Palak Paneer

Ingredients

Spinach (fresh and cleaned)               3 Bunches

Paneer                                                          100 g

Onion                                                            50g

Butter                                                           50g

Bay leaves                                                   2-3

Cumin seeds                                               1 teaspoon

Salt                                                                to taste

Black pepper powder                               ¼ teaspoon

Ginger-garlic paste                                 1 teaspoon

Green chili paste                                     ½ teaspoon

Garam masala powder                            1 teaspoon

Vegetable oil                                              2 tablespoons

           

Method

1.     Mix the ginger-garlic paste, green chili paste and some water with spinach.

2.     Put the mixture in a pressure cooker, steaming it for about 7-8 minutes. Blend the mixture in a blender to make an even thick spinach paste.

3.     Cut the paneer into small cubes.

4.     Heat oil in a pan and then deep fry the paneer cubes till it is light brown.

5.     In a cooking pan heat the butter and fry the bay leaves and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onion.

6.     Add salt, black pepper powder, garam masala.

7.     Add the fried paneer cubes and cooked spinach.

8.     Serve hot with chapatti or rice

Achari Machli

Ingredients

Fish skinless and 
boneless cut into cubes                       500g

Tomatoes, chopped                                 300g

Lemon juice                                              2 tablespoons

Onions, chopped                                     100g

Fennel seed                                              1 teaspoon

Red chilies                                               6 -8

Coriander seeds                                      2 tea spoons

Onion seeds                                              1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds                                    1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder                                    1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds                                           1/2 teaspoon

Red chili powder                                     1 teaspoon

Green chilies, finely chopped           5 -6

Garlic paste                                               1 tablespoon

Oil                                                                  50ml

Method

1. Wash the fish well in salt water. Apply the lemon juice to the fish and set aside for approximately 1 hour.
2. Fry the onions till they are light golden in color. Remove with a slotted spoon and crush. In the same oil put the red chilies, onion seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and garlic. Stir and fry for a few minutes till the oil separate.
3. Add the tomatoes and again stir and cook till the oil separates. Add the fish. Coarsely grind together the aniseed, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds.
4. Add this to the fish along with the green chilies and cook over a low heat till the fish is done, about 10 minute min.

Tamatar Shorba Recipe

Ingredients

Tomatoes 500g
Chopped ginger 10g
Chopped garlic 10g
Whole garam masala 10g
Bay leaf 2no
Chopped green coriander 20g
Cumin seeds 5g
Sugar (optional) 15g
Oil as required
Green chili 2no
Vegetable stock or water 1 lt
Salt as per taste

Method

1. Wash and chop tomatoes.
2. Cook tomatoes with chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies cut into two and Whole Garam Masala. Add water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for twenty minutes on a slow flame until tomatoes are mashed completely.
4. Strain the mixture with a soup strainer.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, let them crackle. Add strained tomato liquid and season with salt.
6. Bring it to a boil, add sugar if it is very sour.
7. Serve tamatar ka shorba hot, garnished with chopped green coriander leaves.

Parisienne Potatoes

Ingredients

Potatoes                               300g

Olive oil                               1 tablespoon

Unsalted butter                15g

Thyme                                   1 Spring

Unpeeled garlic                2 Cloves

Method

1.     Peel the potatoes. Using the largest scoop of a melon-baller scoop out balls from the potato.
2.     Cook the balls of potato in boiling, salted water for five minutes, drain and then put them into a bowl of cold water.
3.     When they are cold, drain the potato balls and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
4.     In a frying pan, heat the oil and butter. When the butter is sizzling, put in the balls of potato, thyme and lightly crushed clove of garlic.
5.     Fry the balls of potato until they are golden brown all over.
6.     Drain off the excess fat on a piece of kitchen paper, discard the thyme and garlic, and serve.

Saute Broccoli

Ingredients

Fresh broccoli                               200g

Extra virgin olive oil                 10ml

Garlic, minced                              2 cloves

Lemon juice

Salt and pepper                             to taste

Method

1.     Cut the broccoli into individual florets. Cut stems into pieces roughly the same size as the florets.
2.     Place broccoli in large pot, and bring to boil in salted water to cover. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 minutes until broccoli is just crisp-tender. Drain thoroughly.
3.     Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook garlic for 1 minute. Add the drained broccoli and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until broccoli is glazed and tender.
4.     Sprinkle with lemon juice, salt, and pepper and serve.

Puree of green pea with mint cream

Ingredients

Butter                                               10g

Onions, small dice                      25g

Chicken stock                               600ml

Peas, fresh or frozen                  400g

Salt                                                    to taste

White pepper                                  to taste

Heavy cream                                   50ml

Garnish

Heavy cream                                   25ml

Mint leaves finely shredded    10g

Method

1. Heat the butter in a heavy sauce pot over moderately low heat.

2. Add the onions and sweat them without letting them brown.

3. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

4. Add the peas. Simmer until the peas are soft, about 5 minutes.

5. Pass the soup through a food mill or purée with an immersion blender.

6. Return the stock to a simmer. Add additional stock if necessary to bring to a proper consistency.

7. Adjust the seasoning.

8. At service time, heat the heavy cream and stir into the soup.

9. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold in the shredded mint leaves.

10. Immediately before serving, place 1 tbsp mint cream on top of each portion.