Curried Ginger Potato Latkes

5 potatoes, peeled and grated
1/4 cup onion grated

1 tsp ginger grated
1/4 cup cornflour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste
olive oil

Combine grated potato with all the ingredients except the oil.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan.
Fry the potato latkes by dropping 1/4 cup measures of the mixture into the pan, and flattening them in the pan.


Fry on each side for about five minutes till cooked. Add more oil if needed.

This recipe is my contribution for Jihva for Ingredients - Ginger event.

Chicken 65

Boneless chicken breast 1 lb

Ginger paste 1 tbsp

Garlic paste 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Cornflour 1 tbsp

Yogurt whisked 1/4 cup

Green Chillies 2 slit lengthwise

Curry Leaves 5

Salt

Oil 2 tbsp



Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Mix ginger, garlic,red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala powder, salt, and cornflour. Add chicken to this mixture and marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Heat oil add chicken and pan fry in batches till golden brown and tender, till all the chicken gets fried. Keep aside. In the same pan add green chillies and curry leaves, stir for a few minutes. Add the whisked yogurt, and the fried chicken. Keep stirring till all the liquid evaporates. Serve hot as an appetizer.

Aloo Methi

Fresh Fenugreek Leaves with Potatoes

Methi or fenugreek leaves are usually used when they are tender and green to make a dry dish called Aloo-Methi. The leaves of the fenugreek are bitter, but the potatoes and onions in this dish balance out the bitterness. I remember eating this as a child and even taking it to school for lunch with chapaties.

1 bunch methi leaves look in the Asian stores that's where I buy them
2 new potatoes cubed about 1 inch
1 small red onion chopped
3 green chillies minced
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds

Strip the leaves off the stems, and wash the leaves several times to get the grit off. Chop the leaves fine and keep aside. Nuke the potatoes in the microwave with 1 tbsp water for five minutes till cooked.
Heat oil add mustard seeds, once they splutter add the onions, green chillies, and garlic. Saute till golden add turmeric and the potatoes, stir. Add the chopped methi leaves and salt, stir well.
Once the leaves wilt, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes till all the water gets evaporated and the greens cook. Mash the potatoes slightly till everything gets combined.
Serve with chapaties or rice. I have even eaten this with bread.

Paneer Bhurji Panini

A easy lunch idea for adults and kids, just add some carrot sticks or a side salad and a fruit, and lunch is all packed and ready to go. This recipe idea is my contribution to The Daily Tiffin. http://dailytiffin.blogspot.com/

I had leftover paneer bhurji from my New Year's Eve party, just enough for a sandwich/panini. Paneer is Indian cottage cheese, much more firmer in texture than the American version. It is a kind of pressed non-melting cheese similar to ricotta, atleast in the way it is made. This is the only cheese that is completely vegetarian. It is often used in savory and sweet dishes, and also eaten as a source of protein.

Anyway I used store-bought paneer for this dish but home-made paneer is much more better in texture.

2 tbsps paneer bhurji spread on one slice of bread I used multi-grain white sandwich bread, but sourdough might be better, cover with the other slice. Grilled on George Foreman Grill till golden and toasted. I had this for lunch, and I should say the sandwich was great even though I had made it this morning.

Paneer Bhurji

1 cup crumbled paneer

1/2 red onion chopped

1 green chilli minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 tomato chopped

1 green pepper copped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper pwd

2 tbsps cilantro leaves

1 tbsp oil

Heat oil add cumin seeds, once they brown add onion, green chilli, and ginger. Saute till light golden add tomato and green pepper, stir for a few minutes. Add paneer, salt, pepper and cilantro leaves. Stir till well combined. Use as a filling or a side dish.

Moru Curry/Curd Curry

Moru curry, an easy throw it together kind of a curry when there are no vegetables in the house, and your mind draws a blank as to what to cook. Hopefully you would have yogurt and a few herbs somewhere in the fridge.

1 cup of yogurt preferably sour

1/4 cup fresh coconut ground with 1/4 tsp cuminseeds
1 shallot or 1/4 of a red onion minced finely

1 clove of garlic minced
1 tsp ginger minced
2 green chillies minced
a sprig of curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, these are staples in any Indian kitchen.
Blend the yogurt till smooth with a whisk, add the ground coconut mixture.

Heat oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and once the mustard seeds splutter, add the minced onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.

Stir till golden a few minutes add cumin seed powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric, and pepper powder.

Stir and add the water.

Once it boils lower the heat, add the yogurt and coconut and mix till well blended.

Add salt, and let the whole thing warm up a bit and you will see litlle bubbles forming.

Take off heat and the Moru curry is ready to be eaten with rice.