STUFFED PALAK PANEER PARATHA

Another simple, easy –to-make recipe that tastes scrumptious with the goodness of palak [spinach] and paneer ! A power pack breakfast option that keeps your tummy happy till next meal. Moreover, it’s a good way of making fussy kids eat greens like palak. Palak paneer paratha is healthy, wealthy and quite filling. This paratha is full of protein, vitamin and rich in nutrients. My younger daughter is not much fond of greens but die heart fan of paneer so I make this quick meals which are healthy and easy to make.   

INGREDIENTS:

For Dough –

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

½ teaspoon Carom Seeds [Ajwain ]

Salt to taste

2-3 Green Chillies [optional]

1 Packed Cup Chopped Palak

For Stuffing-

½ Cup Paneer , Crumbled

½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

1-2 Medium Sized Green Chillies

¼ teaspoon Amchur Powder [dry mango powder]

Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoon Grated Cheese

1 + 3 tablespoon Oil for dough and cooking the parathas

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Blanch the palak for 5 minutes in salt water.

STEP 2 – Cool it and make the puree in mixer grinder with green chillies and salt.

STEP 3 – Now add all the ingredients for making dough in wheat flour with palak puree and mix it well to make a dough.

STEP 4 – Knead a dough with it, add water if needed. Make a smooth dough.

STEP 5 – Add 1 teaspoon oil in it and knead it again. Cover it and keep it aside for 10 minutes.

STEP 6 -  In another bowl, combine paneer and all the ingredients for the stuffing. Mix it and make a dough.

STEP 7 – Divide the mixture in equal portions.

STEP 8 – Now take a small portion from the flour and palak dough.

STEP 9 – Make a small bowl with it and stuff the paneer mixture in it.

STEP 10 – Now bring the sides together and enclose the filling completely.

STEP 11 – Press lightly with your palm

and dust it with wheat flour and roll it.

STEP 12 – Repeat the same with the rest of the dough .

STEP 13 – Heat a tawa/ griddle on medium heat.

 Place the rolled paratha gently on it.

STEP 14 – Cook from one side and then flip it and cook from the other side.

STEP 15 – Spread some oil / butter on it and cook parathas till golden brown from both the sides.

Serve the ready parathas.

Serve the hot and yummy palak paneer parathas with yogurt and your favourite pickle.

NOTE: * If adding green chillies in a dough then girnd them with palak.
              * I don't have palak in sufficient quantity so that the colour of my paratha is not that green.

HOMEMADE RASGULLA

Today I am going to share the alltime favourite rasgulla recipe with you all. Learn how to make soft and spongy rasgulla recipe with step wise pics and all ingredients avaiable in your pantry !  I tried them for the first time but comes out perfect and spongy. Rasgulla ...just say this word a few times and you will actually get a feel of how the spongy bengali sweet rasgulla can taste like. My family love Bengali sweets so I tried this at home for my loved ones. So follow this step by step recipe and make your family happy. This can be stored in refrigerator for a week.    

INGREDIENTS:

For Making Paneer:

½ litre Milk

½ teaspoon Citric Acid Crystals

For Sugar Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1½ cup water

2-3 Drops of Rose Water

Saffron Strands for decoration

 Muslin Cloth 

METHOD:

 For Making Paneer:

STEP 1 - Bring milk to boil, reduce the flame.

STEP 2 - Add citric acid crystals to the boiled milk gradually to get soft paneer.

STEP 3 - You will see greenish whey.

Once milk is curdled switch off the flame, add 1 cup of cold water in it and keep for 15 minutes.

STEP 4 - Pour curdled milk into muslin cloth.

Wash under running water so the citric flavour goes, if there is any.

STEP 5 - Now squeeze the muslin cloth and tie it above the sink for about 15 minutes so that the whey gets drained easily.

Gently squeeze bag, make sure that all the whey has drained.

STEP 6 - Place the chenna/ paneer  in a plain working surface and knead with the palm heal till the grains disappear and chenna becomes soft and creamy.

STEP 7 – Here your homemade paneer is ready to use. 

STEP 8 - Divide the paneer dough into equal portions

and roll them into balls.

For Suagr Syrup:

STEP 1 - In a pressure cooker add 1 cup of sugar and 1½ cups of water

and bring to a boil on high heat stirring in between till all sugar is dissolved.

STEP 2 - Add 1 tablespoon milk in the syrup to remove impurities. If there are no impurities then no need to add the milk. [ Remove the impurities with the help of spoon if there]

How to proceed:

STEP 1 - Carefully place the paneer balls in syrup one close the lid and put whistle.

STEP 2 - Keep on medium flame till 1 whistle and reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 7 minutes. [see notes]

STEP 3 - Switch off the flame and allow the cooker to cool. Remove them to a serving bowl.

STEP 4 - You will see the paneer balls doubled up in size. Let it cool for 30 minutes.

STEP 5 - Decorate with saffron strands. Keeps it in fridge for 30 minutes and then ready to serve.

Serve this chilled homemade Bengali sweet to your dear ones and make them happy.

NOTE: *You can add 1 teaspoon all purpose flour or samolina /rawa if the chenna have too much moisture. 

              *First mix the rawa / all purpose flour in ti and then start kneading. 

              *Kneading process is important and also decides the texture of chenna. When you feel your palms greasy, its time to stop. Avoid excess kneading. It takes about 10 minutes to knead.  

              *You can simultaneously make the chenna balls as well as the sugar syrup.

              *Put a rasgulla in a cup of water , if it sinks to the bottom its cooked or press a small portion of rasgulla with your finger , if it bounces back to its original shape then its cooked.

KESARI HALWA MODAK

Modak is a sweet dumpling that is very popular all over India. A modak recipe is also one of the essentials in many Hindu religious ceremonies like Ganesh Chaturthi. A modak cab be various flavours. The most popular among them being plain one. But here I am going to share the recipe of kesari halwa modak with the kesari halwa. You can make them with the filling of coconuts but this is my innovation recipe.

During Ganapati Festival I tried this innovative idea n made modaks with the yummy kesari halwa and stuffed them with chopped chocolate and chopped dry fruits. Very new avatar of simple modaks and the natural colour.I have this in my todo list last year itself, but finally made this today for Ganesh Chaturthi in 2016. This tasted quite awesome. I have made this using me  Kesari Halwa recipe. To give a twist to the modaks stuffed them with some grated chocolate and chopped dryfruits. You can easily make a modak at home as you need very little ingredients and time for it. And even children would love this sweet dumplings. Here is simple recipe for making keasri modak.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Rawa / Samolina /Sooji

1 Cup Sugar [as per your taste can cut down or increase it]

3 Cups Milk/ Water

5-6 tablespoon Clarified Butter/Ghee

4-5 Cashew nuts

5-6 Raisins

5-6 Almonds

Few Strands of Saffron

A pinch of Cardamom Powder

Modak Mould 

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Soak saffron strands in a tablespoon of milk.

STEP 2 – Heat a pan with clarified butter.

STEP 3 – Add rawa to it and roast it stirring continuously for about 10 minutes.

STEP 4 – Maenwhile, boil water / milk and add sugar in to it. Mix it.

STEP 5 – Let it boil for 4-5 minutes.

STEP 6 – If needed add more clarified butter.

  Add the sugar syrup in the roasted rawa. Be careful because it get spluttered.

STEP 7 – Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 8 – Then remove the lid, add chopped dry fruits in it and mix well.

STEP 9 – Add the saffron milk and  cardamom powder and mix it well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Let it cool.

STEP 10 - Your kesari halwa is ready.

 Just grease the modak mould and fill the halwa in it, apply some pressure and fill it completely.
STEP 11 - Now demould them and your kesari halwa modaks are ready to serve Ganapati Bappa as Naivedya.

Serve naivedya to Ganapati Bappa and then enjoy them.Hope you like the recipe if yes then don't forget to comment in the comment box below.