Paneer Butter Masala (Restaurant Style)

I cannot even think of an Indian restaurant without serving the most popular "Paneer Butter Masala". My daughter is a great fan of Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)dishes. She likes to have anything with a Paneer touch in it...I have attempted making Paneer Butter Masala 3-4 times before but I was not happy with the results..This time, I followed the instructions of Chef Harpal Singh and the end product was YUMMY....in my princess' words...Even my hubby liked it so much and I was floating in the air...Finally,I have made it... Here goes the recipe as given by Chef Harpal Singh. Though the video seemed to be lengthy, I should say that it was worth watching.

Frozen/Fresh Paneer - 200 gms (I used frozen paneer)
Red tomatoes (ripened) - 15 medium size ones
Onion cubed - 3 medium sized
Cashews - 1/2 cup
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp - Kashmiri chilli powder preferred
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Butter - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2tsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Kasuri Methi - 2 tbsp
Heavy Cream - 1/2cup + 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

1. The tomatoes should be quartered and kept aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the tomatoes along with cubed onions and 1/2 cup cashews.
3. Cook them on a slow flame until the tomatoes are softened.
4. Blend the tomato, onion and cashew mixture in a blender and strain.
5. Add Butter and the 1 tbsp oil in the pan.
6. When the butter starts melting, add ginger garlic paste and saute till the garlic loses its raw flavour.
7. Pour in the tomato mixture.
8. Add chilly powder and salt.
9. Cover and cook until the mixture becomes little thick.
10.In another pan, crush some Kasuri methi and heat it up a little. Make sure not to burn it.
11.Add the Kasuri methi, green cardamom powder, garam masala and honey and stir well.
12.Add paneer to the mixture and wait for 2 minutes.Since I used frozen paneer, I just roasted it in butter before adding. You can also add it without doing so.
13.Finally, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir well.
14.Serve it in a bowl with the remaining cream on top.

YUMMY Paneer Butter Masala is ready...

Keerai Molaguttal (Spinach in lentil gravy)

This recipe takes me to my father's native place, Palakkad. Molaguttal is my appa's favourite and he can have it even for 365 days continuously. This is a very mild, yet tasty dish and could be had with plain rice, dosa or chapathi. Spinach in this recipe could be substituted with any vegetable or a combination of vegetables. Spinach is my daughter's favourite and she loves to have it in any form. Hence thought of cooking the same today.

Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped Spinach (I have used Palak in this)
1/2 cup Moong Dal (Mung bean, Split green gram)
3 tbsp scraped coconut
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

For tempering:
1 tbsp oil
3-4 Red chillies
1/2 tsp Urud Dal (Split black gram)
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves


1. Boil the dal with turmeric powder for 1 whistle.
2. On a thick bottomed vessel, add water and bring to boil. Add salt and then add chopped palak. Adding salt first will help the palak retain its green colour.
3. Cook palak till it loses its raw smell and add boiled and mashed dal.
4. Grind coconut along with green chillies and cumin seeds finely.
5. After the dal properly mixes with the spinach and becomes a thickened gravy, add the ground coconut and do not let it boil. Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off the flame.
6. In another pan, pour oil and add the tempering ingredients in the given order.
5. When the mustard seeds splutter, mix it with the molaguttal.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Notes : Do not cook spinach in an aluminium pan as this can lead to food poisoning.
            Try to avoid reheating of spinach based curries as this can cause the release of toxic substances.
            Spinach is best if consumed within five hours after cooking.