Butter Cauliflower

All of us are familiar with Butter Chicken,a classic Indian dish, a dish that is being ordered since ages when you visit a restaurant. A dish that is relished by almost all in a family. Switching to a vegetarian note, the ordered dish is mostly Butter Paneer , otherwise known as Paneer Makhani. The dish mainly revolves around the basic makhani gravy and the main ingredient added can vary. The makhani sauce again has many versions. I have posted the recipe of Paneer Makhani earlier and that was made in a diffferent way. What basically calls for the makhani is a tomato based gravy which has the richness of cream/cashews and of course butter. Here I have added cauliflower to the makhani gravy and made another member of the Makhani family- Cauliflower Makhani or Gobhi Makhani or Butter Cauliflower. Must admit that it is a rich curry in every sense, but the taste too is truly rich. A must try dish I would say, especially if you have some guests coming up, serve this with some nan/jeera rice/pulao or any Indian bread.

Ingredients

1 cup cauliflower florets

2 onions, chopped roughly

3-4 tomatoes, chopped roughly

2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 Tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste

1/4 cup cashew nuts

1 tsp honey

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

4 black cardamom

2 cloves

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 cups of water

1/4 cup corn flour

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp kasoori methi

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method

• Wash the cauliflower florets well. Rub turmeric powder and salt to the florets and steam them for about 10-15 minutes(until the florets are partially cooked)
• Make a paste with the corn flour, pepper and salt by adding little water.
• Rub the steamed florets with the cornflour paste and deep fry in oil, in batches on a medium flame until they turn brown and crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon on to a kitchen towel, to remove the excess oil.

• To prepare the makhani gravy,  heat butter in a pressure cooker.
• Add the onion and fry until they turn translucent.
• Tie the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cloves and cardamom in clean muslin cloth.
• Now add the ginger garlic paste(use freshly ground ginger garlic paste and not the store bought one). Saute for a few seconds or until the raw smell goes off. Then add the spices packed muslin cloth bag.
• Now add the chilli powder, tomatoes and cashew nuts. Mix well and fry for a minute.
• Close the cooker with its lid and cook until the cooker gives off 2-3 whistles.
• Switch off the cooker. Once the steam is released on its own, open the cooker and allow the contents to cool well.
• Once cooled blend the mixture well into a smooth paste.

• Heat some oil/butter in a wide pan. Add the ground paste, honey and salt. Saute for a minute.
• Add water to make a gravy. Once it starts to boil and gravy starts to thicken, add the kasoori methi and cream(diluted in little water) and mix well.
• Finally add the fried cauliflower florets. Mix well and serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and drizzle some fresh cream on top.

Have served it here with some coconut rice, the recipe of which will be upcoming soon.

Baked Corn Rolls

Ingredients

12 bread slices, crusts removed

1 cup boiled sweetcorn

1 potato, boiled and mashed

1 onion chopped fine

2 green chillies, chopped fine

1 tsp ginger paste

1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped 

1 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

2 Tbsp oil

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.
• In a blender, coarsely crush the sweetcorn.
• In a bowl, add the mashed potato, green chillies, ginger paste, fresh coriander, lemon juice, salt and the coarsely ground sweet corn. Mix everything well.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion until light brown in colour. Add the onion to the corn potato mixture and knead everything well.
• Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each portion into an oval shape roll and set aside.
• Soak the bread slices, one at a time in water for about 1-2 seconds. Squeeze out the water by gently pressing each slice between your palms. Place a potato-corn oval portion at one end of the pressed slice and roll tightly to enclose the mixture completely within the bread slice. Tuck the ends inside to seal the roll.

• Repeat this with the remaining bread slices and potato corn mixture.
• Place the prepared rolls on a greased baking tray. Bake for approximately 12- 15 minutes or until the rolls turn light brown.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Chocolate Peda

Just happened to see this recipe of instant chocolate pedas in Ramya's blog. The recipe sounded so easy and was sure to a be a hit among kids. Exams are going on and so is the hunger pang..something new has to be made on a daily basis for the kids. At the right time came this handy recipe which could be made in no time and the taste was just awesome. Thankyou Ramya for this lovely recipe.Over to the recipe of instant chocolate pedas..

Ingredients

1 cup milk powder

1/2 tin condensed milk

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

a pinch of cardamom powder

2 tsp milk

1 tsp ghee + extra for greasing

chopped nuts for garnishing(here I have used chopped pistachios)

Method

• In a non-stick pan, add the milk powder, cocoa powder, condensed milk and milk. Heat this mixture on low flame, stirring continuously.
• Keep stirring continuously until the mixture starts to thicken and starts leaving the sides of the pan.Initially it may seem a bit watery but slowly it will start thickening. Once it starts sticking to the spatula and seems like a sticky dough, add 1 tsp ghee and mix well.
•  Transfer this dough into a plate greased with ghee.

• Once it cools a bit(so that it can be kneaded with your hands), add the cardamom powder and knead the peda mixture for a few seconds.
• Shape small pedas with the dough and garnish with chopped nuts.