Creamy Paneer and Baby Corn Masala

I was over excited when I saw some bottled baby corns in a super market. I have never seen anyone selling this delicious vegetable where I am staying right now. Thanks to my best friend "Hamsi" for suggesting this store. I have never dealt with this vegetable before. First time made Chilli Baby Corn in Hamsi's house a few days ago. I love the taste of this yummy vegetable and this is another stuff which I am going to experiment with in next few days.!!! And ya, my sweetheart also loves it. So, I thought of preparing a gravy for my masala flaky parathas. I googled a lot of recipes, combined many recipes and ended up with "my own version" of this dish.
This gravy is very rich, creamy and delicious. In short, my first experiment with this vegetable was a great hit at my place.

So, here I am posting the recipe of the same.

Ingredients

To grind

• Onion - 1, roughly chopped
• Tomato - 1 , roughly chopped
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic - 3 cloves (If too small, take 4 or 5)
• Green chillies - 3 or 4 (according to your spice preference)

To Soak and Grind

• Cashews - 8 or 9
• Almonds - 8 or 9 (De-skinned )
• Melon seeds - 1 tblspn
• Warm milk - 1/2 cup

Other Ingredients

• Oil/ butter - 1 tblspn
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Onions - 1, finely chopped
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Yoghurt - 1/4 cup
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Kitchen king masala - 1 tsp
• Dried fenugreek leaves/ kasuri methi - 1 tsp, crushed
• Cream - 1 tblspn
• Coriander leaves- to garnish

Method

To Grind

Grind all the ingredients under "To Grind" heading in the ingredients list in to a fine paste. Add little water if necessary. Make sure the mixture is not too watery. Keep aside

To Soak and Grind

• Take some warm milk in a bowl and combine cashews, almonds and melon seeds. Let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Then grind in to a smooth paste. Keep aside

How to Proceed

• Heat 1 tsp of oil/ butter in a pan. Shallow fry the paneer cubes until it becomes golden brown from all the sides. Remove from the pan. In the same pan, add 1 mre tsp of oil/ butter and shallow fry the baby corn until it is golden brown here and there. This step is completely optional.

• In a bowl, combine well beaten yogurt, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and kitchen king masala powder. Mix well and keep it aside. Let it sit for 20 minutes

• Heat the remaining oil/ butter in a pan and add cumin seeds. When it starts changing the color, add onions. Saute till it becomes transparent. Add salt and sugar.

• Now add the onion, tomato paste, 1/4 cup water. Mix well.

• Cover the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Keep stirring every 5 or 6 minutes. It will become dry and the raw smell of the onion and tomato will vanish away. Make sure to keep the heat in medium.

• Now add the yogurt mixture and some water. Let it come to one boil.

 

 

• Now add the cashew, almond and melon seeds paste

• Add the crushed kasuri methi

• Add the fried paneer and baby corns. Give it a stir. Cover the lid and let it cook for 20 minutes in a medium-low flame. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning at the bottom. Let the paneer and baby corn absorb all the flavors from the gravy.

 

• Open the lid and check whether the baby corn has cooked well. If not, cover the lid again and cook for some more time. If it is done, check the consistency of the gravy and add the cream.
• Cover the lid again. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat.
• Let it sit for 5 minutes before transfering in to the serving dish.
• Now, serve garnished with coriander leaves and some cream(optional).
• It goes well with chapathi/naan/roti/phulka or even with any mild pulaos.

 

Notes

• To de-skin the almonds, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes. Try to peel off the skin. you can easily de-skin them

Fried Buns

I got so inspired to prepare this bun when my hubby was talking about the one we get in theater. So, I thought of giving him a surprise when he returns from the office. We used to have this with chocolate stuffing in India. This time thought of giving it a twist and ended up with this carrot, beetroot and dry fruits stuffing.
Thanks to Yummytummyaarthi.com for giving me the idea.
You can stuff anything as per your preference.

My hubby was over excited like a child when he saw me frying this for him. And of course, he enjoyed it. He asked me to prepare this more often and with the chocolate filling the next time. I am going to try my hands on that too.

I will make a quick draft of the recipe now.


 

Ingredients

For the stuffing

• Carrot - 2, grated
• Beetroot - 1 grated
• Onion - 1, chopped finely
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tblspn
• Green chillies- 2, finely chopped
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder- 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Caswes - 1 tblspn, chopped
• Almonds - 1 tblspn, chopped
• Raisins - 1 tblspn, chopped
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 1 tblspn, chopped finely
• Oil - 2 tsp

For the Dough

• Maida/ All purpose flour - 2 cups
• Yeast - 1.5 tsp
• Warm milk - 3/4 cup
• Warm water - as needed to knead the dough
• Salt -  1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tblspn

Other ingredients

• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Corn flour mixed in water - 1 cup
• Oil for deep frying

Method

For the stuffing

• Heat oil in a pan and crackle cumin seeds.
• Add onions, ginger garlic paste, cashews, almonds, raisins and green chillies and saute until onions are translucent.
• Now add the grated carrot and beetroot. Keep stirring until it is cooked. Sprinkle some water and keep it closed if it is burning.
• Now add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder and cumin powder. Keep stirring for a minute and then turn off the heat. Add some coriander leaves and mix again. Your sutuffing is now ready.

For the dough

• Take maida in a bowl and add salt. Whisk well until both a re combined.
• In another bowl combine sugar and milk. Mix well. Now add the yeast mixture.
• Allow it to sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Pour this mixture in to the flour and add enough warm water to make a soft dough. Knead really well
• Apply some oil over the dough. Cover and let it rest for an hour or so. Make sure you keep this dough in a warm place to allow it to rise

• It would have doubled in volume by this time.

 

How to Proceed?

• Knead the dough and punch out the air pockets. Take a small lemon sized portion of the dough. Roll it between your fists. Apply some flour if its sticky.

• Flatten it and place some stuffing on it

 

• Bring all the edges together inorder to seal it.
• Repeat the same for all and keep it aside

• Keep your bread crumbs ready

• Keep your cornflour mixture ready

• Dip 1 ball in cornflour mixture 

• Roll it in the bread crumbs until all the sides are well coated

• Repeat the same for all

• Heat the oil for deep frying and fry these buns.

• You can see the buns will increase in its size while frying. Fry until it becomes golden brown from all the sides.

• Drain any excess oil in the kitchen towl. Serve it hot.

 



 

Ragi Mudde

Ragi Mudde is a dumpling made using ragi flour/ finger millet flour, which is a famous dish in Karnata and Andrapradesh. In earlier days, this is consumed more by farmers, as a breakfast, so that it will keep them strong and will prevent hunger for long time. But now, the trend has changed. It is consumed by one and all. It is one best and healthy way to begin your day. The benefits of finger millet are many. It is consumed by all age groups. It helps to keep the bones strong and maintain the iron levels.

It is usually consumed along with any lentil based curry of your choice. Once you make this, it stays in refrigerator up to 6 or 7 days. You just have to heat it and serve. The traditional way of preparing this dish is only using ragi. But today, some people add even 1 tsp of rice flour, to get a smooth texture and to avoid any lumps formed while mixing the ragi dough. 

Here, I am showing you the step by step procedure of making the ragi mudde. Hope it helps

Ingredients

• Ragi/ Finger Millet - 1 cup
• Water - 1 +3/4 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Rice flour - 1 tsp

Method

• Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add water, salt, 1 tsp ragi flour and rice flour. Mix well and bring this to boil.

 

 

• When it comes to rolling boil, turn the heat to medium and add the ragi flour. Do not mix it. 

• Let it boil until the water starts covering the dry ragi flour.

• Once it starts covering the ragi flour, remove from heat and start mixing. Mix it until no lumps remains. It will start getting dry. Mix vigorously. Scrape out the sides.

• When you are sure that there are no lumps, close and rest it for 5 minutes.
• Tranfer the ragi mixture to a greased plate.

• Grease your hands with oil/ ghee. Take a lemon sized portion and start rolling to get a ball shaped ragi dumpling. 

• Repeat the same for all.

• Your ragi mudde is now ready.

• Serve it immediately or serve with in a week. Do not forget to heat it before serving.
• Enjoy with any lentil based curry of your choice.

 

• We had with hot brinjal sambar..
• Enjoy!!!