navaratan korma

When i am in a fix about making a good south indian lunch i resort to making a north indian meal and i say i am bored and i want a change and all that .... that s just my way of saying please eat whatever i cook. I just went ahead and made navratan korma today. I ve always wanted to try it but was a little apprehensive about the outcome with all the milk in it but again it was just awesome so here s how i made it.

Prep Time: Under 20 mins
Cook Time: Under 30 mins

Source: Adapted from Tarla Dalal And Nita Mehta

Serves 4

What you will need?

2 cups mixed veggies (potatoes, beans, capsicums, carrots, cauliflower, green peas)

1 big onion minced finely

2 tomatoes pureed

2 tbsp ghee or butter

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup and a little more water

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies minced finely

10 cashews and 10 raisins soaked in warm water and ground to a fine paste

Few chunks of paneer

salt to taste

The spice powders that you need

2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp dhania powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For garnish

1 cube of paneer grated

Few cashews fried in ghee 

Cilatro

How to make it?

First puree the tomatoes and keep aside.

In a kadai heat the ghee.

Add the onions and fry till they are pink and transparent.

Next toss in the chillies and ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute

Then add all the spice powders and fry for another minute. 

Now, add the tomato puree and cook till the ghee seperates and is seen at the sides.

Now pour the milk and add the water and let it cook for a minute on low flame.

Now add the vegetables and let it cook covered till they are done. The vegetables must be firm yet cooked and this will take about 10 mins.

Now add the cashew paste, paneer cubes and salt and cook for another 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens.

Garnish with the panner first and top it up with cashews and cilantro (coriander)

Serve hot with roti, pulao or jeera rice.

And thats my spread for lunch :)

marshamallow cheese cake with a hint of chocolate

Somethings are as good as heaven. And among them are cheesecake, chocolate and marshmallows atleast for me. And when they all combine they only become heavenlier. And here s one combination like that.. typically heaven like!!

Source: A little Nigella and a little me
Serves: 6 generous portions

What you need?

For the crust

Digestive biscuits or marie biscuits- 15 no.s crumbled coarsely to make a cup

Unsalted butter-2 -3 tbsp melted

For the top layer

Cream cheese-100g

Marshmallows- those small cute white ones-around 20

Chocolate chips-100g

Amul cream -200ml

Gelatin-2tbsp soaked in 4 tbsp water for 10mins

White sugar-3-4 tbsp

Vanilla-a drop or 2

For garnish

White chocolate chips

Nestle chocolate bar-1 big one

How do you get this beauty done?

First crumble the biscuits and get that cup of it ready. Next combine the butter and the crumbs gently taking care not to make the crumble finer. The crumble must be like granules and not a fine powder. Now, in a spring form pan spread the mixture evenly and gently press it down to an even layer. Allow this to set in the fridge for about 15mins. Make sure that the pan is completely flat at the bottom. Any pan will do as long as it is flat and even at the bottom.

In the meanwhile, mix the cream, sugar and the vanilla and give it a blend in the mixer at a normal speed for about 8 mins. Keep aside. Now in a deep bottomed pan add the beaten cream mixture and the marshmallows and allow them to melt. After about 5mins start adding the chocolate chips. Now allow the marshmallows and the chocolate to melt and blend. You must be able to mash the marshmallows with the ladle and that’s when you know that it s done.

Now, microwave on high the gelatin for ten seconds after mixing it with a spoon just to make sure that all the granules are mixed well in the water.

In a hand blender, add the cream mixture, the cream cheese and the gelatin and blend for about 5 mins to a smooth mixture.

Next, remove the pan from the fridge and spoon the above mixture on the crust evenly. Then, after about 3mins, grate the chocolate bar on the top and sprinkle a few white chocolate chips.

Allow it to set in the fridge for 2 hours or until set and serve chill.