Paneer Malabari

This curry has the flavors and tastes of a naadan fish curry, where paneer replaces the fish. A friend who turned pure veg has come up with this yummy recipe, that was thoroughly enjoyed by my family.

Ingredients

250 gram - Paneer, cut to cubes or triangles

1 medium size - Raw sour mango, cut to small pieces

1 medium size - Tomato, chopped

2 to 4 - Green chili, slit in center

6 tbsp - Coconut milk powder

1 tsp - Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp - Fenugreek / methi / uluva seeds

3 sprigs - Curry leaves

Crush to paste

1'' piece - Ginger

6 flakes - Garlic

Grind to a paste

6 tbsp - Grated coconut

1.5 tsp - Red chili powder

3/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

1.5 tsp - Coriander powder

Seasoning

6 - Shallots/ small onion, sliced

Coconut oil

Method

1 )In a pan or manchatti, pour 2 to 3 table spoon coconut oil, then add mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once the mustard seeds pops, add curry leaves, ginger - garlic paste, green chili and saute for a few seconds.

2 ) Then add the ground coconut paste and enough water for the gravy and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the mango pieces and tomato. Cook on medium heat till mango gets cooked. Add salt to taste.

3 ) When mango is cooked add the paneer pieces cut into triangle pieces. When the paneer is soft and the flavors have seeped into it, add coconut milk ( add little water to coconut powder to make coconut milk ) to the gravy. Adjust gravy consistency and bring to a boil. Adjust salt to taste and take off the stove.

4 ) In a pan heat little coconut oil, add the sliced shallots to it and fry to a light brown color. Pour this seasoning on top of the gravy and close with a lid. Open after few minutes and serve.

Serve hot with rice and as my friend said it's - HEAVENLY.. !!

Soya Chunks Roast

For those who want to try soya chunks, this could be one recipe you could try. Thanks to a dear friend for this delicious soya chunks recipe. With a blend of masala, this roast has a nadan taste, that's more or less like a meat roast.

Ingredients

200 grams - Soya chunks
1 cup - Small onion / Shallots, sliced
2 medium - Onion, sliced
2'' piece - Ginger, crushed
6 to 8 big flakes - Garlic, crushed
4 - Green chili, slit in center
2 to 3 sprigs - Curry leaves

To roast and make a paste

2 tsp - Fennel seeds
1'' piece - Cinnamon stick
4 tbsp - Grated coconut
2 big sprigs - Curry leaves
2.5 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Turmeric powder
2.5 tsp - Chili powder
2 tsp - Garam masala powder

Seasoning / Tadka

2 tsp - Fennel seeds
3 to 4 sprigs - Curry leaves
3 tbsp - Coconut bits, Thenga kothu
Coconut oil

Method

1 ) Wash soya chunks in running water. Boil enough water to soak soya, add salt to taste. Add the soya chunks to the hot water and keep aside for 1/2 hour. Drain the water and squeeze all the water out of the soya chunks. Again in fresh water, wash soya chunks and squeeze out the water. Do one more time and squeeze out all the water very well.

2 ) In a pan heat little coconut oil. Add all the ingredients listed to roast to the pan and roast on low heat, till the aroma of the spices are released and spices are slightly roasted. Take off the stove and cool. Then grind to a smooth paste with little water.

3 ) Now mix and coat the masala paste on the soya chunks. Squeeze out all the water from soya chunks well, so that the chunks sucks the masala very well.

4 ) Then add small onion, big onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, curry leaves and with fingers nicely mix the soya chunks with these ingredients. Keep aside to marinate. Minimum time to marinate is 1/2 an hour. The more the better.

5 ) In a large kadai /wok, heat coconut oil, add fennel seeds fry for a second, then add marinated soya chunks and coconut bits. Stir and roast the soya chunks on medium heat for 1/2 an hour. In between add coconut oil and keep stirring in between. Once the chunks have roasted to a slight brown color add curry leaves and stir in. Take off the stove and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve as a side dish with rice or roti.

Note - 1 ) Now if you want this recipe in a gravy / curry form, do all the preparations as said above, then add 1/2 to 1 cup water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.

2 ) You can dry out the gravy and roll the soya chunks in roti with shredded mozzarella cheese, some veggies like tomato, onion and toast it for a snack.