PALAK PANEER KOFTA

This Palak Paneer Kofta recipe has many flavors. This is a signature recipe of Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor and also known as Sham Savera. This recipe has less oil and made without butter or cream, but you can use some fresh cream for garnishing if you wish to. My this recipe is roughly adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's sham savera recipe, here the koftas are made little bit differently. Also you can use various types of gravies of your choice to dunk these koftas. 

Ingredients :

For Palak Koftas

1. Spinach - 200 gram

2. Green chilli - 2

3. Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

4. Cornflour - 2-3 tsp

5. Salt to taste

6. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tea spoon

For Paneer stuffing

1. Paneer - 100 gram

2. Rice flour / cornflour - 2 tsp

3. Cashew nuts - 1 tsp (roughly powdered)

4. Raisin - 1 tsp

5. Salt - a pinch

6. Sugar - 1/2 tea spoon

7. Garam masala - 1/3 tea spoon

8. Saffron strands -5-6 (optional)

For the Gravy

1. Tomato - 1 big

2. Onions - 2 big (you can skip this if you are a vegetarian, I have used onions)

3. Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)

4. Bay leaf - 2

5. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

6. Green cardamom - 3-4

7. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick

8. Ginger (finely chopped) - 1/2 tsp

9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon

10. Cumin powder  - 1/2 tea spoon

11. Coriander powder  - 1/2 tea spoon

12. Garam masala powder  - 1/2 tea spoon

13. Salt - to taste

14. Sugar - 1/2 tea spoon

15. Gloves - 3-4

16. Cashew - roughly chopped - 1 tsp

17. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Process :

For making Palak Koftas

1. Wash and rinse spinach leaves very well in water using a colander. Roughly chop them and boil them with water for about 2 minutes. Once done, rinse transfer them to cold water adding some ice cubes, so that the color of spinach stays intact. Rinse them properly and put in a grinder jar along with chilli and ginger. Grind a smooth puree without adding any water.

2. Take the puree in a mixing bowl, and add salt and garam masala and mix well. Add cornflour to this mixture. If the mixture looks loose and not thick, then you can add some more cornflour until the dough becomes smooth. Let the mixture come to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes.

For making Paneer stuffing for Palak Koftas

1. Grate the paneer in a bowl, add rice floor or cornflour whichever you are using (I have used rice flour), add garam masala, roughly powdered cashew, raisins, salt, sugar and saffron strands (if you are using) and mix well.

2. Now take some portion of the paneer in your palms and make small balls of the same. Cover them and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Take out the spinach mixture from the fridge. From this mixture, make the same number of balls you have made with the paneer stuffing. Flatten them and keep aside. 

4. Take each spinach mixture balls and flatten it more, then place the paneer ball in the center, bring the edges on top, join the edges and roll gently to a smooth kofta ball. Make all the paneer palak koftas this way.

5. Sprinkle some rice flour in a plate, coat each kofta evenly with the flour and dust off the excess flour. Place little oil on your palms, coat the koftas with the oil and place them in a plate, cover them and refrigerate for 25-30 minutes.

For Frying the Palak Koftas

1. Add oil in a pan for deep frying, use oil as required. Let the oil become medium hot, then gently place the kofta in the medium hot oil.  Do not fry more than 3 koftas at a time. Turn each kofta gently when the base is light golden and crisp. Turn over again and continue to fry till the outer crust looks crisp and golden. Fry all the koftas for 4-5 minutes on medium flame. 

2. Remove them from flame and this way fry remaining batches of palak kofta. Place on kitchen paper towels. You can simple serve them as a snack with evening tea also.

For making the Gravy

1. In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and fry till the spices splutter and become aromatic. Add chopped onions and saute onions till they become translucent. Then add ginger, chopped green chillies, chopped tomatoes. Mix and saute for 2 minutes. 

2. Add the cashew and kashmiri red chilli powder and all other powder spices, mix very well adding a half cup of water. Mix and simmer on medium-low flame till the tomatoes soften. Then switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down. Once the mixture comes to room temperature, put it on a grinder jar, dont forget to remove the bay leaf before grinding. Blend to a smooth paste. Do not add any water while grinding. 

3. In the same frying pan, add 1/2 spoon oil and transfer this mixture paste along with 1/2 cup of water. If you need medium consistency gravy, you can add more water. Add salt, sugar as per your taste. Mix everything well and on a low flame allow the gravy to get cooked properly. Stir at intervals. Once the gravy is done, switch off the flame.

While serving the Palak Paneer kofta, pour the hot gravy in a serving bowl. Slice the kofta balls into two halves and gently place them in the gravy. You can garnish the bowl with some fresh cream or coriander leaves, if you want to.

BEETROOT CUTLET

Beetroot cutlet is an easy, colorful and healthy appetizer made from beetroot, potato and aromatic spices. Crispy outside and soft inside, these cutlets are shallow fried snacks, hence a healthy option with evening tea. So if you are bored with the same evening snacks everyday, do give it a try. 

Ingredients : 

1. Beetroot - 1 cup (grated)
2. Boiled potato - 1
3. Cashew nuts - 1 tsp (chopped)
4. Raisin - 1 tsp
5. Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
6. Green chilli - 2 (finely chopped)
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
8. Salt - to taste
9. Cumin powder - 1/2 tea spoon
10. Coriander powder - 1/2 tea spoon
11. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tea spoon
12. Amchur powder - 1/2 tea spoon
13. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tea spoon
14. Chat masala - 1/2 tea spoon
15. Coriander leaves - Finely chopped (1 tsp)
16. Green peas (optional) - 1/3 rd cup (pre-boiled)
17. Maida - 2 tsp
18. Bread crumbs 
19. Oil for frying

Process:

1. Peel and grate the beetroot and keep aside. Also peel, cut and boil potatoes separately and keep them aside.
2. To make the cutlet mix, place a pan on low medium flame. Add 1 tsp oil and fry cashew and raisin first. Once the cashew nuts turn brown, add chopped onions, green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Add salt and saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add grated beetroot. Now add all the powder spices and give it a good mix. Once you feel that the raw aroma of beetroot is gone, add the boiled potatoes and mash them properly with this mixture. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Now add finely chopped coriander leaves and boiled peas (if you are using peas), mix everything nicely with soft hand. And let it cool down and then start taking small portions of the mixture and give them cutlet shapes, can be round or oval or whichever you like. Place them in a plate.
4. In another small bowl, take maida and by adding water, make a smooth batter. The outer coating of the cutlet should be less for this cutlet, so that the color of the beetroot is seen through outside, hence the batter should not be thick, neither too watery.
5. In a plate, take the breadcrumbs.
6. Now deep the cutlets into this maida batter and roll it into bread crumbs and place them in a plate. Once all the cutlets are ready, refrigerate them for 20-25 minutes.
7. Now, take oil in a frying pan for shallow fry, and start placing the cutlets one by one, 3-4 cutlets you can fry at a one-go, in medium flame. Serve hot with ketchup.

UPSIDE DOWN KIWI CUSTARD

When you are participating in a Healthy Food Contest where the theme is Fruit. A list of  fruits are there in front of you, some of which you might have had only in the form of juices, smoothies or just as a simple fruit. But here you have to do some experiment with the fruit of your choice. 

So, here I have chosen Kiwi fruit, which is a favorite one, and tried something different. Here is the experimental Upside down Kiwi Custard recipe.

This is my second entry to to the first week's contest.

Ingredients :

1. Kiwi - 3 pieces
2. Vanilla custard powder - 2 tsp
3. Powdered sugar - 1 tsp
4. Milk - 1 cup
5. Raisins and nuts - 1 tsp

Process :

1. Boil the milk, add sugar and custard powder to make simple custard. Keep aside to cool down.
2. Wrap your bowl (deep round shaped or square flat) with transparent food wrap paper. 
3. Peel and cut the kiwi pieces in circles and place them in the dish which is ready already with wrapped paper. Once the custard comes to room temperature, place it in the bowl, spread some nuts and raisins and keep in refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
4. To unmould, carefully place the dessert plate on the top of your dish and, holding tightly, turn the dish upside down. It should come out easily. 

CHIA POMEGRANATE PUDDING

Chia seeds are quickly gaining popularity for their powerful health benefits. Chia seeds are very rich in protein. 
This is my first entry to a Healthy Food Contest where the theme for the first week is Fruits. A list of fruits are there to choose and you can make juices, smoothies or any kind of dessert. I have chosen Pomegranate and made this simple breakfast / Dessert using chia seeds and pomegranate.  

Ingredients :

1. Chia seeds - 2 tsp
2. Pomegranate juice - 1/2 cup
3. Milk - 1/2 cup
4. Honey or Maple syrup - 1 tsp

Process :

1. Mix all the ingredients  together in a small bowl and let keep aside for an hour, stirring occasionally. 
2. Once this is set as pudding, garnish with pomegranate seeds and nuts of your choice.

This is a very quick and healthy breakfast. You can use this pudding as your Dessert too.

Benefits of Pomegranate : (Source : Google)

1. Protects us from free radicals
2. It thins our blood
3. Improves memory
4. It lowers blood pressure
5. Helps in digestion.

Pur Vora Potol Vaja - Stuffed Pointed gourd

Pur bhora potol bhaja or Stuffed Pointed Gourd is a very popular Bengali cuisine in West Bengal. This is very easy and simple recipe and goes well with simple daal and rice. Some people also makes gravy with these stuffed pointed gourd, which is also a very popular recipe. Today I have tried this easy Potol Pur with coconut, mustard seeds and poppy seeds stuffing. This is a pure veg recipe, but you can also add onions and garlic in the stuffing, if you wish to.

Ingredients :

1. Potol or Pointed Gourd - 4

2. Poppy seeds - 2 tsp

3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

4. Grated coconut - 2 tsp

5. Salt to taste

6. Green chilli - 2

7. Ginger (chopped) - 1/2 tsp

8. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

10. Besan or Gram flour - 2 tsp 

10. Oil to fry

Process :

1. Slit the potol's and take out the seeds and flesh. Heat 1 tsp oil, add the potol's flesh and seeds and stir for 3-4 minutes adding a pinch of salt. Remove from flame, let it cool down. Once this comes to room temperature, add them to a grinder along with grated coconut, soaked poppy seeds and mustard seeds. Also add green chillies and ginger pieces. Make a paste ensuring the paste is not too smooth.

2. In a bowl, add besan with little bit of water, 1/2 tbsp salt and mix well.

3. Now stuff this paste into potol's one by one, dip them in the besan batter. Once they are ready heat oil in a deep frying pan and start frying these stuffed potol's one by one on medium flame. Once you are done serve hot with Simple steamed rice and daal. 

SABUDANA KHICHDI

Sabudana khichdi is an Indian dish very much popular in Maharashtra and other western parts of India. When you are on a "No grain diet", this is the perfect meal, healthy and tasty. 

Ingredients:

1. Sabudana (tapioca pearls) - one cup

2. Potato (boiled) - half cup

3. Rock salt (sendha namak) - This is used when you are fasting - take as per your taste

4. Peanuts (optional) - 2 tsp (roasted) 

5. Green chilli - 2 or as per taste

6. Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)

7. Ghee - 1 tsp

8. Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tsp

9. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp (chopped)

10. Grated Coconut (optional) - 1 tsp 

Process :

1. Rinse the sabudana couple of times in running water until all the starch is washed away and soak them over night or 4-5 hours. To check if the sabudana has become soft of not, you should be easily able to press the sabudana and it should get mashed up easily. Do Strain very well as there should not be any extra water.

2. Take the potatoes, wash, peel and cut into pieces and boil them. Keep aside once they are done.

3. Take a frying pan, on a medium flame add ghee and cumin seeds, let them crackle and get browned. now add the chopped green chillies and ginger pieces and fry for few seconds on medium flame. Add boil potatoes and mix well. Since this recipe is used while fasting, so no use of any kind of masala.

4. Add sabudana pearls and on the low flame saute them stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes. Add rock salt. If you are using peanuts and grated coconuts, you can add them as well. I have not used any of them. Saute till the sabudana become translucent. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot.

NAMKEEN GUJIYA

Starting the week with some experiments. Thought to make samosa with some namkeen coconut stuffing, but the shape of samosa was not that awesome, so made these snacks. These are crispy and tasty. If you are tired of making the same old snacks and want to try your hand at a new one, then you would love this Namkeen Gujiya recipe.

Ingredients :

1. Grated coconut - 1 cup

2. Salt as required

3. Oil to deep fry

4. All purpose flour - 2 cup

5. Baking powder - 1 tsp

6. Ghee - 2 tsp

7. Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

8. Ginger - 1 inch (finely chopped)

9. Green chilli - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

10. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

Process :

1. In a mixing bowl, add maida, baking powder, salt and ghee and mix them well. Pour enough water to knead a soft dough. Make small balls of the mixture.

2. In another bowl, add grated coconut, onions, green chillies, ginger, salt and coriander, mix well.

3. Once your dough and filling is ready, dust the rolling board with dry flour and one by one roll the balls into small discs (the way we do for "Luchi"). Stuff these discs with the prepared filling and fold them into semi-circles. Seal the edges with wet fingers. I have pressed them with the edge of fork also, go give a good design.

4. In a deep frying pan on medium flame, heat oil and fry the gujiyas gently one by one until golden brown. Keep the flame low. Serve them with green chutney or ketchup or a dip of your choice.

Bombay Duck Fish Fry || Lote Maach Bhaja

A rainy day adds more color to our surroundings and more taste to our foods. As the clouds starts to thunder and it starts to rain, our stomach starts to growl and rumble. And on a rainy day Khichuri is the perfect food with lots of bhaja-bhuji (Deep fried stuffs). Here is a perfect combo lunch with Khichuri and Bombay Duck Fry (Lote Maach). The recipe for Bombay Duck fish fry is so very easy and needs no time.

Ingredients :

1. Lote maach / Bombay duck fish - 200 gram
2. Besan / Gram flour - 2 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
6. Green chilli (Chopped) - 1/2 tsp 
7. Ginger (chopped)- 1/2 tsp
8. Bread crumbs - 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Oil to deep fry
11. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp chopped (Optional)

Process :

1. Clean the fish, slightly cut along the stomach and take off the spine as that is the only major bone. Squeeze out the water in the fish by pressing it between your palms.

2. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the fish pieces and mix them well with a little bit of water. Add the fish pieces in the batter.

3. Coat the fish nicely in the batter and deep fry one by one in low flame. 

You can serve them as a starter also garnishing with some onion rings and ketchup. I have made the combo with Khichuri.

COORG PANDI CURRY || COORG STYLE SPICY PORK

This cuisine is very popular in Karnataka. A spicy pork curry with freshly made simple and basic ingredients which are mostly available at home. Its a very unique dish with a tangy and spicy taste, semi dry in texture. This South Indian delicacy is a perfect option for lunch or dinner with simple steamed rice. 

Ingredients :

1. Pork - half kg
2. For the home made masala :  tsp Fenugreek seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp pepper.
3. For making the masala paste : Onion 2 big (chopped), 1 inch piece ginger, 7-8 garlic cloves, 8-10 curry leaves, 4-5 green chillies, 6-7 cloves, handful of coriander leaves and 1/2 tsp oil.
4. For making the Curry : Salt as per taste, 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 4-5 curry leaves, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, the home made masala paste, 1 cup pork stock and 3-4 cup of water (or as per required)

Process :

1. In a kadhai, add water, 2 tsp lemon juice, salt and pork and let it simmer for 40 to 45 minutes.
2. For preparing home made masala add all the ingredients mentioned above (In home made masala) in a frying pan and roast them till it changes the color. Once roasted, grind them into powder and keep aside.
3. Now, let's make the masala paste. Take a pan and in a very low flame, first add onions, ginger, garlic, cloves, curry leaves and green chillies. Mix them well and let the onions turn brown in color. Once cooked, hand a handful of coriander leaves and half tsp oil. Turn off the flame and grind this into a smooth paste, keep aside to use later for making the curry.
4. Now we have everything ready, so let's start with the curry. Take a pan and add oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and masala paste (that we have made) and mix well. Then add half cup of water, the home made powder masala and half cup of pork stork and red chilli powder. Let the masala fry for 5-6 minutes.
5. Once you can smell a good and strong aroma coming out from this masala fry, add the pork pieces, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes ensuring the pork pieces are coated well with the masala. 
6. Add 4-5 cup of water and cover the pan, cook it till the pork becomes tender. It would take 30-40 minutes based on the quality of the pork.
7. Once the pork is cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.