WOYP Day # 62 Paneer Lauki (Sorekaayi) Kofta Curry

I often buy Bottle gourd (Sorekaayi in Kannada /Lauki in Hindi) whenever I'm at the Farmers Market or the Indian store. I usually make Bottle Gourd Peas Saagu or Bottle gourd Dal. I add it to Vegetable Sambar too at times. Wanted to try something different this time, so made these Paneer Lauki koftas. I remembered reading about Lauki koftas very long back, but hadn't tried making them. I was skeptical if the family would like bottle gourd this way, so I added Paneer for good measure. They turned out perfect and everyone loved them!

Paneer Lauki Kofta Curry: 

You will need:

For the Koftas:

1 cup grated Sorekaayi (Bottle Gourd/Lauki)
1 cup grated Paneer
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garam masala
2 tsp Red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/3 cup Besan (chickpea flour)

Oil for frying

For the Gravy:

2 tbsp Oil
1 large onion chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 Green chilies, chopped
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
6-8 whole Cashews

2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
2 tsp Kasuthi Methi
2 tbsp Heavy whipping cream
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Chopped cilantro

Prepare the Koftas:

Peel the bottle gourd, remove the skin and spongy part on the inside. Grate into a large bowl. Place the grated bottle gourd in a clean thin kitchen towel and squeeze out the liquid. Grate the Paneer. 

Combine the grated bottle gourd, paneer, salt, garam masala, red chili powder and besan. This will make a soft dough. Make smalls koftas. These can be shallow fried or deep fried. I deep fried them. Set the oil to heat and fry the Koftas on medium heat. Make sure the oil is not too hot, this will make the koftas brown very quickly without cooking the inside. Fry all the koftas and remove to a paper lined towel. Set aside while you prepare the gravy. 

Prepare the Gravy:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cashews and once they turn light brown, add the onions. Sauté until done, then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until fragrant. Add the green chilies, turmeric powder and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft. Turn off heat and cool the mixture. Grind to a smooth paste using a blender.

Heat butter in the same pan. Add cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds. Now add the prepared paste and saute for a minute. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, salt to taste and red chili powder. Combine well. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well. Cover and bring to a simmering boil, about 6-8 minutes. Add crushed kasuthi methi and cream. Combine and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

To serve: Place kofta in a bowl or plate, pour the hot gravy over the koftas. Top with chopped cilantro. Serve with Chapatis, Phulkas or Naan. 

WOYP Day # 52 Paneer Tikka (in oven)

Paneer Tikka is a popular appetizer in Indian restaurants, often made in a large Tandoor, which is traditionally a clay oven.  A Tandoor has very high temperatures going up to almost 900 F. The intense heat, comes from a coal fire which is at the bottom. This heats the wall and insides of the oven, allowing food to cook evenly and faster too. An array of foods are cooked in the Tandoor - indian breads like Naan, Roti, a variety of tikkas including Paneer and veggies and a large variety of meats. The clay oven and coal impart a signature smoky flavor to foods cooked in the Tandoor. 

Paneer Tikka cooked in the Tandoor is done using long metal skewers. Cooking in a Tandoor is an art in itself and often there is an assigned chef or cook who is solely responsible for handling Tandoor dishes in restaurants. 

To recreate the same dish at home, neither do we have ovens that go up to 900 F nor is it feasible to have a coal fire all the time (unless you have an outdoor coal grill). So the closest in taste is baking the Paneer and veggies first and then broiling them to give them a char. 

Paneer Tikka:
You will need:

200 gms Paneer, cut into large cubes
Oil 2-3 tbsp
1/2 cup cubed Green bell pepper
1/2 cup cubed Red bell pepper
1/2 cup cubed Yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup cubed Onion

1 tsp Chaat masala
Mint chutney
Thinly sliced onions to serve

Marinade:

1/2 cup Plain yoghurt
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
1/2 tsp Chaat masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Kasuthi Methi (crushed)

Wooden or Metal Skewers
Foil lined baking sheet

In a medium bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the cubed paneer, bell pepper and onion. Combine well to coat evenly. Set aside for 2-3 hours or for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Lightly oil a foil lined baking sheet. Skewer the paneer, bell pepper and onions alternately on the wooden or metal skewer. Place on the oiled baking sheet. Brush more oil on the paneer and veggies. 

Bake for 6 minutes and then place under broiler for 2-3 minutes. This will char the veggies and Paneer. 

Remove from the oven and rest for 3-4 minutes before lifting the skewers off the pan. If you try to remove them right out of the oven the Paneer will rip off the skewer. 


Gently slide veggies and Paneer off the skewers. Sprinkle chaat masala on top and serve with Mint chutney and thinly sliced onions. 

 Savor the soft & spicy Paneer with the crunchy broiled veggies. Yum! :)

WOYP Day #26 - Paneer Wraps

These healthy whole-wheat Paneer wraps are packed with flavor and are very easy to make. Was initially planning to use all-purpose flour to make kathi- like rolls and decided wheat flour would make a lighter roll and guilt free indulgence. 

You will need:

For the wraps:
2 cups Whole wheat flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp oil
1.5-2 cups Warm water

For the filling:

Marinade Ingredients:
200 gms Paneer
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp Besan (gram flour)
2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Chaat masala
1 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric
A large pinch Kasuthi methi
Salt to taste

Oil as needed
Thinly sliced onions
Thinly sliced green bell pepper
Mint chutney as needed
1 tsp Chaat masala
Plain ketchup or Spicy masala ketchup

In a medium bowl, combine the wheat flour, salt and oil. Slowly add water little at a time until everything comes together into a soft dough. It should not be sticky. Knead until smooth. Cover and set aside.

Prepare the marinade for the Paneer. Cut the Paneer into medium cubes. Whisk the yoghurt and the rest of the marinade ingredients. Add the cubed Paneer and mix gently.  Set aside for 15-20 minutes. 

Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the cubed paneer, in a single layer and fry for a minute on each side until browned. Remove Paneer onto a plate and cook the remaining in batches.

Make the wraps - knead the dough and divide into 8 balls. Heat a pan on medium. Roll into thin rounds and toast on the pan. Cook for 30 seconds on one side and then flip to the other side. Cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and apply butter on both sides.

To assemble - Spread a teaspoon of ketchup or masala chili ketchup evenly on the wrap. Place 4-5 pieces of Paneer in the centre lengthwise. Top with a few thinly sliced bell peppers and onions. Drizzle little mint chutney and a generous pinch of Chaat masala on top.

Starting from one end and roll the wrap tightly. Serve warm. 

These are good to carry on picnics or on a long journey for a quick lunch. Pack in foil or parchment paper and seal the ends, and it’s good to go!

What's on Your Plate? Day #12 Paneer Pataka Pizza

My boys and I love Pizzas and much that I like how luxurious Pizzas feel in the US (I don't think anyone has described Pizzas this way! :D) I still miss the Pizzas back home in India. The spicy flavors,topping options and the lack of loads of cheese (haha!) kinda make it special. One such is the Paneer Pataka Pizza. "Pataka" meaning fire cracker essentially relating to the 'burst' of flavors in this Pizza. The bonus with this recipe is the dough is home-made and its made with whole wheat flour so the Pizza is light, yet flavorful and makes for guilt free indulgence. 

For the Pizza dough:
You will need:

1 1/4 cups wheat flour
1 tsp Active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water + 1/4 cup water
1 tsp Sugar
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Combine yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water. Make sure it is good yeast (not expired or old). Set aside for 10 minutes. The yeast will proof and foam up. That is a good sign of active yeast.

In a medium bowl, whisk the proofed yeast, salt and olive oil. Add the wheat flour to it and 1/4 cup water, combine to form a soft dough. Transfer dough to countertop and knead for a minute or two until the dough is soft, smooth and pliable. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1.5-2 hours in a warm place.

Toppings:

Paneer Marinade:

1/2 cup small cubed Paneer
 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Crushed Kasuthi methi
1/4 tsp Chaat masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Salt

Combine the above ingredients and set aside for 30 minutes.

Pizza sauce ( marinara and tomato ketchup combined)
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 onion thinly sliced
Red/green bell peppers cut into small pieces
Red chili flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup canned yellow corn, drained
Olive oil as needed

Few tablespoons Semolina

Large baking sheet

Assembly: 

 

Preheat oven to 400F or 200C. 

After dough has doubled in size, punch it lightly to release air bubbles if any. Divide the dough into 4. Roll one into a thin circle and crimp the edges all around to form the side of the crust. Poke the dough in several places with a fork in several places. This is called docking the dough,it prevents the dough from puffing up while baking.

Sprinkle Semolina (Rava) on a large baking sheet. Semolina prevents the dough from sticking to the pan and also helps in yielding a crispier crust. Transfer rolled dough onto the baking sheet and then add toppings. Don’t forget this step since its a mess trying to move an assembled pizza. 

Drizzle some olive oil on the pizza base and spread evenly with the back of a spoon or a pastry brush. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of pizza sauce. Top with grated mozzarella. Add the toppings and arrange as needed - bell peppers, onions, corn and a few pieces of the marinated Paneer.  Top with more cheese and sprinkle a pinch of Oregano and chili flakes to taste.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until cheese has melted and the base is done.

Slice and serve!!

What's on Your Plate? Day #6 Kadai Paneer

We’ve had a lot of rain earlier this week and it feels great to have some sunshine! Made Kadai Paneer & rotis for lunch.

Kadai Paneer

You will need:

2 cups Paneer, cubed
2 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies broken into 1” pieces
1 onion, cubed
1 bell pepper, cubed
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp Kasuthi methi, crushed
2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

To roast & powder:
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

3 Dry red chilies 

4 Black peppercorns

Dry roast the above ingredients and powder using a blender or spice grinder. Set aside.

Heat oil & ghee in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and chilies. Add the bell pepper and saute for a minute. Now add the onions. Cook for a minute and add the ginger garlic paste. When the bell peppers & onions are 3/4th done, add chopped tomatoes. Season with salt to taste cook until tomatoes are mushy & fully cooked. Now add the prepared powder and the cubed Paneer. Combine well and cook for 4 minutes. 

Add chopped cilantro and turn off heat. Serve hot with rotis/chapatis.

Semolina Loaf & Grilled Paneer Sandwiches

Writing on here after a long time and it feels good to be back! I hadn't stopped cooking or baking :D but my cake business has taken flight over the years which demands a lot of my time and attention. And of course my 2 cherubs are no longer cherubs but budding schoolers who keep me busy when they are home. Life is busy but plenty of fun.

In between all the madness I got a chance to bake this gorgeous Semolina loaf, made using fine Indian semolina, also called Sooji/Suji. The texture is smooth and tastes scrumptious! Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked bread and this loaf lasted about a day and half before it was all gone. I made Grilled Paneer Tikka sandwiches for lunch and everyone loved it. My older son who is not too keen on Paneer, gobbled it all up because the bread tasted so good.

Semolina comes in 3 forms, coarse, fine and very fine. Coarse semolina is used to make puddings, porridges and of course the popular South Indian breakfast Upma/Kharabath, Kesaribath & Rave rotti. I use Fine Semolina to make the outer layer for Karagadabu, Obattu (Pooran Poli). It is also used in breads, by itself or combined with Bread flour. Very fine semolina or durum flour is best in baked goods and yields a fine texture.

I'm sharing the recipe for both the Semolina bread and Grilled Paneer tikka sandwiches.

Note: If you have access to Semolina flour, do use that. I used the measured quantity of fine semolina, pulsed it a few times in the blender and then proceeded with the recipe. Plan ahead and give yourself enough time since the dough has to rise twice, once after kneading and second time after shaping the loaf.

Semolina Bread: 

Yields: One 8" loaf

Time: 8-12 minutes to need, 1.5-2 hours 1st proof, 1.5-2 hours 2nd Proof, 35-40 minutes Baking 

Ingredients: 

1.5 cups Water,tepid  (70-78F)  

1 teaspoon Instant yeast

3 1/4 cups Fine Semolina flour (or fine semolina, see note above)

1 tablespoon Granulated white sugar 

1/4 cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil 

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Method: 

Pour the tepid water into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the yeast, sugar, flour, olive oil and salt. Combine with a rubber spatula until a rough dough forms. 

Kneading:  

By hand: turn out dough onto a lightly dusted countertop(dust with semolina flour) Knead by hand lightly until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic, about 10-12 minutes. 

By Machine: Using the dough hook on your mixer, knead on medium speed (I used speed 4 on my Kitchen Aid) until dough is smooth, shiny and elastic. About 8 minutes. 

Once kneaded, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, took about an hour and 45 minutes in my kitchen. 

Grease a loaf pan (8.5" x 4') with oil. Transfer dough onto a lightly dusted countertop and using your hand, shape the dough into a rectangle. The width of the dough should be around the size of your loaf pan. Now starting from one end, roll the dough tightly. Pinch the seams and place in greased loaf fan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to proof until the dough rises just above the rim of the pan, about 1.5-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place loaf on the middle rack and bake for 35-40 minutes or until loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan. The top will be a nice even brown color. 

Remove loaf from the oven once done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, remove and place on a cooling rack until completely cool. Loosely cover the top with a piece of aluminium foil if you want a softer crust. Slice bread once its completely cool. Store in an air-tight container or resealable plastic bag.

Grilled Paneer Tikka Sandwiches:

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 

1 cup Paneer, cubed

1/2 cup Green bell pepper, cubed

1 onion, cubed

1 Tomato, cubed

1/2 cup Thick yoghurt (curd)

1 tbsp Cooking oil (Olive oil/Vegetable oil)  

1 teaspoon Red chilli powder

2 teaspoons Corriander powder

1 teaspoon Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Amchur powder

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tbsp Cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

12 slices Semolina bread

Mint chutney 

Mozzarella cheese, grated (optional)

Softened butter 

In a large bowl, combine the yoghurt, the spices, salt to taste. Whisk until smooth. Now add the cubed paneer, bell pepper, onions and tomato. Set aside for 10 minutes. 

Heat a wide pan, add the marinated paneer and saute for 6-8 minutes on medium heat. Stir often to prevent burning. Taste & adjust seasonings. Turn off heat and add cilantro. Cool slightly. 

Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Take 2 slices of Bread, butter one side and apply mint chutney on the buttered side. Spread a layer of the Paneer Tikka masala, top with grated cheese. 

Place the other slice on top. Spread butter on the top slice and careful flip the sandwich (butter side down) onto the heated grill pan. Using a spatula compress the sandwich, cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is crisp and has grill marks on it. Apply butter on the top and flip to grill the other side. 

Remove from heat, slice into triangles and serve hot with ketchup. 

These were sooo delicious, I'm glad I made a big batch of the Paneer Tikka. I see more sandwiches for lunch or dinner in the future :D If you try it, let me know!

Punjabi Thali I Punjabi Thali Recipes

This is the second leg of the Blogging Marathon #74 and I picked Thalis & Spreads. My first thali is the Punjabi Thali. Punjab is known for its rich cuisine and various dishes local to Punjab are popular throughout India too. I picked a few of my favorites to showcase in this Thali.

Tandoori Roti

Pindi Channa

Aloo Gobi (Potato Cauliflower fry)

Kadai Paneer

Jeera Peas Pulao

Papad

Gulab Jamoon

Chaas

Salad

Tandoori Roti:

Tandoori Dishes are an integral part of Punjabi cuisine. The Tandoori Roti is traditionally made in a Tandoor, a large clay oven with coal as the main source of heat. Though its not possible to have a Tandoor at home, it is possible to make this at home using your regular oven.

You will need:

Makes 10-12 rotis

2 cups Whole wheat Flour

¼ tsp Baking soda

½ tsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

½ cup yoghurt

Water as needed

Butter for brushing

Combine all the ingredients, except butter, in a medium bowl. Use water as needed to make a dough. Knead for a minute or two until dough is soft and smooth. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat oven to 500F. Place a cast iron plate or griddle in the oven to heat up. Break off a small piece of dough and roll into an 8-inch round. Brush the dough with water on both sides. Wet your palms and then lift the dough to place on the hot griddle. The dough will begin to puff up, bake for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown spots appear. Apply butter while still hot and serve immediately.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Left over dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Bring dough to room temperature before making the rotis.

Aloo Gobi:

This is a flavorful combination of Potatoes & Cauliflower, sautéed with spices.

You will need:

Adapted from Tarla Dallal

1.5 cups Cauliflower cut into small florets

1 Potato, cut into chunks

2 tbsp Oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp Asafoetida (Hing)

2 Dry red chillies

2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

½ tsp Green chili paste

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

½ tsp Chili powder

½ tsp Garam masala

½ tsp Amchur powder (Dried mango powder)

Chopped cilantro

Heat oil in pan. Add cumin seeds and asafetida. When it begins to splutter, add the dry red chilies. Add the chopped ginger and green chili paste. Saute for a few seconds and then add the potatoes. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the cauliflower. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and combine. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes more. The potato and cauliflower must be tender not mushy. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala and amchur powder. Combine well, add salt. Cook for a few minutes, and turn off heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Chaas: (Buttermilk)

A tangy flavored buttermilk, downed in the end of the meal to cool off your palette. This is serving in super tall glasses and a must with every thali. I made a smaller portion to go with this thali.

You will need:

¼ cup thick yoghurt

Water

Salt to taste

¼ tsp Crushed ginger

Chopped cilantro

Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl or a tall glass. Add water as need to fill up the glass and to thin it out to make buttermilk. 

Will share the remaining recipes in upcoming posts.

 Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#74