POTATO PANEER N MUSHROOM CURRY

Can you see the green chillies peeping out  from most of my dishes. I love chillies in my food.... I need them at every meal... why not?... We are 'Opar Bangla' after all..... we hail from the other side of the undivided Bengal. I have heard so many stories about their love for chillies. The meat curries happened to be so hot that people had to sit with towels to wipe the tear drops. May I tell you this is not so much of an exaggeration.... I have seen something near similar in my family years back....  I am moderate who even use sugar in some of her dishes which is unlikely of 'Opar Bangla' cooking. People have a wrong notion that the locals of this island eat bland. It is not that way... they eat healthy accompanied by the dips that are too good to make me happy. The chilli padi won my heart the week I stepped in here. I will not go further as I have too little knowledge about food compared to my expert friends here. 

When I started this blog I thought I will compile some heirloom family / Bengali recipes  and quit. Then I see I made many friends on the way that I cannot stop.... each day is a learning experience. Each one of us love our blog...... famous or infamous. Then I have a good friend here Padma Murali... a Tamilian and a citizen of the island. She says she had shown my picture to her mother who said about me.... "her face reveals she is not a person to be in the social media... she will suffer". I agree to it. Nothing is as peaceful as lying on the sofa reading a book with the headphone on.

As I write today's post, I am listening to some favourite numbers of Yesudas.... I simply love his voice as much as I love Ilairaja and AR Rehman's compositions and Maniratnam's movies. Kamal Hassan, R Madhavan and all these South Indian beauties with mesmerising eyes.... ahh you make me happy. Music takes me to an another world where I indulge in a virtual conversation with someone... Hey Suhani... I have heard you are a foodie too... I do not know your preferences though.... there are far better experts to take care. Yet, I wish to treat you at least for once.... it may happen you have saved the life of people I cared for. Rest whatever little I heard about you, you seem to be a good soul... bubbly and friendly just the one my mother-in-law wished to have..... hahaha... and remember I have never learnt to impress people, what I speak comes from within. Stay blessed with your loved ones.

Coming to today's dish of Potato... Paneer & Mushroom Curry, I call it 'khichdi' dish.... hotch potch dish.... which belongs to no particular region or place  but Indian or South Asian in essence. I used tomatoes to get that red colour and there has to be a green chilli to top it. I need to quickly finish off the post and call someone who travelled to the neighbouring country yesterday. Before leaving, he said, "you know wifey, the one who manages my work there belong to your clan"..... I just asked why he has to go on a Saturday morning. That is when the wifey goes out to post a paneer recipe which is not much of his favourite. Rest I do not cook on Sundays as Cristine is on leave. 

This is the perfect day to be caught in a kissing.... hugging scene with my teen only if he allowed mumma to enter his room. I ask for a smile at least.... answer is you will not get anything.... Lets go out for a lunch date?... No, I do not wish to... he has his favourite prawn-potato curry though.... Always try to be friends with your kids... where else will they go for a support, some love, guidance?  Mumma will now prepare this simple, homemade spicy, no onion... no garlic curry with potato, mushroom and paneer together with all her readers while echoing Yesudas.... "Suraj na ban paye to.... banke dipak jalta chal..... phool miley ya angaree.... sach ki raho pe chalta chal....".

INGREDIENTS :

Mushroom : 200gm [I used Shiitake]
Paneer : 100gm
Potato : 1 
Tomato : 1
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Cumin Powder : 2tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Green Chilli : 2-3 slitted
Cumin Seed : 1/4 tsp
Bayleaf : 1

Green Pea : A handful if you wish to
Oil : 2-3 tsp

METHOD :

Wash the mushrooms and soak in salted water for 10-15 minutes and drain the water. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into cubes, rub with salt and turmeric powder. Rub a little of salt on the paneer pieces.

Heat the oil in the wok. Fry the potatoes till they turn light brown. Take out. Temper the oil with bayleaf and cumin seeds. 

Add the ginger paste and saute for a minute. Add the washed tomato pieces, sauté till it separates from the oil. Add the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and stir cook for a minute.

Add a big cup of water. As it comes to a boil, add the fried potatoes. Let boil for 3-4 minutes or so.

Add the mushrooms and and let cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the slitted green chillies, paneer pieces and let cook for a minute. It is done.

Enjoy hot and fresh with freshly made Indian / South Asian bread or with piping hot steamed rice.