Palak Paneer (My style)

Palak Paneer curry is very famous and loved by paneer lovers. This is a gravy dish and goes well with almost all main dishes.Palak Paneer is done/prepared in different ways. Here is a simple and quick healthy recipe that can be done in less time.
I have used Palak leaves, paneer (Indian cottage cheese), little home made cream and some spices. 

Palak/Spinach is loaded with many minerals and vitamins. It is a good source of iron content. One should use leaves in there diet. Leaves are full of fiber and good for digestion. Palak is full of nutritious and loaded with good source of antioxidants.
Let us see the benefits of having Paneer/Indian cottage cheese in our diet.
Paneer is a milk product. It is a great source of calcium. It helps in maintaining strong teeth and bones. It contain Vitamin D and is helpful in preventing good dental health. It is good for women who are undergoing menopause. It is also good for people of any age who are suffering from malnutrition. Paneer is a rich source of protein and vitamins. It is good for people who wants to gain weight. It contain fats, proteins, calcium, vitamins and minerals. It helps to enhance blood formation and strengthen the liver.
Lets see the recipe now: 

Things needed : 

Palak : 1 Bundle
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Ginger : a small piece
Jeera /Curmin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera Powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Green chilly : 2
Pepper pods : 4 to 6
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : to taste (as required)
Milk Cream : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Nandini Paneer : 1 pack
Curd : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut only palak leaves and boil them with little water for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.
2.Wash and cut tomatoes (remove the seeds) and grind it nicely. (Do not use water to grind).
3. Wash and cut coriander leaves, green chilly, grate ginger and keep it aside.

4. Cut paneer and soak in a tablespoon of curd for 5 minutes and fry them in a teaspoon of oil. Keep it aside.

5.Now grind palak leaves, green chilly, pepper pods and grated ginger using little water.(which is used for cooking palak leaves).

6.. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add cumin seeds and fry.
7.. Add ground tomatoes,turmeric powder and fry nicely till it thickens.

8. Add ground palak leaves and remaining Palak cooked water. (if there is still remain.) Let it boil nicely. Add salt and fried paneer pieces.
9. Add garam masala powder, jeera powder and let it cook nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.

10. Add fresh milk cream and shift the ready Palak Paneer to a serving dish.

Note :
Onions and garlic can be added while frying jeera. Soaking paneer in curd helps the paneer to be soft. Frying paneer is optional. You can just drop paneer pieces while palak gravy is cooking. Frying Paneer adds to the taste. I have used home made cream (which you get it while boiling milk). I usually collect the cream after boiling milk and keep it in the freezer. Then use it whenever I want it. Using shop bought cream is optional. You can also add lemon extract (1 teaspoon) just before serving. You can use potatoes instead of paneer. Boil potatoes and cut it into cubes and drop it in the curry while boiling. Taste differ. Adding more chilly is optional. Normally only palak leaves are used for the curry. I have cooked the stems(till soft) and ground it nicely. Any brand of jeera/cumin powder can be used. Or just roast some jeera (without oil) and dry grind it. Put it in a small bottle and used the remaining powder.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 

Palak Paratha (Green Spicy Chapati)

Palak Paratha is a healthy dish. It is a main dish and we can have them for breakfast, for lunch or for dinner. Normally kids do not want to eat leaves. So here is a simple way that you can make them eat leaves. It is a healthy recipe and not much of spice is used here.
Palak or any other edible leaves are loaded with iron and other minerals.

Lets see some benefits of eating Jeera /cumin seeds in our diet.
Cumin /Jeera seeds have wonderful flavour and aroma. They are loaded with number of health benefits. It is good for improving digestion. They are loaded with fibre and good for people who are suffering  from constipation. They are good sources of potassium and it helps to regulate blood pressure and heart rate. They contain anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and anti fungal properties and they are good remedy for cold and asthma. They contain good amount of iron, and are good for people suffering rom anemia. They also contain high amount of calcium good for women.
No onion or no garlic used in this " Palak Paratha ", and it is easy to prepare. A healthy paratha for all age group, easy to carry for the traveling, kids lunch box and even for the working people.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour : 3 Cups
Palak Leaves : 1 Bundle
Jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala : /12 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : Handful (of a small bundle).
Chilly powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablesppon
Salt : as required

Method :
1.Wash and cut only the leaves of palak (spinach) and keep it aside.
2. Wash and keep coriander leaves aside.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and put 1/2 glass of water. Let it boil.
4. Add cut palak leaves and let it turn slightly cooked. (1 to 2 minutes). Remove the leaves from the pan and keep the boiled water aside.

5. Let the palak leaves cool. Grind them with coriander leaves nicely till paste. (Do not add any water while grinding).
6. Put the ground palak paste in a bowl. Add salt, garam masala powder jeera powder and chilly powder. Mix it well.

7. Add wheat flour and use palak boiled water and prepare chapathi dough. Keep it for 5 minutes. ( Add extra water if it requires).

8. Keep the dough for 5 minutes and then divide the dough in to small ball size.

9. Dip a ball size of paratha and then roll it out like chapati.

10. Keep tava on the fire and cook paratha on both side by using very little oil.
11. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare parathas.

12. Serve paratha with cup of curd and the side dish you have prepared.

Cooking palak is to get away the raw smell. Do not over cook. Cook with little water and use the extra water while preparing the dough. (Palak cooked water). Do not use more spices. Mild spice is always healthy. You can use little ( a tablespoon) ghee or oil while preparing the dough. It helps the and turns the paratha soft. Use of garlic or onion is optional. While grinding you can add garlic pods and thin cut onions can be added while mixing the flour. (Completely optional). The taste differ. You can add jeera seeds instead of jeera powder. (Jeera powder helps the paratha to roll well and you can not see any spice on the top).
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 .

Methi-Mooli- Palak Parata

Methi - Mooli -Palak Parata is a simply superb item for the breakfast or dinner. It is full of energetic and loaded with all vitamins and minerals. It is easy to prepare like any other paratas. We can eat these Paratas with a cup of curd and pickle. Paratas are from Punjab and North India and they use lots of ghee, butter or oil to prepare paratas. It will be full of spices like garam masala or other masalas. It is not that easy to digest. But I think In their region they do hard work and it will be easily digested.
One of the evening when I was lazy to cook, idea of putting all these, mooli (Rasdish), Methi Leaves and Palak leaves together just flashed in my mind.. Mooli, Methi and Palak leaves are used with some garam masala, jeera and chilly powder.
Mooli is Radish . ( In Kannda Langutage we call as Moolangi). 
Lets see some benefits of eating Mehti Leaves and Palak Leaves.
Methi or fenugreek leaves are rich in medical properties. They contain protein, fibre, Vitamin C, Potassium, Iron. They help to reduce cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. It helps to control blood sugar levels in diabetics. Fenugreek helps to relieve indigestion and treats constipation. They are rich in anti oxidants. Methi leaves are good for hair and skin .
Palak Leaves or  Spinach as it is known as is a wonderful green leafy vegetable is full of nutritious, anti oxidantants  and anti cancer composition. They are rich source of several vital anti oxidant  Vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and beta carotene. The leaves contain good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc.It is also good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

" Methi -Mooli -Palak Parata" is a simple and easy dish and we can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Things needed :

Radish : 2 (Medium size)
Methi leaves : 1Bundle (Small)
Palak leaves : 1  Bundle (Small)
Red chilly powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder : a little
Salt : as required
Oil : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Wheat flour : 2 to 3 Cups

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of radish slightly and grate. Keep it aside.

2.  Wash and clean the leaves and cut into small and keep it aside.

3 Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and jeera. Fry for 1 minute.

4. Add grated radish and fry for 2 minutes. Add cut palak and methi leaves.
5. Fry them till they are soft. Add chilly powder, garam masala powder, salt and turmeric powder.
6. Mix it well and fry till the moisture disappear.

7. Take a big bowl and  put wheat flour. Add fried radish + leaves mixture to the wheat flour.

8. Mix it nicely and prepare dough ( use water if required) . Keep it aside.

 9. Divide the dough in to small portions. Take a small portion of the dough and roll them as Chapati.

10. Keep a Dosa Pan on the fire. Heat and put the rolled Parata on the tava and cook on both side.
11. Sprinkle oil on both sides and cook . Remove from the pan once it is done.

12. Repeat the same with remaining dough. Serve Methi - Mooli - Palak Parata with a cup of curd and pickle or chutney powder or any curry you prepared.

 You can also pack these Methi Mooli Palak Paratas to office or Kids Lunch box. ( with tomato Ketch Up ).

Note : Parata is nice to eat with curd. (yogurt). Adding onions or garlic while frying is optional. You can also  add coriander leaves. ( Cut it into thin). Adding  spice (masala powder) like chat masala or bhav bhaji masala or channa masala is optional.
Time : Preparation time : 10  Minutes. 
Cooking Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

Palak - Sweet Potato Palya & Mosaru Bajji

 Palak (spinach) - Sweet Potato Palya and Mosaru bajji are side dishes, using Palak and Sweet potatoes, coconut, green chilly. Palya is a dry curry and mosaru bajji is like Raitha.

Sweet Potato is one of the average calorie starch foods. It contain no saturated fats or cholesterol and is rich source of dietary fiber, anti - oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Sweet Potato provides a good amount of vital minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium. manganese and potassium.

Palak is very low in calories and fats. It contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber. It controls cholesterol. Fresh leaves are rich source of several vital anti - oxidant vitamins like vitamin A,
Vitamin C and antioxidants. Palak leaves are an excellent source of vitamin K. Palak leaves contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. It is also rich source of Omega - 3 fatty acids.

Here is a recipe of Palak - Sweet Potato Palya and Mosaru bajji. We can have this dishes with rice, chapati, vegetable rice or palau and roti or pooris.

Ingredients :

Sweet Potato : 2  (medium sized)
Palak leaves :  1 Small Bundle
Gree chilly : 2
Curry leaves : 1/2 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh (Asafoetida) : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Salt : to taste
Coconut : 2 Table spoons (Fresh and grated)
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Methi seeds : 4 to 5 seeds

Method :

1. Wash and boil (pressure cook) sweet potatoes and leave it for cooling. Remove the skin when it is cooled.

2. Wash and cut palak leaves, green chilly and coriander leaves.

3. Now keep a pan and heat. Add oil.
4. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and methi seeds. Let the mustard seeds spurt.
5. Add jeera, ingh and curry leaves. Add cut green chilly and fry for 10 seconds.

6. Now add palak leaves and mix it nicely and add 1/2 cup of water, turmeric powder and cook.

7.  Cut or smash cooked sweet potatoes and add to palak.
8. Cook on low flame for 2 minutes and put off the gas.
9. Add grated coconut, mix it well and shift Sweet potato - Palak Palya to a serving dish.

10. Serve as side dish with chapati or rice.

 

Recipe for Mosaru Bajji (Raitha)

1 Bowl of  Palak -Sweet potato Palya
1 Small cup of curd
1 Table spoon of coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method :
 Take a little bigger bowl.  Add cooked palya and curd. Add salt and coriander leaves. Raitha is ready to serve.

Note :
No need to use much oil. You can add chilly or chilly powder according to  your wish. You can also add cut onions with Raitha. I have added riped chilly..
Time : 20 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4