Paneer Rajma Masala

The first time I bought rajma, I didn’t have any idea about it and I got it just for the looks. It really LOOKED delicious J. After coming home, I searched the web and got some recipes. After cooking it ‘n’ number of times, I have developed my own version. The whole house will be fillied with a yummy aroma whenever I cook it. Do check it out for yourself !

Ingredients:

Rajma – 1 cup

Paneer cubes – 1 cup
Fine chopped onion – ¼ cup
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tspn
Kasoori methi – 2 tbsp
Coiander leaves – for garnish
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tspn
To sauté & grind:
Onion – 2
Tomatoes – 3
Red chillies – 4
Coriander seeds – 2 tspn
Saunf – 2 tspn
Cloves – 2
Cardamom pods – 2
Cinnamon – ¼ inch
Mace / Jathipathri – 1 small piece
Star Anise / Annasi mokku – 1
Caper / Marathi mokku – 1 small piece
Black stone Flower / Kalpasi – 1

Cooking Method:

Soak the rajma in water overnight. Pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside.

Chop the onion and tomatoes. Heat 1 tspn oil in a pan and sauté all the whole spice(cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, black stone flower, caper, mace) alongwith coriander seeds, saunf and red chillies. Add the onion and fry till transparent. Switch off the stove once the tomatoes turn mushy. Cool and grind to a fine paste.

 Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they crackle add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till raw smell is gone. Add the fine chopped onion and fry till golden brown.

Now add the ground paste and sauté for five minutes. Now add the cooked rajma and paneer. Add a cup of water and simmer the stove till the gravy thickens.

 Switch off the stove, add the coriander leaves and kasuri methi, mix well.

Cook’s Note:

1. The pressure cooking time will vary depending on the rajma variety.
2. You can adjust the number of chillies according to your taste.

Linking this to motions and emotions party , sidedish mela of cookingforallseasons.

Rava Ladoo / Semolina Balls

My mom makes these ladoos for all the festivals and happy occasions at home. When I was a kid, I used to scoop out spoon after spoon even before the ladoos are rolled. After all, some has to check the taste, right? J.

Ingredients:

Semolina – 4 cups
Sugar – 4 cups
Water – 3 & ½ cups
Cardomom pods – 6-7
Cashews – 10 -12
Raisins – 10 – 12
Ghee – 1 & ¼ cups
Milk – 6 tbsp

Cooking Method:

Heat ¼ cup ghee and fry the cashews & raisins till golden brown. Now add the semolina and roast for nearly five minutes. Keep this aside.

Now add the sugar and water to a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Boil till it turns to a syrup consistency. Switch off the flame and add the semolina mixture gradually to the sugar syrup. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. Crush the cardamom pods and add it to the mixture.

Once done, add the remaining ghee and leave it undisturbed for 3-4 hours. Now, boil the milk, add it to the mixture, mix well and roll into balls. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Cook’s Note:

1. Semolina tends to burn easily. Take care while roasting it.
2. Keeping it undisturbed helps the semolina to soak in sugar syrup and ghee, which results in super soft ladoos.
3. To test the sugar syrup consistency, if you take it in a ladle and drop from a height, the last few drops will be sticky and drop like oil/syrup.

Linking this to nupur's navratri recipes event, motions & emotions party event, cusine delight's festive treats of original Spotlight event page, spicing your life's kids delight, Dish it out – Sugar and Butter and Vardhini’s page, spicy foood's birthday party