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. 

Mix Daal Vada/मिली जुली दाल का वाडा (Indian Patties of Mixed Pulses)

Mixed Daal Vada 

Vada is sort of flattened vegetarian patties sometimes with a hole in centre like doughnut. These vadas are taken as snacks, side dish and are very popular street food in India. Chana daal vada is one such vada which is very popular in Maharashtra. I took a cue from this street food and thought of making something different, and the result was Mix Daal Vada. It is extremely tasty, crisp from outside and soft moist from inside. This vada like other vadas can be had as snacks with tea /coffee, make it small bite size and enjoy it with cocktails, or serve it as side dish with roti-sabzi/daal-chawal. Green chutney of coriander leaves - mint goes best with it. 

Preparation Time: 4 to 5 hrs soaking time,

30 minutes grinding, chopping

Cooking Time: 15 minutes /batch

Serves: Makes 30 to 35 medium size vadas

Ingredients Required for Making Mixed-Daal-Vada:

• Chana daal(चना दाल) :100 gm 
• Bengal gram (साबुत काला चना):25 gm
• Split skinned black gram(धुली उडद दाल): 25 gm
• Split skinned Pegion peas (अरहर /तूर दाल):25 gm
• Medium size green chilies (हरी मिर्च) : 4
• Finely chopped ginger (अदरक): 4 Teaspopns
• Finely chopped Onion:8 Tablespoons

Few Chopped Ingredients 

• Red Chili Powder(लाल मिर्च पाउडर) (optional): 1 Table spoon
• Rice flour(चावल का  आटा): 5 Tablespoons 
• Salt (नमक) or to taste: 2 Teaspoon /to taste 
• Roasted Cumin seeds powder :1Teaspoon
• Carrom Seeds ( अज्वाइन): 1 Teaspoon
• Curry leaves(कड़ी पत्ता):15 तो 20
• Fresh Coriander Sprigs: 4 or 5 
• Oil for frying

Directions for Making Mixed Daal Vada:

• Mix all daal and wash them thoroughly till milky water stops coming as washing.
• Soak the washed mixture of daal in fresh water for minimum 4 to 5 hrs.(more the better). 

Soaked Daal Mixture 

• Once daal mixture is soaked drain all water and grind the soaked daal coarsely. Water is not required to be added while grinding.

Daal Paste 

Coarse Paste od Daal Mixture

• To the mixture coarse daal paste add rice flour and mix nicely. This mixture can be stored in fridge for 2-3 days.

Mixture of Daal paste and Rice flour 

• To the daal paste and rice flour mixture add:
• Finely chopped Onion
• Finely chopped ginger
• Finely chopped green chilies
• Chopped curry leaves
• Chopped coriander sprigs 
• Red chili powder
• Carrom seeds
• Cumin powder 
• Salt

Onion and spices added to mixture 

• Mix nicely and let it stand for 5minutes for rice flour to absorb the moisture and spices to release flavor. 
• Mix again and make round balls of the size you want.

Consistency of Mixture for Vada 

Vada Ready for Frying 

• Flatten the round balls of mixture to give half centimeter (approx) thick patti shape. 
• Heat oil in a thick bottom wok/frying pan. When the oil is hot (not smoking hot) out the flattened patties in the hot oil. Bring the heat to medium and fry turning them over once or twice, till the patties /vadas become crisp and golden brown on both sides.

Vada Frying on low flame 

Vada Being Fried to Golden Brown Color 

Mixed Daal Vada 

• Enjoy crisp, center moist, hot tasty vadas with mango chutney/coconut chutney / dhaniya - pudina chutney. Or Roasted Tomato Chutney. 

https://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2021/06/roasted-tomato-chutney.html?m=1

Tips:

• Do not add water while grinding the soaked. A well soaked daal mixture will not require water for coarse grinding. If water is added then the paste consistency will not be correct and excess of rice flour will be required to rectify it, this will spoil the taste of vada. 
• Once salt is added then do not store it because salt will cause onion to release water thus thinning the consistency of vada mixture. 
• Oil should never be smoking hot. If heated excessively switch off the heat and allow it to cool. 
• Frying should be done on low /mediul heat depending upon your stove but never on high heat. 
• High heat frying will make the vadas dark from outside but will be raw from inside. 
• Vadas should not be too thick for crisp outside and well cooked moist inner core. 

Suggested Variations:

• Add 2-3 teaspoons of black /white sesame seeds to the vada mixture.
• Coarsely ground groundnuts can be added to the vada mixture. 
• To the mixture of daal 20 gm Moth daal and or 20 gm whole black lentil can be added then soaked. This adds flavor and taste to vada. 

Bhatt ki cuhdkani (भट्ट की चुड़कानी /Kumaoni savory of Black Turtle Beans)

 चुड़कानी भात चुआ का साग 

Black Turtle Beans are known in India by many names. In Uttarakhand it is called Bhatt. It is very rich source of Vutamins B6, B12, Folates, Omega 3, Omega 6, many minerals and micronutrients. Being rich in Proteins and low on carbs and fats it helps alleviate type 2 diabetes. It is also very good for heart patients and high fiber content helps in digestion. 

Bhatt in Uttarakhand is used to make Bhatt ka Jaulaa, Bhatt ke Dubke, Ras-Gude Chudkani and dry roasted to be eaten as snack. 

Chudkani is a thick dal / soup made by roasting Bhatt and then cooking. 

Recipe follows. 

Nutritional value of Chudkani made from 100 gm black beans  (approx.) 

Energy : 210 calories 

Proteins : 11.74 gm

Carbs : 25.7gm

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

Preparation Time : 5 minutes max 

Cooking Time : 30 to 40 minutes 

Servings : 5 Medium size servings

Ingredients Required For Making Bhatt ka Chudkani (Thick soup of Black Turtle Beans) :

Few ingredients of Chudkani 

• Black Turtle Beans : 100 gm. 
• Rice flour : 4Tespoons 
• Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon 
• Dry Red Chilli : 2 
• Asafoetida : 1/4th Teaspoon 
• Turmeric: 1/4th Teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon (optional) 
• Salt: 2 Teaspoons or to taste 
• Ghee / clarified butter /cooking oil : 1 Teaspoon 
• Wate

Directions For Making Bhatt ka Chudkani:

• Wash Bhatt (black turtle beans) nicely and pat dry them with a kitchen towel /clean cloth. Keep aside. 
• Break red chilies into and remove all seeds. 
• In an iron wok take ghee (clarified butter) and heat on high heat. 
• Once the ghee is hot bring the heat to low and into the hot ghee put washed pat dried Bhatt (black turtle beans). 
• Bring the heat to medium and with constant stirring. After 3-4 minutes the seeds will start sputtering and slowly they will change color and beautiful roasting smell will start coming. 
• It will take max 5 minutes for Bhatt to get roasted. Remove them when they become too dark. Once out of hot wok they will keep cooking due to heat in them. 

Ghee Roasted Bhatt 

• In the hot ghee add cumin seeds, once the seeds splutter add chilli pieces and asafoetida. 
• Cook for 30 sec. The chilli pieces will change color and nice aroma of cumin, chilies, asafoetida will come from wok.

Cumin, red chili hing in hot ghee 

• Add rice flour and cook with continuous stirring till rice flour becomes golden brown. 

Rice flour roasted 

• Add roasted black turtle beans and mix nicely.

Roasted Bhatt added 

• Add

1. Turmeric 
2. Red chili powder 
3. and salt. Give a nice mix. 

Masala added 

• Add 250 ml. water and bring the heat to high. Keep cooking on high heat with constant stirring till water starts boiling. 

Water added and cooking on low flame 

• Bring the heat to low and keep cooking with stirring occasionally. 
• The material in the wok will start thickening. 

• Keep adding 100 ml. water as required (normally every ten minutes). Keep cooking on low heat. 
• Bhatt (black turtle beans) will start swelling in size in the process of cooking and will become tender. 

After 10 minutes 

• It will take atleast 25 to 30 minutes more for the Bhatt to cook nicely. 

Chudkani is ready 

• Add water according the consistency you desire.
• Adjust seasoning. 
• Add one teaspoon of ghee. Give a boil and switch off the heat. Cover the wok. 
• Let ghee flavor seep into Chudkani nicely for 5 minutes. 
• Take out hot Chudkani in serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Chudkani and Saag 

• Serve delicious Uttarakhandi Bhatt ka Chudkani with hot steaming rice and any leafy vegetable. I prefer with green Amaranth( चु/चुआ /चवली चे पान) sabzi. 

Chudkani Rice and Chu saag 

• This thick soup of black turtle beans is actually a meal by itself.

Tips: 

• After washing Bhatt they should not be soaked it water. Pat dry them to reduce the surface moisture. Else they will not splutter. 
• While roasting washed Bhatt in ghee make sure they are roasted in medium heat. With continuous stirring to ensure 

1. Even roasting
2. Not burning off Bhatt 

• Once nice nutty roasted aroma starts coming from roasted Bhatt and they start turning brownish remove from heat. Cooking keeps on taking place once away from heat due to jot oil in the. 
• Do not add lots of water at one go, keep adding in small portion. 
• If in hurry once Bhatt chudkani is cooked for 10 minutes transfer it from wok to pressure cooker and cook till it gives one whistle (roughly 10 minutes). 

Suggested Variations:

• In the absence of iron wok, cast iron wok or any other thick bottom container can be used. But best taste comes when cooked in iron / cast iron container. 
• In the absence of rice flour, wheat flour can be used. 
• Though chudkani tastes best when cooked with ghee but mustard oil is second best choice. Rest your choice for oil you take for cooking. 

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.