Panjiri - Ma ke special recipe...

Its been ages since I posted any new recipe but its great to see people still visiting this blog and some of them demanding to start the sanjha chulha again before it dies down. I have to thank bloggers like Mehak and Anks, which kept pestering me to post a new recipe and keep the chulha alive. Although, it took a nudge from one of my co-workers to start the chulha again.

One of my co-workers, who is Punjabi married to a Bengali, told me that she was pregnant with her first baby and needed the Panjiri recipe. Panjiri is a kind of sweet, dried halwa that Punjabi people usually eat as parshad but it is also said to be one food that is recommended for women to eat after Pregnancy. So, the first person I called for the recipe was my Mom and she gladly passed me her secret panjiri recipe. The method of making the recipe is same and can be found in any online site (infact Mom send me the method from some website) but its the quantity of ingredients that distinguishes one panjiri from other.

(Picture courtesy: www.indobase.com)

Panjiri is also special for me because this was my favorite parshad esp. the one from Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. I have always loved parshad, so whether it was going to the Army Gurudwara near my school to eat some everyday or stopping on the way to Shiv Mandir and buying patashe ka parshad for my sweet tooth. Anyways, without further delay here's the recipe.

Panjiri (Contributed by: My Mom)

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to my friend Preeti (Hyderabad waali) who recently gave birth to a beautiful girl.

Ingredients:

1. Wheat flour (atta) - 250 gms
2. Sugar powder - 750 gms
3. Desi ghee - 1kg
4. Gond - 100gms
5. Sonth powder (dried ginger powder) - 50gms
6. Makhane - 200gms
7. Suji - 100gms
8. Besan (gram flour) - 100gms

Method:

1. Fry the gond in the ghee, first over high and then over low heat, till cooked through (it puffs up, and when cooked through, you can cut through it).
2. Remove with a slotted spoon, and grind in a blender, very fine.
3. In the same ghee, fry the makhanas till brown and then remove
4. Roast the atta in the remainder ghee till a light brown (over low heat).
5. Remove from heat, mix in the sonth, makhana and gond and leave to cool.
6. When cool, mix in the sugar and serve or store.

Chilly Paneer (Contributed by: Faith)

I love paneer but always find it a hassle to goto the out-of-the-way Indian store. So, when Faith told me that she made paneer, I was skeptic at first but still asked her to send me the recipe. We were celebrating Republic Day on 26th evening and so I thought it will be a great potluck recipe to bring. I got the paneer and rest is history. All the paneer was finished in the party, so it was a hit of some sorts. I loved it so much that didn't wanted to take it to the party at first but had no other choice.

This is a fusion paneer with a Chinese flavors to it. So, Thank You Faith for keeping the chulha burning...

Chilly Paneer

Dedication: Since this was a Republic Day Special, this recipe is dedicated to Indians all over the world.

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

1. 2 medium sized capsicum (shimla mirch)
2. 2 medium sized onions
3. 200 gm paneer
4. 5-6 baby corns (optional)
5. 1 tsb soy sauce
6. 1 tsb chilly sauce
7. 1 tsb vinegar
8. 1 tsb tomato ketchup
9. oil
10. salt and pepper acc. to taste

Method:

1. Wash and cut capsicum in square pieces
2. Cut corn in halves
3. Cut paneer into square pieces
4. Slice onions
5. Heat the pan and add 1 tsb oil
6. Saute capsicum and corns for 2-3 mins on high flame and keep them aside
7. Add 2 tsb of oil again and saute the onions for a min

8. Add capsicum, corn and paneer to the mix

9. Add soy sauce, chilly sauce, ketchup, vinegar and toss it
10. Add little salt (as soy sauce has salt) and pepper
11. Stir for 5 mins on medium flame


12. Garnish with grated paneer
13. Serve hot
14. Enjoy!!

Mushroom Risotto (Contributed By: Princess)

The Sanjha Chulha seemed to be cooling off, when Princess came up with this recipe to keep it burning. She had promised me this recipe long time back but then had to make an adventurous tour to India like only a Princess can. Thank You Princess, for sending me this wonderful recipe, which I tried and loved. This recipe is a perfect exotic meal for that special someone. So, without further ado, here goes the recipe...

Mushroom Risotto - Princess Style

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to all the wonderful kids of the world on this Children's Day

Ingredients:

1. 125 g butter/olive spread/any lite margarine type thing
2. 1 onion finely chopped
3. 375 g mushrooms (or whatever veggies u fancy- celery, carrots, courgettes/zuchini finely chopped)
4. 500 g risotto rice (sells as arborio rice in the Italian aisle with the pasta)
5. 1.2 liters of vegetable stock (2 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 litre works well- I often buy the organic vegetable stock cubes.)
6. 1/8 tsp saffron threads for parties or 1/8th tsp haldi!
7. salt and freshly ground black pepper
8. 40 g grated Parmesan cheese

To serve:

1. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves (fresh leaves if u are serving at a fancy do)
2. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Heat half the butter in a large heavy frying pan, add the onion and fry gently till soft on a low flame until soft and translucent. Make very sure it doesn't burn or become too coloured.

2. Add the sliced mushrooms or veggies (very finely chopped carrots, zucchini, peas) and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice (don't wash the rice like u do for Indian rice) and stir over moderately low heat until the grains are glistening and beginning to turn translucent at the edges.

3. Stir in one ladle full of boiling stock and simmer very gently until it has become fully absorbed. Continue adding one ladleful of stock in the same fashion till the rice is cooked thoroughly and tender and all the liquid is absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes. Halfway through the cooking stir in the saffron threads or turmeric. Stir frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper

4. When the rice is cooked, turn off the flame. Mix in the remaining butter(choose only as much butter as u want if u are being ultra healthy)- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. The risottos should not not be too dry-should be quite moist. Serve the risottos sprinkled with parsley.

Enjoy and Hail the Princess :-)

Shrimp Scampi

I love shrimps. I think they are one of the most yummy of all sea foods. This is one of the easier recipe and is great for a romantic sea-food meal with (or for) your better (or worse??) half. I made it yesterday but don't get any ideas...lol. I am surprised that someone got this recipe right through the hints and that someone is Tarini. Let's get to the recipe straightaway...

Shrimp Scampi

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to all the seafood lovers.

Serving: 3

Ingredients:

1. 450 gms shrimps
2. 2 tsb oil
3. 2 garlic cloves. minced
4. 2/3 cups clam juice or chicken broth
5. 2 tsb lemon juice
6. 1/2 tsb salt
7. 1/8 tsb crushed red pepper flakes
8. 1 tsb cornstarch blended with 1 tsb water
9. 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Method:

1. Heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and heat untill tender for 2 minutwes
3. Add shrimp and cook untill almost cook, about 3 minutes
4. Add clam juice, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and bring to boil
5. Cook it for 1 more minute
6. Transfer shrimps to serving plates
7. Bring liquid to boil, stir in cornstarch mixture and cook stirring untill sauce is thickened about 1 minute

8. Stir in parsley and sauce over shrimps

9. Serve with rice.

Hint for next recipe: I told him to come in and have potatoes for dinner.

Gossip of the week: What do you make of the recent 'hair'-raising cricket controversy involving Pakistan?

Desi-Style Scrammbled Eggs

Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ande. This is certainly one of the most recognizable slogans of Indian advertising apart from 2-minute maggi. I eat eggs almost on a daily basis. They are easy to cook and are healthy. No one knows what came first (chicken or the egg) but whoever came must be thankful that it was not eaten by man first. Anyways, let's goto the recipe straight away.

Desi-Style Scrammbled Eggs

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to my sweetest friend, faith. She is leaving for India soon and this is for her. I am very proud of you.

Ingredients:

1. 4 eggs
2. 1/2 tsb turmeric
3. 1 medium onion, chopped
4. 3 tsb butter
5. 1 green chilli, chopped
6. dhaniya for garnish
7. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the butter in the pan
2. Add onions and green chilli, Heat till the onions are translucent

3. Mix turmeric, salt and eggs with an egg beater.
4. Add egg mixture to the sauting onions

5. Cook till the eggs are well cooked
6. Garnish with dhaniya

7. Enjoy with parathas and achar.

Joke of the week: Q. What do accountants use for birth control? Ans. Their personalities

Hint for next recipe: I scampered through the lake for shrimps

Balti Chicken with tomatoes

I had thought of abandoning this recipe, till I started getting threats (not really) to post it. Although, most people guessed the balti-chicken part, no one could guess the main ingredient, tomatoes. "I" part in the hint was aimed at 'seventeen tomatoes', my online-identity in some respects. This recipe uses quite a few tomatoes and they just add something to the chicken with their unique taste. So, without wasting much time, here goes the yummy recipe...

Balti Chicken with Tomatoes

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to Anks and Silky Moon for continouslly supporting this blog and reminding me to post this recipe.

Ingredients:

1. 3-4 tsb oil
2. few bay leaves
3. 1/2 onion chopped
4. 1/4 tsb mustard seeds
5. 6-8 tomatoes
6. 1 tsb ground coriander
7. 1 tsb chilli powder
8. salt to taste
9. 1 tsb ground cumin
10. 600 gms chicken, cut into small pieces
11. 1 cup water
12. chopped coriander for garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil
2. Add the bay leaves, mustard seeds and chopped onion
3. Heat till the onions are brownish
4. Add the tomatoes
5. Mix coriander, slat, cumin, chilli powder in a small bowl
6. Add the spices to the tomatoes mixture
7. Add the chicken and stir well
8. Stir fry for 5 mins
9. Add the water and cook till the chicken is well cooked
10. Sprinkle coriander and serve with rice.

Hint for next recipe: Lets play scramble tonite

Gossip of the week: Have you seen Pirates of the Carribean - The Dead Man's Chest?

Gaajar ka halwa

Gaajar ka halwa is my all-time favourite dessert. My Jhansi waale masijee (yea we call her that) would make the world's best gaajar ka halwa specially for me. The first thing we would get to eat on reaching Jhansi would be this yummy halwa. Unfortunately, gaajar out here is not as good quality as one found in north india. Infact, here it is more like what we find in southern india, orangish and not that juicy. Still, the recipe comes out great annd is one of the easiest desserts to cook. This time the recipe will include pictures taken righat as the halwa was being cooked.

Gaajar ka halwa

Dedication: Recently, my masijee was not very well and so this recipe is dedicated to her and her's good health.

Ingredients:

1. 3 green cardamoms
2. 1 tsb butter/ghee
3. 4 carrots, peeled and grated
4. 1 cup whole milk
5. 2 tsb sugar
6. 12 blanched almonds, chopped
7. bunch of raisins

Method:

• Open the outer cases of cardamom, take out the seeds and crush them
• Melt the ghee/butter in the pan
• Add the carrots and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes

• Pour the milk and cook over meduium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Add the sugar, half of almonds, cardamom seeds and raisins

• Garnish with remaining chopped almonds and serve

Hint for next recipe: "I" used to play chicken-chicken in a bucket. (Yes, this is the same recipe which I had skipped but is back on public demand. Although, none of you got one basic ingredient in this recipe right. So,let's see if you can get this one this time)

Gossip of the week: Omkara is the most awaited movie of the year.