Paneer Rolls

It is about a year since I overcame my fear of Mr. Yeast. We have been good friends now and although I haven’t really baked breads that much, I make pizzas and buns very often. I had wanted to recreate the paneer rolls that I’ve grown up eating at Hot Breads and a recent visit to Bisque (which was Hot Breads, Gurgaon until recently) reminded me of what I’d almost forgotten. S and I shared a mushroom roll that evening and I thought to myself, “I can make this.” And that’s exactly what I did. But I spiced up my bread a little and Indianised it!



Ingredients:

For the dough:

1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tbsp Oil
1 1/2 tbsp Yeast
1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Boiling water
1/4 cup Milk
½ tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder


For the filling:
1/2 cup Paneer Cubes
2 Onions, sliced
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1-2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to Taste

For the Topping:

1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

For the dough:

Take a huge mixing bowl and place the oil, salt and sugar in it. Add boiling water and mix until the sugar dissolves. Add the milk now to bring the mixture to room temperature. Add the yeast and mix well. Add the flours, cumin-coriander, turmeric and chilli powders and knead into dough. Place the dough in a greased vessel and cover it with a damp muslin cloth. Allow to rise until double in size (roughly 45-50 minutes).


Knead the dough for a minute and then divide into 10 equal portions.

For the filling:


Heat the oil in a kadhai and fry the onions along with the ginger-garlic paste. Fry this for a bit. Add the spices and salt and fry for 1-2 more minutes. Add the paneer cubes. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.


To Proceed:

Preheat the oven to 400F.


Take a portion of the dough and spread it into an oval shape. Place some stuffing along the centre and bring the edges and seal. Roll in the sesame seeds and place on a greased baking sheet or tray. Repeat with the other portions.Allow to rise for 50-60 minutes and then bake for 12-15 minutes.




I made 8 rolls and thought I could stash some away. My grand plans were thwarted when S said, “Char hi banaye kya tumne? (Did you make only 4?)” I brought the other 4 out and they were gone in no time at all. I am sending these paneer rolls to Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen for Bread Baking Day # 12.




This month has been a bad one in terms of my participation in food blogging events. I usually never miss out on JFI and AFAM. This time, the choice of ingredient for JFI was a little unusual and I wanted to make something, I couldn’t get around to it. I didn’t get a chance to visit the supermarket to buy any avocados, so the AFAM got ruled out too. But I did participate in what I now consider the mother of all food blogging events. The NaBloPoMo challenge. I joined it without knowing what sort of a commitment I was getting into. I was fine until the last week. I almost thought I would have to drop out and told Anita as much over the phone. We joked that in the last week I would just upload random photographs of food without as much as writing a single word. I am glad I have reached the finish line. Three days ago, I had the feeling of “so near yet so far”. Today, I am elated. I ran the recipe marathon with which now feels like a half marathon. I thought then that15 days would be too much to handle and jumped at the idea of NaBloPoMo when Siri suggested it. 31 days of non stop blogging. And finally I stop to catch my breath.

Cherry Crumble Cake

I spent 12 years at one school. I have the fondest memories of school. I have had some trying times, but they simply added to the overall experience. Several of my classmates changed every year because of the nature of their parents’ jobs. I was accustomed to seeing new faces each year (or sometimes even the middle of a class year). And although I was waiting for college to start, I was very apprehensive about what it would be like. There are some snobs I keep meeting who consider my college the most conservative and boring place, but I had this one friend who told me I would be comfortable in that environment.

I had grown up in a co-ed environment. Most of my friends from school are guys. I didn’t know how I would react to being in an all-girls’ environment. But when I stepped into my classroom, I saw a few faces that made me feel at home. I had never met them before, but I was certain that some of them would become my friends.

14 years later, I count them among a few of the constants in my life. I know now what it means to be able to take someone for granted. To know that regardless of what lemons life throws your way, these friends will be the first to bring out the tequila and salt. Despite each one being in a different corner of the world, each one leading a life that is extremely different from the other, we are in touch almost on a daily basis.

Today is the birthday of one of these girls. My dearest friend Sujatha. Hers was the first birthday we celebrated in college as it was immediately after we started college. While we all parted ways after graduation, Sujatha and I landed up at the same university for our Masters'. And in the same hostel, with just a room between us. That meant two more years of tete-a-tetes, two more years of (longer) bus journeys, two more years of fun. But more than all of that, it was two more years of comfort. Of having a known and trusted face just a shout away. I understand the importance of all that more today than I did 11 years ago. I woke her up at midnight today just as I did in the hostel 11 years ago (and just as I have for all the years in between). But I had to wish her here as well. This cherry crumble cake seems ideal for the party.

2 cups Flour

6 tbsp Oil

¾ cup Sugar

3 tsp Baking Powder

1 Egg, beaten

2/3 cup Milk

2 cups Cherries, pitted and halved

For the Topping:

¼ cup Butter

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Flour

1 tbsp Icing Sugar for dusting

Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins. Mix together the ingredients for the topping.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and sugar together. Add the oil, milk and beaten egg and whisk together. Divide the batter between the two cake tins. Arrange the cherries on top of the batter and sprinkle the topping over the fruit layer.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Outside of eating cherries straight out of the bowl, this has to be the best way to enjoy these summer fruits. Happy Birthday Sujju. May you get the best that life has to offer as anything less just won't do.

Instant Potato Podimas

One evening I was in a great mood to experiment. I had found the perfect recipe to use up my green tomatoes. So I made it to go along with some plain rice. Since it was a Friday night, I thought that just one dish, that too a chutney, and rice wasn’t going to make the cut. But, then again, it was a Friday. I didn’t have the patience to stand and cook an elaborate meal. I stood in the kitchen and looked all around. And then I found what I needed. Sitting amongst a whole host of unopened pasta packets was this packet of Aloo Mash. I didn’t know what to make. Cutlets… too much effort. Plus who wants to deep fry (or even shallow fry) anything in the middle of July! Plus I already had rice and chutney. Finally, I decided to make Potato Podimas. I’ll admit this came nowhere close to cooked and grated potatoes. But, in a pinch, it will more than just fly.



1 cup Aloo Mash
2 Red Chillies
2 tbsp Urad Dal
2 tbsp Chana Dal
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Salt to Taste
a few drops Oil

Heat the oil and roast the urad and chana dals. Add the red chillies and the asafoetida. Cool completely and grind to a powder.

Mix 1 cup of water with the Aloo Mash and mix together until you are left with something that resembles “mashed potatoes”.

Place the powder on a large plate and add the mashed potato mixture. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Enjoy this with hot rice or as a side dish with rice and sambar.

Corn Methi Pulao

There was a time when I only made rice for lunch. Pasta at times maybe. But no rotis. S didn't have a microwave at work and so couldn't heat his lunch. I only made stuff that would taste good at room temperature. Ever since his office got a microwave, I started saving rice for our weekend meals. But I found that these pulaos were almost forgotten. Rice on the weekend meant a full meal that we didn't have time for during the week. Now, I make a pulao at lease once a week to take to work.

1 cup Basmati Rice, washed, soaked and drained

5-6 Peppercorns

1" tick Cinnamon

2 Cloves

2 pods Cardamom

2 Onions, sliced

1 cup Fenugreek Leaves, chopped

1/2 cup Corn

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pressure pan. Add the pepper, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Add the onions and fry for 2 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, corn and turmeric powder and saute for a few minutes. Add the rice, salt and 2 cups of hot water. Pressure cook for 8 minutes or 2 whistles. When done, fluff with a fork.

This is a relatively bland pulao and I serve it with any sort of spicy raita. This is a great party dish and also makes for a lazy Sunday lunch.

Yam Fritters

Yam. It was the one vegetable my brother really hated. Or rather claimed he was allergic to. One day Amma made yam cutlets that he gorged on. Ever since, I always tell him to just say he doesn't like the vegetable. The allergy tstory doesn't make the cut. I, on the other hand, have been rather indifferent to this. I'd be lying if I said I loved it. And I definitely don't hate it. Amma makes a vadakkal with it and I really like it.

I'd not known yam fritters. My senior from University treated me to this when I visited her a few years ago. I relished it. I bought some yam and called her just to find out how it was made. She told me to marinate the yam pieces and then dry them in the sun. I didn't have that much time. So I baked them in my oven and then shalow fried them.

(One point to note is that shallow or deep fried yam tends to smell like fish!)

1/4 cup Yam slices

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Mix the turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida and salt. Apply this to the yam slices. Bake in a moderately hot oven (325F) for 35-40 minutes.

Heat a skillet or a frying pan and shallow fry the yam pieces using a little oil. Cook evenly on both sides.

I had this with some rice and dal at her place the first time I had it. I made it to go with some rice and sambar for a Sunday lunch. Perfectly spicy, perfectly crunchy. Just what you need to make your meal complete!

Mushroom-Garlic Souffle

Souffles. I've always been drawn to them. I've liked both savoury and sweet versions. I made these mushroom-garlic individual souffles sometime ago. Light and fluffy, these little beauties are perfect appetizers. I haven't made these for any big party. But they're perfect for that small intimate diner for two!

4 tbsp Butter

1 cup Mushrooms, chopped

2 tsp Lime Juice

2 cloves Garlic, crushed

2 tbsp Mixed Herbs

2 tbsp Flour

1 cup Milk

2 Eggs, separated

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grease 4 ramekin cups with a little butter.

Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic and the lime juice and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a different bowl. Stir in the mixed herbs.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan and add the flour and fry for a minute. Stir in the milk and boil until it thickens. Mix this white sauce into the mushroom mixture. Add the egg yolks, salt and pepper and beat well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form peaks and stir this into the mushroom mixture. Mix well.

Divide this mixture into the ramekin cups and bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Do not overbake the souffles are they may turn rubbery. The souffles are done when a skewer inserted into them comes out clean. Serve immediately or they may tend to go flat.

Mixed Bean Soup

I've talked about how I'm on my way to soon becoming Ms. Bean! One of the things that I made recently was this: Bean Cutlets. I had some mixed beans leftover from this exercise and decided to try out this soup. It tasted more like a not-so-spicy Indian bean dish than a soup. But we had it with some toast and it felt like a full meal for S and like a soup for me!

1 1/2 cups Mixed Beans, soaked and cooked

1 tbsp Oil

1 Onion, sliced

1/2 cup Potato, diced

1 Carrot, chopped

1 tsp Green Chilli Paste

1 tsp Garlic Paste

1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Chilli Powder

3 cups Water

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan. add the onion, potato and carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the chilli and garlic pastes and cook for another minute. Add the coriander powder, chilli powder and the water. Bring this mixture to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the mixed beans and season with salt and pepper.

My beans were mashed earlier and I think this soup is likely to taste much better with the cooked beans left whole.