If you are craving for a healthy vegetarian curry, Well then… Hello!!!

India is famous for its food and culinary diversity, especially it’s vegetarian dishes with at least half of its population living on a vegetarian diet. It is so diverse that you would be surprised with the range of options available; from savory breakfasts, spicy appetizers, creamy curries & lentils n pulses dishes… all the way upto 70mm dosas and the gigantic thalis! And that too after omitting salads which in many countries is all that they have vegetarian. Indian cuisine is also a growing tourist attraction. Whenever I met my American friends who have travelled to India, they talk about how they stayed vegetarian throughout their trip and couldn’t get enough of it!

Paneer aka Indian Cottage Cheese is a popular vegetarian protein used mainly in Indian recipes. Paneer dishes although considered a delicacy in India, is a homely, warm & comforting food welcomed by millions all around the world. Though paneer is the key ingredient of this recipe, the fusion of the creamy cashew gravy, tangy tomatoes, sweet peas, and the aroma of the spices makes the dish and its gravy super rich & appetizing. I would say this is one of the best paneer dishes I have made so far.

Tofu is a good substitute for paneer, and using it you could actually make it a low calorie recipe as the dish uses no butter/ghee or cream. Serve this wonderful curry with the side of Naan or homemade roti or fragrant basmati rice.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Matar Paneer/Paneer Peas Curry

Cozy, Creamy and Luscious… Matar Paneer..!! Made with Cottage Cheese and Peas, simmered in a Cashew Tomato Gravy. This Classic no-fail North Indian Delicacy makes a wonderful side dish with Naan or any bread of your choice!!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword matar paneer, paneer

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 12 oz paneer (cut into squares)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 inch sized ginger (sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4-5 cashews
• 2 tomatoes (roughly chopped)
• Oil (as necessary)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• ¾ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp fenugreek / methi leaves (crushed)
• Salt (as required)
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)

Instructions

• Heat some oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes until its sides turn brown. Fry them in batches so that you get an even cook and don’t over crowd the pan. Keep aside.
• Into the same pan, add a little oil (if necessary) and saute the onions with a little salt on a medium flame until it starts turning translucent. Add ginger, garlic, cashews, and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute until it is soft. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool down. Transfer the contents of the pan to a grinder and grind into a smooth paste.
• Into the same pan, add a little oil and saute spices until fragnant – jeera, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Add the above grinded paste and saute for another 2 minutes on a low flame.
• Add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar, and stir fry for a minute to blend well. Add water and salt, mix well, place the lid and allow the gravy to simmer for 5 minutes. You can manage the gravy consistency per your choice at this time.
• The last step is to add paneer, thawed peas, crushed fenugreek leaves, and mix gently. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
• Remove the dish from the heat and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve hot with naan, rice or roti.

Notes

1. You can buy paneer from your local Indian/Asian groceries.
2. Substitute paneer with tofu for a healthier version.

The post Matar Paneer / Paneer Peas Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Are you a kale lover?

Well, I wasn’t until a year ago when I made this Kale Smoothie with Mango & Banana recipe, a Healthy Green Drink! From then on, I’ve lost my inhibition to this leafy vegetable and started exploring various dishes made with it across restaurants; be it in salads, soups, and so on. Slowly my taste buds started liking it and considering the endless goodness of Kale and its health benefits, I’ve decided to incorporate it in our daily diet focusing on staple foods like dal curry/lentil curry which is an integral part of Indian cuisine.

After quite some experimentation and trial-n-error with Kale, I finally have my perfect recipe by combining it with split pigeon peas (toor dal / tuvara parippu) and zucchini. This recipe is quite similar to Spinach lentil curry in its preparation, but it does taste different. Usually, grated coconut is not common in dal curries but I’ve added it to mine…Well, my Kerala roots are to blame for that I guess, right?

Dal to us all Indians is a Comfort Meal Heaven! You would be astonished by the countless number of dal recipes in every State in India! In fact, just a bowl of dal with hot steamed rice/roti is enough to bring a smile on any Indian’s face, and the perfect meal to satisfy your cravings on a chilly rainy day! This Kale and Zucchini dal recipe is a great way of adding greens and plant-based proteins to your diet. It’s easy, flavorful, power packed with all the goodness, and an insanely satisfying comfort meal.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kale and Zucchini Dal/Lentil Curry

Hearty, Vegan and Healthy - Kale and Zucchini Dal… made with Yellow Lentils and Coconut! The Perfect Comfort Food Heaven…!!  

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword dal, indian, kale dal

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup split pigeon peas / toor dal / tuvara parippu
• 3 strands of kale (almost 2 cups; stem removed, chopped)
• 1 zucchini (skin removed, cubed)
• 2 to matoes (chopped)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 green chilly
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp oil
• Water (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Pressure cook dal/lentils with water (just enough to cover the dal) and a little salt, for 3 whistles. Keep aside.
• Grind grated coconut along with garlic, green chilly, cumin seeds and turmeric, to a smooth paste.
• Add the chopped kale and zucchini along with the grinded coconut mixture into the pressure cooker and cook on a medium flame. Add ½ cup water if the dal/lentil mixture is too thick.
• In a separate pan, add oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies and chopped tomatoes, sauté on a medium flame until it becomes mushy. Add this to the boiling dal mix in the cooker.
• Reduce the heat of the cooker to a low and allow it to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until it starts turning thick. Check for the seasoning.
• Serve warm with hot steamed rice/roti/naan. Enjoy.

The post Kale and Zucchini Dal/Lentil Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This dish comes from one of the most beautiful places in India… Kashmir! It is the coldest place in India; neighbors to the Greater Himalayas, land of snowcapped mountains, lakes and green forests. The unexplainable natural beauty of Kashmir gifted the land with the beautiful title, “Paradise on Earth”.  Kashmir is not only famous for its beauty, but for its food too. The cusine is known for its non-vegetarian dishes, recipes with lots of dry fruits, rich in spices, especially their saffron flavored dishes.

The Kashmiri Pulao which is one among the most popular Indian dishes, is a saffron flavored rice with spices, mix of dry fruits, and fresh fruits like apples, pineapples and pomegranate. The dish is quite similar to Modur Pulao /Kashmiri Sweet Pulao with the only difference being the omission of sugar from its recipe while cooking the rice.

The traditional preparation of this pulao is with dry fruits and nuts, but you can also add your choice of vegetables like carrots, beans, peas or toasted paneer, along with fresh fruits; which is my favorite part. It’s a mildly sweet dish, so pairing it with a spicy curry makes it a wonderful combo.

This recipe also works wonderfully for your meal prep days. A note though, add fresh fruits to your dish only before serving!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kashmiri Pulao

Fragrant & Rich Kashmiri Pulao loaded with Spices, Dry Fruits n Fresh Fruits…A Feast to your Eyes and a Treat to your Taste Buds…!  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kashmiri pulao, pulao, pulav

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup milk + 2 tbsp
• A pinch of Saffron
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp ghee / butter / oil
• Salt (as required)

Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves

Garnishes

• 6-8 cashews
• 4-6 almonds
• 8-10 raisins
• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup pineapple chopped
• Cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• Wash the rice and then soak for 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly thereafter and keep aside.
• Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp of warm milk, keep aside.
• To prepare the garnish, heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews, almonds and raisins until golden. Keep aside.
• Into the same pan, fry the sliced onions until it turns brown. Keep aside.
• In a separate pot/pan suitable for cooking rice, add ghee and sauté the cardamom, cinnamon, clove, star anise and bay leaf on a medium flame, until they become fragrant.
• Add the drained rice, salt, water, milk and saffron soaked milk. Close the lid and allow it to boil. Once it boils, reduce the flame to low, cook for 10-12 minutes till the water is completely absorbed. Turn off the flame, fluff the cooked rice using a fork and keep aside to cool.
• Once the rice cools down to a warm, add the fried onions, nuts, raisins, chopped pineapple and pomegranate seeds, toss to mix completely. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with spicy curries.

Notes

1. You can also add walnuts, pistachios, toasted paneer/tofu, chopped apples, tutti fruit, cranberries or veggies like carrot, beans and peas.

2. Do not add the fruits while the rice is hot, allow it to cool to a warm.

3. If you are adding apples, ensure you add them only before serving, otherwise they would turn brown and the pulao become less appealing.

The post Kashmiri Pulao appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Its Winter, pretty cold this year and a bad Flu season! I have been longing to write this post since a few months, and that’s when I fell sick and almost hit by a flu. This recipe was certainly my life saver and it was around that time I read about the food trends for 2018 and the importance of this super food in our daily lives. I guess that was my motivation and here I am back with my blog post; Turmeric!

Turmeric in India

The quintessential spice of Indian Cuisine – Turmeric! Also known as Indian Saffron, turmeric gained worldwide attention in the recent years after its popularity rose in the food industries of Western Countries. For us Indians, Turmeric is not just a spice… it has been an eternal part of our lives for centuries. Its sacred, holy, medicinal, a food ingredient, cosmetic… and the list goes on!

The Haldi/Turmeric Ceremony of marriages is one significant ritual in Indian weddings. The turmeric powder is mixed with water to form a thick paste and applied to the bride’s and groom’s face, as a blessing. It also symbolizes purification of the body and soul, protection from evil spirits, and of course a cosmetic to keep your skin radiant and glowing… it’s your big day and you need to stand out! Like I said, Turmeric is indeed a magical spice!

How to include Turmeric in your diet?

There are plenty of dishes and recipes globally which use turmeric. I would recommend everyone to include it in your daily diet, especially kids who are prone to weather related health problems. Here are some tips:

1. Check out Indian recipes; you will find plenty of dishes which use turmeric. Include it in your curries, roasted veggies, or soups… it’s a healthy food color alternative too.
2. Can be added in small amounts to your rice recipes, dips, and salad.
3. A good ingredient in your smoothies, just Brightens up your Day!
4. Try out turmeric tea, lattes or the basic Turmeric Milk, aka Golden Milk.
5. And the simplest yet healthy method of them all– Turmeric in a spoon of honey, taken on an empty stomach; the perfect Revitalizer to start you day with!

Incorporating black pepper with turmeric helps the active absorption of turmeric into your blood stream.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric has been long used in Ayurvedic medicine, and has many medicinal and health benefits. A glass of warm turmeric milk with a pinch of black pepper is considered as a basic cure for common cold, and to catch a good night’s sleep thereafter. Many others:

1. Turmeric is believed to possess anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
2. It helps to maintain insulin levels, and is widely used in the treatment for diabetes.
3. It acts as a blood purifier, removing toxins from the blood thereby protecting the tissues and other internal organs.
4. Widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Its anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce joint pains and inflammation.
5. Helps in maintaining serum cholesterol levels, thus reducing the chances of cardio vascular diseases.

How to remove Turmeric stains?

One of the biggest problems with Turmeric is, it can leave nasty stains. In the kitchen, staining your countertops is inevitable, but removing turmeric stains can become one tricky task. Although there are many methods to clean it, the baking soda method has always been my life saver. Mix baking soda with enough water to form a thick paste, and apply to the stained area. Leave it for a few minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean cloth. Tadaa…its clean!

Turmeric milk is prepared in different styles in India and this is one such variation which has been used commonly in my family.

Stay Healthy, Enjoy !!!!

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Turmeric Milk

Course Drinks

Cuisine Indian

Keyword turmeric milk

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 11 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of black pepper
• 2 cups milk of your choice
• Honey / maple syrup /sugar (optional)

Instructions

• In a saucepan, boil the milk with turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon powder. Once it comes to boil, lower the flame and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain the milk to a glass, add honey / sugar if desired. Enjoy hot.

The post Turmeric Milk appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Indian cuisine is predominantly known for its wide variety of dishes and tastes across its length and breadth, with each of its 29 states having their own cuisines, and Mughlai cuisine holds one among the top position in Indian food. The cuisine was developed by the people of the Mughal Empire but has had a very significant influence in Indian cooking with its popularity in the Northern parts of India & Pakistan, and also in Hyderabad.

My memories of this dish go back to those beautiful days at Hyderabad, It was from Sahib Sindh Sultan, the famous “train themed restaurant” where we tasted the royal “Murgh Mughlai”.

The Mughlai dishes vary from mild to spicy, their curries being exquisite, rich and loaded with nuts, cream, spices and curry powders, all in a perfect balance of flavours. Their recipes include lamb, chicken, pulao, vegetarian dishes and even desserts. Mughlai dishes are prepared for special occasions, and also served in upscale restaurants as the dish of the emperors. Some of their famous dishes include Mughlai Biriyani, Kadhai gosht, Kebabs, Shahi Tukra and a lot more.

Enjoy the Royal feast..!!!

Interested in other Chicken Curry recipes? Check these out;

• Butter Chicken
• Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
• Pepper Chicken 
• Dry Roasted Chicken / Nadan Chicken Ularthiyathu
• Chicken Stew

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Mughlai Chicken Curry

Treat yourself to the royal taste of the Mughals with this Mughlai Chicken Curry… Creamy & Rich, loaded with Nuts and Spices.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chicken curry, mughlai, mughlai chicken curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

To marinate chicken

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt (as required)

For the curry

• 10 cashews (soaked in water)
• 1.5 lb chicken (cleaned and cut, bone-in preferred)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 2 medium sized onion (roughly sliced)
• 1 to mato (roughly chopped)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp chili powder
• Spices: cardamom (2), cloves (2), bay leaf (1), cinnamon (1 inch stick)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Ghee/butter/oil (as required)
• ¼ cup milk cream
• Salt (as required)
• ½ cup water (plus more)

Instructions

• Marination: Marinate chicken in turmeric powder, garam masala and salt for 30 mins.
• Cashew Paste: Soak cashews in warm water, and grind them together into a fine paste by adding little water.
• Making gravy paste: Heat a heavy bottomed pan with a little oil and add ginger, garlic and green chilis, saute until they are fragrant. Add sliced onions and saute until they are translucent and slightly browned. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and coriander powder, saute for 2 mins.
• Followed by adding tomato, saute until they turn mushy.
• Allow this mix to cool completely, grind it into a smooth paste by adding little water.
• For the curry: Into the same pan, heat ghee/butter/oil, add spices; cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds; saute until they are fragrant. Add the grinded onion tomato paste and saute for 2 mins.
• Add marinated chicken pieces, mix well with the paste and cook for 2 mins. Followed by adding cashew paste along with little water (1/2 cup), stir and mix well. Check for the seasoning, cover and cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes on low flame by stirring occasionally until the gravy starts thickening and chicken is cooked.
• Top with the milk cream, mix well and check for the seasoning.
• Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves and slivered almonds.

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