Stuffed Capsicum Rings

I ate this delicious and unique starter at a friend's place. What I loved the most about it was its very different taste. It was impossible to guess the ingredients by just tasting it.

I noted the recipe from her and have since made it numerous times. It has always been relished by my family and friends.

You need:

• 4-5 capsicums, medium size, thin
• 1 large raw banana or 2 small ones
• 1 cup bread crumbs + more for coating
• 1 tsp dried herbs
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 cup grated paneer
• 1/4 cup finely chopped capscium
• 3/4 cup grated cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt

Steps:

• Wash and cook the raw bananas with the skin on in the pressure cooker for one whistle.
• Wash and cut capsicums on the top and scoop out the insides. Microwave the capsciums in water for about 3-5 minutes till slightly cooked. Immediately put them into chilled water so they retain their colour and crunch.
• You can chop finely the cut tops of the capsicum and sauté it in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes till it loses its moisture.
• When the bananas have cooled, peel and grate finely. 
• Add to it the cheese, grated paneer, chilli flakes, dried herbs, 1 cup bread crumbs along with the sauted capsicums. 
• Mix well. Check for salt and add as required.
• When the capsciums have cooled, dab off excess water well with a tissue from the insides and the outsides. 

• Stuff the mixture into the capsicums gently making sure they are well stuffed. Wrap the capsciums in clingwrap and keep in the refrigerator for about 30 mins.

• Cut the stuffed capsicum into thin slices. 

• Coat each stuffed capsicum ring on both sides with bread crumbs well and fry it on a girdle with a few drops of oil on both sides till golden brown in colour.
• Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Notes:

• Make sure you use thin capsicums, they are easier to slice and they retain their shape well.
• I have also made this without blanching the capsicums. The capsicum was just crunchier. It did not affect the taste in anyway.
• Add more chilli flakes if you would like extra spice.
• If you have extra filling left, you can make cutlets out of it.

Shahi Paneer

One morning, my extremely fussy son comes and tells me: Amma, I had Paneer at school. It was spicy but I ate it all up. Can you make that today.

Bells started ringing in my head. My son liked something!!! I asked him to describe what he had eaten and I put together this recipe for lunch. 

He liked it, my day was made :)

You Need:

• 300 gms Paneer
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 tomatoes puréed and strained
• 1 green chili
• 1" ginger chopped
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup cashed nuts soaked in warm water
• 1 small green cardamom
• 1 big brown cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 5 peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder / jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• 1/4 tsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cream
• 3-4 tbsp Clarified butter / Ghee or Oil
• Chopped coriander for garnishing

Steps:

• Keep the paneer soaked in hot boiling water till you need to use it.

• In a pan heat 1 tbsp of ghee/oil and add the green cardamom.
• Then add the onions, ginger, garlic and green chili. Sauté till it starts browning.

• When it cools, grind it to a paste with the cashew nuts.
• In the same pan heat the remaining ghee/oil, and add the remaining whole spices.
• Then add the onion paste, the tomato purée and the tomato paste.

• Stir well. Add water as required for desired consistency.
• Mix in the remaining spices and salt.
• Add the cream. Drain the paneer and stir it in. Allow it to come to one boil. Check salt and seasonings and adjust as per taste.

• Garnish with chopped corriander and cream and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Notes:

• For a low fat version, substitute the cream with milk. Add water accordingly if you will be adding milk.
• Soaking the paneer in hot boiling water keeps it soft.

Paneer Potato Cutlets

Sometimes you are just left with extra cooked veggies that you have no mood to eat and at the same time don't have the heart to bin it.

This recipe came out of one such situation. I had made Paneer Bhurji and had a cup full left over after dinner. No one wanted to eat it the next day. I was in no mood to make parathas out of it.

And then a bright idea struck. The experiment was a success, the son loved it :)

You Need:

• 1 cup Paneer Bhurji
• 1 boiled potato grated
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 2 tbsps bread crumbs
• A few coriander leaves chopped
• Rice flour
• Oil for frying

Steps:

• Sauté the Paneer Bhurji till there is no moisture left in it.
• When it cools, add to it the grated potato, chat masala, bread crumbs, and coriander leaves.
• Mix well. Check if you need salt. I did not need to add any more salt.
• Make oblong shaped cutlets.
• Roll it in the rice flour. Dust it off well.
• Heat oil in a deep pan. Fry the cutlets in batches of 3 or 4.

 

 

Serve hot with sauce or green chutney.


Notes:

• You can also roll the cutlets in breadcrumbs after first dipping them in some cornflour mixed in water.
• You can make any shape of the cutlets you find comfortable.
• Add a few chopped green chillies it you like it spicy.

Paneer Bhurji

A sure-shot way to get my son to eat Paneer is to make Paneer Bhurji. It gets made quickly and can be eaten in a number of ways.

You need:

• 250-300 gms cottage cheese / paneer - fresh or frozen
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes finely chopped
• 1/2 capsicum finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped / grated ginger
• 1-2 green chillies
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder / haldi
• 1/4 tsp red chillie powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder / jeera powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp full cream
• 3-4 tbsp milk
• Oil
• Salt
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Steps:

• In a pan on medium to low heat, heat some oil, add the jeera seeds and allow it to splutter.
• Add the ginger and after a few seconds add the onions. Fry till pink.
• Add the tomatoes and fry till soft.
• Add the dry spices and mix well. Add the capsicum, mix well and turn off the heat. Keep this covered.

• Crumble the paneer with your fingers. Add it to the onion tomato paste. Season with salt.

• Return to the heat. Add the cream and milk and let it heat up well.
• Check seasonings and adjust as per taste.
• Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Notes:

• If you are using frozen paneer, let it sit in boiling hot water for 30 mins. The paneer will be softer.
• Make an instant wrap. In a roti, add some sliced onions, Paneer Bhurji, salad leaves and chaat masala. Roll up and it's ready to eat. Makes it easier to pack for lunch boxes.
• Use it as a sandwich filling and toast or grill.
• Left over paneer bhurji can be made into a tasty and quick snack / starter. Watch this space for the recipe.

Paneer with Capsicum and Kasuri Methi

I am usually at my wits end on what to cook each day. I have a family with varied tastes in food. But Paneer is something that everyone loves.

I made this simple dish with Paneer, Capsicum and Kasuri Methi. It comes together in a few minutes, goes great with rotis and tastes wonderful.

You Need:

• 200 gms paneer cubed
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes chopped small
• 1 medium size capsicum diced (I used half green and half red capsicum)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• 1 tsp Ginger chopped fine
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chillie powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder / jeera powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• 2 tsp Kasuri Methi / Dried Fenugreek Leaves
• 1/4 heaped tsp Everest Kitchen King Masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Steps:

• In a pan heat the oil and add the Cumin seeds. When it splutters, add the sliced onions and ginger. Sauté till it gets translucent.
• Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chillie, cumin and coriander powders. Cook till the tomatoes get pulpy.
• Then add the diced capsicum, kasuri methi and the Kitchen King masala powder and stir till the capsicum is well coated with the spices. Salt as per taste.
• Add the paneer and mix well. Check salt.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis.

Notes:

• You can replace the Kitchen King Masala with Garam Masala powder
• If you want a gravy, replace 1 tomato with a tbsp of tomato paste and little water.
• I like the capsicum a little crunchy, you can allow it to cook a little more if you like it soft.