Paneer is made with milk, it is easy to make your own paneer it is like cottage cheese, you can get it in shops in blocks or cubes.., I love paneer only in sweet dishes like Rasgulla, sandesh and many more Bengali sweets which are my all time favourite,  rather than the curries and Gravies.

My kids don't like Paneer at all even if you use them in spicy gravies or Curries, That is why you don't see lot of paneer recipes in my blog, especially my son, doesn't like it at all, Like me they also love to eat paneer only in Sweets :), Just like Momma.....
When Kalyani announced this month's Magic Mingle # 5 challenge it was Paneer and mint, the first thought was let me dish out some pulav, Once I made pulav which is still in my draft and my son kept mumbling over it, My H loves paneer, that is why now and then I make it.  But then I made some parathas which I will post soon, Before the parathas I made this curry, and to my astonishment, my twin girl loved it very much and even my son the curry was so tasty, totally it was only Kadai full, I made little so I don't have to eat it lunch, brunch and dinner if my kids don't like it.., But, to my surprise, it was all gone.., by the end of the day I can say I am going to make this again...
Hope you all like it and tell me how it turned out...., if you make it 🙂

PANEER BHENDI IN MINTY MASALA CURRY

INGREDIENTS:
15 Bhendi / Lady's finger Small ones
1 Large Onion
1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste

1 Tomatoes or 2 small tomatoes
1/2 Cup Paneer Cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Amchur powder
1 and 1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Oil

To Marinate:

2 Fist ful ( 4 Sprigs ) Mint / Pudina Leaves
1 fist ful ( 4 sprigs) Coriander leaves
1 Green Chilli

METHOD:
First of all Cut the cubed Paneer into still smaller pieces ( like four pieces ), then wash and grind the ingredients under marinate, add a tbsp of water if it doesn't grind then add this to the cut cubes, mix well and leave it at least for 1/2 an hour, or until you need it.
Next wash and wipe or dry Bhendis or Lady's Finger with a cloth, you have to do this so when you fry them they will not have that sliminess in them. Then cut the top and bottom of the bhendi's these days I just cut the top only and use the tail end of it too.., you can try if you like it or you can cut that end too. Then cut the Bhendi's into 1/4'' pieces and keep them aside.
Chop Onions and tomatoes and keep them ready.

Take a deep pan /or wok add 2 tbsp oil, fry these bhendis until they are soft and slightly crisp around and keep aside.
Then again add an other 2 tbsp of oil fry the marinated Paneer until they turn slightly reddish in colour, to this add a bit of salt and fry them and keep aside.

In the same wok / Pan add a 2 tbsp of oil when hot add mustard seeds when they splutter add Ginger-Garlic paste then add finely chopped Onions fry them until they are transparent then add finely chopped tomatoes fry them until they become soft, do all this in a low flame, so they don't get burnt.
Once they are done add the dry masala powders fry them for a minute, then add Bhendi and Paneer and mix  them well add a cup of water or a little more if you like it a bit more in a gravy consistency.
Close the lid and keep it in a low flame for few more minutes which helps in absorbing the masala into them.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve it with Chapatis, pulkas or rice.

Tips:
Be careful if you add too much water then dissolve 1/2 tbsp of corn flour in 1 or 2 tbps of water and add it to the gravy, this helps in thickening the gravy.
Use the Dry masala ingredients to your taste, as they might be different from what I use. like my green chilli is too spicy so I have just used one, and even my chilli powder is too spicy so I have just used one tsp so, use it according to your liking.

Sending this to Magic Mingle #5

The post Paneer Bhendi in Minty Masala Curry / Mint Flavoured Curry with Lady's Finger and Cottage Cheese cubes appeared first on My Veg Fare.

TAWA SUBZI

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE GRAVY PASTE:
800 to 900 gms of Tomatoes
3 Garlic Cloves
1 small Carrot
1 Bay leaf
5 to 6 Pepper corns
2 Medium sized onions
1'' Ginger
4 Green Chillies
3 Cloves/Lavung
a tiny tiny piece of star anise
1 tbsp Kasoori Methi
1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Oil
1 Cup of water

TO MARINATE VEGETABLES:
My tweaked version - for the original version check here
1 and 1/2 tbsp of Red chillies Powder
1/2  tbsp of Coriander powder
1/2 tbsp of Cumin powder
1 tbsp of Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tbsp Garam Masala powder
1 tsp Ajwain powder (cauliflower, Brinjal)
1 tsp Amchur powder ( Lady's finger/Bhindi)
3 to 4 tbsp of Curds
Almost 1/4 cup Besan flour/Chick pea flour

VEGETABLES:
I had around 3 to 4 cups of Vegetables
what I used in this Subzi were:
2 Green peppers
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Big Aubergine
1 Small Cauliflower head
Nearly 1 Kg of  Bhindi/Lady's finger
5 to 6 Medium sized potatoes
150 gms of Paneer
Around 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil for cooking veggies

METHOD:
Cut the cauliflower into little florets (cook them in water with a bit of salt for 10 minutes), cut the capsicums (peppers) into slightly big chunks, Aubergines into big chunks too (once cut keep them in water until you use them), cut the Bhindi/Lady's finger into 2'' pieces and give it a slit in the middle, peel the skin of the potatoes, cut them into chunks (keep them in water until use).
Mix everything under Marinate well enough with a tsp of salt.
Drain water from the cauliflower florets and leave it for sometime so the water drains completely.
In a bowl take capsicums, potatoes and Brinjal/Aubergines chunks add 2 to 3 tbsp of the spice powder for marinating, mix well and keep aside, then do the same with all the veggies, just add Amchur powder to the Bhindis/Lady's finger.
Keep all these vegetables for 2 hours using up all the marinating spice completely. If left over add this to the Tomato gravy ( I had a bit left over I put it in the gravy and it helped in thickening the gravy too because of besan flour, just make sure about the spiciness but)
When the veggies are marinating in a wok,  heat  2 tbsp of oil, add pepper corns, bay leaf, a tiny piece of star anise,  Cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, chillies  and onions then fry until they turn transparent then add chopped tomatoes and one carrot, with a cup of water close the lid and cook until well done in a low flame, check now and then that the curry doesn't dry out add some more water if needed ( I did not add any water as it was good to go).
Meanwhile while the Tomato gravy is in process, Take these marinated veggies, some of them like cauliflower and Baingan (aubergine) might have given out some water, you may add a bit more Besan flour to make it more stiff than gooey  and fry them with 2 to 3 tbsp of oil, one by one, when you are cooking capsicum fry them in a high heat that gives a crunchiness, Add potatoes to the oil first fry for few minutes until it is semi cooked then add  Aubergines mix well and close the lid with a tsp of salt and cook them in a low flame, mix now and then, until well done.
Now make the Tomato Gravy:  when you are in the process with the veggies, Tomatoes would have got cooked really quickly, with everything in it, take it off the stove and allow it to cool.  Using a blender/mixie, removing the Bay leaf blend everything well together into a smooth paste, filter and take the pith squeeze out all the juice and blend it again then add 1/4 cup of water and blend it again, filter again and throw away the left over pith.
Heat a pan with oil, Add this Tomato gravy to the wok taste it, adjust salt add Garam Masala, chilli powder and I added a tbsp of Pav bhaji masala for an extra kick to the dish, add finely chopped coriander leaves, mix well boil it for a few minutes, taste again for the right taste... Mmm..., that's delicious ready to go on the plate with all the roasted vegetables.

This is how you have to serve says Vaishali...
Arrange all the vegetables (Check out her blog for a good click of what she says) in a circle, pour the tomato gravy either on top of it or in the middle or in a bowl and when serving on your plate take the veggies and the gravy to top it and enjoy it with your choice of Naans, parathas, rotis or pulkas etc...
It was fabulous definitely give it a try..,
will see you soon with the next blog hop wednesday ( it's day after tomorrow!)

The post Tawa Subzi appeared first on My Veg Fare.

BHINDI/OKRA STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Bhindi/Okra
2 Tomatoes
2 Big Onions(1 cup)
2 sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Amchur powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3 tbsp of Oil
Salt as required

Grind to Powder:
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 clove
1/2'' Cinnamon stick
Dry fry all the above seeds and dry spices until they change colour and gives a nice aroma
2 tbsp of Anardana seeds
Dry Grind all the above Ingredients together

METHOD:
Wash and wipe the Okras clean, Remembering will not just wash away the dirt on them, it is best to use a cloth or a kitchen cloth to wipe it clean and wiping it clean also helps in stir-frying the Bhindis well, as the water content makes them gooey and will not hold them together and they might get mushed up :(.
Once they are cleaned, cut them into 2 to 2 1/2'' pieces, add the Garam masala powder, Amchur powder and leave it for kind of marinating until we need it.
Chop the tomatoes and onions, Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in  a Kadai/wok/Pan add mustard seeds, once they crackle up add chopped Onions and curry leaves and fry until they are transparent then add chopped Tomatoes Saute them until they are well cooked now add Turmeric powder and chilli powder and fry for few minutes.

Once they are well cooked add the Marinated Okras and fry them in a medium flame with another tbsp of oil in the middle of the process and saute them
Meanwhile Grind to powder all the Ingredients under that heading finely and keep aside, when the okras are still cooking.
Once the Okras are well done, add this powder and required quantity of salt, Saute for few more minutes and 5 to 10 minutes before switching of close the lid and leave the dry curry for few more minutes so the Masala powders are well absorbed in them.
Serve it with anything you prefer to eat it, I served it with my Mushroom parathas.
I am sending this to Priya's CWS event Guest hosted by me as CWS as - Pomegranate seeds.

Hope you all like my Bhindi Masala

The post Bhindi Masala or Okra Stir-fry with Anardana Seeds appeared first on My Veg Fare.