Megha's Paneer

Uff.... I can't count the number of days when I have woken up CRAVING this incredible paneer! For the longest time ever I have always asked Megha to make it for me and then it got a lil embarrassing :-)
This is her recipe that I am sharing.
Trust me you won't regret making this!
Very easy, and extremely flavorful!
This is perhaps the only reason I am glad Samant doesn't eat onions (or so he thinks) :-D

(cook time 20 mins)
(serves 3-4)
Ingredients

Paneer 2 cups (cut into 1" cubes and lightly fried) Homemade tastes best!
Raw cashews 1/4 cup
Raw peanuts 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds 3 Tbs
Whole coriander seeds 1 Tbs
Whole dried chillies 2-3 (adjust to what taste buds like)
Yogurt 1/2 cup
Brown sugar or Jaggery 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek leaves - Kasoori Methi 2 tsp
Water 2-3 Tbs
Salt
Butter 2 Tbs

Method

You will need to roast some of the ingredients.
Place a large frying pan on medium high heat.
Begin with the chillies, peanuts and cashews and roast them for about 2 mins, stir them once or twice.
Add the sesame and coriander seeds and continue to roast for another 3-4 minutes or until all the ingredients are lightly toasted.
Let these cool a bit.
Add yogurt, water and use a blender to blend this into a coarse paste.
Return this to the frying pan and mix in the paneer cubes.
Season with salt, turmeric, sugar and fenugreek leaves.
Simmer on low for 5-8 mins. Stir once in between.
Turn off the heat and melt some butter on top.
Done!
Great with naan.

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Pasta With Creamy Lemony Fish Sauce

How gorgeous is this pasta? Each strip is a natural flavor from tomatoes, spinach, different colored bell peppers. I was so excited when I saw these. I decided to make a quick fish sauce to go along with it.

(prep time 20 mins)
(serves 2)
Ingredients

White fish (I used Dover sole, but halibut would be better) 1/2 lbs cut into large chunk
Garlic 1 Tbs (minced)
Juice from 1 large lemon
Chili flakes 1/2 tsp - use more or less if you prefer
Butter 1 Tbs
Cream 1/3 cup (I used 36% fat)
Pepper 1/8 tsp
Parsley leaves 2 Tbs (roughly chopped)
Salt

Method

Melt some butter in a frying pan.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the fish and season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and the chili flakes.
Lower heat to medium and cook for 3 mins.
Add the cream and cook until the fish is done. Dover sole cooks really quick, about 3-4 mins.
Turn off heat and sprinkle the parsley leaves on top.
Serve along aside the pasta.

A word about the pasta

Add this pasta to salted boiling water. I also added a little lemon juice to the water to prevent the colors from fading. Boil for 12-14 and drain. Don't ever wash cooked pasta with water, instead pour a tablespoon of olive oil to make it glossy.

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Guacamole

Try this easy and yummy guacamole recipe for your next party.They taste and look fantastic with blue corn tortilla chips.

(prep time 15 mins)

(serves 3-4)

Ingredients

Hass avocados 2 ripe (cut into 1/2" chunks)

Jalapenos 1/2 Tbs (minced)

Red onions 1 1/2 Tbs (chopped fine)

Green onion 1/2 Tbs (chopped fine)

Fresh juice of 1 large Lime

Cilantro 2 Tbs (roughly chopped)

Garlic 1/4 tsp (finely minced) *optional

Salt

Combine everything together in a bowl.

Use the back of a fork to break some of the larger pieces of avocado but don't over do this, the guacamole should be a bit chunky.

Enjoy!



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Firni

Firni or "thoothiyan" in Urdu, a delicate rice pudding, silky and smooth MmmMMm
Very delicious and sometimes the only reason why I would attend a wedding back home :-) Well... for the paan aswell.... and the biryani too come to think of it!
My god! Isn't the food at weddings just superb?!!

Ingredients

Condensed milk 1 14oz can
Whole milk 2 cups
Cardamom powder 1/8tsp
Rice flour 6 Tbs
Water 1/2 cup
Crushed almonds 2-3 Tbs
Edible silver 2-3 leafs (3"x3" leafs) - optional

Special saucer:

The little saucers that you see in the picture I got from back home, you won't have much luck finding them here.

You can use unglazed terra cotta saucers that are sold in home improvement stores, just be sure they are lead free and food safe. The unglazed saucer will absorb extra moisture from the pudding and adds to the flavor as wells as texture of the product. I saw some at Michael's which I thought were ideal size and depth also saw some at Home Depot. You can get multiple tiny saucers or one large one about 10" diameter and at least 1 1/2" deep for this recipe. Soak the saucer in a tub of water overnight. Pat dry with a kitchen towel before pouring in the hot rice pudding.

You can use a regular 10" pie dish instead :-)
Method

Combine the condensed milk with the whole milk in a heavy base 2 quart pot.
Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Make sure the condensed milk isn't settled at the bottom of the pot because it will burn while boiling the milk.
Bring this condensed milk mixture to a boil. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
In a separate measuring cup combine the rice flour with the water and mix well to remove any lumps. Keep aside. Rice flour settles to the bottom, so you would need to stir again before pouring.
After the milk has come to a full boil, lower the heat so that the milk is gently simmering.
Pour the rice flour and water mixture in a consistent stream and stir continuously.
Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat while stirring gently. The texture will thicken somewhat like a smoothie.
Pat dry the terra cotta dish with a kitchen towel and pour the rice pudding into the dish.
Allow to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight for the terracotta dish. (2-3 hours is enough if using a pie dish)
Once chilled, you can decorate with edible silver leaf and sprinkle some crushed almonds on top.

Enjoy :-)

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My first Sashimi

A lot of people who know me would know that I don't eat fish. I finally took the plunge with my friend/guide Amanda by my side and had Sashimi which is thinly sliced raw fish, no rice, no seaweed just raw fish! That's hardcore sushi!
It was so delicious, raw fish tastes better than cooked. No fishiness, no stinkiness just fresh fresh fresh goodness! I had salmon, tuna (my fav) and scallops.
Sharing a short/accidental video of my first bite :-)
Here's to new things that are to come!

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Xiao Long Bao - Chinese Soup Dumplings

A few days back I geared up to make Xiaolongbao, a Shanghainese dumpling filled with delicious soup and meat. I decided to make the skins from scratch so it took me an entire afternoon to form these. They came out very tasty but the amount of work that it took has led me to the conclusion that one should always go out for dim sum :-)

This is a recipe for an all chicken dumpling inspired from the ones at Din Tai Fung.

The prep time for the filling and dipping sauce is 10 mins. However pleating them can take a while specially if you are new at it. Cook time is very  little, I needed to steam these (covered) for only 5 mins on high heat and they were done! You can easily make about 75 dumplings about 1" in diameter with this recipe. 

Dough

I pretty much followed this recipe for the dough. I should point out that the first batch I made, I followed the directions exactly but the dough came out too soft, the texture was soggy and all the soup seeped out after steaming it. For the second batch I added some salt and used an extra 1/2 cup of flour to make the dough a tad bit stiffer and I thought that tasted much better.

These measurements worked better for me.
Flour 2 cups
Salt 1/2 tsp
Hot water 1/2 cup
Cold water  2 Tbs

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add the boiling water and mix it in well.
Add the cold water and knead on a floured surface for about 3-4 mins.
The dough should feel pliable but stiff.
You can use store bought wonton wrappers and save yourself a lot of time.

Broth

Chicken wings 1 1/2 lbs
Water 3 cups
Mushroom stalks 2-3
Ginger slices 6-7
Peppercorns 1/2 tsp
Sichuanese chili 1 - optional
Unflavored gelatin 2 Tbs

Combine all the ingredients together in a large pot and boil for 1-2 hours on medium heat.
Strain the broth to separate the chicken and to remove the bit and chunks.
While the broth is still hot sprinkle 2 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin on the top and mix well.
Allow 5 mins for the gelatin to dissolve completely.
Stir once again and pour into an 8" by 13" baking dish. refrigerate until set about 2-3 hours.
Cut into small chunks.

Dipping Sauce

Black vinegar 1/4 cup
Ginger strips 2 Tbs
Soy sauce 1 Tbs - optional (I like it without the soy sauce)

Combine everything in a dipping bowl.

Filling

Minced chicken meat 1 lbs
Green onions 3 Tbs (chopped fine)
Crimini mushrooms 3 Tbs (chopped fine)
Garlic 1 Tbs (minced)
White vinegar 1 tsp
Soy sauce 1 Tbs
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Chili flakes 1/8 tsp - optional
Salt

Combine everything in a large bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Pleating

Here is a little video I made that might be helpful. This is my first time making these, I think I did a fairly good job. So proud!

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Homemade Pasta and Mussels

Meet my fabulous sis and her wonderful hubby.

Their visit to Pike Place Market.

They make it look easy and fun.



Voila!



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Minty Mango Salsa with Crystallized Ginger

A delicious quick and easy salsa great with fish tacos!

(makes about 2 cups)
(prep time 15 mins)
Ingredients

Mango 1 large (cut into chunks, choose a sweet ripe mango) - you can also use fresh pineapple

Mint leaves 5-6 (cut into thin strips)

Red pepper 2-3 Tbs (chopped fine)

Red onions 1 Tbs (chopped fine)
Green onions 2 Tbs (chopped fine)

Cilantro 1 Tbs (cut into strips) - optional

Jalapeno 1/2 Tbs (minced) - optional

Fresh ginger 1/2 tsp (minced)

Crystallized ginger 1 tsp (minced) *Raw foodists raw crystallized ginger recipe 

Juice of 1 fresh Lime

Salt

Mix everything together.

Allow to refrigerate for a few hours for all the flavors to combine.

Enjoy :-)


Following is not my creation but a great sounding recipe I found on the net.
Posting it here for the sake of completion.
Original source:  http://goneraw.com/account/show/evergreen

Raw Crystallized Ginger

Submitted by evergreen
Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 cup Medjool dates, about 12 pitted
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 organic lemon, zest only
.33 cup date sugar, can be made by dehydrating and grinding dates
 
Preparation:
1. process dates and ginger till smooth.
2. pulse in lemon zest and about 1/4 cup sugar till stiffened.
3. roll into 1”log.
4. wrap in food wrap sprinkled with additional sugar and place in fridge till firm.
5. slice into desired pieces and coat with more sugar.

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Class today

Just came back from another fabulous class.
I so love doing this and the best part is meeting all the great people!
Thank you Katy for helping me out today :-) I hope you get to go on many more cooking trips!
Juliana... you have such great energy and I wish you all the luck in finding the right gal for your friend :-)
Great meeting Devin and Elaine....  and in case you were curious "Asalam-o-alikum" is how you would say hello in Urdu :-)
Thank you all for coming today and making this day special :-) I hope you learned a lot and happy cooking!

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Vanilla Biscotti

Love Biscotti! A twice baked cookie just meant for dunking in ice cold milk, coffee, cocoa and teas. Since I've never made this before I thought it would be best to start with a basic vanilla no frills version before trying out other more exotic flavors and also because it's 1am and I have to do with what I got in my pantry.
I used this recipe as a guide. I didn't have all the ingredients and I cut the original recipe in half. It took me much longer to dry them out but they turned out great. Can't wait to mess around with more flavors!

How I did it

Flour 1 1/4 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 1/2 cup (soft at room temp)
Eggs 2 large (room temp)
Vanilla 1 tsp

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Lightly grease a cookie tray.
Whisk together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add the egg one at a time and continue to whisk until foamy.
Add vanilla and slowly fold in the flour (combined with the baking powder) 2 tablespoon at a time.
You will have a thick sticky dough.
Shape the dough in the form of a flat loaf.
Place the loaf on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 15 min on a wire rack and then cut into slices. I cut my slices 1" thick and the in original recipe it's 1/2" that's why it took me longer to dry them out.
Lower temperature of  oven to 300, place the slices sideways on the cookie sheet and bake for another 25 mins. Turn sides and bake for another 25 mins.

Ta da!
Allow to cool and store in air tight jars.

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Wiener Schnitzel

I had the most amazing lunch just now!
Very basic ingredients, so surprisingly easy to make... and out of this world delicious!
"Wiener Schnitzel" originally comes from Austria and has many variants around the world. It's basically very thin slices of veal drenched in flour, egg, crumbs and fried. I had this with deli bought Sauerkraut, potatoes and some infused butter!

(serves 2)

(cook time for the veal 4 mins - potatoes are 20 mins extra)

Ingredients

I used veal for this but I read on several sites that pork chops, beef or chicken breast meat can also be used. Whatever sort of protein you use, its important that the slices be 1/4" thick. You can ask your butcher to prepare the meat for you or you can place the meat between 2 sheets of wax paper and use a mallet to pound the meat until desired thickness is reached.

Veal slices 1/2 lbs about 6 slices (I got "veal scallopini" so it was already very thin)

Salt 1/3 tsp

Coarse black pepper 1/3 tsp

Flour 1 cup

Eggs 2 large (beaten lightly)
Bread crumbs 1 cup
Fresh lemon slices

Fresh dill

Oil for frying

Make sure you have everything set before starting.

Use a wide frying pan filled 1/3 with oil.

You should have 3 dipping trays for the flour, egg and bread crumbs.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the veal slices. Use very little, you want to taste the veal!

Press each slice in flour and then shake off the extra.

Dip it in egg and then gently roll it around in bread crumbs.

One important thing that I read on several sites was not to press the bread crumbs too hard into the meat. The crust should form a loose shell around the veal once cooked.

Slide this into hot oil and cook for 1 1/2 min per side on medium high heat. That's all it takes!

Squeeze some lemon juice on top before eating.

Side Potatoes

Small potatoes 4

Garlic 1/2 tsp (minced)

Coarse sea salt 1/4 tsp
Pepper 1/4 tsp

Butter 1 Tbs

Oil 1 Tbs

I don't peel the potatoes, cut them in quarters and boil them in salted water.
Allow to cool down a bit.

Heat some butter and oil in a pan and sear the potatoes on all sides until brown and crispy.

Add the garlic in the last 10 seconds of cooking.

Toss with salt and pepper.

Compound Butter

Unsalted butter 2 Tbs (soft at room temp)

Lemon zest 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice few drops

Fresh dill 1 tsp

Pepper pinch
Salt pinch

Combine the above ingredients together.

Place the butter back in the fridge until set. I used a candy liner as a mold.

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Egg Ravioli

This was something fun and interesting I made for my guy this morning.
The picture is not the best quality A. It's gray outside B. My camera ran out of batteries before I could take more shots.

(serves 1-2)
(cook time 10 mins)

What and how

Eggs 3 large

Chili powder 1/4 tsp

Salt

Whisk the above together in a large bowl and set aside.

Now we'll make the cheese stuffing.

I used:

Goat cheese 3 Tbs (you can use ricotta or cream cheese if you wanted)
Yellow pepper 1 Tbs (thin slices)
Sun Dried tomatoes 1 Tbs (minced fine)
Beef sausage 3 Tbs (cooked)
Potatoes 3 Tbs (diced really small and cooked on a skillet with some salt, pepper and butter)
Pepper 1/4 tsp

Salt just a pinch (1/8 tsp)

Heat a frying pan and add a few drops of cooking oil (I used canola)

Spread about 2 Tbs of the egg mixture in a small circular disk, use the back of your spoon, about 3 inches in diameter.

Drop a spoonful of the mixture length wise in the center and while the egg is still soft, flip one side over so the edges can seal.

Continue until the egg  and the mixture runs out. I could make about 9 little raviolis, that's 3 per egg.

I think It would be great if you spread some shredded fontina cheese over the top and put these under the broiler for a few seconds just to melt the cheese! I'll do that next time.

Enjoy!

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Astronaut Ice Cream Anyone?

MmmMMmmm
:-)

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Maash ki Daal

My uber fabulous sister makes the best ever maash ki daal!
I am sure anyone who has had it will agree with me :-)
I love eating insane amounts of this at insane hours!

And even though she has shared the recipe with me countless times I will never ever cook it for myself cuz I love it SO much when she makes it for me :-)

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Class Pics

I have been so lazy busy lately.
These pics from my last class are long overdue.
Many many thanks to Alli for all of her help, be sure to check out her amazing food blog!

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