk in the same pot, let it cool down until it is warm. This is very important, you don't want it to be too hot when you add the yogurt. 

4. Add the 1/4 c yogurt, and just stir until it's mixed. You may have to use store bought yogurt for the first time to get this started, but once you've made your own yogurt you can just use the last bit that's left to make a new batch!

5. Now all you have to do is wait. You want to store the yogurt some place warm. When it's really cold outside, I may set my oven to "warm" or the lowest setting and turn it off once your milk starts to boil. You want to store your yogurt somewhere warm.

6. Check your yogurt after about four hours, if it is solid, place it in the fridge until cold. If it's still liquid, just place it back in it's warm place (sometimes this process can take me up to eight hours).

I should have snapped a photo before digging in!

There you have it! Yogurt! The liquid is normal, don't mind it. I'm not sure if it's alright to drain it, but Raj likes for me to leave it in. 

You can leave it plain, which goes very well with Indian food, or you can even add flavor! I bet it would be good with a blueberry compote mixed in, or fresh fruit!

Enjoy =)

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a delicious, creamy, mildly spiced dish. Butter chicken is very popular in buffets at Indian restaurants in the states. To me, this is perfect comfort food. A big heap of butter chicken on top of basmati rice is perfection. My photo may not seem like much to look at, but this dish tastes amazing!

Ingredients: Chicken

• 1 lb boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp garlic, grated
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp salt

Ingredients: Gravy

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1.5 c pureed tomatoes (I used roma, and puree them myself. You can use store bought)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp garlic, grated
• 1-2 green chili's, chopped
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek leaves
• chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 c. heavy cream

Directions:

1. Place your chicken, yogurt, chili powder, and salt in a bowl and mix it all together. Try and let this marinate for an hour.

2. Pre-heat your oven to 475 degrees. Place your chicken on a baking sheet in a single layer (I recommend covering it with foil, makes clean-up so much easier!). 

3. Cook chicken for 15 min, or until no longer pink. Once the chicken is cooked all the way, I like to put it under the broiler until the top starts burning. That part is optional, but I think it makes it way better.

See what I mean about needing the foil? Once your chicken is done, set it aside so you can get started on the gravy!

4. In a pan with high sides, add the butter and oil on medium high heat.

5. When it's good and hot add add the cumin and mustard seeds. When they start popping add onion,ginger, garlic, and green chili's (I was out, but that's okay!)

6. Let this cook until the onions become translucent. Then add the red chili powder and garam masala, let this cook for about 30 seconds.

7. Add the pureed tomatoes and let cook for about 2 minutes. 

8. Add chicken to the gravy and mix it in.

9. Set this to simmer and put a lid on. Let this cook for 15 minutes.

10. After 20 minutes, add the fenugreek leaves, heavy cream, and cilantro leaves. Mix it all together and let it cook for about 5 more minutes on medium heat.

And we're done! I love eating this dish with basmati rice, but it would also go well with some roti.

Bread Pakora

Bread pakora's are delightful. If you have a cheat day in the week I'd recommend trying these. Bread pakora's are pieces of bread that are dipped in a spiced batter and deep fried.There are wonderfully crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside. I prefer to just eat this with ketchup, but they can also be served with your favorite chutney. This recipe is super easy, super fast.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. besan flour
• 1-2 green chili's, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp garlic, grated
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1-1.5 c. water
• Sliced bread, cut into triangles
• 1-2 c. oil

*If you'll notice, I was missing the ginger, garlic, and green chili's, but that's fine! I always just use what I have on hand.

Directions: 

1. In a large pan with high sides, add about 1-2 inches of oil and set on medium-high to heat up.

2.  In a large bowl, mix the besan, ginger, garlic, green chili's, garam masala, red chili powder, salt. The amount of water you need always varies. Start by adding a little at a time and mix thoroughly. You're looking for a nice, batter-like consistency. 

3. Add the onions and mix them in.

4. Now take your bread triangles, and one at a time coat them in the mixture. Then quickly add them to the hot oil.

5. Let them fry for about 2 minutes on each side.

6. You want them to turn a nice golden-brown color.

7. Once they're done, place them on a plate lined with paper towels to allow the excess oil to drain off.

And that's it! Your bread pakora's are ready to eat!

Pav Bhaji

From what I've heard, Pav Bhaji is a very famous Indian street food that originated in Mumbai, the city Raj is from! Pav bhaji is also available in restaurants, and I'm going to show you how easily it can be made at home! It is a delicious food consisted of mashed vegetables (bhaji) and spices, eaten with buttered bread (pav).

Ingredients: Bhaji

• About 2 c. of mixed vegetables*
• 4 tomatoes, finely chopped (I used roma)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 1 green capsicum (bell pepper), finely chopped
• 1-2 green chili's, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp red chili powder, or to taste
• salt, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp pav bhaji masala*

Ingredients: Pav

• soft bread roll, I used hamburger buns (amount depends on how much you want/are serving)
• butter

*The best think about bhaji is that you can use any kind of vegetables you want! For this recipe shown I used a mixture of potato, carrot, cauliflower, and peas. You can use radish, eggplant, etc. Anything!

*Pav Bhaji masala can be found at your local Indian grocery store. I used the Everest brand as shown. If you don't have an Indian grocery store nearby, there are plenty of youtube videos/blogs with recipes to make your own!

Directions: Bhaji

1. Add all your chopped vegetables to a pressure cooker and add just enough water to where it's barely covered it all. I prefer cooking mine in a pressure cooker because it cuts the cooking time in half, but if you don't have a pressure cooker, you can certainly just add them all into a pot and boil them in water until tender.For the pressure cooker, Generally my vegetables are nice and tender after three long whistles, but just check yours for tenderness.

2. While you've got your vegetables busy in the pressure cooker, get a large pan with high sides and add 2 tbsp butter on medium/high heat. Once the butter is hot, add your chopped onion and cook for a minute. Add grated ginger and cook until the raw smell of ginger goes away. 

3. Next add your capsicum (bell pepper) and let this continue cooking until they start to turn soft. Once they turn soft add all of your chopped tomatoes. 

4. Place a lid on and let this cook, stirring every couple of minutes. After about 5 minutes, go ahead and add all your spices, tumeric, chili powder, pav bhaji masala, and salt. You want to cook this long enough that the tomatoes start to break down completely and it turns more into a gravy. 

5. I've seen recipes that will then take this mixture and mix it in a blinder so that it's more smooth, but I generally don't do that. It's up to you!

6. Going back to the vegetables. Pour out most of the water and just leave a little in the pot. Start mashing them with a potato masher. I like to mash mine pretty thoroughly, but I've seen recipes that leave it chunkier, so that part is up to your preference. 

7. Add your mashed vegetables to your gravy and mix them well. Once combined, taste and adjust the spices to your liking. If I have it on hand, I will also add some chopped cilantro at this time.

Directions: Pav

1. This is pretty simple. For the pav I use hamburger buns, but you can look up other types of appropriate bread, and even pav recipes, if you want to use something else. 

2. Place a large skillet on medium heat and the pan heat up until it's hot. Once hot, rub the pan directly with some butter and quickly plan your bun, cut side down, on top of the melted butter. Then rub butter on top side of the bun.

3. You don't have to do this, but for my preference I flatten the buns with my spatula. When the bottom side started getting nicely toasted I flip them and cook the other side (you don't have to re-butter the skillet, because we already buttered the top side!)

Pav is very easy to make (unless you decide to make your own!). 

This dish is really quite easy to make, and so good! I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and if you had a chance to try it please let me know how yours turned out! =)