"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"-(Guest- Aarti Kumbhojkar)- Shahi Paneer

 

Guest: Aarti Kumbhojkar

Aarti needs no introduction!She has already shared this delicious recipe on the blog before...

http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/08/aroma-from-guest-kitchen-guest-aarti.html

I am going to miss you Aarti-----It's one of those situations where you are just getting to know someone...you think you might get along ....and it's time for them to move to another place...

I am sure Aarti will keep making her delicious food once she moves to India and share still more recipes with us!!!

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes
Oil - 2 tbsp
Big size Red Onion  - 1
Medium size Tomatoes - 3
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Cashew pieces - 3/4 cup
Milk/Cream - 1 cup

Method:

1) Soak cashews in milk/cream for minimum 1 hr and grind to paste.

2)Grind the onion in food processor coarsely and puree the tomatoes.
3) Heat oil in wok, and add processed onion.
4)Add ginger- garlic paste.
5)As it cooks and starts leaving the oil, add pureed tomatoes.
Stir till all the water from tomatoes is evaporated.
6)Add garam masala and red chili powder. Mix well and cook for another 1 min.
7)Add the cashew paste, mix well. Add half cup of water and let boil for 2 mins.If the gravy is too thick, add another half cup water.

8)Add salt and sugar to the gravy mix well and boil for another 1 min.
9)In another wok/pan add 1 tbsp oil and fry the paneer cubes till golden brown.
10)Drain all the oil on tissue and add the cubes to the gravy.

Serve with paratha or rice!

"Everyday Cooking"- Mint Pulav

Who/ What inspired your cooking today???
For me, my cooking is inspired by my environment and the people around me.I call up home, my mom tells me that she had cooked 'Chicken' for dinner...here I make plans to make chicken for dinner!!!
When we were in NY, my close friends were from southern India. So many a times our meals were--south Indian food...idlis, dosas, sambar various kinds of rices....Ohh how I miss 'V' and 'P''s delicious cooking :(
Nonetheless,they still inspire my cooking!!! The other day I had called up 'P'....while talking I heard the mixie go on....I asked her what she was making....she said 'Mint Pulav'....couple days later....this is what we had for dinner.......MINT PULAV!!!

Ingredients:
 2 cups Cooked basmati rice (cook the rice with water and salt and then fluff up with a fork to get 'individual' separate grains)
 1/2 cup Mint + green chilies puree ( wash 1 cup mint leaves and puree in a blender along with 2-3 green chilies) Use less if you want 'milder' minty taste.

 1/2th cup sliced onions
 1/4th cup sliced tomatoes
 1/4th cup sliced potatoes
 2tbsp Cashews
 3-4 cloves
1tsp Cumin
1tsp chopped garlic
2tbsp oil
salt

Method:
1) After cooking the basmati rice, fluff it with fork and spread on a  big plate to separate the grains.
2) Saute cumin, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cashews,garlic in oil.

3) Add the cooked rice, little salt, mint puree.

4) Mix gently. The rice has a nice 'green' color

5) Serve hot along with cool onion+ tomatoes raita or Cucumber raita

"Everyday Cooking"- Thin Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Cherry tomatoes

I am back from one of the most amazing vacations ever! Cancun, Mexico was such a beautiful place ...very scenic with it's white sandy beaches, the pristine Caribbean ocean,small islands, the sweet polite people, Spanish language...just loved it!
During the vacation to Mexico...got to try some new finger licking delicious food....Mahi-Mahi and Grouper, the authentic fajitas ,crepe burritos, tomatillo salas..yummm yummmm yummmm.

Now that I am back, I am back in my kitchen....and here's what we had for dinner last night.....
This was a pretty easy to make pasta, no sauces involved....and you can substitute with any other veggies that you like! But this combination worked well and the cherry tomatoes made the dish 'pop' with color!

Ingredients:
4 fist fulls thin Spaghetti or Angel Hair pasta
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
8-10 cherry tomatoes
1tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil ( EVOO...as said by Rachael Ray!)
1/2tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried basil. fresh basil
1/4tsp Black ground pepper
1/2tsp Red Pepper flakes
1tbsp chopped cilantro/Parsley
salt

Method:
1) Boil the spaghetti with ample amounts of water and salt as directed on the packet.Drain well.
2) Heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add the garlic, mushrooms.Saute till the mushrooms cook a little.Add the tomatoes
and saute gently.Do not over cook, otherwise the tomatoes will be mushy.

3) Add the seasonings,spices, salt and the drained spaghetti.Toss gently.
4) Add the Parmesan cheese, cilantro/parsley and toss.

5) Serve hot along with Soup/ garlic bread/salad. Drizzle extra olive oil or Parmesan cheese if you like!

"Everyday Cooking"- Oats Dosa

Recipe idea: Manisha Kute

Wondering what to make for dinner tonight..or perhaps just for a snack...want that to be healthy and nutritious and delicious all at the same time??? Manisha shared this recipe and it was pretty quick to make and best of all, my husband 'M' who is not a big 'oats fan' (actually he pretty much hates oats) could not tell, that the dosas were made with Oats!!!!
Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups 'Quick' cooking oats

2-3 green chilies

2 garlic cloves

1tsp ginger paste

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 cup chopped onion

2tbsp Rice flour

salt

oil

Optional: Spinach or other grated veggies

Method:
1) Add enough water to the oats to cover them completely. Let them soak for 1/2 hr or so.
2) Grind along with ginger, garlic, cumin, green chilies, salt and other veggies(like spinach).Add rice flour and mix.
3) Heat a non stick griddle. Brush with oil.

4) Place a table spoon full of batter and spread into semi thin dosa. Sprinkle with some finely chopped onion.

5) Cook on both sides till golden brown.

6) Serve warm along with Chutney/ Ketchup or just on it's own.
These dosas are pretty 'soft' in texture and can made a nutritious snacks/ meal for kids too. Just omit the green chilies!

"Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"-(Guest- Aarti Kumbhojkar)- Kadhai Paneer

Guest: Aarti Kumbhojkar
It is amazing how 'food' can bring people together! Through my interest in 'food'/ recipes /food science, I have come to know and have met so many people. Like it is rightly said, "Birds of a Feather Flock Together'!!!
I know Aarti since many years now, since we studied in the same school in Pune,India. But I can say, I really 'got to know' her in the past few months after moving to Columbus, due to our common interest in.....FOOD!!!
Aarti likes baking, trying out new foods and enjoys cooking herself. She shared this 'Kadhai Paneer' recipe with me for the blog....

Ingredients:

2 cups paneer cubes
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup diced green bell peppers
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 cup chopped red tomatoes
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt to taste
**4 tbsp Heavy Cream (optional)

Method:

1) Heat oil in a frying pan; add onions, ginger,garlic and sauté until the onions are tender. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and saute until the water from the tomatoes have evaporated and become a thick paste.

2) Add green peppers and cover the pan and simmer it for about 5 minutes until the pepper are half cooked.

3)Add butter, salt, cardamom powder and sauté for few more minutes. Add the paneer pieces and kasuri methi.

** Can add heavy cream at the end to make it little gravy style.
Its totally optional though.

4)Serve with hot roti or phulka.