Steamed Spinach Rolls

Looking for a NO-OIL, NO-FRY healthy, cheesy snack? Try this..

STEAMED SPINACH ROLLS

Ingredients:
Large-sized Spinach leaves - 10-12
Potatoes, medium - 2-3 (Boiled & mashed)
Paneer, crumbled - 1 cup
Capsicum or any vegetable(s) of choice - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder - 2 tsps
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Processed/Mozzarella cheese, shredded - 1 cup

Method:
1. Carefully wash the spinach leaves, taking care not to tear them. Spread out and let dry a bit.
2. Meanwhile prepare the stuffing by mixing together all other ingredients. You can add some cheese to the stuffing as well. I preferred to add them as a topping alone.

3. Arrange the spinach leaves as in the picture on a steamer plate and steam for just 30 secs - one minute. We just want the leaves to be tender and manageable.

 4. Place a spoonful of the filling at the top and gently roll the leaf around it. Arrange on the baking tray.

5. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 170-180 Deg C for 5-7 minutes or till cheese melts and turns golden brown.

Serve hot.

Cheesy Veg Casserole

              A cheesy Veg Casserole with a fused Tricolor theme for our 24th BlogHop. Why fused? Well, aren't we all like that too!! The love of food has, since time immemorial, gone beyond boundaries and today we find so many fusion flavours around us, of not just the national, but international cuisines as well.. 
This dish is an ode to our ever-growing love for food...

CHEESY TRICOLOR VEG CASSEROLE

Ingredients

Saffron/Red layer -
Olive oil - 1.5 tbsps
Cumin (Jeera seeds)  -1 tsp
Diced Carrots - 1/2 cup
Diced Red Bell Pepper - 1/2 cup
Diced Red Pumpkin (optional) - 1/4 cup
Tomatoes - 4 medium (Blanched and puréed)
Salt to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Dried herbs / oregano - 1 tsp

Green layer -
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Chopped spinach - 1/2 cup
Spinach purée - 1/4 cup
Diced zucchini - 1/2 cup
Diced capsicum - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Dried herbs / oregano - 1 tsp

White layer -
Olive oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Diced potatoes - 1 cup
Refined /Wheat flour - 2 tbsps
Milk - 1/4 cup
Cream - 1/4 cup (If you wish to keep it light, use 1/2 cup milk instead)
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Garlic powder - 1/s tsp
Shredded cheese - 1/4 cup

Other - 
Brown bread slices - 5-6
Grated cheese - 1 cup
Dried herbs
Olive oil

Method :

1. First, the saffron/red layer....Heat olive oil in a pan or wok. Season with cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the tomato purée. Add salt to taste and let cook till gravy starts to thicken. 

2. At this point, add the carrots, cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes or till carrots are semi-soft. Now add the red bell pepper and pumpkin, along with chili powder, cover-cook for 5-7 minutes, again till veggies are semi-soft. Check for salt and finally sprinkle the dried herbs. Give it a quick simmer, and remove. Keep aside.

3. We'll do the white layer last as the white sauce will thicken further when cooled. Let's prepare the green layer next. Heat olive oil in another pan. Add the zucchini along with salt and let cook for about 5 minutes. 

4. Follow it up with capsicum, chopped spinach, pepper powder, stir well and let cook for 5-7 minutes more. Finally add the spinach purée and dried herbs, check for salt and let cook for 5 minutes more. Remove and keep aside.

5. Now for the white layer, heat olive oil in a pan. Add the diced potatoes and a little salt, cover-cook till 3/4th done. Remove to a bowl so we can use the same pan for the white sauce. 

6. For the traditional roux, the flour is roasted in the fat, but to make it easier, I whisk it along with the milk. Heat oil in the pan, keep heat on low and add the milk-flour mixture. Quickly stir to avoid lumps, add in salt, garlic powder and pepper powder and keep stirring. As the sauce starts to thicken, add in the cream, stirring all the time. (If you are not using cream, add in the entire 1/2 cup milk with the flour). 

7. Add in the cooked potatoes and let simmer for 2-3 minutes more. Turn off the flame. Finally add in the shredded cheese and dried herbs, stir again till cheese mixes well with the sauce. Keep aside.

8. Now for the assembling. In a baking dish, arrange the brown bread slices to cover the entire base. (The idea behind using the bread is that it gives the dish an unofficial crust, plus it soaks up the excess moisture and prevents the layers from running over each other too much)

9. Gently pour the green layer mix over the slices and spread it out evenly. Follow it up with the white sauce layer. Spread carefully so as to not disturb the green layer underneath. Now finally, the red layer (drain out any excess gravy water before adding to baking dish). Spread out again carefully. 

10. Sprinkle cheese generously, along with dried herbs. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for about 15 minutes (or 7-8 minutes in a microwave) till cheese turns golden brown. 
Remove, let cool a little. Drizzle olive oil over the baked casserole. Cut into wedges and serve.

Quick fix Pasta with leftover veggies

A quick fix Pasta in White Sauce using ingredients mostly available at home...became an instant hit with my niece and nephew!!! As a plus I used up the leftover Broccoli-peas curry from the morning as well!

                                                       PASTA IN WHITE SAUCE

Our theme for the 6th Foodie Monday Blog Hop - Pasta :)

Ingredients : 

Boiled pasta (Penne or Farfalle works best) - 2 cups
Cold Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Cheese slices - 2
Maida - 2 tbsps
Whole wheat flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Olive oil / Butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Crushed Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Oregano / Mixed herbs (I used the small packs that usually get left-over each time one orders pizza!!)
Chilli flakes (optional)
Spicy tomato sauce for the garnish

Method : 

1. Heat oil / butter in a pan. Add in the vegetables as desired. For this recipe I used leftover Broccoli-Peas curry from the morning, so I added them along with the pasta, since they didnt need extra cooking!

2. In a bowl, whisk together milk, Maida + Wheat flour and salt leaving no lumps. Pour the milk mixture into the pan stirring all the while.

3. When it starts to thicken add the garlic powder and let simmer. Don't forget to keep stirring. Check for salt and add the pepper powder as well.

4. Drop in the 2 cheese slices and keep stirring till the cheese melts and mixes well with the milk. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes if you need it extra spicy.

5. Now add in the boiled pasta and stir. [I added the leftover curry at this point.] Cover and let simmer for about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in between and let cook for a minute more so the sauce coats the pasta well.
Tip : If pasta has cooled down and sticking together, drop it for a split second in hot water and take out immediately, This will shock the pasta and make it easier to mix in with the sauce.

6. Finally sprinkle the oregano and stir once. Remove and serve hot with lightly toasted brown bread.
Optional to half-cook this on flame and bake it with more cheese and tomato sauce(till cheese melts and forms golden brown spots) on top as I have done.
This is the basic sauce. One can also add in chopped and blanched spinach, capsicum, zucchini and so on for the vegetable touch.

Nutri Burger

When you love to experiment with food, the Kitchen's your studio!! In my continuing bid to use different ingredients to lessen the guilt-factor, I chose banana flowers and bajra flour for my burger patty. The crunch it added was amazing, plus no bread-crumbs or refined flour either...so read on!!!

HEALTHY BURGER

Ingredients : (Makes 6 patties)

For the patty :

Boiled potatoes - 3 medium

Boiled peas - 1 cup

Crumbled Paneer - 1/2 cup

Raw Banana flower (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Chopped coriander - as required

Boiled Carrots - 2 medium

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Chili powder - 2 tsps

Bajra(Millet) flour - 2 tbsps

Soya flour - 2 tbsps

NOTE : Once cleaned and chopped, best to leave the banana flowers in diluted buttermilk (in the fridge, if not using immediately) to avoid them turning dark.

Other :

Burger buns, halved

Crushed Oats - for rolling the patties in

Olive oil - for shallow frying

Cheese spread of your choice, I used Amul Spice Dip and Oregano Pickle flavours

Tomato sauce (to make it interesting, one can add Jeera powder to the plain tomato ketchups)

Sliced onions, tomatoes

Shredded cabbage (Chill till serving time)

Method :

1. Add all the boiled vegetables to a bowl and mash but not too fine, leave the vegetables slightly visible and chunky.

2. Add the uncooked and chopped banana flowers, paneer, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala and chili powder and mix with a light hand, but well enough so the spices mix with the vegetables.

3. Finally add the Bajra and soya flours, along with the chopped coriander and give it a final mix using your hand.

4. Heat about 2-3 tbsps Olive oil on a flat griddle pan. Divide the veggie mixture into patties. Spread the crushed oats on a flat plate. Coat the patties with the oats and shallow fry till golden brown. 

5.While the patties are getting ready, apply the cheese spread on the halved buns. Place the fried patties on the bottom half, spread the flavoured tomato ketchup on the patty. Arrange the onion and tomato slices on top and finish off with the crispy shredded cabbage. If you have lettuce, even better!!!
Cover with the top bun half and serve.

Cheese-stuffed Eggless Gnocchi

From classy restaurants to street cafes, Italian cuisine is found, adapted and relished everywhere. While Pizzas and Pastas rule the roost at most places, let's not forget the humble, yet delectable Gnocchi. 
Mashed soft potatoes combined with flour, rolled in different shapes and poached to perfection, Gnocchi tastes amazing with different sauces.
Here's a cheese-stuffed one that can be served with any sauce. 

CHEESE-STUFFED GNOCCHI

Ingredients : 

Potatoes - 2 large

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp

Dried oregano - 1/2 tsp

Grated cheese for stuffing

Method : 

1. Wash the potatoes and prick all over with fork. Boil in salted water till soft, or pressure cook.

2. Remove, cool and peel. Mash well. Add salt to taste, garlic powder, dried oregano and mix well.

3. Now add the 2 flours alternately, but a bit at a time. Keep mixing till the mixture is less sticky. Do not add too much flour as we do not want a dough-like consistency. Gnocchi is best left a little sticky but it just enough flour to make it manageable. Cover and keep aside for about minutes.

4. Meanwhile simmer water, add little salt. Roll out the potato dough into a cylinder. Cut out equal portions and roll roughly. Make an indent and stuff a little grated cheese inside. Carefully seal and make a peda-like roll. Dust your hands with a little flour if needed. 

5. Once the water has reached boiling point, reduce the flame and keep it on uniform heat. Drop the rolled potato rounds very carefully into the water and poach them.

6. After about 5-6 minutes the rounds will start rising to the surface. Remove them carefully using a slotted spoon and keep aside.

7. Prepare a sauce as desired, cheese or tomato-based. Place the Gnocchi gently on the serving dish and lightly pour the sauce over it. Do not pour too much sauce. Finally sprinkle cheese just before serving.

Leftover Roti Pizza

LEFTOVER ROTI PIZZA

Ingredients :

Leftover rotis - 5-6
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Paneer cubes - 1/2 cup
Boiled sweet corn - 1/4 cup
Chopped Bell peppers (green, red and yellow) - 1/2 cup
Chopped and blanched spinach - 1 cup
Chopped onion - 1/4 cup
Grated cheese or cheese slices
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Dried herbs
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the capsicum and saute lightly. Add chili powder and salt.

2. Add the tomato puree and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. It is absolutely up to your taste to add spices of your choice here, ranging from garam masala, dhaniya powder to even Curry powder! Remove from the flame as we do not need to over cook the sauce.
(We are cooking the vegetables here, such as capsicum, spinach because unlike a pizza base, we won't be cooking a roti for long, so the vegetables might be left uncooked and a bit uneasy to digest. Onions can however be used raw as they add the crunch factor.)

3. Take a roti, spread 1 tbsp of sauce over it, arrange the paneer cubes, blanched spinach, onion, corn and finally cover with a little cheese. Remember not to over-load the cheese as the roti will be thin and will sag.

4. Heat a tawa on medium heat. Place the roti carefully over it, reduce flame, cover with a lid and let the cheese melt. Take care not to let the roti become too crisp.
Serve the 'Roti-Pizza' as desired.

Tandoori Style Pasta

Penne is by far my most favourite variety of pasta. As long as I have a few packets of Penne in my larder, I am happy to innovate and improvise with Indo-Italian recipes !!

This one uses Indian masalas and I call it...........

TANDOORI STYLE PASTA

Ingredients :

Boiled Penne - 1 cup
Paneer Cubes - 200 gms
Zucchini or Bottle Gourd - 1/2 cup (sliced & blanched)
Capsicum - 1 (Diced)
Grated cheese - 1 cup
Tandoor masala - 2 tsps (*- see recipe below)
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Chili flakes - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper - to taste
Olive oil - 2 tbsps

Method : 

1. Heat olive oil in a wide pan. Add the tomato puree, chili flakes and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add the blanched zucchini or bottle gourd slices and toss lightly. Add the capsicum and let cook for 5-7 minutes. We do not want the vegetables to become too soft.

3. Add the Tandoor masala, salt and black pepper. Mix and let cook for about 2 minutes.

4. Finally add the paneer cubes and cover-cook for 3-4 minutes. Toss in the boiled penne and mix gently. Switch off the flame and cover for 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle grated cheese and serve hot with warm bread.

[* Tandoor masala - (Recipe courtesy : Indian Food Forever)
1 tsp Cloves Powder 
1/2 tsp grated Nutmeg (Jaiphal) 
1 tsp Mace Powder (Javitri) 
11/2 tblsp Cumin (Jeera) Powder 
2 tblsp ground Coriander (Dhania) 
1 tsp Fenugreek (Methi) Powder 
1 tsp ground Cinnamon (Tuj/Dalchini) 
1 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper (Kalimirchi) 
1 tsp ground brown Cardamom (Elaichi) Seeds 
Grind all these ingredients and store in an airtight jar ]

Baked & Stuffed Lauki

I started out with the idea of making Bharwaan Lauki for dinner. Then got side-tracked with the idea of trying something Continental instead. Eventually decided on a mélange keeping the stuffing and spices pretty simple.

                                          BAKED BHARWAAN LAUKI (Bottle gourd)

Ingredients :
Bottle gourd (Lauki) - 1 (tender and slim)
Salt to taste
Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Stuffing :
Crumbled Paneer - 1 cup
Potatoes - 2 medium (Boiled and mashed)
Salt to taste
Crushed black Pepper to taste
Chili powder - 1  1/2 tsps
Italian herbs/ Dried Oregano - 1 1/2 tsps (Tip - Preserve the oregano sachets the Pizza guy gives you!!)

Gravy :
Tomatoes - 3 medium (Blanched and puréed)
Capsicum - 2 tbsps (chopped)
Olive oil - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Italian herbs / oregano - 1 tsp

Other ingredients :
Cheese slices or grated processed cheese
Italian herbs/oregano for garnishing


Method :

1. Wash, peel and slice the bottle gourd into 1 inch thick pieces. Bring water to boil in a saucepan and add some salt and haldi. Drop in the lauki roundels and cover-cook till 3/4th tender. Do not let them become too soft. We will be baking them later. Drain the excess water and keep aside.





2. Meanwhile, to prepare the stuffing, in a bowl, mix together grated paneer, the mashed potato, salt, chili powder and herbs. Take care to leave no lumps.







3. For the gravy, heat oil in a pan and add the tomato purée. Add salt to taste, chili powder and let cook.

4. When half done, add the capsicum and let cook along with the gravy for 4-5 minutes. Again, it's ok to leave the gravy 3/4th done as we will be baking this as well. Finally, add the herbs and give it one last stir. Remove and keep aside.

5. Now let's start assembling the dish. Fill the stuffing carefully into the lauki discs. Place them on a baking dish. Pre-heat the oven @ 180 deg C.






6. Drop a spoonful of gravy on top of each lauki disc. Finally sprinkle the processed cheese or cheese slices. Bake @ 200 deg C for about 4-5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 170-180 deg C and bake for 7-8 minutes more or till cheese starts bubbling and becomes golden brown.

7. Remove from the oven and serve hot with toasted bread.

Notes : Since I use the microwave, the baking times might vary as compared to a conventional oven.

Quick Fix Pasta in White Sauce

A quick fix Pasta in White Sauce with ingredients mostly available at home...became an instant hit with my niece and nephew!!! As a plus I used up the leftover Broccoli-peas curry from the morning as well!


                                                       PASTA IN WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients : 

Boiled pasta (Penne or Farfalle works best) - 2 cups
Cold Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Cheese slices - 2
Maida - 2 tbsps
Whole wheat flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Olive oil / Butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Crushed Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Oregano / Mixed herbs (I used the small packs that usually get left-over each time one orders pizza!!)
Chilli flakes (optional)
Spicy tomato sauce for the garnish

Method : 

1. Heat oil / butter in a pan. Add in the vegetables as desired. For this recipe I used leftover Broccoli-Peas curry from the morning, so I added them along with the pasta, since they didnt need extra cooking!

2. In a bowl, whisk together milk, Maida + Wheat flour and salt leaving no lumps. Pour the milk mixture into the pan stirring all the while.

3. When it starts to thicken add the garlic powder and let simmer. Don't forget to keep stirring. Check for salt and add the pepper powder as well.

4. Drop in the 2 cheese slices and keep stirring till the cheese melts and mixes well with the milk. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes if you need it extra spicy.

5. Now add in the boiled pasta and stir. [I added the leftover curry at this point.] Cover and let simmer for about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in between and let cook for a minute more so the sauce coats the pasta well.
Tip : If pasta has cooled down and sticking together, drop it for a split second in hot water and take out immediately, This will shock the pasta and make it easier to mix in with the sauce.

6. Finally sprinkle the oregano and stir once. Remove and serve hot with lightly toasted brown bread.
Optional to half-cook this on flame and bake it with more cheese and tomato sauce(till cheese melts and forms golden brown spots) on top as I have done.
This is the basic sauce. One can also add in chopped and blanched spinach, capsicum, zucchini and so on for the vegetable touch.

Paneer - Baked Beans Lasagne

Baked beans is a breakfast favourite the world over. Actually they are not baked, but stewed!! Made typically with Haricot beans or other popular white beans such as Cannellini and served with tomato sauce and a dash of salt and crushed pepper, for me, it gets as close to heaven as I can imagine..
 I recall with fondness my visits to the UK where I would make a beeline to the Baked beans counter at breakfast !!! It's one preparation that I can never tire of (I know, I know, never say never..but I'll make an exception with the BB :) )
Having bought a Heinz 6-pack, I decided to use them with different variations each weekend. First one, as a Lasagne .......No photograph, sorry :( The dish looked so sumptuous that we dug in right away!!! Just adding one I took of the baked beans instead, LOL..

                                                   PANEER - BAKED BEANS LASAGNA

Ingredients :

Baked beans -1 can
Chopped capsicum - 1 cup
Blanched and chopped spinach - 1/2 cup
Crumbled Paneer (Indian cheese)  - 1 cup
Grated Cheese - as required
Lasagna sheets  -5 to 6
Olive Oil - 2 tbsps
Salt, pepper to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder or crushed garlic - 1 tsp

Method : 

1. Soak the lasagna sheets in plain water. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic powder or crushed garlic and saute.

2. Now add the capsicum and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Take care to leave them a bit crunchy.

3. Tip in the baked beans and stir well. Add salt to taste, crushed black pepper, chili powder, cumin seeds powder and mix well. Cover and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach and stir again. Check for taste and cook uncovered, stirring in between, till the mixture is quite dry. Once done, remove from fire.
Tip : If the beans mixture is allowed to cook till 3/4th dry, you'll find that the final baked dish holds together quite well and would not at all be squishy.

5. In a greased baking tray, spread soaked lasagna sheets as the first layer. Pour half the baked beans mixture and sprinkle some of the paneer.
Layer some more lasagna sheets and pour in the remaining beans mix, top off with the balance paneer and grated cheese.

6. Bake in an oven @ 200deg C for about 15-20 minutes, or till cheese starts bubbling and browning. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a timeless and classic Indian recipe. The very name conjures up images of succulent paneer cubes floating around in a rich spinach gravy. This recipe is timeless for me too as it's from my mother's recipe repository :) Without further ado, let's get started !!!

Tips on making paneer at home mentioned in this blog...

                                                                   PALAK PANEER

Ingredients :

Chopped Fresh spinach - 2 cups
(I've come across frozen spinach cubes or leaves available in supermarkets abroad, these can be used too)
Paneer (Indian cheese) - 200 gms (Cubed)
Onion - 1 (medium)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Tomatoes - 2 (medium)
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick or 1 tsp of powder
Green chillies - 2 to 3
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tbsps

Note : If using fresh spinach leaves, it's imperative to wash them well before use. Also it's recommended to always blanch the greens than pressure cook them, in order to retain maximum nutrients.

Method :

1. Wash and drain the spinach. If using equivalent amount of frozen spinach cubes, directly dissolve them in water.

2. Chop the onion and blend in a mixer along with ginger, green chillies and cinnamon.

3. Blanch and de-seed tomatoes. Drain the excess water and chop the tomatoes. Blend along with the spinach and turmeric powder to make a smooth puree.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground onion paste and fry for 5 to 7 minutes till the raw aroma leaves the mixture.

5. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and lightly saute the paneer pieces till light golden. Immediately transfer to a saucepan full of boiling water. This will remove the excess oil from the paneer and also make it soft and absorbent. Let them soak for about 7 to 8 minutes, drain on a tissue paper.
Alternatively, you can use the paneer cubes as is, i.e without frying, to suit your tastes.

6. To the onion gravy, add the spinach puree and cook for about 5 more minutes. Now drop in the paneer pieces gradually, stirring the gravy simultaneously. Cover cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
Remove and serve with any Indian bread or rice.

Paneer Koftas in Capsicum Makhani

Paneer or Indian cheese is an amazing ingredient which can be suited and adapted for most cuisines. It can be cut into blocks and used for lip-smacking Tikkas or crumbled up for dumplings served in gravy.
Paneer is an excellent source of calcium. I read somewhere that adults above the age of 40, especially women should have a bowl of fresh paneer and boiled peas salad everyday as it is a fantastic supplement of Estrogen.

How to make Paneer :

Milk - 1 ltr
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Boil milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan.
2. As it reaches boiling point, add the juice of a lemon and let the milk curdle.
3. Strain by using a muslin cloth on a strainer. If the recipe uses fresh and/or crumbled paneer, use as is. Else place in a container and refrigerate till set.
Tip : Do not discard the 'whey'; this can be used within the next 2-3 days (refrigerated) and can come in handy for preparing chapati/paratha dough, etc..

PANEER KOFTAS IN CAPSICUM MAKHANI

Ingredients :

For capsicum makhani gravy : (Or you could simply use 2 packets of Maggi Bhuna Masala - Makhani variant, if available)
Large tomatoes (blanched and peeled) - 3
Capsicum - 1 (diced)
Cloves - 2
Butter - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsps
Onion - 1 large (ground)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) -1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
salt to taste
Cream - 3 tbsps

Paneer Koftas :
Crumbled Paneer - 1 cup
Green chillies (chopped) - 2 (1 if large)
Chopped coriander - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Maida - 1 tbsp
Cornstarch - 1 tbsp

Other :
Chopped dhaniya - for garnishing

Method :

1. For the koftas or dumplings, blend together Paneer, green chillies, dhaniya and salt. Transfer to a bowl and add the maida and cornstarch. Mix gently and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

2. For the gravy, heat oil or ghee in a pan. sprinkle jeera and let crackle.

3. Add the ginger-garlic paste followed by the onion paste. Cook the two well. Add capsicum and cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Now add the tomato paste, chilli powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, tomato ketchup and fresh cream (in the end) and stir well. Let cook for about 7-8 minutes. Best to cover, so the aroma is retained. Take care to not let the capsicum become too soggy, but should retain some crunchiness. (I must add here that when I opened the lid, the aroma of capsicum cooked in the gravy was simply heavenly!!)

5. To prepare the koftas. prepare a paste of maida and just enough water to get a thick paste. Make small rounds of the paneer mix, dab some dry flour on your hands if the mix is sticky.

6. Dip the rolls in the maida paste and fry on medium heat till golden brown. Before doing this, always drop a small tester round into the oil to see if it breaks and paneer starts oozing out. If it does, add a little maida to the mixture to get a better binding. Strain the excess oil from the koftas and keep aside.

7. Warm the gravy. On a serving dish place the dumplings or koftas and pour the gravy gently on top. Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with chapatis or rice.