Shivangi ..U asked and I served

Few days back, I was on facebook. And saw the indication that I ve got an email. On checking it, I found it to be a lovely email from one of my cousin from USA. She asked my well being and asked me to share the recipe of DUM PANEER KAALI MIRCH .
Dum paneer Kali mirch is an awadhi curry which is prepared by very slow simmering and using a technique called Dum. Dum is usually a technique where you seal the lid of the container with wheat flour dough and the curry is simmered on low flame, so that flavours will be extremely well absorbed.

Note : I ve introduced some changes like egg alu
Ingredients:

Paneer- 300 gms , cut into medium dices + 50 gms, grated (for  filling) + 25 gms, grated for curry

Corriander – 1 cup, finely chopped

Mint leaves – ½ cup, finely chopped

Curd – 1 cup, beaten well

Bay leaves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 1”

Green Cardamom – 3-4

Cloves – 5-6

Corriander powder – 2 tbsp

Jeera powder – tsp

To be pasted:

Onions – 4, sliced and fried till golden brown

Garlic – 4-5 cloves

Ginger  - 1” piece, grated

Green chillies – 2-3, cut roughly into pieces

For the Dum :

Pepper corns – 2 tbsp, crushed coarsely

Fresh cream – ½ cup

Garam masala – ½ tsp

For egg alu :

Medium sized potato – 3, prick and put them whole in salty water and pressure cook for one whistle, Peeled and cut into half. After cutting into half, scoop the centre.

Oil – 1 tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt – a bit

For the filling in egg alu –

Paneer

Salt – to taste

Chaat masala – ½ tsp

Turmeric - a pinch

Garam masala - a pinch

Corriander – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Method :

1.      .1. Firstly mix all the filling ingredients of egg alu and stuff it tight in the scooped halves of alu and keep aside.

         Stuffing alu tightly with it and cutting in halves, will give it an effect of boiled egg.

   

2    2.In a  mixture jar, put all the ingredients to be pasted and paste it into a fine paste. If needed add water.

3.        

      3.Heat oil for curry in the handi. Once hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamom and clove and cook till they leave flavor. Now fry the pasted mixture in it on low flame till the fat separates around it. Now put in it curd and grated paneer for curry and stir well. Flavour with coriander powder and cinnamon powder and 2 cups of water. Bring it to boil and reduce it well.

4.       4.Add paneer dices and mix well . Now put in it coriander leaves and mint leaves. Gradually stir in it fresh cream and pepper corn . Spice this up with garam masala.

5.       5.Now cover the handi with tight fitting lid and seal it with wheat flour dough.

6.       6.Cook this in preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 min.

7.       7.Open handi . Now cut the halved egg alu into quarters and put into the curry. Garnish with Quarter s of Cheese slices and serve hot with naan or roti.

APPLE APPEAL !!

I always knew that along with me, my brother is also constantly learning new tricks and techniques to experiment in kitchen. But never knew he can be so interesting and innovative.

Bored he was and took an apple in hand. I know he is crazy and can do anything and that too anytime. He asked me I wanna kill my boredom and do something with this single apple. Suddenly he got up and just peeled it. Now, he was worried what to do and thats how his brain churned up an idea.

And this is what he made THE APPLE APPEAL. Can you imagine he only named this baby of his.. ;)



Ingredients:

Apple - 1, peeled and diced

Butter - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder - a pinch

Cookies - 6-8, powdered coursely [ He used McVities healthy cookies] Keep a check that cookies should have a bit of salt in it

For custard -

Milk - 1 cup

Cornflour slurry - as needed

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Sugar - 2 tbsp, to caramelize and form caramelize crystals

Method:

1. Heat a pan and melt butter in it. Now add apple and cook till they soften. Once they soften a bit put the sugar and cinnamon powder in them and cook till they soften as needed. The apple should not be too soft. A hint of crunch should be in them.

2. Now transfer these apples in other bowl in such a way that a bit of cinnamon flavoured butter is left in this pan. Now, pour milk in the same pan and let it boil. This way the custard will take a cinnamon n butter flavour. Add sugar and cornflour slurry. Thicken it to a nice thick custard consistency. Switch off the gas.

3. In short glasses, put the apples first. A thick layer of apple should be made. Now pour the custard when it is bit warm only. On the top most layer put a thick a layer of cookie crush .

4. Garnish it with few cooked apples and caramel droplets. For caramel droplets, in a pan heat sugar [do not stir]. Once sugar melts and caramelizes, grease a plate and drop droplets of caramel with a spoon. Let this cool totally well. Once cool, remove them from the plate and add as garnish. They will add a nice crunch to the dish.

5. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours and serve chilled