Malai Kofta

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raisins
oil, to deep fry
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 cup mawa (khoya)

[There are a few ways to make this, you have to microwave half n half or unsweetened condensed milk (which is easily available in any grocery store) for 30 mins. Keep checking every 10 minutes. And once the milk is thickened Mawa is ready to use.]

1/2 cup fresh cream
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
3 medium sized onions
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
2 green chilies
4-5 medium sized potatoes
100 g cottage cheese (paneer)
2 green chilies
1/4 cup cornflour

Salt to taste

Method:

1) Boil the potatoes, cool, peel and grate them. Grate paneer.
2) Wash all green chillies, deiced and chop them fine.
3) Peel onions, cut them into halves and boil with a cup of water for ten minutes.
4) Drain excess water, cool onions and grind them into a smooth paste.
5) Mix mashed potatoes, paneer, two chopped green chillies, cornflour and salt.
6) Mix well. Divide into sixteen equal sized balls. Stuff raisins into them.
7) Deep fry in hot oil until slightly coloured. Drain and keep aside.
8) Heat oil in a kadai/wok. Add boiled onion paste and cook for five minutes.
9) Add ginger paste, garlic paste, chopped green chillies, Cilantro (coriander) powder, turmeric powder and salt.
10) Cook for a minute. Add tomato puree and red chilli powder and cook on medium flame for eight to ten minutes or till oil separates from the masala.
11) Mix mawa in two cups of water and add to the gravy.
12) Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes on a slow flame.
13) Stir occasionally.
14) Stir in fresh cream and garam masala powder.
15) Place warm koftas in a serving dish and pour hot gravy on top and serve.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 whole packet that we get in Indian grocery stores.

Onion - 1 1/2 medium sized

Tomato puree

Ginger - Garlic paste - 3/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 2tsp

Cashew nut paste - 2tbsp

Kashmiri Chilli Powder- 2tsp (This chilli powder is very mild and gives color to the dish. I use them in most of my dishes.)

Turmeric powder- 3/4 tsp

Coriamder Powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4tsp

Fresh Cream - 1 cup

Butter - 2tbsp

( All the above items can be purchased at any Indian grocery store)

Method:

1)Initial preparation is a little time consuming. But after this its really very simple and easy to make. If you are using the paneer loaf, then cut them into cubes and fry them in oil or ghee till they turn light brown in colour. Then soak these paneer cubes in hot water for about 1/2 an hour so as to make them soft. If you are using the fried paneer that we get in Indian grocery stores, you can directly place them in hot water and allow it to stay for half an hour to make it soft.

2) Soak about 1 1/2 tbsp of cashew nuts in water for about 2 hrs and grind them to a paste. This paste makes the gravy rich in taste. Alternatively you can buy cashew nut paste directly from any grocery store.

3) Blanch the onion cut into pieces for about 15mts. If you are using microwave for blanching then keep the onions for about 10 minutes on high. And puree to them.

4) Heat butter in a pan/wok and add the onion puree and saute till they turn light brown in color.

5) Add ginger-garlic paste to the brown paste mixture and saute for sometime.

6) Then add the Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, cashew paste, tomato puree, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and saute for sometime.

7) Add the soaked paneer cubes, 1 cup water and some ( approximately 1 cup) fresh cream; allow it to cook till the gravy becomes semi-solid.

8) Finally garnish it with coriander ( Cilantro) and it is ready to be served with Biryani, Roti, Nan or bread.

Egg Curry

Ingredients:

4 Eggs (hard boiled)

1 onion chopped

1 capsicum (green pepper preferably) chopped

1/2 tomato (pureed)

1tbsp Ginger-garlic paste

1-2 green chilies

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Salt To Taste

Red chili powder to taste

3/4th tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

2 tbsp Cumin Seeds

3/4 tsp garam masala/ or curry masala

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee

Method:

1) Remove the shell of boiled eggs, and make cuts ( cut size should be approximately only 1mm, not to too large, do not cut the egg in half) around them horizontally (so that the curry can soak inside) & keep aside.

2) Pour 1 tsp oil/ghee in a pan, and fry chopped onion, chopped capsicum, ginger-garlic paste and green chilies until medium brown.

3) Then blend them in a blender till they become a paste.

4) Heat 2 tbp oil/ghee in a Pan or wok and add all the spices (salt, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, coriander & chili powder, garam masala/curry masala), the paste from the blender and tomato puree. Fry for about 2 minutes.

5) Add 1 cup of water and cover the pan/wok and cook for 2 more minutes.

6) Now add the boiled eggs and 1 cup of water to the pan and bring to boil and reduce the flame.
Simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish egg curry with coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha, roti , rice or bread.