Its been quite a while since i cooked anything new or anything at all. I had relegated cooking to my mom who was here the past couple of months. Also its been pretty hectic work-wise- tons of projects, presentations, burning the midnight lamp,and hospital rounds- so i never got around to cooking anything other than the usual stuff or even entertaining. Anyways getting back to the recipes, Punjabi food is an all-time favorite in my family. Sadly enough there arent any good Indian restaurants around Ft. Lauderdale. So when my taste buds started craving something different than the regular square meal, i cooked up my all-time favorite-palak paneer (its my mom's recipe and i have never had palak paneer that tastes better than my mom's), paneer makhani and Dal Masala (Masoor and Toor dal curry).


Palak Paneer



Serves 2

1 bag spinach (300 gms)
200 gm paneer (cubed)
1 small onion
3 green chilies
1/2 inch ginger
2 small cloves garlic
3 roma tomatoes
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
3 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

1. Boil spinach in 8 cups of water. Drain the water when the spinach is boiled and set it aside- do not discard it- you can use it up later.
2. Separately make a paste/puree of onion, ginger-garlic-chilies and tomatoes. Alternatively, you can also put them all together in a blender and make a puree. Separately puree the boiled spinach.
3. Heat ghee in a cooking pan, add the onions first and saute them for 5 minutes or more till they turn golden brown.
4. Next add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and saute for an additional 5 minutes and add in the tomato puree and saute till the gravy releases the ghee.
5. Next add in the garam masala and salt as per taste and saute for 5-10 more minutes.
6. Add in the spinach puree finally and let it cook and blend with the rest of the gravy and spice mixture.
7. Before serving add in the paneer cubes( you can also use fried ones).
8. Garnish with heavy cream and serve with parathas and rice.


Paneer Makhani




Serves 2

250 gm paneer cubed (fried-optional)
2 cups milk (may add more or less as per desired thickness of the gravy)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cashews (finely crushed)
1/2 onion (4-5 tbsp)
4 roma tomatoes
1/2inch ginger
1 clove garlic
2 small chilies
1/3 tsp red chili powder
1/3 tsp garam masala
2 tsp kasoori methi
salt to taste
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp ghee

1. Finely blend the onions, ginger, garlic, chilies and tomatoes together to make puree.
2. Melt the butter and ghee in a cooking pan, add in the blended puree and cook for 10 minutes or more till the mixture releases back the butter and ghee.
2. Next add the finely crushed/powdered cashews and milk and let the mixture cook for 15 minutes.
3. Next add the heavy cream and cook some more. Add chili powder, salt, garam masala to this mixture. Cook for 10 more minutes and add in the paneer cubes. Add the kasoori methi to the mix.
4. Serve hot with rice and parathas.


Dal Masala- This is from the Taj Vegetarian cookbook- a simple, easy recipe to cook




Serves 4

1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup masoor dal
3 dried red chilies
1 small onion- diced
2 roma tomatoes-finely chopped
2 cloves garlic- finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chilies chopped
3 tsp oil
1/3 tsp tumeric
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp garam masala
2-3 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish


1. Soak the toor and masoor dal for 45-60 minutes. Boil the toor and masoor dal together with salt and turmeric.
2. Heat oil in a cooking pan, add in the cumin seeds and when they pop, add the green and red chiles and onions. Saute for 5-10 miutes till the onions turn translucent.
3. Next add the garlic, saute for a couple of minutes and then add in the chopped tomatoes.
4. Saute some more and when the tomatoes are tender, add in the asafoetida and boiled dal. Cook for 15 minutes and add in the garam masala, lemon juice and garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.