Category Archives: Indian Curries – Baby’s Special

Indian Subzis/Curries especially made baby style and can be served with or without bread/chapattis

Lockdown Saviour 2.0: Home Style Palak Paneer

Posted in 12m+, 2 years +, Complete meal, Indian Curries - Baby's Special, Indian Meal, Lunch box, Party Food, Quick fix, Toddler Meals by

Another lockdown recipe which doubles up for two meals if cooked in a sufficient quantity is Palak paneer.

One can pair it as a subzi with phulkas or mix it with rice turning it into a palak paneer rice dish. It’s easy to make and quite satiating.

Ingredients:

  • Paneer 300gms
  • Palak two medium sized bunches
  • Onions, 2
  • Tomatoes, 2
  • A tbsp. Of filtered groundnut or any cooking oil

For the masala:

  • Whole masalas:
  • Few cloves
  • Few peppercorns
  • A couple of small bay leaves (tejapatta)
  • Jeera
  • A few cardamom pods
  • A piece of cinnamon
  • Cashew, soaked – 6 to 7
  • Ginger, Garlic and Green chilli pounded to a coarse paste
  • Ground/powdered masalas:
  • Dhaniya powder
  • Amchur powder (dry mango powder)
  • Kasuri methi
  • Hing
  • Ground mustard powder (a tiny amount)
  • Salt to taste
  • Sugar to taste

Method:

  • Cut paneer into cubes and set it aside
  • Keep aside a large-ish piece to grate into the dish once done
  • Blanch the spinach and set it aside
  • Temper all the Dry whole masalas viz. Jeera, Bay leaves, cardamom etc. and then add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste
  • Add the soaked cashews and sauté for a minute
  • Add the onions and tomatoes and sauté for a few more minutes
  • Add salt and sugar to taste
  • Add the powdered masalas viz. Dhaniya powder, hing, Amchur and sauté the mix until cooked and mushy, this should take a few more minutes
  • Set it aside
  • In a mixer pop in the cooked masala with the blanched spinach with some water and purée it
  • To a hot wok or kadhai transfer the puréed palak masala and add the cubes paneer
  • Check on the salt and sugar
  • Serve with diced onions and a wedge of lime
  • Enjoy with hot phulkas or rice

In Love with Paneer – Part 01 {Char Grilled Tandoori Paneer}

Posted in 12m+, 2 years +, Complete meal, Indian Curries - Baby's Special, Lunch box, Party Food, Uncategorized by

My son LOVES paneer. I am almost certain it’s genetic. So here I was hoarding almost half a kilo of paneer on account of guests who couldn’t make it. The best thing to do in which case, was to have a paneer bonanza for three consecutive meals and Boy oh boy! did my little man go bananas! Worked well for me because I was able to successfully put away all that cottage cheese into hungry little stomachs without a fuss.

Grilled tandoori paneer is one of my favorites too. I often have it for lunch or dinner, just that alone loaded with a bunch of veg and a side of soup.

So, thanks to all that cottage cheese here’s part one of a three part ‘In LOVE with Paneer’ entries.

IMG_7194For the yoghurt Marinade:

  • Yoghurt, one table spoon
  • Garam masala
  • Chaat masala
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin power, roasted
  • Aamchur powder (dry mango)
  • Fresh Ginger & garlic paste
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil

Mix all ingredients and set aside.

For the Dish:

  • Chopped pieces of paneer
  • peppers, yellow, green and red, diced into chunks
  • spring onions, for a sprinkle over the finished dish
  • red onions, diced coarse
  • and whatever other veg takes your fancy

Making it:

  • Combine the marinade and the veg well and set it aside in the fridge for a few hours
  • Pop into the oven on 210 for about 20 minutes or until the dish shows signs of charring
  • Squeeze a dash of lime and garnish with fresh spring onions finely diced and coriander.

Enjoy the dish warm and fresh outta the oven, when the top of the paneer is just the right amount of char & crisp and the veg is singing in all that juice!! Trilok had his with rotis.