Shaam Savera/Palak Paneer Cheese Ball#SundayFunday

Shaam-Savera is one such dish. it's one of the signature recipe that Chef Sanjeev Kapoor had created when he had just started hosting the cookery show way back on TV. This cheese ball is called kofta in India other neighboring countries. Cottage cheese balls surrounded by spinach roundels are so gorgeous, gluten free and impressive dish to look at.

Ingredients
For the Kofta / Cheese Ball
4 Cups Spinach
2 Tablespoons Oil
½ Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Green chillies- chopped finely or to your spice level
2 - 3 Tablespoons Chickpea Flour / Besan
Salt to taste
For The Cheese Ball
1 Cup Cottage Cheese / Paneer - Homemade
½ Teaspoon Cardamom powder
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
For The Makhani Gravy
2 Teaspoons Oil
1" Piece Ginger - chopped
4 Cloves Garlic -chopped
4 Whole Cashewnuts
1 Large Onion - chopped
3 Medium Tomatoes - chopped
1 Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
3 Dried Red Chillies
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Sugar
½ Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 Tablespoon Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Fresh Cream - Optional
1 Teaspoon Crushed Dried Kasuri Methi
Method
For The Koftas

Clean and wash the spinach leaves in water. Bring some water to boil in a vessel and add the spinach leaves to it. Blanche for 3- 4 minutes Remove and transfer the spinach to ice cold water.Squeeze out all the water from the spinach.
In a pan, heat a teaspoon oil and add ginger garlic paste and green chillies and fry for a minute. Add salt, besan and mix well to avoid any lumps, drop the spinach leaves immediately. Give it a good mix until everything is combined and the mixture is dry. Keep it aside to cool, Then grind it to a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, crumble the paneer and add cardamom, pepper powder and salt to let and knead well. Make small gooseberry sized balls out of it.

Take a small portion of spinach mixture and flatten it using your hands. Place a paneer ball on it
Gather all the edges and close in the shape of a ball.
Repeat the same for all.
Deep fry the balls in oil and drain the excess oil using a kitchen towel.
Once they are cooled down completely, cut them in to halves (optional).
For The Makhani Gravy

In a pressure cooker, heat oil. Now add cashews, fry until cashews starts changing its colour. Add onions and salt. Saute till it becomes translucent. Add turmeric powder, ginger, garlic and dried chillies. After a minute of frying, add the tomatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder. Mix everything well. Close the pressure cooker lid. Do not add any water. The water released by onion and tomato itself is enough to cook everything.

Allow it for 3 to 4 whistles. Let the pressure release by itself and then open the lid. Let the mixture completely cool down.
Grind this in to a very smooth paste. Make sure you don't get any chunks of cashews or almonds after grinding. Everything should be blended perfectly. Then add the yogurt and just pluse it once. Your basic Makhani gravy is now ready.
For Final Assemble

In a pan, on medium low flame heat butter and oil add the prepared gravy. Add ½ cup of water to it. Let it cook till oil surfaces, taste for salt. Add cream, garam masala powder, sugar mix well. Cover and cook for a minute and switch off the heat. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your hands and add to it. Keep it closed for few minutes.

In a serving dish, pour the makhani gravy and place your Spinach Paneer Cheese Balls on it. This dish turned out so delicious . Enjoy with rotis , naan or pulao.

Labels: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Indian, Main course, Cheese Ball, Sunday Funday

For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes of "Cheeseball".

Bald Eagle Cheeseball by Amy's Cooking Adventures 
Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Cheeseball by Food Lust People Love

Jalapeno Pecan Cream Cheese by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Pineapple Cheese Ball by Our Good Life
Shaam Savera/Palak Paneer Cheese by Sneha's Recipe

Instant Urad Dal Flour & Rava Medhu Vadas#AlphabetChallenge

These are instant and crispy, but not so spongy  like the freshly ground dal, but  taste delicious . Have these with this Sambar and you will enjoy this.   

The  key to make these light is to beat for at least 15 minutes with a electric hand beater till bubbles are seen and the batter is fluffy.

Makes 12 - 14 depending on the size
Ingredients
1 Cup Urad Dal Flour
4 Tablespoons Heaped Rice Flour
½ Cup Heaped Fine Rava /Semolina
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Green Chilly -finely chopped
6 Curry Leaves - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Coriander leaves
½ Teaspoon Salt 
1½ Cups Water
Oil for deep frying 
Method 

With an electric hand beater whisk the urad dal flour with water( adding a little water at a time) till it forms a light & fluffy dough, for at least 15 minutes. When light, fluffy add rice flour, whisk till a thick & bubbly batter is formed.

Now add the rava/semolina and beat again for 3 minutes (it should be a thick dough like batter). Let it rest for 10 minutes. Then add chopped green chillies, cumin seeds, coriander and curry leaves.

Mix well and again keep it aside.

Let this rest  till oil is getting hot in a kadai.

When the oil is hot make small vadas and fry on medium flame till crisp and golden.

Enjoy!!

We had it with  Sambar for our Sunday lunch, a change from the normal food.  Enjoyed it thoroughly!!

Labels: South Indian, Instant Mixes, Snacks, Breakfast, Main course, Deep Fried, Vegan, Alphabet Challenge

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "I"

Alphabet Challenge Please add your Blog Name/ Blog URL/ Recipe Title in the corresponding weeks below Alphabet Challenge-Week I - Apr 23-Final

• Sneha’s Recipe: Instant Urad Dal Flour & Rava Medhu Vadas 
• Blogghetti: Italian Chopped Salad 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Ice Apple Salad 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Ice Cream Wafflewiches 
• Food Lust People Love: Fresh Cherry Ice Cream 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Italian Ice 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Iced Gems 
• A Messy Kitchen: Irish Colcannon Mac and Cheese 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Italian Pasta Salad 
• Culinary Cam: Es Teler (Indonesian Drunk Ice)

Fried Prawn Masala#SundayFunday

Fried Prawn Masala is super quick to make and tastes delicious. A perfect accompaniment with rice or rotis

Ingredients
1 Kg Prawns - cleaned & deveined
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
250 Grams Onions - chopped
250 Grams Tomatoes - chopped
½ Teaspoon + ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
2 Teaspoons Coriander Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
½ Teaspoon Fenugreek Powder
3 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander Leaves
6 Dried Red Chilies - broken
½ Cup Oil
Method

Marinate the prawns with vinegar and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder for 10 minutes.
Heat oil and fry the prawns, on high heat for a minute or two only. Keep aside.
In the same oil add broken dried red chillies and onions fry till the onions are mushy , then add the ginger garlic paste and chopped tomatoes sauté till the tomatoes are mushy.

Then add all the dry spices and 2 tablespoon water, fry fill oil separates. Now add the fried prawns and mix it well till the spices coat the prawns, then add half of the chopped coriander leaves, mix well. Cover and let is cook on low flame for 2 -3 minutes. Switch off the flame. Garnish with the remaining coriander leave and enjoy. Delicious fried prawn masala is ready.

Labels: Sunday Funday, Seafood/Fish, Prawns, Shrimps, Indian, Main course 

  For Sunday Funday we are sharing Seafood / Fish Recipes: 

Baked Salmon Potato Croquettes from Food Lust People Love

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pretzel Bites from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Fried Prawn Masala from Sneha’s Recipe
Non-Traditional Jambalaya from Culinary Cam
Pissaladière from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Shrimp Dip from A Day in the Life on the Farm 

Moa Fa'Asaina- Samoan Chicken#EatTheWorld

Samoan chicken also known as Moa Fa’asaina, Moa means chicken in the Samoan language. This is such a easy & delicious dish to have; this is another quick and easy recipe that you can enjoy with the family or with friends.

Recipe source International Cuisine, I liked this recipe. Did some variations, halved the recipe, and since I did not have dark soy sauce used the light soy sauce. This recipe tasted good. This is usually had with coconut rice, since I have already posted different recipes of coconut rice on my blog you can check the recipes for it below.
Ingredients 
For The Chicken

500 Grams Chicken with bones- used drumsticks & thighs
½ Cup Dark Soy Sauce
¼ Cup apple cider vinegar
1 Medium Onion - sliced
2 Big Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
½ Tablespoon Ginger - finely chopped
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
½ Tablespoons Tapioca Starch
1 Scallion/Spring Onion Greens - chopped to garnish
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds - roasted to garnish - I did not add

Method 
For The Chicken

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper
Brown the chicken on all sides in a large Dutch oven.
Remove the chicken to a plate and drain all but a tablespoon or so of grease from the Dutch oven.
Sauté the onions and garlic and ginger in the Dutch oven, scraping up any bits from the chicken.
Return the chicken to the pan and add the soy sauce and vinegar, then add enough water to cover the chicken.
Continue to cook for another 20 minutes or so or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pan.
To Thicken The Sauce

Take 2 Tablespoons of tapioca starch in a bowl with just a touch of cold water to form a thick paste, Whisk this into the sauce.
Reduce the heat as the sauce begins to thicken and return the chicken to the sauce.

Enjoy this dish with coconut rice, This is a tender juicy chicken and you will definitely want to try this again. 

Coconut Rice Recipes 
Jamaican Coconut & Beans Rice 
Belizean Rice and Beans
Nasi Lemak  

Labels: International Cuisine, Samoa, Chicken, Soy Sauce, Apple Cider Vinegar, Main course, Eat the World

Check out all the wonderful Samoa recipes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

For Eat The World we are sharing recipes of Samoa. 

Combating 'Blankness' with Moa Fa'Asaina by Culinary Cam

Keke Pua’a (Samoan Steamed Pork Buns) by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Moa Fa'Asaina- Samoan Chicken by Sneha's Recipe

Oka a'i A Day in the Life on the Farm

Stuffed Makhani Anda Paratha With Homemade Frankie Masala#SundayFunday

Paratha is an easy breakfast, lunch or dinner recipe. Have a Stuffed Makhani Anda Paratha which is protein packed and super healthy, it as has eggs, made with whole-wheat flour and a Homemade Frankie Masala which adds an extra oomph, what would one want more for a nice breakfast or a meal in itself. Stuffed Makhani Anda paratha, is stuffed buttery egg paratha, an easy Indian brunch or meal in itself made with egg-stuffed in chapati dough rolled and cooked on a griddle.

Ingredients

For the Dough
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour 

Salt to taste

Water as needed
For the Stuffing

3 Egg - boiled , peeled & grated
2 Medium Boiled Potato - Grated - for binding 

1 Teaspoon Heaped Homemade Frankie Masala
1 Green Chilly - finely chopped 

2 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander leaves 

Salt To Taste 

½ Teaspoon Roasted Cumin powder 

¼ Teaspoon Garam masala powder
1 Tablespoon Heaped Mayonnaise 

1 Teaspoon Chilled Butter - grated 

Method

For The Stuffing

Boil the eggs and refrigerate them for 2 hours at least ( this makes a it easy to grate it).
Grate boiled eggs and potatoes. Mix all the given ingredients for the stuffing well. Taste for seasonings or add as required according to your taste. 

Make equal size balls.
For The Dough

Take the flour, salt into a large bowl, mix well, add water little at a time and knead it into soft smooth  dough. Keep it covered for at least 20 minutes. Then divide the dough into ball smaller than the size of the filling.

Take a ball of dough roll it into a small circle add the stuffing in between

then close it remove any excess dough.

Press the edges using hands and just roll edges of the paratha.

Roll it into a medium thick paratha, dusting the work surface with flour generously. Place each paratha on a parchment paper or a brown paper ( this become easy to lift and place it on the griddle, chances of the paratha breaking is nil).

Heat a griddle / tawa, when the griddle is hot then just the paper along with paratha and place it on the griddle and take off the paper. Let this cook on medium low flame till one side is done then flip it and and cook the other side, brush a little butter on both sides, till golden brown spots appear. 

Take this on to a serving plate. 

Enjoy with yogurt, pickle or ketchup. A delicious and filling brunch.

Homemade Frankie Masala

2 Tablespoon Red Chilly powder
2 Tablespoon Amchur powder
1 Tablespoon Chaat Masala
2 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin Powder
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
½ Tablespoon Salt
Method

Mix well and ready. I use this in many of my recipes, this is as good as an all purpose chapati masala which adds an extra oomph to any dish you prepare.

Refrigerate this masala for better shelf life, to retain it flavor and color. 

Lables: Breakfast, Egg, Mashed Potatoes, Whole Wheat Flour, Paratha, Indian Breads, Main course, Stuffed Flatbreads, Healthy, Breads, Homemade, Frankie Masala, Masala

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Canned Smoked Salmon Dip 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Cinnamon Nut Roll Coffee Cake 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Resurrection Rolls 
• Culinary Cam: Smoked Salmon Bagel Brunch Bar 
• Sneha's Recipe: Stuffed Makhani Anda Paratha With Homemade Frankie Masala 

Gravywali Gatte Ki Sabji#AlphabetChallenge

There are many variations of making Rajasthani "Gatte Ki Sabzi". Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi is a delicious main course dish prepared from besan flour, roundels called "Gatte: which are cooked in a  yogurt based gravy. It's so delicious vegetarian dish that you will love  and it's gluten free too. 

Have no veggies in the house, then no worries, make this comforting  and finger licking "Gravywali Gatte Ki Sabji"

Ingredients

For Gatte
1 Cup Heaped Besan/Chickpea Flour
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Saunf / Fennel Seeds

½ Teaspoon Cumin  Seeds

2 Tablespoons Yogurt - whisked

¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 Teaspoons Oil 

For the Gravy

¼ Cup Oil
2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds

1 Bay leaf
Salt to taste 
1½ Teaspoons Red Chilly Powder or as per spice level

2 Tablespoons Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Level Garam masala powder
1  Medium Onion  - grind to fine paste
 3 Cloves Garlic - grind to fine paste 
2 Green chillies - finely  chopped
3 Tablespoons Malai - optional
200 Grams Yogurt - whisked 
Mint and  Coriander leaves - for garnishing.

Method 

For the Gatte 

Mix all ingredients make tight dough roll them into long sausages.  

Then steam them in a plate for 10 minutes. 

Let them cool completely, then cut into small pieces.

For the Gravy 

Heat oil in kadai, add cumin  seeds when they sizzle, add the  bay leaf and the onion garlic paste, saute till  it starts to leave oil from the sides. Now  take the kadai off flame and add the whisked yogurt,  mix it well, place the kadai back on flame add the green chilles , red chilly and coriander powder and fry till oil surfaces.  

Add about a cup of hot water and  mix well bring this to a rolling boil, add salt to taste and the gatte, cover and let it cook for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring in between.  Now add the garam masala powder and malai(cream), mix it well, switch off the flame. 

 Garnish it with mint and coriander leaves. 

Enjoy this with rice or rotis. 

Lables:  Gluten free, Besan, Rajasthan, Vegetarian, Main course, Alphabet Challenge

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "G" 

Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Ginger Salad Dressing

Sneha’s Recipe: Gravy Wali Gatte Ki Sabji 

Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Tomato Ginger Beef

Food Lust People Love: Extra Herby Gremolata

Culinary Cam: Garlicky Fregola with Edamame, Mint, and Ricotta

Blogghetti: Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon 

Mayuri’s Jikoni: Guava Salad, Burmese Style

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Garlic Honey Chicken Thighs

A Messy Kitchen: Gâteau Ardéchois (Chestnut Cream Cake)

Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Guinness Stout Crockpot Simmered Corned Beef