Chilli Paneer

Spring  is for showers, flowers and Pollen!

The allergy season is on and people who suffer from allergy will tell you how hard it tis to have stuffy noses and itchy eyes! Just some tips from me to keep your allergies under check,

Keep your windows closed, pollen counts are high in the morning between 5- 10 am.
keep A/C on, vaccum the floors/ carpet frequently.
If your child has stuffed animals in her bed, make sure you wash them regularly. More than pollen, house dust mite is the common allergen.
Try over the counter medications for allergy. If not improving consult your doctor.

Now, let's get out tongue tickling chilli paneer dish!

Chili paneer is a fiesty indo chinese dish made with mixed peppers and paneer. It can be served as dry or a gravy based curry. the measurements I used gave medium spicy curry, but one could always increase the spices to suit your taste. Paneer is usually deep fried and added to the dish. I shallow fried them without any corn flour and still had a wonderful taste.


Get Ready: ( serves 2-3)

• 1 cup paneer small dice
• 1 cup mixed peppers (I used red and orange)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 spring onion chopped green and white separately
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
•  1 tsp dhania powder/ coriander powder
• 1 tsp redchilli powder
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp soy sauce
•  1 tsp chilli sauce
• 3 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
•  cilantro to garnish

Go:

• In a pan, add 1 tbsp oil. when hot add the paneer and shallow fry till they are golden crispy on the outside. set aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil. once hot add the cumin seeds and let it crackle.
• Add the white part of chopped spring onions, fry for few mins
• add the ginger garlic paste and fry till aromatic.
• add the coriander powder, red chilli powder and saute for a minute
•  add the tomatoes and cook till mushy.
• add the peppers, a little salt and fry on medium to high heat till they are soft yet crunchy.
• add the ketchup, soy sauce, chilli sauce and salt to taste.
• Mix everything well and let it cook for a minute or two.
• Add the paneer cubes and toss everything well.
• Tyrn the heat off.
• garnish with cilantro and green of spring onions.
• serve hot with chapathis.

Indo Chinese Fried Rice

How many of you are adept in using chopsticks!

Let me be honest, i am pathetic! I succumb to the fork, no matter how many times some body teaches me to use a chopstick! If any of you giuys out there have a special technique to use chopsticks, I would love to hear from you!

Anyways, let me share this awesoem Indochinese fried rice which can be put together with any left over rice or veggies in your refrigerator! It's the best comfort food one could enjoy any time.

I served this with this mouth watering Cauliflower manchurian

Get ready:

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1& 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups thinly shredded vegetables ( cabbage, red, green pepper, carrots,beans, baby corn)
• 2 green chillies slit in the middle
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp ginger finely chopped
• 2 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• salt to taste

Go:

• Wash and drain the rice for 15 mins. pressure cook with 1 & 1/2 cups of water  and a little salt for 2 whistles and take it off the heat. Let it cool for a while, as You need cold rice to makeit. If the rice is hot, the fried rice all becomes sticky and mushy which you don't want.

• Heat oil in a deep pan. Add the ginger, garlic and saute till fragrant. Add the green chillies and fry for a few seconds.

• Add all the shredded veggies and cook on high heat for a few mins. make sure you don't over cook them as you want the crunch from all the vegetables.

• Add salt and pepper according to your taste.

• Add the rice, soy sauce and toss everything together.

• Serve hot with any gravy or eat with  manchurian as I did!

One can also  scarmble an egg to this, to make it more flavorful.

Cauliflower Manchurian

 I had this posting in my draft for a couple of months, but forgot to blog it

 I was tempted to make this manchurian ever since I saw it in a website. I was so tempted to make it and see how my family will respond!

 

So here it is...

 

Cauliflower cut into florets
Oil for frying

 

For the batter:
3 tbsp. corn flour
5 tbsp. All purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Water 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.

 

For the gravy

 

Oil – 1 Tbsp

 

 

Onion – 1/2 medium, chopped finely

 

Green Chilies – to taste, cut diagonally

 

Garlic – 3 large cloves, chopped finely

 

Tomato Ketchup 2tbsp
Chilli Sauce 2 tbsp
Soy Sauce – 4 tsp

 

White Vinegar – 2 tsp

 

Water – 4 Tbsp + as much you want for the gravy

 

Corn flour 2 tsp

 

Green Onions – 2 stalks

 

Method:

 

•  Heat Oil in a medium non-stick pan.
• Add Onions, Green Chilies and Garlic and cook until Onions are light brown.
• Add ketchup and chilli sauceand cook until Oil starts to separate from mixture.
• Add Soy Sauce and Vinegar and mix well.
• Mix 2 tsp Corn flour with 4 Tbsp Water and add it to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce starts to thicken.
• Keep sauce aside
• Boil water and dunk the cauliflower florets in them. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. drain the water after 3 mins.
•  To make batter, add All-purpose flour, Corn Starch, Salt, Black Pepper and Water to a small bowl. Mix until there are no lumps.
•  Coat Cauliflower pieces well with batter and deep fry until Cauliflower is a medium dark brown color.
•  Finish frying all of the Cauliflower and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat Cauliflower completely.
•  Add Green Onions and serve.

Enjoy!