How to Make Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer Recipe - Palak Paneer is very delicious Indian recipe. Palak is also known as spinach. I have described, how to make palak paneer.
Ingredients:

Small cubes of Paneer (100 gms)
Palak (Spinach) - 3 bunches
Sliced Onion - 1 Medium Sized
3-4 Garlic cloves
Small Ginger One piece
4-5 tbsp of vegetable oil for spinach
2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil to fry paneer
Milk, Curd
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Red chilly powder, Coriander powder
Salt as per Taste


How to Make Palak Paneer at Home:

Soak paneer cubes in water for few minutes, and fry it in a pan to light golden brown color in oil. Chop palak and clean it. Cook palak (spinach) for 6 to 7 minutes in a vessel with water, covering it from top. In the meantime, chop onions, garlic cloves, and ginger. Grind them together in the mixer, and prepare paste. Strain off water from palak, and grind it to a fine paste. Take oil in a pan with medium flame, let it warm a little, then put chopped onion, ginger, and garlic paste and fry it till it gets brownish white. Now add half teaspoon of Garam Masala, coriander powder, red chilly powder, and pinch of salt and sugar (as per taste). Stir it till it gets brownish. Now add palak paste to it along with a little water, and stir as it cooks. Pour 2-3 tbsp of fresh curd, about 30-40ml milk, and 2 tbsp cream. Now add paneer cubes to palak. Stir for few minutes, and turn off the flame. Delicious and mouth watering Palak Paneer is ready to serve.

Health and Palak Paneer :

Palak (Spinach) has many nutrients as compare to other vegetables. It contains good amount of vitamin K and A which helps you bone up. the vegetable also provides cardiovascular protection. Cooked palak is good source of iron. So alongwith good taste of palak paneer, one can also enjoy so many good qualities of the dish. Palak paneer is considered as one of the famous north indian cusine.

More recipes : I am very much fond of to make paneer recipes at home. You can also read my other recipes - shahi paneer recipe, puneer butter masala recipe, paneer bhurji recipe, mutter paneer recipe.

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We like to think of this as our Stone Soup recipe. With a few basic ingredients and handful of lentils, we can make enough to feed and satisfy an entire crowd. While we can't claim that this is the most authentic dal you'll ever eat, we can promise a darn tasty meal! Take a look...

Think of this recipe as a guideline. You can add more or less of any of the vegetables depending on what you have available and then adjust the spices as needed. We like our dal thick enough to scoop up with bread, but add another cup or so of liquid if you'd prefer more of a soup.

This recipe also freezes very well. We often make a double or even triple batch and freeze most of it in individual containers for quick weeknight meals.

Dal Palak
Makes about 8 cups

1 large onion, diced
2 packages (about 16 ounces) white button or baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 medium-sized red or white potatoes, cubed
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coriander
1 Tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons red chili powder
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
10 ounce bunch of spinach (or more if desired!), cleaned and cut into ribbons
1 cup red lentils
3 cups of water or broth
1-2 Tablespoons salt
3-4 scallions, chopped

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, the mushrooms, and one teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms show spots of golden brown. Add the potatoes and another teaspoon of salt, and cook until the edges are just starting to turn translucent.

Clear a space in the middle of the pan and add the ginger, garlic, spices, and one more teaspoon of salt. Cook until the garlic is fragrant (30 seconds), and then stir the spices into the mix. Add the diced tomatoes in their juices, the spinach, and the lentils. Stir to combine everything and then top with three cups of water or broth.

Turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Taste the soup to adjust the seasonings and salt. Stir in half of the chopped scallions, reserving the rest to use as garnish.

Serve dal along with rice, naan, or chapatis.

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Punjabi Aloo Gobi – Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.

450g russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
450g cauliflower, cut into small-medium sized florets
400g canned diced tomatoes
200g frozen peas
5-6 inches long ginger, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt
Bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil or ghee



Method

In a large skillet heat the ghee or canola oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and gently stir-fry until they begin to turn golden, approx. 1 minute.

Lower the heat, add the potatoes, garam masala, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Carry on stir-frying until the spices cook and begin to smell fragrant – approx. 2-3 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and toss to incorporated with the spices, then pour in the diced tomatoes. Stir once or twice, cover and allow to simmer over a medium heat for approx. 30-35 minutes. Stir occasionally. The vegetables should be tender but still firm.

Add the peas about 10 minutes before the cooking time is completed and gently stir
Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve with hot rotis or naans.
Kitchen Tips:

Once you have cut your potatoes into cubes, place them in a bowl of cold water. This will prevent the potatoes from turning brown. When you are ready to use, drain the water and pat dry with a few paper towels.

Need for speed: use a bag of frozen cauliflower florets instead. Do not thaw them just add them to the skillet and proceed as directed.

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CHICKEN KEEMA AND EGG RECIPE

Smack your lips for this mouthwatering dish made with chicken keema, thai curry paste, mustard paste, hard boiled eggs and spices.

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken keema
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic 9 chopped) 
1 tsp ginger ( chopped) 
1 small onion chopped
2 tomato chopped
1 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Thai curry paste ( red) 
8-10 curry leaves
2 tbsp hot –n sweet sauce
1/2 tsp mustard paste
4 hard boiled eggs. 
Salte to taste. 

For Garnishing
1 double fried egg 
1 tbsp coriander chopped


How to make chicken keema and egg:
Heat , oil, saute the garlic, ginger, onion, add in tomatoes powdered spices, salt to taste.
Thai curry paste, curry leaves,
Add in the keema and saute for a few seconds and add in the hot-n- sweet sauce and mustared paste.
Simmer the keema for 8-10 minutes on a medium flame.
Fry the keema on high flame for 2-3 minutes.
Add a little water and cook for another 15 minutes.
Finally mix in the shredded egg and serve hot garnished with wedges of hard boiled eggs and chopped coriander.

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How to make chicken Keema

Ingredients:
1 lb ground(minced) chicken (or mutton)
1 tea spn ginger paste
1 tea spn garlic paste
3-4 green chillies
3-4 strands coriander leaves
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup potatoes cut into thin pieces
1 tea spn chilli powder
A pinch turmeric powder
1/2 cup tomatoes
3 cloves
2" cinnamon
1 tea spn shah jeera
2 cardamoms
Oil
Salt

Method:
Make a paste of ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander leaves. Apply this paste to ground(minced) meat and leave it aside for about 30mins.
Heat oil and fry onion. Add potatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, tomatoes. Let it cook for few minutes. Now add the chicken, salt and let it cook.
Make a powder of cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shah jeera. Add the powder to chicken. Cook for a min and take off heat.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 30mins

If you use egg then check CHICKEN KEEMA AND EGG RECIPE  

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Jalebi Recipe, How to make Jalebi Step By Step Recipe

Jalebi Recipe:

Ingredients Needed:

For the Jalebi batter

All purpose flour / Maida - 200 gms
Curds/ Yoghurt - 2 cups
Lime Juice - 2 tsp
Cornstarch / Cornflour - 150 gms apprx*
Hot oil - 2 tbsp
Food colour - orange / saffron / yellow
pinch of salt

For the Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 2 cups
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Water - Just enough to cover the sugar and melt.

Oil for deep frying

How to make Jalebi

The recipe asks you to ferment the batter overnight. I completely forgot and mixed the batter at 10 am and left it to ferment till 4 pm.

In a bowl, take the flour, add salt, then add in the curds, whisk well. Then add lime juice, cornstarch, safron colour, and finally the hot oil. Mix everything well together and make sure there are no lumps. The batter needs to be thick.

I mistook and made the batter little thin, so I had to add more starch to thicken the batter.

Once this is done, set it aside to ferment.

To make the Sugar Syrup

When the batter is all ready, get the sugar syrup ready. Take a pan with sugar, add just enough water to














cover all the sugar. Keep stirring so that the sugar melts. Strain if required. Add line juice to avoid sugar crystallization. But few did after few days.

Then again cook till you get a syrupy consistency. Keep it warm.

Making the Jalebis.

Heat oil in a kadai. It is advised that once oil hot, you reduce to medium low flame. But I saw that my Jalebis were getting soggy when I do that.

Spoon batter into a piping bag / zip lock bag or even your milk/ any thick plastic cover. Cut a tiny hole at one end, pipe the batter into the hot oil.

Fry till it's crisp and starts changing colour. This took about just couple of seconds for me, I had to be really quick with piping and turning the jalebis.

Flip and cook on both sides. Once done, drop the hot jalebis into the warm sugar syrup.

Done dunk them for long, flip on both sides and remove with a slotted spoon.

This is best served hot/warm.

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Chana Masala Recipe (Chole Masala Recipe)

This Channa Masala recipe is sure to steal your heart! Lovingly known by a lot of different names, such as Chole, Punjabi Chole, Khatte Channe! The color and the flavors are just phenomenal. 

Ingredients:
Chickpeas/Kabuli Chana - 1 cup, soaked in water for 8 hours or overnight
Ginger - 2 tsp, grated
Garlic - 2 tsp, grated
Onion - 1 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1 cup, grated
Green Chillies - 2, sliced
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tblsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tblsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garama Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 2 tblsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, julienned
Vegetable Oil - 2 tblsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Cook the chana till soft and set aside.
2. In 2 tblsp hot oil fry onions till pink.
3. Add grated garlic and ginger.
4. Cook for 2 minutes in low heat.
5. Add grated tomatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
6. Saute over low heat till the oil separates.
7. Add chana, 1 to 2 cups of water, salt and half of the coriander leaves.
8. Simmer uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed.
9. Add a pinch of garam masala.
10. Sprinkle the remaining garam masala, coriander leaves and shredded ginger.
11. Serve hot.

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Cooking with Fresh Cheese: Indian Paneer

Paneer is the reason why many of us are addicted to dishes like palak paneer and shahi paneer korma. This fresh milk cheese is a true staple in Indian cooking, which is no surprise given how well it's mild flavor and chewy texture goes with spiced up curries. Do you ever cook with it?

Paneer is made by curdling warmed milk with an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. The curds are then drained and pressed into a solid block. Paneer is a fresh cheese, like mozzarella or queso fresco, so it's ready to be used as soon as it's made and won't keep for more than a few days.

Because it's curdled with an acid instead of rennet, paneer doesn't melt when heated. (And it's also vegetarian!) Very fresh paneer that hasn't been pressed for very long tends to be more crumbly and is best for sauces. Very firm paneer can actually be sautéed, seared, or grilled, and still retain it's shape and texture.

Besides simmering it in a curry, cubes of paneer go well in grain salads, wraps, and stir-fries. In the summer, grilled skewers of paneer and vegetables make a fantastic and easy weeknight dinner.

Look for paneer in Indian markets or grocery stores with a good ethnic foods section. It's also very easy to make it at home with a carton of milk and some lemon juice.

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The Best Fat-Burning Breakfasts, 5 healthy breakfast foods to help you lose weight.

Eating a morning meal is a healthy habit if you're watching your weight. Research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and dieters are more successful at losing weight—and keeping it off—when they eat breakfast. What's more, people who typically eat breakfast also get more fiber (more on why this is important later), calcium, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, zinc and iron—and less fat and dietary cholesterol. Perhaps it's because they often eat cereal, which is fortified with vitamins and minerals, and fruit, which is naturally nutrient-rich.

But that doesn't mean you have to eat cereal to stay—or get—trim. Instead, mix-up your morning meal and try one—or a few—of these 5 breakfast foods that help you lose weight.

1. Raspberries

A cup of raspberries delivers a whopping 8 grams of fiber (that's more than double what's in a cup of strawberries and about the same amount in a cup of some types of beans). What's so great about all that fiber? Recent research in the Journal of Nutritionsuggests eating more fiber as a way to prevent weight gain or even encourage weight loss. Over the course of the two-year study, the researchers found that boosting fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories resulted in about 4 ½ pounds of weight lost.

2. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can help you lose weight in two ways. First, it's packed with fiber and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. Second, a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition reported that eating a breakfast made with "slow-release" carbohydrates—such as oatmeal or bran cereal—3 hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat. How? Eating "slow-release" carbohydrates doesn't spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates (think: white toast). In turn, insulin levels don't spike as high. Because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower blood sugar levels may help you burn fat.

3. Yogurt

A recent report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and out of Harvard revealed which foods are correlated with weight change, including the top 5 foods that promote weight loss. Yogurt was one of them!  Another reason to eat yogurt: the protein in it may give you an extra edge if you're looking to get leaner. When researchers fed two groups of mice a high-fat diet for 11 weeks, the mice that got water spiked with whey protein (a type of protein found naturally in yogurt and other dairy) packed on 42 percent less weight and nearly a third less body fat than the mice who just drank plain water, despite the fact that they ate roughly the same number of calories. The whey eaters also gained 7 percent more lean body mass (e.g., muscle mass). Save calories—and unnecessary sugar—by choosing plain yogurt. If you need a little extra sweetness, try fresh fruit (maybe raspberries?).

4. Peanut Butter

Nuts were also among the top 5 foods that Harvard researchers said promote weight loss. I love to slather a tablespoon or two of peanut butter onto whole-wheat toast (ahem, a "slow-release" carbohydrate), but you could also add nuts to your oatmeal (another "slow-release" carb).

5. Eggs

Eggs deliver protein, which is great for dieters. Compared to carbohydrates and fat, protein keeps you satisfied longer. Plus, in one study, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast felt fuller longer and lost more than twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel for breakfast.

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10 Tasty, Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas

You get up in the morning, you rush to get ready for work, you rush out the door without a breakfast. Perhaps you grab a bagel and cream cheese, perhaps a muffin, perhaps an Egg McMuffin. If you’re lucky, you get a pastry, a hearty breakfast of pancakes and sausage and eggs, or an English fry-up.

Unfortunately, when it comes to being healthy, none of these options is a great way to start your day.

Several readers asked about healthy breakfast ideas, and in truth, it’s a dilemma that many of us face each day. Either we don’t have time for breakfast, or we don’t have many healthy options.

The first problem is a problem, because it means that you start the day with an empty stomach. That means that by the time you are getting into the swing of work, your blood-sugar levels are dangerously low. The result: you need an instant sugar fix, which usually means a donut or pastry or some other unhealthy choice.

The second problem is also a real problem, because traditional breakfasts don’t usually come in healthy flavors. Here are the options that most people think of as breakfast:

• Too sugary or carb-filled. Pancakes, waffles, toast, donuts, pastries, scones, bagels, pies, sugar cereals, breakfast bars, muffins (which, let’s face it, are usually just cake). I’m not anti-carb, but the problem with many breakfasts is that they are low in fat and protein, and nothing but empty carb calories. This starts your day with a high blood-sugar level, which your body will quickly adjust for and drop, and you’ll be on a roller-coaster blood-sugar ride all day.
• Too fatty. Fried eggs, sausages, bacon, cream cheese on your bagels, cheesy omelets, Egg McMuffins, Sausage McMuffins, hash browns, anything English or Scottish.

What does that leave us with? Actually, there are a lot of options. The 10 below are just a few ideas, but I’m sure you can think of many more. Look for protein without too much saturated fat. Look for whole-grain carbs. Look for low-fat dairy or soy options. Look for fiber and nutrients.

But how do you find the time? You make the time. Get up 15 minutes earlier. Pack something to eat on the road or when you first get to work. Prepare it the night before if necessary. I recommend the first option — waking a little earlier — as it’s nice to be able to have a nice cup of tea or coffee with your breakfast, relaxing before the rush of the day starts.

Oatmeal, flaxseed, blueberries & almonds. To me, this is the perfect breakfast. Steel-cut oatmeal is probably the healthier choice, but if you are in a hurry, the instant kind will do fine (it doesn’t have as much fiber, but the other ingredients make up for that). After microwaving the oatmeal, add ground flaxseed, frozen blueberries, sliced almonds. You can add a little cinnamon and honey (not a lot) if you’re using the non-instant oatmeal. That’s four power foods, full of fiber and nutrients and protein and good fats, with only a couple of minutes of prep time. And very tasty!

Kashi Golean Crunch. Actually, any whole-grain, high-fiber cereal is a good choice, but I mention this particular one because it’s a favorite of mine. It has a high amount of protein and fiber, low sugar. Add low-fat milk or soy milk (which has 1/3 the saturated fat of 1% milk), perhaps some berries if you like.

Scrambled tofu. Healthier than scrambled eggs. Add some onions, green peppers or other veggies, some light soy sauce or tamari, maybe some garlic powder, and black pepper, stir-fry with a little olive oil. Eat with whole-grain toast. Fast and delicious.

Fresh berries, yogurt, granola. Get low-fat yogurt (not non-fat, as it often has too much sugar) or soy yogurt, cut up some berries or other fruits, add some healthy cereal. I actually use the Kashi Golean Crunch instead of granola, as many brands of granola have way too much fat and/or sugar.

Grapefruit with whole-wheat toast & almond butter. Add a little sugar on top of the grapefruit, and it’s actually pretty good. The almond butter is healthier than peanut-butter, with lots of good protein to fill you up.

Fresh fruit salad. Cut up some apples, melons, berries, oranges, pears, bananas, grapes … any or all or whatever your favorite fruits are. Add a little bit of lime or lemon juice. Perfect.

Protein shake with extras. I use soy protein powder, but whey works well too. Blend up with low-fat milk or soy milk, some frozen blueberries, and perhaps some almond butter or oatmeal. That may sound weird, but it’s actually pretty good, and pretty filling. A little ground flax seed works well too.

Eggs with peppers. I’m not a fan of eggs, but many people love them. Egg whites are healthier than whole eggs. Scramble with a little olive oil, red and green bell peppers, maybe broccoli, onions, black pepper. Goes well with whole-wheat toast.

Cottage cheese and fruit. Get low-fat cottage cheese. Add any kind of fruit. Apples, citrus, berries.

Gibb’s muffins & jam. While most muffins you buy at a coffee shop or grocery store are just empty carbs with lots of fat (basically, cake), this is a delicious recipe with lots of fiber and nutrition. (Note: the recipe in the link doesn’t mention it, but it’s actually a recipe from Simplify Your Life by Elaine St. James — it’s her husband Gibbs’ recipe). Bake them the night before, and they’re perfect in the morning (and for days to come). A little honey or jam makes them perfect.

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