पनीर भुर्जी / Paneer Bhurji (Cottage Cheese savory)

Paneer Bhurji

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is full of Protien, and many micro nutrients. Mixed with lots of vegetables it's nutritional value increases so does the taste. Matar-Paneer, butter-paneer, shahi-paneer are all very tasty and delicious savory of paneer, but tare very high on fats and cholesterol as they require lots of butter/nuts etc. Paneer Bhurji (पनीर भुर्जी) requires very less cooking oil. The moisture of vegetables and paneer renders the bhurji soft texture. 

Nutritional value (approx.) 

• Energy : 400 cal
• Carbohydrates :  2-3 gm
• Fats : 40 gm
• Sugar :
• Protein : 22 gm
• Calcium : 450 - 460 gm 
• Micronutrients:Magnesium, Phosphorus, vitamins 

Preparation Time : 15 minutes 

Cooking Time : 10 minutes 

Servings : 4Medium helpings 

Ingredients for Making Paneer Bhurji : 

• Paneer : 100 gm
• Onion : 1medium size (50 gm approx) 
• Capsicum : 50 gm
• Tomatoes : 100 gm 
• Ginger :1inch piece 
• Green chilies :1-2 according to taste (optional) 
• Green coriander : 10 - 15 leafs 
• Salt :1teaspoon or to taste 
• Cooking oil : 10 ml 

Directions For Making Paneer Bhurji :

• Wash and chop all vegetables 

Chopped vegetables 

• Break the paneer into crumbs.

Paneer crumbs

• Heat oil in cooking pan. Add chopped green chillies and grated ginger to hot oil. Sautee for 30 seconds then add chopped onions. 

Green chillies ginger and onions in oil 

• Sautee for a minute or two till onions become transparent. Add chopped capsicum. 

 Onion sautéed 

Capsicum added 

Capsicum after cooking for a minute 

• Mix and cook for a minute or so.
•  Add chopped tomatoes. Mix and cover, allow it to cook for two minutes stirring it atleast once 

All vegetables cooked

• The vegetables should be little crunchy not mushy after cooking.
• Add paneer to cooked vegetables. 

Paneer added 

• Add salt and mix. 
• Cover and cook for two to three minutes on low heat with stirring in between. Switch off the heat and allow it to cool. Paneer Bhurji is ready. 

Paneer Bhurji

• Add chopped coriander and mix. Paneer Bhurji is ready to serve. 

Paneer Bhurji

Tips: 

• Vegetables should be finely chopped. 
• Vegetables should be sautéed not cooked fully. 
• After adding paneer stirring regularly is must and cooking should be done on medium heat. 
• Do not over cook, else paneer bhurji will become dry not juicy and soft. 

Alternate Suggestions :

• Boiled green reen peas can be added to increase the taste and Protien content.
• Red chilli powder can be added, if one wants spicy bhurji. 

Gaderi (Colocacia gaint)/Taro Root /Arbi ki Bhange Wali Sabzi

Gaderi ki Bhangevwali Sabzi 

Gaderi ki Sabzi 

 Gaderi(गडेरी) is a tuber similar to Arbi.  It is known by different names in different part of India. Colocacia gaint is botanical name. In kumaon Gaderi is grown in every kitchen garden. Its leafs, as well as tuber used to make vegetable.  Kumaoni variety is more starchy and has slightly sweeter taste. Tuber vegetable can be made  both without gravy or vegetable with gravy. The best tasting vegetable of Gaderi is with gravy of milk of hemp seeds. In olden days when it was cooked on चूल्हा (earthen fire place) it used to have amazing smoky flavor. The tempering with local herb Jamboo (जम्बू) gives it authentic kumaoni flavor. 

Preparation Time: 20 minutes 

Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Srevings: 6 Medium helpings

Nutritional Value of Gaderi  Sabzi: (approx  value of Sabzi made with 500 gm gaderi and 100 gm hemp seeds)

Energy: 1120k cal

Fat : 65 gm

Carbohydrates: 210gm

Protien: 90 gm

Cholesterol: 0 

Dietary fibers: 62gm

Vitamins:

VitaminB  Folates,Niacin,Pyridoxin,Riboflavin,Thiamine, Pentothenic acid,

Vitamin A 

Vitamin C

Vitamin E and K

Sodium: 210mg

Potassium: 3000mg

Calcium : 232mg

Copper: 0.900mg

Iron: 280mg

Magnesium: 360mg

Manganese: 200mg

Phosphorus: 495mg

MicronutrientSelenium,Zinc, Carotene,cryptoxanthin. 

Ingredients Required For Making Sabzi:

• Gaderi: 1Medium size (roughky 1/2kg)

• Hemp seeds/Bhanga : 100 gm

• Ghee (clarified butter) : 4 teaspoons 
• Cumin seeds 1 + 1/2 Teaspoons
• Asafetida (हींग ) 1/4 Teaspoon
• Jamboo (जम्बू) : 1/2 Teaspoon
• Turmeric : 1/4 Teaspoon 
• Salt : 1 Teaspoon or to taste
• Dry Red Chili : 2
• Water: 200 ml (approx.)

• Fresh coriander leafs : 2or 3 sprigs for dressing

Directions For Making Gaderi  Sabzi:

• Peel gaderi abd wash it. Pat dry .

• Cut the cleaned Gaderi to pieces measurind 2-3 centimeters. 

• In a Kadai/wok take 2 teaspoons of Ghee and heat it. Break one red chilli. To the hot Ghee add

1. 1Teaspoon Cumin seeds
2. Pieces of one dry red chili
3. 1/2Teaspoon Jambu
4. 1/2Teaspoon Turmeric and cook on low flame for 30 seconds. 

• Put Gaderi  pieces in the tempering and mix well.

• Cover and cook with stirring and mixing every 2/3minutes till gaderi pueces become tender. (Sprinkle 1-2ml. Water in between as and when required)
• The Gaderi pieces will change the color andcwill become soft. Add chili powder as per the taste. 

• Mix well and cover. Let it cool. Before serving heat it with gentle mixing.

Gaderi ki sabzi 

• Grind the hemp seeds in a grinder-mixer . Add 50 ml. of water and Grind. Keep till fine paste is formed. If required add little water in small portions. 

Paste of hemp seeds

• Pour the paste in a sieve layered with muslin cloth. Pick up the cloth with gemp seed paste carefully and squeeze the milk out of the paste. Add water (100ml) in mixer pot to remove the adhering paste. Pour it over the residue in the muslin cloth, squeeze the paste to take out as much milk from hemp seed paste as possible.

Hemp seed(bhanga) milk

• Pour the hemp seeds milk over the cooked vegetable in wok. Cook on high flame for 2-3 minutes with continuous stirring. The gravy will start thickening.  Adjust the seasoning as per taste.

Gaderi in hemp  seed milk gravy 

• Take out the cooked Gaderi ki Bhange wali Sabzi in a serving pot.

Gaderi ki Bhangevwali Sabzi 

• Heat 2 teaspoons of Ghee in a laddle add

1. 1/2 Teaspoo Cumin Seeds
2. 1/2Teaspoon Jamboo
3. 1 Red Chili
4. Pinch of hing and cook for 30 sec. Spices will give out great smell.
5. Pour this tempering on the cooked Gaderi ki Bhangevwali Sabzi and it is ready to eat with hot roti.

• Sprinkle finelly chopped fresh coriander leafs.

Roti abd Gaderi ki Sabzi

Tips: 

• Apply oil on palns before peeling and cutting Gaderi to avoid itching. 
• Do not put the pueces of Gaderi in water.
• Do not let the Ghee become smoking hot,else the burnt Ghee wil spiil the flavor,taste abd color of Sabzi.
• Add water in little proportions while grinding hemp seeds for taking out milk. 
• To avoid curdling of hemp seeds milk cook the vegetable on high flame with constant stirring after adding hemp seeds milk.

Suggested Variations:

• Well whisked thick curd can be used instead of hemp seeds milk. The curd gravy of Gaderi tastes amazingly tasty.
• Fresh chopped fenugreek leafs (1 cup of 200ml ) can be added along with red chili powder and cooked to fenugreek flavored gaderi ki sabzi.

Sabzi of Raddish greens (Leaves) /मूली के पत्तों की सब्ज़ी

मूली के पत्तों की सब्ज़ी /Sabzi of Raddish Leaves 

 I love to have green leafy vegetable on my dining table, be it lunch or dinner. Apart from the leaves of spinach, kale, salad leaves etc. the leaves of many other vegetables which we discard off are actually packed with nutrients and are delicious to eat. 

Leaves of Raddish (मूली) are one of them. When we purchase and use Raddish we just think of it's root, so either we do not bother to check for the quality of leaves attached to the root, or we discard them either in shop itself or throw them into  dustbin at home. Next time choose the Raddish with nice bunch of green crown on them and make this delicious sabzi. 

Preparation Time : 15 minutes 

Cooking Time :15 minutes 

Servings :4 Medium servings

Nutritional value 100 gm of Raddish leaves:

Energy : 25 cal 

Fats : 0.1gm

Carbs : 5.0gm

Sodium: 48 mg

Potassium : 400mg

Proteins : 2.25gm

Calcium : 255 mg

Iron: 2.5mg

Magnesium : 22mg

Dietary Fibers : 2gm

Water: 91 gm

Vutamins:

C: 50mg

B6: 0.18mg

A: 300ug

Ingredients Required for Making Sabzi:

• Raddish Leaves: 200gm(approx)40-45 leaves/crowns of 4 Raddish approximately

• Raddish : 4-5 inches piece(approx.) 
• Potato: 1 medium sized (10-15gm) (optional) 

• Cooking Oil: 5ml (I use mustard oil) 
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 Teadpoon
• Dry Red Chili :1-2(broken to pieces) 
• Asafoetida(हींग) : 1-2pinches
• Turmeric powder :1/4 Teaspoon 
• Salt :1 /2 Teaspoon 

Directions For Making Sabzi :

• Remove all blemished, hard, yellowish leaves. 
• Remove the hard stalk. Soft stalk adds crunch to sabzi so do not remove it. 
• Wash the leaves thoroughly in lots of water at least three four times to make sure all remanant soil on underside of leaves is removed. 
• Drain the washed leaves and then chop them as fine as you can. Finer they are cut tastier is the sabzi. 

• Wash and cut raddish and potato and tomato to small piece. 
• In an iron /cast iron wok or any other thick bottom cooking pan take oil and heat it. 

1. When the oil is hot but not smoking add :Cumin seeds
2. Red chili pieces
3. Asafoetida 

• When cumin seeds starts sputtering add pieces of raddish and potato. 

• Cook for two three minutes on medium heat. The potato and radish pieces twill charge color and become little soft. 
• Add Chopped leaves,salt, turmeric and mix nicely.

• And mix thoroughly. 
• Cover and ook for 3-4minutes on medium heat stirring once or twice. 
• Add Chopped tomatos 

• Cover and cook on medium heat for another 3 - 4 minutes with intermittent stirring. 
• Check the potato pieces. If they are cooked then remove the lid and up the heat to maximum and cook with continuous stirring till the liquid from vegetable dries up.  Make sure the vegetable does not stick to the bottom of cooking pan or get burnt. 

Sabzi is ready to be served 

• Adjust the salt, if desired add chili powder. Mix. 
• Switch off the heat. Take out the sabzi in a serving bowl and serve with daal-chawal /Roti /parantha. 

मूली के पत्तों की सब्ज़ी /sabzi of Raddish Leaves 

Tips:

• Chopping the leaves and stalk is must for good texture and taste. 
• In the last step of cooking be alert. If vegetable gets stuck to bottom of pan and gets little burnt also, it will leave unpalatable taste to sabzi. 
• If cooking is done in non-stick wok/pan then amount of oil can be reduced thus reducing the fat content of sabzi. 

Suggested Variations: 

• Finelly Chopped garlic can be added to the tempering. 

Bhatt ka jaulaa /भट्ट का जौला( Polenta of Black Turtle Beans)

Bhatt ka jaulaa / Black Turtle Beans Polenta with spicy salt mix. 

Black Turtle Beans/Bhatt are quintessential part of Kumaoni cuisine. In fact in the kitchen of Uttarakhand Bhatt (black turtle beans), Gahat (horse gram /Macrotyloma uniflorum), foxtail millet (maduwa/madwa/nachani),barnyardmillet (madir/manir/jhingora), are always present. These are used to make delectable dishes. Bhatt ka jaulaa /black turtle beans Polenta is one of them. 

The botanical name of Bhatt /kala ghevda / black turtle beans /karuppu is Phaseolus Vulgaris. It is also popular in Latin American, Canjun, Spanish, Portuguese cuisine. 

In kumaon Bhatt is used to make Dubke (डुबके), Rasg-gude (रस और गूदे), chudkani (चुड़कानी) for main course which are taken with steamed rice. 

Bhatt are also dry roasted till they splutter and are eaten as snack with spicy salt mix made by grinding herbs-salt-green chillies together. 

The nutty flavor of roasted Bhatt is amazing. 

Different people use different ratio of Bhatt and rice. I prefer Bhatt and rice ratio 1:1 or bhatt slightly more. Make it in iron wok /cast iron wok for authentic flavor and increased iron content in jaulaa. Polenta is a one pot wonder meal and this Polenta can be called one pot super food. 

Preparation Time : 

Soaking black turtle beans (bhatt) overnight 

Soaking Rice : 30 minutes 

Grinding Time : 5 minutes 

Cooking Time : 2 hrs (approx) 

Servings : 6 large servings 

Nutritional value of Bhatt Ka jaulaa (Made from 100 gm Bhatt and 100 gm rice) :

Energy : 261 calories 

Proteins : 11.74 gm

Carbs : 51.7gm

Dietary fibers : 9.1 gm

Fats : 1.0 gm

Cholesterol : 0 

Sugar : 0.37 gm

Sodium : 470 mg 

Potassium : 377 mg 

Iron: 2.10 mg

Calcium : 27 mg 

Magnesium : 70 mg 

Phosphorus : 140 mg

Zinc : 1.2mg

Rich in Vitamins :

A

B1

B2

B3

B6

Folates (B9)

Ingredients for making Bhatt ka jaulaa (Black Turtle beans Polenta) 

• Bhatt (black turtle beans) : 100 gm
• Rice : 100 gm.
• 2 Teaspoons Rice flour 
• Water for cooking 

Directions for Making Bhatt ka Jaulaa :

• Wash bhatt nicely. Take washed Bhatt in a big bowl and soak them in water for 6-8 hours. I soak them overnight if making jaulaa for lunch. 
• Wash and soak rice for atleast 30 minutes. If soaked longer it will do but donot soak it overnight. 

Soaked rice 

• Drain water from soaked Bhatt. Keep water aside, donot throw it. 
• In a grinder-mixer grind the soaked Bhatt to coarse thick paste, adding water in little amounts. 

Paste of Bhatt / black turtle beans 

• Keep remaining water for cooking. It is rich in nutrients. 
• Pulse soaked rice for a minute or two to break rice into small pieces. 
• Take a iron /cast iron preferably, in absence of iron /cast iron wok take any thick bottomed deep container for cooking. 
• Put soaked pulsed rice with 200 ml. water and start heating on high heat with occasional stirring. 

Soaked rice cooking 

• Once water comes to boil reduce heat to low and cook till the rice is semi cooked. It will take nearly 10 minutes. 

Semi cooked rice 

• Add Bhatt paste and 200 ml water and mix nicely. 
• Bring heat to high and keep stirring not allowing anything to settle at the bottom. 

Bhatt paste and water added to semi cooked rice 

• Once the whole thing starts boiling bring the heat to low. 
• Now starts process of cooking on low heat, stirring and adding water in small amounts.

Bhatt paste and semi cooked rice cooking together 

• Keep cooking for atleast for an hour more adding water 100 ml at one time and stirring it so that contents do not settle at the bottom and get burnt 
• Keep scrapping the sides also while stirring so that deposit on the sides do not become dry and hard. 
• By and large in one hour cooking almost 750 ml. water will get used. 

After almost an hour 

• The rice and beans paste will be cooked soft and nice. Rice grains will be broken nicely. 
• Add 2 teaspoons rice flour and mix nicely. 
• Add 1 teaspoon salt and 50 ml. water. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes with continuous stirring. 

Creamy textured Bhatt ka Jaulaa 

• Salt is added in less amount because in kumaon Bhatt jaulaa is eaten with Chatpata lahsuniya namak (spicy salt mix) made by grinding salt-garlic/duna-green chilies-fresh coriander leafs. 
• If one wants then after switching off heat spicy salt can be added according to the taste and then covered to cool. No cooking to be done after adding spicy salt mix to preserve raw taste of garlic-green chilies - coriander leafs. 
• Switch off the heat and cover the wok nicely. 
• Black Turtle Beans-rice Polenta / Bhatt ka jaulaa is ready. 

Bhatt ka jaulaa /Black Turtle Beans Polenta 

• Heat before serving. 
• Enjoy Bhatt ka jaulaa with spicy salt mix. I love besan ke Dubke (plain kadi) as accompaniment with jaulaa along with lahsuniya chatpata namak. 

Bhatt ka jaulaa with spicy salt mix 

Chatpata Lahsuniya Namak (Spicy Salt Mix) :

• Salt:  5 teaspoon
• Garlic : 5 medium size pods 
• Green Chilies : 3-4 depending upon their hotness and your tolerance to spice
• Coriander Sprigs : 5-6
• Clean all ingredients (except salt) wash and pat dry them. Roughly chop them. 
• In a grinder-mixer take salt and Chopped ingredients. Pulse till nice smooth paste is obtained. Do not add water. 
• Alternately mortar-pestle can be used to make salt mix. I prefer mortar-pestle. 
• Enjoy the chatpata lahsuniya namak (Spicy salt mix) with jaulaa. 

Tips: 

• Preferably take small grain rice. 
• If rice is long or thick grained then pulse the soaked rice to break the grains to smaller pieces. Do not overdo pulsing else paste will be formed giving glugy texture to jaulaa /Polenta. 
• Rice and coarse paste of beans should be slow cooked to give nice soft uniform Polenta. 
• Donot add lots of water at one go, add 100 ml or so at one time, stirring is very important. 
• Do not add salt before whole thing is cooked else milk of beans will get split. 
• Cooking rice first to release it's starch is important, the starch mixes with milk of Bhatt paste and avoids it from splitting. 

Suggested Variations :

• Rice:black turtle beans can be changed to 1.5:1 instead of 1:1.
• Required amount of chatpata lahsuniya salt can be added once the heat is switched off. 
• 3-4 teaspoons of ghee (clarified butter) can be added in four installments of one teaspoon while cooking Polenta. This will increase the creamy texture of jaulaa /Polenta and add flavor to it. I do not add it to keep jaulaa /Polenta fat less. 
• Some people do not like raw flavor of garlic so garlic can be avoided in spicy salt. 
• In kumaon duna / garlic chive (a herb of uttarakhand) is used along with greeny chilies. Along with garlic chives coriander springs are not required. 
• In many households small grinding stone (sil - batta /सील - बट्टा) are yet used. Spicy salt mix is yet made on it in kumaon. 

Palak-Mushroom ( Mushrooms In Green Sauce)

Musrooms In Green Sauce

Palak-Mushroom (Mushrooms In Green Sauce)

This recipe is very close to my heart for two reasons

1. It requires least efforts and oil
2. It is very nutritious and yummy

Mushrooms are fleshy, fat free, gluten free, and cholesterol free, rich in nutrients and low in calories. So is true for spinach and coriander. Thus using Spinach and coriander to make sauce not only makes it rich in nutrients but also a visual treat.

Green gravy/sauce with mushrooms is feast to eyes.  Simple roti (Indian flat bread), Parathas, Nan and Steamed rice all go well with it.

 Nutritional facts: (Approximately)

Cal 52

Fat 4.5gm

Cholesterol 5mg

Dietary Fibers 4gm

Carbs 6.4 gm

Sugar 3.5 gm

Sodium 1.2gm

Potassium 1gm

Proteins 3.5gm

Rich in Vitamin C, B-6, B-12, A and D

Minerals in abundance Iron, Calcium

Micronutrients Manganese, Magnesium, Selenium, Phosphorous

Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 Large Servings

Ingredients Required For Making Mushroom In Green Sauce:

• Button Mushrooms: 100gm
• 100 gm Button Mushrooms
• 100 gm Spinach leafs (Stalks removed)
• 25 gm Coriander Leafs (Stalks removed)
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Small Onion 
• 10-15 gm Cream (Optional)
• 1 Teaspoon Olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 2 Green chilies or to taste
• Salt to taste

Direction to Make Mushroom In Green sauce:

• Wash spinach and coriander leafs separately and drain.
• Wash mushrooms and remove any stalks which look discolored.
• Cut spinach.
• Boil 50 ml. water and when water starts boiling add spinach. Give a stir and switch off the heat. Cover water and spinach mixture and allow to cook in its own heat. Spinach should not lose its beautiful green color.

Cooked Spinach

• Chop coriander leafs and keep aside.

Chopped Coriander leafs 

• Chop garlic to fine pieces and keep aside.
• Cut mushrooms to required size as per your liking. I prefer my mushrooms to be little thick pieces so if they are of small size then each is cut to 4 pieces, bigger ones are cut to 6 pieces.
• Cut onions and green chilies and saute then in 1/2 teaspoon oil till translucent

Sauteed Onion and Green Chilies

• Blitz spinach with water and coriander leafs and green chilies-onion mixture in a grinder/ mixer to make a fine paste. The paste will be fragrant green color.

Paste of Spinac, Coriander leafs, Onion and Green chilies

• In a wok take olive oil and heat.
• Add cumin seeds and when they start spluttering add finely chopped garlic. Cook on low heat till the garlic attains light brown color.
• Add Mushrooms and cook on low heat with costant stirring for 2 minutes.

Mushroom with cumin Seeds and Garlic

After 1 Minute of Cooking

• Add spinach and coriander leaf’s paste. Stir and cook on low heat for about a minute not more.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat wtih rgular stirring.

Mushrooms Ready for the Green Paste

Green Paste added to Mushrooms

After 3 Minutes of Cooking

• Add salt and mix.
• Add 100 ml. water and mix.
• Bring neat to high and give one quick boil.
• Switch off the heat add cream and mix.

Ready to be Served

Palak Mushroom (Mushrooms In Green Sauce)

• Serve hot with Flat bread/rice/nan/paranthas.

Tips:

• Stalks should be removed else the fibers from stalks will give unpleasant texture to sauce/gravy.
• Spinach should not be boiled else the green color will turn of darker shade and the gravy/sauce will not be of the beautiful green color.
• Mushrooms should not be cut too small or thin they should be thick enough to be juicy in sauce/gravy.
• Taste the chilies before grinding some are bland some super-hot.
• Too long cooking of mushrooms or gravy/sauce will cause mushrooms to lose their water and become rubbery and sauce to become of darker shade than we want in this recipe.
• Do not use red chilies as it will change the color and flavor of sauce.

Alternate Suggestions:

• Cream and water can be replaced by 100 ml. full cream/ low fat milk. If you are using milk then add it in the step where water is to be added, replacing water by milk. Using milk will reduce the fat content in the sauce.No water should be added when milk is being used. 
• You can omit onions. If onions are being omitted then green chilies should be added raw to spinach and coriander for making pastee.
• For those who do not partake or are allergic to garlic it can be omitted.