Zafrani Paneer

Zafrani Paneer  has a fragrant and delicate white gravy with pieces of succulent paneer. Its gravy is versatile and can be used for navratan korma (by adding cooked vegetables of your choice) or for making malai koftas(add paneer koftas).The rich white gravy fragrant with cardamom and saffron goes well with all kinds of bread. I like it best with butter naan or roomali roti.

Ingredients

500 gm Paneer/ Cottage Cheese

100 gm or 1 cup Cashew nuts/ Kaju
1 & 1/2 Cup Khoya/ Reduced milk
1" piece of  ginger,roughly chopped
5 small green chillies(stalks removed)
5 green cardamoms/ Elaichi
2 medium sized onions,chopped
100 ml cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoon Ghee/ Clarified butter

For Garnishing
3-4 saffron strands,soaked in 1 teaspoon of water
4 almonds,slivered
1 sheet Silver leaf/Varq

How to make Zafrani Paneer 

• Grind to a smooth paste Cashewnuts,Khoya,ginger, green chillies and 2 cardamoms using little water as required
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Slice paneer into 1" thick cubes.I have cut paneer into small star shapes using a cookie cutter.
• Finely dice onion.
  
• Heat ghee in a pan,crackle cloves and remaining cardamoms
  
• Add chopped onions and saute on medium heat till onions become translucent.Do not brown the onions as it will change the color of the gravy
  
• Add cashew-khoya paste and cook stirring continuously so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan
  
• Add white pepper powder and salt to taste 
  
• Add milk and paneer pieces and cook till one boil
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Turn of the gas,add cream,sugar and mix well
  
• Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with drops of saffron water,slivered almonds and varq.
  

Quick Tips

• Do not cook gravy for long after adding paneer as it will turn paneer hard and chewy
• You can decrease the amount of green chillies to your liking if you don not like your dish spicy
• Do not skip on cardamom as it imparts the lovely fragrance to the dish.

Quick & Easy Donuts

I can have donuts any time of the day, seven days a week.This recipe of donuts is a super quick & easy which can serve hot donuts on table in flat 15 minutes.The ingredients listed are readily available in home and it just took me few minutes to whip them and they were gobbled down by my son even faster.It took me more time to write this recipe than making them.The end result was fluffiest and just melt in the mouth donuts.

Ingredients 

1 1/4 Cup Refined Flour/ Maida

2 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 cup sugar, powdered
3 tablespoon melted butter
Refined Oil,for frying
1/4 cup sugar(powdered) for dusting

How to make Donuts

• Preheat refined oil in a deep pan to a medium temperature or 180 degree celsius.
• In a bowl mix refined flour,baking powder and salt
• In another bowl, mix sugar, melted butter, milk and vinegar.

• Add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while gently mixing with a fork.Mix just enough so that all the ingredients are just mixed

• Make small lemon sized balls gently by hands.Do not overwork and press.

• Fry 3-4 of these balls at a time over medium heat till they turn golden brown in color

• Take out fried donuts on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.

• Dust with powdered sugar generously or roll in cinnamon sugar as desired

Quick Tips

• Do not fry these donuts at very high heat else the centre will remain uncooked.If fried on very low temperature,they will absorb excess oil.

• Do not over mix the dough of donuts, else they will become heavy.

• For cinnamon sugar: To 1/4 cup castor sugar add  tablespoon cinnamon powder.Roll donuts in this mix while still warm.

• You can also will these donuts with any filling of your choice like nutella, jam,whipped cream etc. Place the filling in piping bag with long nozzle. Insert the nozzle into donuts and press in the filling.