Tag: garam masala
Paneer Cheese Burgers with Cilantro Mayo
So, these are perfect for Meatless Mondays! I’ve been meaning to try vegetarian burgers and paneer (Indian cheese) is the perfect thing to use. I grated the cheese and added a lot of yummy flavorings, including, cilantro, mint and dill! So, go get paneer (usually at Whole Foods) or definitely at the Indian store and try these!
- 1 pound paneer, grated
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves,
- 1 cup grilled or regular frozen corn, chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate it for an hour. Form 6 patties and keep aside.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 slices cheddar cheese
Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the patties on both side on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes each. Place sliced cheese, cover with foil for a minute or two and serve on buns with slices of tomato, arugula and cilantro mayo.
Cilantro Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Mix all the ingredients together and serve on buns with the burgers.
Dal Makhani- Black Lentils with a Cream Sauce
Diwali is coming up and this is a must in our house… people typically make this lentil dish for a special occasion but it is so simple… you can make it any day you want… yum!
- 1 cup whole urad dal (black lentils)
- ¼ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
- ¼ cup channa dal (gram lentils)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons half and half
In a pressure cooker or sauce-pan, add the urad dal, rajma, channa dal, water, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, turmeric and ghee. If using a pressure cooker, then close the lid and cook on high till the pressure is built, then turn the heat on low and cook for an hour. Turn the heat off, and take the lid off- check the consistency. The dal should be like a thick soup or a think stew. If there is excess liquid, then turn the heat on high and begin to evaporate the liquid. Add the garam masala and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
If using a sauce-pan, then bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat, cook for at least 2 hours or till the lentils are soft and mushy. Add the garam masals and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
A Restaurant Classic – Chicken Tikka Masala
Another staple for Diwali dinner… yum!
- 2 pounds boneless skinless thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 5-6 wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least an hour
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 inches fresh ginger
Process the garlic and ginger into a paste and add to a medium sized bowl.
- ½ cup non-fat greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup raw cashews, ground
Preheat broiler on high.
Add the yogurt, half and half, food coloring, lemon juice, coriander powder, salt, garam masala, cilantro and cashews into the bowl with the ginger and garlic. Mix well and add the chicken pieces. Marinate over night or at least two to three hours.
Take out the pieces out of the marinade and place them evenly onto the skewers. Broil on a broiling pan on high for 5 to 6 minutes on both sides or till the chicken is golden brown. Take the chicken out of the skewers and keep aside.
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 cans (14 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup milk
- ¼ cup half and half
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons dried fenugreek
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin seeds on medium high heat. Saute for a minute and add the ginger and garlic. Saute for another minute and add the tomato sauce. Add the milk, half and half, sugar, salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and add half of the chicken pieces (the rest can be used for another recipe). Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the fenugreek and fresh coriander. Check for seasonings.
Ground Pork with Cauliflower in Cilantro Sauce (Keema Gobi)
One of our favorites…
Cilantro Sauce
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
Blend the cilantro, green onions, ginger, garlic and onion in a blender till veggies form a smooth paste. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the cumin seeds and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and sauté on high heat. Separate the meat while stirring with a wooden spoon- for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cilantro paste and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the cauliflower, coriander powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well and lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat up, stirring constantly, cook for another five minutes or till the excess moisture has cooked through. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.
Chicken Curry with a Fenugreek Cream Sauce
This is a very simple dish to make… the only catch is to make sure you have fenugreek seeds and dried fenugreek.. any Indian store will have it and a little goes a long way… especially the seeds. Fenugreek has a very earthy yet pungent flavor.. it adds a certain nuance to a dish which is hard to explain.. you will have to try it yourself… oh and btw, the naans from yesterday will go fabulously with this dish…
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons full fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 1 cup water
- 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless, cut into 2 inch pieces
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a wok like pan with the coconut oil. Add the fenugreek and cumin seeds. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar and cayenne pepper. Saute for a minute and add the yogurt, half and half and the water. Bring to a boil. Take off heat and transfer to a blender. Blend till smooth and return to the pan. Bring to a simmer and add the chicken and salt. Simmer the chicken covered with lid for 15 to 20 minutes. Check for seasonings, garnish with cilantro and serve.
Cheeseburgers with Indian Flavors
- 1 pound grass fed ground beef
- ½ cup cilantro
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 green onions
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
Process the cilantro, garlic and green onions. Add to the ground beef. Add the salt, garam masala and ground coriander. Mix well and keep aside for 2 to 3 hours. Form into 4 patties.
Garam Masala Mayonnaise
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon salt
Juice of one lemon
Mix the mayonnaise, garam masala, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl and keep aside.
- 1 large sliced tomato
- 4 soft burger or focaccia rolls
- 4 pepper jack slices
Cook the burger patties on a grill or a grill pan according to desired doneness. Top with cheese. Spread mayonnaise on the rolls. Add a tomato slice and add the patty. Serve with corn and a salad.
Paneer Cheese Burgers with Cilantro Mayo
Everyone loves burgers- it is one of my family’s favorite things to eat… especially if they are homemade- your guests and you won’t miss meat at all!! These burgers are made with paneer (Indian cheese) and are packed with protein and flavor…
- 1 pound paneer, grated
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves,
- 1 cup grilled or regular frozen corn, chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate it for an hour. Form 6 patties and keep aside.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 slices cheddar cheese
Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the patties on both side on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes each. Place sliced cheese, cover with foil for a minute or two and serve on buns with slices of tomato, arugula and cilantro mayo.
Cilantro Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Mix all the ingredients together and serve on buns with the burgers.