Minty Paneer Curry

This is one easy quick-fix recipe, when you are short of time and you wish to eat a full Indian meal. I served it with frozen chapatis that you get in the supermarket here. It was ready in about half hour. 

Ingredients:

• 350 gms paneer(I used frozen)
  
• a big bunch (about a cup and half) of coriander and mint leaves (stems from the mint leaves removed)
• 3-5 tbsp of greek yogurt
• 3 medium sized onions
• 3 green chilies
• 4-5 garlic flakes
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp of oil/butter/or ghee (or more according to taste)

Recipe:

• Take the required paneer out of the freezer, in case you are using frozen paneer and keep it on the counter to defrost)
• Wash and rinse the coriander and mint leaves and leave it in the strainer to drain out excess water.
• In a grinder, add 2 green chilies and ginger and pulse for a few seconds. Then add the coriander and mint leaves and pulse again till you get a fine puree. 
• Add the greek yogurt and salt and pulse again. 
• Take the puree out in another bowl.

• Add paneer to the coriander-mint-greek yogurt puree, mix well and leave it aside for 10-15 minutes.

• In the same grinder jar, add garlic and the remaining chili(optional) and get a fine paste. Take it out and puree the onions to get fine onion paste.

• Heat oil/butter/ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and garlic-chili paste.

• Then add the pureed onion paste and saute it on a medium-low flame till it is well cooked and the oil separates ( it will not happen if you use just a tsp of oil :) ... just wait for it to dry, as mine)

• Add the marinated paneer and mix well.

• Cook on low-medium flame for 3-5 minutes.

• Add about 1/4-1/3 cup of water, if u want a wet curry and let it boil for about 1-2 minutes.

• Add garam masala, mix well and turn off the flame. 

• Garnish with mint leaves, hot melted butter or ghee or even a dollop of greek yogurt.

• Serve hot with chapati, naan, paratha or rice.

Quantity:

• about 4-5 servings

Notes:

• Reduce the quantity of greek yogurt to about 1 tbsp, if you want a dry curry or to eat the paneer as a appetizer.
• You can eat the dry version of this curry, as a filling to grilled sandwich (which we did the next day)
• You can substitute normal curd for greek yogurt. Hang the curd to get a thick creamy version, for an hour or two.

Mushroom and Coriander Soup

My younger son is very fussy about food, especially about eating vegetables. So now and then, I make soups for him. I usually boil a piece of carrot, tomato or any other vegetable and then puree it. Sometimes, flavor it with garlic, ginger ..or just salt and pepper. My kids like the creamy mushroom soup, but I like this version. Don't go by the pictures, it looks very brown and dull in photographs, but it is really flavorful.