DRY SPICED PANEER & CURRY LEAF CORIANDER RICE

 I cooked this platter yesterday evening; a paneer dish, a fried chutney rice kind of; the water cress fritters and the salad is made by Cristine. Salad is eaten by Cristine & me at this home, the man eats salad only with meat biryani or tehari; not even salad, greens in raita actually. The son denies salad on his plate; eats tomato & cucumber in meat burgers, a single slice each of them. I believe, he would learn. We still had some cooked food in the refrigerator; a light curry with raw papaya, Hilsa head cooked with colocasia, two kinds of dal / lentil curry. Just a few omelettes would do. Then, I go by my wish. I wished to cook fresh; spend some quality time in the kitchen to put off my worries for the time being. It is also true that I wished to serve on my readers' plates a good vegetarian meal as this one DRY SPICED PANEER & CURRY LEAF CORIANDER RICE. On the side, we also had water cress fritters; this family so loves fries & fritters. I felt very bad when they lost their crispiness while I took longer time clicking them.

I started off late today. I was arranging the photographs. My mind is not in place at this time. The man is working from home today, we were just sitting silent; you cannot talk to them early morning. He does not entertain my anxiety ever, I wish they were a bit sympathetic towards my panicky self. It may be so it is their way of keeping me under control. I would have been happier if they had been a little softer in nature; they know how I dislike noise and anything that is loud. One day, they will realise had they listened to me, they would have been benefitted. If they do not listen to any of my words, how can they call me a nag? Anyway, this does not deter me from loving them sincerely, what I do I do it with all sincerity, direct from the heart. My love for food is also one reason why I never get bored or feel worked up whilst cooking. It is also true because of a Cristine at home to help, I can give such big talks. With her; preparing a nutritious, vegetarian meal DRY SPICED PANEER & CURRY LEAF CORIANDER RICE is not a big deal.

This is not the time in my life when I would want to prepare paneer / Indian cottage cheese at home. I always have a frozen packet at home. I use the Nanak or Kohinoor brand and willing to try the Milky Mist brand whose plain yogurt I so love. For frozen paneer, what I do is I soak them in salted warm water for few hours before using them in a curry. There is no amount of ginger paste, onion used in the curry or the rice. The rice dish has two cloves of garlic, you can well call it green chutney rice. The colour & texture of the paneer curry is from the ripe tomatoes used, the colour of the not at all hot Baba brand chilli powder. Below is how we had our pure vegetarian meal yesterday night.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CURRY LEAF CORIANDER RICE :

RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG [I USED BASMATI, THE AMOUNT SERVES 4-5 PEOPLE]
FRESH CORIANDER : 100-150 GM
CURRY LEAF : 20-25
GREEN CHILLI : 4
GARLIC CLOVE : 2
LEMON JUICE : 3-4 TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
BENGAL GRAM DAL : 2 TSP
SPLIT SKINLESS YELLOW MOONG DAL : 1 TSP
SPLIT SKINLESS BLACK GRAM DAL : 1 TSP
BLACK MUSTARD SEED : 1 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 4-5
OIL : 4TBSP

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DRY SPICED PANEER :

PANEER : 250 GM [SERVES 3-4 PEOPLE]
RIPE TOMATO : 2 BIG OR 21/2 MEDIUM OR 4 SMALL SIZED
CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TSP
DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I prepared the rice first yesterday. Let us share the rice of this green chutney rice kind of at first.

We have washed the rice and cooked it in enough boiling water up to 60% done, we strained it in a colander.

We have cut off the root end of the fresh coriander sprigs and roughly chopped. We have taken together the chopped coriander, peeled garlic cloves, green chillies, curry leaves; all washed.

We have drained the water, taken them in a blender, added salt, lemon juice and sprinkle a little of water. 

We have prepared a smooth paste of them.

We have tempered the oil with the black mustard seeds, the dal varieties, the halved dry red chillies. 

We have added the green herbs paste, stirred it at low heat for 1/2 a minute. 

We have added the cooked rice and stir cooked at high heat for 3-4 minutes.

We will always serve the rice hot.

For the Dry Spiced Paneer recipe, there is hardly any work.

I used frozen paneer, so I soak them in hot, salted water for an hour or two. Discard the water there after.

We have chopped the washed tomatoes. We have tempered the heated oil with the cumin seeds and bay leaf.

We have added the tomatoes, turmeric & little salt to it.

We have sprinkled little water, cover cooked at minimal heat allowing the tomato pieces to melt completely. 

We added the cumin, coriander & red chilli powders at this stage.

We have stirred it for 1/2 a minute and added 11/2 coffee mugs of water. We have cover cooked it at minimal heat; allowed it to boil for pretty 3-4 minutes.

We have added the dry mango powder, garam masala powder and gave a stir.

We allowed it to cook for a minute and added the paneer pieces.

We have let it simmer for 3-4 minutes; the paneer anyway would soak in the juices and thicken the gravy in minutes.

You can see we had a hearty vegetarian meal with DRY SPICED PANEER & CURRY LEAF CORIANDER RICE; Water Cress Fritters & Purple Cabbage+Tomato+Lettuce salad tossed in Vietnamese Lemon Grass Salad Dressing.

MULO SHAAK O ALOOR POROTA

I do not get the energy to ask people how they have been; I am not in the habit of faking anything. I can see people are not happy with the new world situation. The scare of a virus has disturbed the rhythm of life. Moreover, people who are like me; pessimistic with full of negativity within, they are perhaps finding it difficult to look into a "tomorrow!" I am in a constant fear of "what is waiting for us tomorrow?" In this situation, when someone called yesterday and asked to take the best out of the situation, stay positive and happy; that indeed gives me a better feel. I see some sunshine too this morning.

I perhaps woke up from the actual sleep around 4am today, still trying to have some more sleep I lay tight on the bed but to no avail. Awkward pictures from around keeps me thinking how can people be so mindless, heartless that they do not leave people at peace in their death. Instead of paying tribute, they go to the extent of sharing  pictures the police might need for obvious reasons. What level of disrespect do we show circulating the picture of the dead? Where are we heading to? Tomorrow do we click the bodies in a morgue and circulate in public? This is how I felt yesterday night; then think of people who stay alone and go to the bed with this dark in the corner of their minds. These days we hardly think of a consequence of an action. Around 6am, I get up and come to the living room. I again go to sleep on our dilapidated couch and wake up at 8:30 am.

Feeling fresh at this time and I stick to my yesterday's decision of sharing a porota / paratha / flatbread recipe with boiled potato & radish greens MULO SHAAK O ALOOR POROTA with my readers today. The man has to go to office this week; if I have the feel that I will miss his presence at home, life is good with him. If I see traits of patriarchy in him like his family, I rebuke him straight on his face! Because I found him different, I married him. If after reading my social media posts he has not battered me; he is on track and life is worth it with him. Always keep a room for debate in a couple's life. As the person over phone told me yesterday, there is always something good to look forward to in life. See, I am liking it that the weirdest at home occupied my place in the couch , has put the television set in full volume. The atmosphere seems lively.

Yesterday afternoon, after I had bought lunch for the family and did some "tukitaki bazaar" and sent it home through Cristine; I felt free to go for a walk. Because I would have a late lunch, I bought myself three vegetarian gyoza in a stick for 1:70$.

I eat them, I drink the water Cristine packs for me and then set off for the walk. I thank my men for not questioning my movements ever. On the way, I did an exercise just to keep myself happy, tore the dried leaves from the roadside trees.

Back home, I got busy with something else and ate a bowl of kimchi flavoured noodles as late as 5:30pm. Thereafter, it felt I could have skipped it. At times I overeat, I do not know why. I loved adding the greens to the noodles. Let me see how I can use the remaining greens.

At this time, I am having that rice flour vegan cake I blogged about last Friday and a plain porota / paratha / flatbread made from a left over dough. The cake has not spoilt but it does not remain that good in taste after 3-4 days; it has coconut mind it!

That I would blog about a very rustic, vegetarian, Indian flat bread recipe with radish green and potato MULO SHAAK O ALOOR POROTA today was decided on my walk yesterday when a sudden news did not start pouring in. I do not wish to go into any discussion why it had to happen, people who take such a step, know the reason best. The problem is they do not live to say why; so that experts can find some way to find a cure. I only wish to say; when we feel low, we must take a look at the ravages the storm has caused to many lives, the jobless situation the virus that has spread has caused; there is a possibility we may feel ourselves in a better position. I am simply disliking the analysis, cruelty of minds revolving an incident, or say concerning any incident happening around. People go to any extent with their expert comments.

 I do not have any expertise in me; I listen to music instead; of few genres. Its been long I have not sung for myself. I so wish to learn Hindustani Classical and specialise in Thumri after settling the son; the fees of the Gurus are really high here. Moreover who will teach an untrained, middle-aged woman now who lack dedication, concentration? Not everyone is our swimming coach Joe, he taught us without even touching us. It feels bad not to hear his voice down below for months now. He offered to teach me butterfly & backstroke too. Let me cook instead.

INGREDIENTS :

WHEAT FLOUR : 2 COFFEE MUG
REFINED FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG
RADISH GREEN / YOUNG RADISH LEAF : A BUNCH
BOILED POTATO : 1 BIG
CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2 SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TBSP
SLICED ONION : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2-3
SALT : AS REQUIRED
TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP
AAMCHOOR / DRY MANGO POWDER : 2 TSP
GHEE  OR OIL : 2TBSP + 1 TSP TO FRY EACH FLATBREAD
BUTTER TO GARNISH [OPTIONAL]


PROCEDURE :

Here we do not get very young leaves of radish like in Kolkata but it is what you see below.

We have washed the bunch thoroughly and chopped them small, if not so finely.

We have washed, boiled, peeled and mashed the potatoes. We have peeled and sliced the onions, chopped the green chillies and coriander leaves. We have washed them well.

Heat oil in a wok; tear the dry chillies and add.

Add the sliced onion & chopped green chillies and fry till golden brown.

Add both the radish greens, little salt & the turmeric.

Stir cook for 4-5 minutes at medium heat and add the dry mango powder; fold in well.

Add the boiled potato; stir cook well for 3-4 minutes and switch off gas.

Take the two flours, a bit of salt, 2tbsp oil in a bowl and rub well for 2 minutes. Add the greens & potato mix. Add the washed, chopped green chillies too.

Prepare a dough; add water if only required.

Rest it covered for 15-20 minutes. Tear off smaller portions and smoothen between palms.

Dust each ball with flour and roll out roundels. I am never good at it. If you are not as lazy as me, you will make stuffed paratha out of them.

Roast well both sides in a pan. Use 1 tsp oil or ghee to cook each of them.

You can see I garnished them with butter and served with raita, salad and apple achar. Our boy eats them with sauces or as it is.