Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients:
1 lb Paneer, Grated
1 Medium Onion, Finley Chopped,
1 Teaspoon Chili-Ginger Paste
1/4 TeaspoonTurmericPowder

1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Tablespoon Oil
1/4 Cilantro, Chopped (coriander leaves)
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add the cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds turn light brown, add the onion and cook until they turn transluscent. Now add the tomatoes, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and chili-ginger paste. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the tomates are cooked completly. Now add the grated paneer and stir gently to mix well. Cook for 5 more minutes. Take off the stove and serve hot with parathas.
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Arugula Pesto Pasta

I have signed up for an organic food basket from a local farm here in WA. The basket is provided once a week, and it includes whatever is growing in the farm in that week. This week I received Arugula. I had never tasted or cooked with Arugula before, but I do remember seeing a pesto recipe on TV. I made the pasta with pesto last night. It turned out better than what I had expected:). Here is the recipe for Arugula Pesto Pasta.

Ingredients:
For the Pasta:
8 Oz Pasta (1/2 a box) of your choice, I used tiny ear shaped pasta
Salt
For the Pesto:
1-1/2 Avocado, Peeled and seed removed
2 Cups Arugula, washed and cleaned,
1/2 Cup Toasted Almonds,
Salt to Taste,
3 Cloves Garlic,
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, or more per your preference,
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper,
1/4 Cup Olive Oil,
1-1/2 Packed Cups Fresh Italian Basil,
Lime Juice from 1-1/2 limes.

Method:
Cook the pasta per the package instruction. Don't forget to add salt in the water while cooking the pasta.
In the meantime, add the avocados in a food processor. Pulse until it breaks into small pieces. Now add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. Transfer the pesto to a mixing bowl.
When the pasta is done, drain quickly reserving about 1/2 cup of starchy water. Add the hot pasta to the pesto and mix well. Add the reserved water if the pasta looks too dry. Serve immediately.

Sorry, I didn't take any picture since I made this dish in a little hurry. I will try to take a picture next time I make it again.

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Paneer Stuffed Papad Rolls

I had tasted Papad rolls in an Inidan restaurant in Scottland for the very first time. The rolls were stuffed with a mixture of potatoes, onion and spices. The only bad thing about the rolls was that they were fried.
After coming home, I tried make non-fried version of these rolls. I didn't quiet succeed when I tried to make this in microwave, but it tured out very good when I tried to cook the rolls on a tava on stove.

You can stuff the rolls with any stuffing of your choice. I had some leftover paneer after making paneer bhurji, so I decided to make papad rolls with paneer stuffing.

Here is the recipe for paneer stuffed papad rolls.
Ingredients:
3 Papad
1 Teaspoon Oil
1 Small onion, finely chopped
1 Capsicum, finely chopped
1 Cup paneer, grated
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon chily ginger paste, or to taste
1 Teaspoon Amchur powder (dry mango powder)
1/2 Teaspoon garam masala
1/4  Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. when it is hot, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook on medium flame until the onions turn transluscent. Now add the paneer, salt, ginger chili paste, garam masala, amchur powder and turmeric powder. Cook for 4-5 minutes then swith off the stove. Let the mixture cool down a bit.
Apply some oil on both sides of the papads. Divide the paneer stuffing in 3 portions. Place a portion of the stuffing in the center of a papad. Roll both sides of the papad over the stuffing. Repeat for the rest of the papads.

Heat a flat non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Place the papads folded sided down on the pan. Cook for about a minute or the underside looks done. Flip, and cook for another 30-45 seconds. Take off of the stove. Cut into bit size rolls and serve with your choice of chutney or ketchup.

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Sevai Kheer or Biranj

Sevaiya, Sevai or Biranj is a sweet dish made using wheat vermicelli and milk. I made it during Navratri this year as an offering. Here is the recipe for this simple but tasty desert.

Ingredients:
3 Cups milk (whole milk preferable for rich taste)
1 Cup Wheat Vermicelli
1 Tablespoon Ghee or Unsalted butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Big Pinch Saffron
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Corasly Ground Cardamom Powder

Method:
Heat milk in a pan and bring it to boil. In the mean time, heat the ghee in another pan. Once it is hot, add the wheat vermicelli to the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and roast the vermicelli till it turns light brown. When the milk comes to a boil, add it to the vermicelli. Add sugar, saffron, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder and mix thoroughly. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the milk starts to bubble. Take off of the stove. Garnish with sliced almonds.
This desert can be served warm or cold. It tastes good either ways.

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Suji Halva or Rava no Sheero

Navratri just got over yesterday. I make prasad on all 10 days of navaratri. This year I made Rava no Shiro(Suji Halwa) Ghau na lot no sheero (whole wheat Halwa), Sevayia (or Biranj), Firni, God papdi(or Sukhadi) etc.
Here I am providing recipe for Suji halwa. I will try to post recipes of the rest of the sweets as soon as I can.
We get different types of Suji here in the USA. Try to find the variety which is not very fine, but not very coarse either. If you go for the very fine variety, the sheero will turn out very sticky and if you go for the very coarse variety, it will turn out very dry.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Suji (Medium grain)
3.5 Cups Milk (Whole milk preferable)
2 Tablespoon Ghee (you can use up to 4 teaspoon per your preference, I use less ghee in cooking)
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon coarsely ground Cardamom
1/4th Teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
A pinch of Saffron
1/4 cup Golden Raisins
1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds

Method:
Start by heating up milk on one stove. Bring it to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer. In another pan, heat the ghee. Once it is hot, add the suji to it and mix well. Turn the flame to medium-low and roast the suji until it turns pink or light brown. Stir often to prevent burning. When the suji is done, turn the flame to medium-high and add the hot milk to the rava. It is very necessary to add hot milk to the rava, but be very careful while adding milk to the rava. Stand as far as you can, as the milk will splatter once it touches the hot pan. Mix well and break all lumps with the help of the back of the spatula. Stir constantly for a minute or two, then add the sugar, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, saffron and raisins. Stir to mix well. Cook until the suji soaks up all the milk. Stir frequently to avoid formation of lumps. While stirring you will realize that the mix has started to come together to form a big lump (in about 10-12 minutes). Turn off the gas at this time. Garnish with slivered almond and server.

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