Don't Waste Your Hard Earned Money Going Out To Eat

Imagine it's Friday night and your husband just calls to tell you he's invited friends to go out to eat... what should you do? Should you go out and spend about Rs.1000 or more for a fancy meal that you really can't afford or should you offer to cook? You should offer to cook!

Why waste your hard earned money on going out to eat, when you can easily prepare the same meals, right from the comfort of your own home? It's so easy you'll wish you'd thought of it sooner!

The Internet offers thousands of resources for free recipes and copycat recipes are so abundant you're sure to find the exact one that you are looking for.

Below are recipes that you can preapre and serve a wonderful dinner to your family and friends. And they all will go on praising you......

Navratan Korma

Ingredients:

Boiled vegetables (9 varieties-potatoes, carrots, green peas, french beans, cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage,bottle gourd, cluster beans)

3 cups Grated paneer 150 grams
Tomatoes 3
Grated onions 2
Ginger paste 1-1/2 tsp.
Garlic paste 1-1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder 1-1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 2 tsp.
Cream 2 tbsp.
Vegetable oil 6 tbsp.
Ghee 1 tbsp.
Milk / water 1 cup
Dry fruits (cashew nuts, raisins) 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves for decoration

Method:
1. Boil tomatoes till tender. Allow them to cool. Then peel off the tomato skin to make puree. Readymade tomato puree can also be used.
2. Take 1 tbsp ghee and slightly fry the dry fruits for about 1 min on medium heat.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste till golden brown.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fry for 2-3 minutes.
5. Next add tomato puree and dry fruits. Stir well and cook the mixture for 4 minutes. Ensure that the mixture doesn't stick to bottom of pan.
6. Add milk (use water alternatively). Bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the gravy becomes thick.
7. Add paneer to the gravy and stir well.
8. Finally add all the vegetables to the above gravy and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Serve hot. Decorate with cream and chopped coriander leaves. 

 

 

Shahi Paneer

Ingredients:
Paneer 200 grams
Medium onions 2
Ginger an inch
Garlic 3-4 pieces
Green chillies 2
White pepper powder 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 3/4 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Cream 3-4 tbsp.
Dry fruits (cashew nuts, raisins, makhane) 1/4 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil 8-10 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan/kadhai.
2. Cut paneer into small cubes. Fry over medium heat until light brown. Turn pieces while frying. Be very careful as it splatters.
3. Keep the paneer pieces aside.
4. Saute the dry fruits in a tbsp. of oil.
5. Grind onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli in a blender and make a fine paste.
6. Fry the mixture in the remaining oil until golden brown and oil starts separating.
7. Add salt, red chilli powder, white pepper, turmeric powder, garam masala. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add milk to make the gravy. Bring the gravy to boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the gravy becomes thick.
9. Put a portion of the dry fruits in the gravy while it is being cooked. This adds flavour to the dish. Keep the rest of dry fruits for decorating.
10. Finally add paneer pieces and 1 tbsp cream. Heat for 5 minutes.
Shahi paneer is ready to serve. Decorate with cream and dry fruits. Coriander leaves are optional. 

Dal Makhni

 

Ingredients:
Black grams 1 cup
Bengal grams 1/2 cup
Kidney beans 1/4 cup
Ginger 1 inch
Green chilli 2-3
Butter 4 tbsp.
Cream 2 tbsp.
Finely chopped tomatoes 3
Finely chopped onions 2
Garlic 7-8 pieces
Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Red chilli powder 2 tsp.
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Thoroughly wash black grams, bengal grams and kidney beans. Then soak it in water (2 glasses) for about 7-8 hours .
2. Add ginger and garlic to the above. Pressure cook for about 10 minutes (3-4 whistles). Then reduce the heat to 'medium' and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove ginger-garlic from the cooked grams and make a paste.
3. Heat 2 tbsp. of butter in a pan.
4. Fry asafoetida and cumin seeds in it. Add thinly sliced green chilli. Heat till it gets slight brown in color.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and finely chopped onions. Fry until golden brown.
6. Add chilli powder, finely chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook until the mixture thickens into pulpy sauce (about 3 mins).
7. Then add cooked grams and kidney beans to the mixture. Heat for 4-5 minutes. You can add a little water if you find it too thick.
8. Add the remaining butter and cook for 2 minutes.

Dal Makhni is ready to serve. Decorate with cream.

Now serve these vegetables with Vegetable Biryani and Stuffed Naan and enjoy.

Posted in: general tips