Chole Paneer!!!

After a very long time I was back into the kitchen to cook. I hoped that I had not forgotten how to cook. Mom decided to make chapatis for lunch and I offered  to make the side-dish.
Chole is one of Ji's favorites. I decided to make the dish with paneer.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas : 2 Cups
• Paneer : 1 Cup ( cut in small cubes)
• Onion : 1 Medium ( chopped)
• Tomatoes : 4 Medium 
• Cumin seeds / Jeera : 1 tsp
• Cloves : 1
• Garam Masala : 1- 1 1/2 tsp
• Ghee : As Required
• Salt : As Required
• 
  

To Grind: 

• Onions : 2 medium
• Garlic : 3-4 pods
• Green Chillies : 2-3 medium
• Ginger : 2 inches
• Fennel seeds : 1/2 tsp
• Cloves : 2
• Cinnamon : 1/4 inch piece

Method:

1. Cook the Chick peas separately with little salt.
2. Boil Tomatoes until skin peels off and mash them to make puree.
3. Grind the TO GRIND ingredients.
4. Fry the paneer cubes in ghee until golden brown.
5. In a kadai / wok add little ghee/ oil and add cloves and jeera. Let it splutter.
6. Add most of the chopped onions and saute till raw smell goes off.
7. Then add tomato puree and the ground paste and saute till raw smell goes off.
8. Add salt and Garam Masala.
9. Add the boiled Chick peas.
10. After the chick peas is well mixed with the gravy , add the paneer cubes and mix well.
11. Leave on for another 2 mins and switch-off.
12. Garnish with the remaining chopped onions and coriander leaves. Squeeze a little lemon if u wish.

Chole Paneer is now ready. Serve with hot Rotis.

Enjoy!!!!

Chick peas Sundal!!

Its Navarathri time!!!!!
Back in India there would be colorful Golus in most houses. Themed Golus have become very common in the recent years.
Navarathri is full of colorful rangolis, serial lights, music, pretty dolls, pavadais, and SUNDALS.
All 9 days of Navarathri there are different sundals for prasadam in almost every household.

Due to the request of a friend, I started to write the recipe for Chick peas/ Chenna/ Kondai kadalai Sundal.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas : 1 Cup (Soaked overnight)
• Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
• Urad Dal : 1 tsp
• Curry leaves : 6-8
• Ginger : 1 inch ( finely chopped)
• Red Chilli : 3-4
• Coconut : 2-3 Tbsp (shredded)
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : As Required
• Oil : 1 tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the soaked chick peas with enough water and salt. Add turmeric powder to get a inviting color.Make sure the chenna is well cooked but not mushy. Drain after it is done.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add urad dal and after it turns brown add red chilli, curry leaves and ginger.  
3. Add the cooked chick peas and saute for a 3 minutes. 
4. Finally add the scrapped coconut and saute for a minute and take it off the heat.

Enjoy the yummy Chick peas sundal.