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This pound cake is so perfect, buttery, dense and absolutely delicious. Whenever I bake this cake, I always end up eating it before taking any pictures. A dessert like this always reminds me that flavors, methods and ingredients don’t have to be fancy or complicated to produce a satisfying and delicious result. It is very easy to make and so addictive that it never lasts more than a few days. This cake tastes much better after it is completely cooled or even better the next day. I hope that you’ll give it a try.

Pineapple Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
•  1 tablespoon pineapple essence

Method:

• Butter and flour a 9″ loaf pan. Make sure to tap out any excess flour.
• In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes pale, light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour in batches, mix until everything is well incorporated but do not over mix. Mix in the essence.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.
• Bake cake on center rack for 55-60 minute. The cake is done when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with moist crumbs.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate then invert back onto the rack to finish cooling.

I’m going to share with you my favorite sabzi recipe for parora/parwal, also known as pointed gourd. Parwal is a popular vegetable in India, especially in Eastern and Northern India. Parval is very popular among the Bihari Cuisine and a healthy vegetable, as my mom will say.  This vegetable looks like tiny cucumbers or squash, with tapering ends. Parwal, belongs to the family of Cucurbits (cucumber, squash, etc.).  It is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Back home, my mom used to prepare this vegetable a lot. During the season, mom will make simple stir fried to go with dal(lentils) and rice. She will also make spicy curry to go along with indian breads(roti or paratha). The crispy nature of this vegetable even after it has been cooked along with potatoes, gives the unique taste and crunch, which I love.

Pointed Gourd (Parwal) Sabzi

Ingredients:

• 10-15 parwal, cut in big cubes
• 1 medium-sized potato, peeled and cut in cubes
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1-inch of ginger
• 2-3 green chillies
• 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
• 1/2 teaspoon tawa masala
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder
• salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the parwal and cut the ends, slightly scrape the outer skin and slice lengthwise into four quarters or big cubes.
• Take half of the chopped onion, garlic, green chillies, ginger and grind them into a fine paste in a blender.Keep it aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium high heat, add the parwal and fry on medium flame till it obtains a nice color on the skin. once done, transfer the fried veggies in a plate. In the same pan sauté the cubed potatoes till they get a slight golden color. Again transfer to a plate and keep it aside.
• In the same pan heat the remaining oil. Add cumin and let it splutter, later add bay leaves. Sauté. Add the remaining chopped onions, give it a stir and fry till they get a light color and turn translucent. Add the ginger, garlic and the onion puree you made earlier and cook for 3-4 minutes more .
•  Add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala powder, tawa masala, sweet paprika powder and stir. Cover and cook for 4 min. You will notice the tomatoes have softened and the oil has separated.
• Add the fried parwal and potatoes and mix well, stir and cook for 2 min. Add  water and let it simmer for 5 min or till gravy is of desired consistency. Sprinkle the amchur powder and mix well.
• Serve hot with roti and enjoy!!

Pointed Gourd (Parwal) Sabzi

The other day I was in a mood to bake some cookies. Cookies are very simple and easy to make and there is endless combination you can do with a cookies. I love oatmeal cookies and peanut butter cookies, so I have decided to combine these two with some chocolate chips and cranberries. And I’m glad I did, because these cookies were totally irresistible. And the texture on these cookies are magical! Soft and tender inside and outside, with just a bit of texture from the oats, and packed with peanut butter and chocolate-cranberry flavor. Ahh!! total Bliss!! These cookies are easy to put together and in less than an hour, you’ll have a batch of fresh and irresistible cookies. As you can see these are big monster cookies. I’m saying just one will fill you up. You could push for two, but one was really plenty for me.

Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate chips Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients:

Recipe Yields : 15-16 cookies

Recipe Adapted from: Browneyedbaker

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
•  1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
•  1/3 cup light brown sugar
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 egg at room temperature
•  1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
•  1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy and pale in color, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the egg to the bowl and beat to combine.  With the mixer on low-speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries .
• Using a tablespoon(take approx 2 tablespoon of dough) or an ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

The higher the mercury goes, the more often I feel like whipping up some frozen treats  to enjoy with family and friends. I was thinking of making some Popsicle at home since the summer started. Not only are they delicious, super pretty, and easy to make, but there’s so much room for creativity when you make them! In the heat of summer this is the best way to keep yourself hydrated and cool without even feeling guilty.

What I love about these frozen treats is that you have complete control over the ingredients and can make it as healthy as you want them to be. With all the fresh fruits in season, I can think of about a million other delicious flavors combination to make in coming months.

Watermelon-Lemon Pops

Ingredients:

For Watermelon-Lemon Pops:

Makes 6-8 Ice Pops

• 3 cups chopped watermelon
• 1 cup watermelon rind flesh(scoop out the flesh  from the rind), chopped
• 2 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon water
• pinch of salt

Method:

• In a blender, combine the watermelon flesh with 2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt and blend until smooth. You can add a couple of tablespoon of water if needed. Transfer to a large glass measuring cup. Set aside.
• Place the watermelon rind  with 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, water, salt and blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
• Pour watermelon flesh mixture into ice pop /ice cream molds, filling them three-fourths full. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour.
• Insert sticks and top with the watermelon rind mixture, filling the molds until full.
• Freeze until ready to enjoy!

Watermelon Pops

Ingredients:

Makes 6-8 Ice Pops

• 3 cups chopped ripe cantaloupe
• 2 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon water
• pinch of salt

Cantaloupe Pops

Cantaloupe Pops

Method:

• In a blender, combine the cantaloupe with 2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, water and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large glass measuring cup.
• Pour the  mixture into ice pop /ice cream molds, filling the molds until full. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour.
• Insert sticks when the pops are partially frozen.
• freeze until ready to enjoy!!

Cantaloupe Pops

One of my favorite food memories is from Diwali festival when mom will make chhole bhature at home and I use to gulp down number of hot bhatura by saying how tasty and yummy it is. This combo is a real decadent treat for your taste buds but can also prove to be an extremely filling meal because of the deep-fried, thick bhaturas..To be honest I am not a big fan of eating chhole bhature in restaurants. I don’t know the big, oily bhature really scares me, on the other hand hubby loves to order chhole bhature whenever we eat outside. So, it’s all about personal experience and liking you know.. !!

Chhole Bhature is nothing but  a combination of ‘chhole’ (Spicy chickpeas curry) and fried bread called ‘Bhatura’ (made of maida). As the name suggest, it is one of the popular dish from the Punjabi cuisines. Being married to a Punjabi I feel like making some authentic Punjabi dishes once in a while, of course to impress my dear hubby. As soon as I was done making the food, the house was smelling so delicious and yummy that it was very difficult for me to even take some photographs. I took out one plate of chhole bhatura on side and started eating it in between taking the pics…and couldn’t stop praising myself that it is so YUMMY, of course hubby joined the league too!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kabooli Chana (chickpeas/garbanzo beans), soaked overnight
•  1 Tea Bag
•  2 black cardamoms
•  Salt to taste

Dry/whole Masala:

•  4 pieces clove
• 1 piece Cinnamon
• 6 black pepper corns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 2-3 whole dried red chilli

Other Masala

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1” piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 green chillies , seeds removed and crushed
• 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder
• 1/4 teaspoon anardana powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika powder, degi laal mirch
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, adjust according to taste
• For garnishing: handful of cilantro leaves chopped, sliced white onions, green chillies halves if desired.

Method:

• Soak Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas) overnight in water.Drain the same, add tea bag, black cardamom and enough water to cover them (by about an inch) and  no salt at this point. Cook in pressure cooker for about 10 minutes or for 2 whistle. You can also cook covered in a heavy pan till tender. I like my chickpeas to have a bite not mushy. After cooking discard the tea bag. Reserve water for later use.
• Meanwhile, take half of the chopped onion, garlic, green chillies, ginger and grind them into a fine paste in a blender.Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a heavy skillet, add all the dry/whole masala and fry them for a minute. Then add chopped onions and chopped ginger and cook until it turns light golden brown. Add onion puree to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add the crushed tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, sweet paprika powder, amchur powder, anardana poowder and salt to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the boiled chickpeas to the sauce.
• Now add water in which you boiled the chick peas earlier. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 10 minutes. If the curry looks too thick then add some more water.
• Mash some of the chhole by pressing it with the back of your laddle to thicken the consistency of the gravy.
• Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves, thinly sliced white onions and  green chillies halves. Also, add the lemon juice to the gravy at this point and mix well.
• Serve hot with bhatura or naan. Enjoy!!

For bhatura:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup whole wheat flour(Atta)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour(Maida)
• 1 tablespoon semolina(sooji/Rava)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoon yogurt
• salt to taste
• water needed for kneading
• oil for deep frying

Method:

• Sieve flour, semolina, salt and Baking Powder. Add yogurt and oil and mix together to get even crumbs.
• Slowly add water to the flour and make a soft dough, add water as needed.
• Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes or until you get a smooth dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside for 1 to 2 hr.
• When ready to cook, knead the dough lightly and divide into 8 balls.
• Roll the dough balls into circle of about 5-6 inch in diameter.
• Heat oil in a dutch oven for deep-frying. Drop a small piece of dough in the oil,the oil is ready to fry when the dough rises to the top immediately without browning.
• Gently slip a bhatura in the oil and press it lightly with a flat spatula. This should help the bread puff up a little, don’t worry if doesn’t puff out into a ball. Gently flip it over; fry until the bread is golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on a paper towels. Repeat to complete the rest of bhaturas.
• Serve immediately with chhole.

I wanted to keep this a secret but I could hardly keep secrets from him and told him that I’m baking a cake and it is something to do with chocolate! I know even I bake cupcakes for him he will a happy man but then it’s his birthday and what more excuse I want to bake a splendid cake. As soon as I brought the cake out from the fridge, he was delighted and happy to see it. My little one went crazy after looking at the cake and he wanted to cut the cake too, for which he was waiting since morning… every now and then he will ask, mama…Is the cake ready?…He was so happy and excited that he kept poking the cake in the fridge and tasting it with his little finger the whole day long.

Black Forest Cake

My recipe for this cake may not be the authentic style of making black forest cake but I tried to make it more delicious and magnificent at the same time. And I think I have succeed in that regard. The cake was so soft, moist and fluffy, with the smooth vanilla cream and the cherry filling in between layers, makes this a wonderful dessert. It took me some hours to make and assemble this cake together, but the end result is worth every wait and effort. And nothing makes me happier than cooking for my family and friends…the people I love most in the world!

Ingredients:

Makes 2  9-inch four-layered cake:

Source:  Cake recipe adapted from David lebovitz

• 2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chopped
•  2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
•  6 tablespoons water
•  2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
•  1 ¼ cup + ¼ cup sugar
•  4 large eggs, separated
•  2 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cocoa powder for dusting the pans
• Chocolate shavings for garnishing

Method:

• Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Butter two 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment papers, dust with cocoa powder, tap out excess and set aside.
• Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. Stir until smooth, then set aside until room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment,cream butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 5 more minutes, scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary. Beat in the melted chocolate and the eggs yolks one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft, droopy peaks. Beat in the ¼ cup of sugar until stiff.
• Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.
• Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean, rotating pans halfway through for even baking. Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutes, then take out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, syrup, and icing.

To make the syrup:

•  1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp cherry juice/syrup (from the canned cherries)

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and water is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Take off heat, stir in the cherry juice and allow to cool. 

For the whipped cream:

•  2 cups heavy cream, chilled
•  ½ cup powdered sugar
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To make the whipped cream, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip until soft peaks form. Refrigerate whipped cream until ready to use.

To make cherry filling

• 2 cups fresh cherry, pitted( reserve some whole cherries for topping)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Chopped down the cherries roughly and mixed together with sugar and keep it in fridge until ready to use.

Assembling the cake:

• Remove parchment papers from the bottoms of the cakes. Using a long, serrated knife, remove the top crusts to flatten the surface of the cakes.Split the cake horizontally to get 4 layers. Place one cake on a cake stand or your serving plate (wide strips of parchment paper placed under the cake will keep the serving plate clean after frosting). Brush the top of the bottom layer with syrup, frost the top with a little less than 1/4 of the cream and with a spoon drop the cherry filling on top of the cream. Repeat the same step to complete the rest of the layers.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream.Cover the sides with grated dark chocolate and evenly keep 7 small pile of chocolate shavings around the top of the cake and top each with a cherry. Remove the parchment strip from the platter before serving. Place the cake in the refrigerator until the cake is firmly set, for about an hour or until ready to serve, then serve.

Mom makes one drier version and one with plenty of gravy. Usually she serves the drier version  for sunday breakfast with jam, butter and bread. It is healthy, full of protein and has a high nutritional value. I like both the version. Gravy one is served hot with roti for lunch or dinner. It is really hard to believe that sometimes some simple dishes are so delicious and addictive that you can’t stop eating it. Whenever mom makes this and if I am at home I will start tasting this one bowl at time. Make this for yourself and enjoy a hearty bowl of healthy bliss dinner!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups matki or moth beans,  sprouted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 potato, diced
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
• handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste

Method:

• To sprout, soak the moth/matki beans overnight in plenty of water. Next day, drain the water, rinse the beans and keep all the beans in a clean cotton cloth and tie the cloth lightly. Keep it in warm place under a basket or any heavy dish. Don’t let the cloth dry, spray water to supply moisture necessary for sprout growth. Usually within a day, you will see nice, long sprouts appears. Before using this for sabzi wash sprouts thoroughly through running water.
• Grind together sesame seeds and half of the chopped onions to a fine paste.
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or in any large sauce pan with a lid. Add cumin seeds and dried red chillies and wait for them to get lightly brown.
• Add chopped onions, crushed ginger-garlic, green chillies, onion-sesame paste and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste and cook covered until the oil separates.
• Add the potatoes and cook covered for 5-6 minutes.
• Add the sprouted  moth/matki beans and cook covered until the beans are tender but not mushy about 20-25 minutes or so.
• Add the grated coconut and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, some onions and lemon.
• Serve piping hot and enjoy  this with roti.

Everyone has a favorite recipe and have different idea of perfect pizza crust but believe me this is the ultimate pizza crust recipe. After trying countless recipe, I think I am going to stick with this one, hence posting it here……what I love about this recipe is the dough came out so smooth and beautiful. And after baking it, it is crispy on the outside, fluffy and soft on the inside. No matter what kind of crust you what to make, thin or thick it always turned out great. Hence this is the great pizza crust recipe that is fool proof. Try it once and you will never go looking for some other recipe…I know that!!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1  1/2 cup warm water ( about 100 or 110 degree F)
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Yeast showing it's magic!

Method:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, honey and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the 2 tablespoon of olive oil and salt to the yeast-honey-water mixture.
• Dump the flour in a large mixing bowl, slowly adding the yeast mixture , knead the dough until smotth and no longer sticky.
• Shape the dough into a large ball and coat lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Place in a bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size about 1 hour.
• After the dough has risen,  time to Knead back the dough again ,knead it to push all the air out of it.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal parts. This will make  three 12 inch pizzas.
• At this point, you can use the dough immediately for whatever you had planned. Otherwise, you can freeze it in a frezzer bag for later use.

Whenever you feel like having pizza at home, just take out the dough from the freezer and let it get thaw over the counter for couple of hours, throw in you favorite topping and sauce AND enjoy!! It can’t get any easier than this!! So, try out and enjoy your homemade pizza fresh from the oven. YUM!!

Pizza Recipe:

• 1 Batch Pizza dough
• tomato basil sauce(store bought)
• cooked chicken breast pieces,cubed
• cherry tomatoes(halves), green bell pepper(cubed), yellow bell pepper(cubed), Red onion(cubed), 1 garlic(crushed), 1 teaspoon chilli garlic sauce, 1 teaspoon EVOO, salt to taste.
• grated  mozzarella cheese

While the dough is rising, toss together the veggies in olive oil, salt, crushed garlic, garlic chilli sauce and keep it aside to marinate.

Method:

• Place pizza pan in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to highest temperature of your oven for at least 15 minutes. Shape the dough and transfer to a pizza pan dusted with semolina or cornmeal.  Spread the sauce, then place the marinated veggies on top of sauce. Sprinkle chicken and top with the grated mozzarella cheese.
• Bake until the crust edges brown and cheese is golden brown in spots, about 12 to 14 minutes.
• Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve!

Enjoy!!

Palak Paneer is again the most famous vegetarian dish. Palak is nothing but the hindi term for spinach and paneer is soft Indian cottage cheese. This rich and healthy delicacy consists of small soft paneer cubes cooked in palak based gravy and some indian masala. I don’t have to tell you how healthy it is, if you are on diet this is the best guilt free dish to enjoy.I like to make my own paneer but you are most welcome to get the same from Indian grocery store.

Like most Indian recipes, there are different ways to make a single dish. Palak paneer traditionally made with heavy cream and butter/ghee. But I have made this little more healthy and didn’t use any cream or butter. This recipe is easy, simple and yet nutritious.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of Palak (spinach)
• 1 1/2 cups paneer, cut in small cubes
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoon crushed tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 green chillies
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon tawa masala
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder)
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste

Palak Paneer

Method:

• Blanch the spinach leaves in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes only. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.
• Squeeze out the excess water, and churn it in a blender until smooth and fine puree is obtained. Though water is not needed but if it does add it in small quantities. Once done keep it aside.
• In a pestle, crush garlic, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the cubed paneer until lightly golden brown on all the sides. Remove from pan and keep it on paper towel until needed.
• In the same pan add the remaining two tablespoon of oil, add cumin seeds and let it get brown.
• Add chopped onions followed by garlic-ginger-green chilli paste and little salt and cook until the onions are translucent.
• Add chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, tawa masala and salt. Cook covered for 5-6 minutes on low flame.
• Now add palak puree to the pan and little water for gravy like consistency and cook covered for 10-12 minutes more.
• In the end before switching of the flame add fried paneer, amchur powder and mix well. Cook for 1 minute or so.
• Serve hot with roti and enjoy!