Ingredients:

Paneer – 2 cups (cut into cubes)

Spinach or palak leaves -10 cups (pasalai keerai)

Finely chopped onion – 3/4 cup

Garlic -4

Ginger – a piece

Green chillies – 2 (finely chopped)

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Tomato puree – 3/4 cup

Garam masala – 1/4 tsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Cook the spinach in a big vessel of boiling water.

2. Drain, wash with cold water and grind it to a fine paste by adding water.

3. Cut the paneer into small pieces and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

4. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep aside.

5. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions till they turn pinkish.

6. Add the garlic, ginger, green chillies and turmeric powder and fry again for a little time.

7. Add the tomato puree and keep stirring continuously till the mixture leaves oil.

8. Add the grinded spinach, paneer, garam masala, and salt. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil.

Serve hot.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

Paneer (cubes) – 1/2

Medium tomatoes – 2

Green chili – 1

Ginger – a small piece

Green peas (optional) – 1/2 cup

Yogurt, whipped – 1/2 cup

Oil – 2 table spoon

Asafoetida – a pinch

Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 table spoon

Turmeric – 1/2 tp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Bay leaves – 2

Salt – to taste

Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Corn flour – 1 tsp

Chopped fresh coriander – 2 table spoon

Sugar (optional)-1 tsp

Method:

1. Deep-fry the paneer on low-medium heat until the paneer turns little golden brown color and keep it aside.

2. Grind tomatoes, green chilly and ginger to make a puree.

3. Heat the oil in a tawa  and add asafoetida and cumin seeds.

4. After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chilli powder and bay leaves. Cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.

5. Tomato mixture will start to leave the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.

6. Add the whipped yogurt into the gravy. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes on medium heat.

7. To thicken the gravy, mix the corn flour in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the gravy.

8. Add the green peas and fried paneer. Let it cook for a few minutes until the peas are tender.

Paneer Butter Masala (without peas)

9. Add the garam masala and coriander leaves. Add a little sugar if the gravy is sour.

Delicious Paneer Butter Masala is ready. It can be served with Naan or tandoori roti or even with white rice.

Paneer Butter Masala ready to be served

Ingredients:

Vazhai poo or plantain flower – mediun size 1 or cleaned and chopped 2 cups

Toor dhal – 1 cup

Channa dhal – 1 cup

Red chilli – 2

Green chilli – 2

Onion – 2

Oil – for frying

Curry leaves – 4 tsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Soak the toor and channa dhal in water for half an hour.

2. Grind it lightly along with red chilli, green chilli and curry leaves.

3. Now add chopped plantain flower, onion, salt and grind.

4. Do not make it to a fine paste. Also need not add water.

Note: If required sprinkle water.

5. Heat oil in a pan and take small portions of the prepared batter and flatten it and slowly drop it into the heating oil.

6. Allow it until golden brown.

Vazhai poo vadai

This vazhai poo vadai will be very tasty even if served with rasam.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower – 1 medium (clean and break into big florettes)

Spring onion -1 small bunch finely chopped

Ginger finely chopped – 2 tsp

Garlic finely chopped – 1 tsp

Basin/gram flour – 1/4 cup

Corn flour – 3 tablespoon

Red chilli powder – 1/4 tsp

Dry red chillies – 2

Oil – 3 tablespoon

Water – 1 1/2 cup

Milk – 1 tablespoon

Salt-to taste

Method:

1. Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which add tablespoon of milk.

2. Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.

3. Make thin batter out of basin flour and 2 tbsp cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt to taste.

4. Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.

Fried Gobi or Cauliflower

5. In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.

6. Add the salt and spring onions.

7. Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water and allow it to  boil.

8. Add 1 tbsp cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.

9. Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling.

10. Boil till the gravy becomes transparent. Add the fried florettes and add soya sauce.

11. Boil for two minutes.

Gobi Manchurian

Serve hot with noodles or rice.

Ingredients:

String bean or kaaramani kai – 250 gms

Green Chilli – 2

Grated coconut – 3 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1/2 tsp

Urad dhal – 1 tsp

Turmeric – a pinch

Water – to cook

Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Wash and chop the string bean and keep it ready.

2. Take a tawa, heat oil and add mustard and urad dhal.

3. After mustard pops, add the sliced green chilli.

4. Now add the chopped string bean and add turmeric and sprinkle little water.

5. Close with a lid and allow it to cook for 5 mins and add salt.

6. Finally add grated coconut, mix well and serve.

String Bean poriyal or curry