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Jan 23, 2013

Oats Spinach Paneer Cutlet/Cake





Well, I'll be straight to the point. I was happy to receive a package containing Hudson Canola Oil from Dalmia Continental Ltd. This brand was recently launched into the Indian market. You can Google the brand for more information.


Along with the package came a recipe booklet and a letter from the team who sent me this package. I would like to thank the team members for sending this package to me.

Let's share some facts here. Canola oil is a compound word for "Canadian Oil, Low Acid". It is manufactured from rapeseed oil. The oil is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, beneficial for our bodies. To know more about Canola oil, read the article here.

Now let's get back to the recipe. Later, I took the booklet and browsed through the recipes. This cutlet recipe caught my eye and I thought, "Hmm...I could make this". Well, the recipe originally accounted for a lesser amount of seasoning and I tweaked the amount to suit my family's taste, which is quite a task to satisfy them 100%.

Moreover, the recipe doesn't contain onions, garlic and ginger.



After trying out the recipe, the cutlets tasted very nice. The children gobbled them up immediately and were happy.



My thoughts about the product:
Canola oil is a very good oil. It can be used in normal Indian cooking and enhances the taste of food in a different manner.



Ingredients:
Cottage cheese (paneer) - 3/4 cup (grated)
Quaker oats (white oats) - 1/2 cup
Spinach - 8 stalks (each stalk having 4 leaves)
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Potatoes - 2 (big)
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp.
Dry kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) - 1 tsp.
Bread crumbs - 2 tbsp.
Roasted channa powder - 2 tsp.

Seasoning:
Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Pomegranate (anardana) powder - 1/2 tsp. (I didn't add though)
Tandoori masala - 1 tsp.
Oil (to shallow fry)

For garnishing:
Lemon wedges and onion rings

To serve:
Tomato ketchup or any green chutney

Method:



Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker.



Peel the fresh green peas.



Boil the green peas in water for 5 minutes. Keep aside.



Blanching of spinach:
Cut the roots from the spinach. Wash the leaves well. Pour the water into a deep saucepan and let it come to the boiling point. During this point, add the spinach leaves. They should be completely immersed in water.
Let it boil for 2 minutes. Strain the spinach and drain the water.



Immediately rinse the spinach in cold water. Place the strainer on a bowl and allow the water to drip off. Keep aside. As of now, the weather is cold, so rinse it with tap water directly.

But during summer pour some water into a bowl and add ice cubes. Toss the spinach into the bowl. After a few minutes, drain the water and use the spinach.



Grate the paneer and keep aside.



Saute the oats in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes.



Blend the oats in a blender.



Peel the skin of boiled potatoes. Mash the potatoes while they are still warm.



Chop the blanched spinach and add in a vessel. Drain the water from green peas. Semi-mash the peas. Add it to the spinach. Add the grated paneer, mashed potatoes, powdered oats, chopped coriander leaves and dry fenugreek leaves.


Add roasted channa powder, bread crumbs, cumin powder, tandoori powder, red chilli flakes, coriander powder, chaat masala,and required salt.



Mix all the ingredients to form a dough.



Take a piece of the dough and shape it into a ball. Flatten it into a cake (or a cutlet).



Pour the oil for shallow frying. (I used the pan which was used to shallow fry the oats before). Place the cutlets in the pan.



Shallow fry on both sides till crisp and brown colour. Remove and place them on a paper towel.



Pour the oil for the next batch.



Continue the same with the remaining batches.



Place the cutlets on a serving plate. Garnish with lemon wedges and onions. Serve with tomato ketchup or chutney.

Note:
- Please adjust the spices and seasonings to your desired tastes.

- Don't cook the cutlets in high flame. Cook in medium-low or low flame.

Jan 21, 2013

Onion (Shallot) Chutneys/Chinna Vengaayam Chatnigal



Well, I find it hard to organize my random thoughts about onion chutney....might as well express them in one liners.

I make these two chutneys quite often at home. I love the chutney v1 and my husband loves v2.

My mother used to make these chutneys at home when I was young.

I have posted various chutney recipes in this site, but I haven't posted the shallot chutney yet.

In v1, the onions are first ground and then sauteed along with the tempering.
Also, do note that if you consume the chutney v1, please make sure to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth very properly.


Ingredients:

Shallots/chinna vengaayam - 1 cup
Dry whole red chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Tamarind - 2 small pieces
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Onion chutney v1


Break the chillies and soak in little water along with tamarind.



Grind the peeled onions along with soaked red chilli, tamarind and water.



After grinding.....



Take a small pan and add oil. Temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow the mustards to crackle.



Pour the ground onion into the pan. Add salt also. Saute till the raw smell fades away and the onion paste becomes thick and releases oil. Remove from pan and serve as a side dish for idli or dosa.
 
 
Note: Please take care while grinding and then sauting the onions as they create burning sensations in the eyes and the nose.


Chinna vengaayam chutney v2

In this version, onions are sauteed along with red chillies and tamarind. Then they are ground and tempered.

Ingredients:
Shallots - 1.5 cup
Red chillies - 3 (or as per taste)
Tamarind - a small piece
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Black gram - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - a pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Sesame oil

Method:


Peel the onions.



Heat the oil in a pan and add shallots. Saute.




Saute till the shallots change colour. Add red chilli and tamarind. Saute for a few minutes. Allow it to cool.



After cooling, add the shallots, red chillies, tamarind and some little water. Grind them. Pour the chutney into a bowl.



Temper the given ingredients. Mix it with the chutney.



Enjoy with idli or dosa.

Jan 17, 2013

Coconut Thuvaiyal/Thogayal

Most of the days, we'd have traditional breakfast (like my school days). Well, today I prepared this thuvaiyal as a side dish for dosas for breakfast.

In the past, we used to have 5 coconut trees in our garden and the trees would give lots of coconuts. Other than everyday cooking, coconuts were given to relatives. Coconut oil would be made out of them as well. My mom used to grind coconuts in ammi for chutneys, thuvaiyals and for kurmas. Talking about kurmas, Sundays were the perfect days for making kurmas like green peas kurma, mutton kurma or fish kuzhambu with some fresh ground coconut.





Ingredients:
Coconut - half (grated)
Black gram (husked) - 2 tbsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 3 (or as per taste)
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil - 1 tsp.
Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size

Method:



A half shell of coconut.



Grate the coconut.




Wet the tamarind and keep aside.



Heat the oil in a pan. Add the black gram.



Saute till the grams become slightly golden colour. Add red chillies and asafoetida powder. Continue sauteing.



Saute till it becomes fully golden colour along with the red chilles and asafoetida.



Remove from the pan and place them on the plate. Allow them to cool.



Add the black gram, red chillies into the mixie jar.




Then add the wet tamarind pieces.



Grind.



Now add the grated coconut.



Add little water and grind them.



Add required salt and again grind them.



After final grinding, the thuvaiyal should be thick not watery. Unlike chutneys, there is no need for tempering.

Serve with hot white rice along with ghee or sesame oil. Goes well with idli, dosai, utthappam, set dosa, upma, etc...........