paneer-masalaEvery Indian loves paneer, whether it's marinated, grilled, minced or used to make a creamy rich gravy like this Paneer Masala! Paneer, also known as Indian Cottage cheese, never fails to dazzle. Cooked in a mildly spicy and aromatic tomato, butter and creamy onion sauce, topped with fresh ginger and coriander, its a delicacy you won't be able to resist! If you are looking for a rich and festive paneer recipe to entertain friends, look no further - this Butter Paneer Masala will surely leave a lasting impression!

Ingredients
3 big tomatoes - pureed
250 gms paneer - cubed
2 big onions
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
3 tbsps cashewnut paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dhania powder (dry coriander powder)
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp tandoori masala (optional for color)
2 tsp garam masala powder
salt and lemon juice - to taste
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp fresh cream
fresh coriander - chopped for garnish

Method
Skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 mins, then ouree them to form a paste. Do the same with tomaotes, unless you are using tomato puree directly.

Take 1 tbsp of ghee, heat in a pan for 2 mins, the saute the paneer cubes in it till golden brown; Now take 1 cup hot water, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it and immerse the paneer cubes in it for 10-12 mins. Then remove the pieces, drain them on a tissue paper and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a pan, add the bay leaf and the cloves, then add the onion paste and saute till light-brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 3 minutes. Add chilli powder, followed by the cashew paste and fry for 5 mins.

Add tomato puree, crushed kasuri methi,coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Stir and let it simmer for some time.

Add the paneer cubes and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add a small cup of water and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency. Remove from fire, stir in remaining butter and fresh cream.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve the Butter Paneer Masala with any bread of your choice, pulao or simply jeera rice.

This goes to the Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Carnival currently running on this blog right now! If you have some delicious & festive recipes to share, you have until December 4th to share them with us! So hurry!!

Related Recipes
Spicy Paneer Chili
Chana Masala - Chickpea Curry

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vegetarian-thanksgiving-recipes Holidays means loads of cooking and baking, and this Thanksgiving, we have tonnes of Vegetarian Recipes and Sweet Desserts to share with you all! The foodie community has come together once more to give you the best holiday recipes to serve every guest in your party, even the Turkey-lovers will love these recipes. From starters to main-course to desserts, here are some interesting ideas to serve at your Thanksgiving Dinner. It shows how you can have a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving, even without a Turkey!

Soups & Appetizers
Festive Filo Tarts - Cherrapeno
Twice-Baked Peanut Butter Sweet Potatoes - The Peanut Butter Boy
Creamy Carrot & Coconut Milk Soup - Fun and Food
Semolina Bread Loaf - ...And a Little Bit More
Maddur Vade - Palate's Destiny
Spicy Swirl Bread - Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes
Flaky Whole Wheat Rolls - My Diverse Kitchen
Dahi Batata Puri - Chakali

Snacks & Sides
Zucchini Cakes - Food for Tots
Homemade Snack Bars - Food for Tots
Sweet-Potato-Pear-Tzimmes - Cooking Books
Spiced Cranberry Plum Sauce - Fun and Food
Vegan Cranberry Nut Bread - Madhuram's Eggless Cooking
Spicy Cranberry Chutney - Spice Club
Couscous-Stuffed Bell Peppers - Divya's Dil Se
Maple-Cranberry Sauce with Walnuts - The Culinary Bazaar
Carrot Kosmari Salad - Veggie Monologues

Main Course
Methi Mutter Malai - Spices Etc
Aloo Gobhi - Iyenger's Kitchen
Bean Casserole & Cheese Streudel - Mirch Masala
Stuffed Pumpkin & Poblano-Cucumber Salsa - My Kitchen in Half Cups
Baked Cheese & Vegetable Tortilla Pie - Lisa's Kitchen
Butternut Squash Curry - Zaayeka
Masala Capsicum Rice - Let us All Cook
Curried Pasta & Vegetables - Madhuram's Eggless Cooking
Aloo Palak Curry - Edible Garden
Butter Paneer Masala - Fun & Food

Desserts & Sweet Stuff
Pumpkin Spiced Bread - Fun & Food Cafe
Heavenly Pumpkin Cheesecake - Not Quite Nigella
Mango & Peach Crisp - Miscellany of Me
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Linzer Cake - ...And a Little Bit More
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Mousse - The Peanut Butter Boy
Coconut-Chocolate-Caramel Candy Chunks - Tasty Curry leaf
Mocha White Chocolate-Chip Muffins - Taste As You Go
Qubani Ka Meetha (Hyderabadi Sweet) - Zaiqa
Micrwave Milk Peda - Essence of Andhra
Toblerone Chocolate Pots - Cherrapeno
Steamed Rava Laddu - Annaparabrahma
Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust & Pecan Filling - The Culinary Bazaar
Banana-Brownie Dessert Pizza - ...And a Little bit more
Butternut Squash Halwa - Veggie Monologues
Easy Pumpkin Gel Pie - Essence of Andhra

Drinks & Cocktails
Pomegranate Martini - Fun & Food Cafe
Chocolate Coffee Cream - Priyas' Easy n Tasty Recipes
Pear Mojito - Fun and Food Cafe






Have you shared your festive Vegetarian recipe with us yet? If not, you still have until Dec 4th to send in your entries. Check out the event announcement post for more details, and Get Cooking! The countdown to Holidays has begun!!










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corn-soup-recipeSweet Corn Soup is a favorite with many Indians, and over time, it has picked up quite a following in other Asian countries too. Made with tender corn kernels, and flavored with green chili and soy sauce, its a great combination of flavors. You can always add other chopped vegetables to increase taste and its nutritive value. Here's a Sweet Corn Soup recipe that's both simple and comforting, just as hot soups are supposed to be!

[Recipe & Photo courtesy of Rehana Khambhaty from Bawarchi]

Ingredients
1 cup tender corn kernels or canned sweet corn
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 tbsp cabbage, chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp green chilli sauce
1/2 tsp soya sauce
1 tbsp corn flour
4 cups water

Method
If you are using fresh corn, then pressure cook till tender. Take the corn in a deep pan. Mix the corn flour in 1/2 cup water and keep aside.

Add water, salt, sugar, vegetables and chili sauce. Mix well and put to boil. Once boiling, add corn flour paste and stir continuously. Keep stirring till the soup is thick and clear. Stir in the soya sauce and take off fire.

Serve steaming hot Sweet Corn Soup with garlic rolls and more chili sauce and enjoy!


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kitchen-tools-kidsKids these days are getting more and more interested in cooking and helping around the kitchen, and with the popular TV shows gaining ground, its intriguing how a 6 or 8 year old can come up to you donning an apron and say Mommy, let's bake cookies! With the holiday season looming ahead, here are some fun, colorful and kid-friendly kitchen tools for your budding chefs! Whether they are serious about cooking, or just want to spend time helping you in the kitchen, hand them these tools and you might just inspire them to be a great chef! [Image courtesy of Cooking.com]

Sassafras Pizza Making Kit
Kids simply love Pizza, and not just eating it, but baking it too! And now, with this kid-friendly Pizza kit, you can help them bake a delicious Pizza for you and your family to enjoy! This Kit (pictured above) is recommended for ages 5 and above. It includes everything you'd need for making pizza - a 24-in. Apron, Non-stick Pizza Pan, Pizza Sauce, Pizza Crust Mix, Rolling Pin, Wooden Spoon, a Measuring Cup, and a Rhyming Recipe and Instruction Book. All you have to do is watch your kid as he bakes the first pizza of his life!
Reviewed at Cooking.com

Silicone Kitchen Utensils by Head Chef
The colorful Silicon Kitchen Utensils (pictured above) from the Harold Import Company (via Head Chefs) are sized to fit a child’s hand and designed for fun. Each tool has bendable arms and legs, and can be suctioned in place on a table or a kitchen counter-top. As you can see in the picture, they come in bright colors that your kids will love, and are made of food-safe, dishwasher-safe silicone. Just don't let your kids put it into their mouths, as Silicone can be harmful. Each individual kitchen tool is available for &9.99.
Reviewed at Shopfosters.com

Rachael Ray Young Cooks Cutting Set
Everyone loves RR, even kids! And this colorful and exclusive new knife-set designed specially for kids will bring a smile to her young fans! It includes a 4-in. paring knife, 4-in. serrated knife and a reversible, cut-resistant glove. The cut-resistant glove is polyester, woven with stainless steel thread to reduce the risk of cutting injuries.
Reviewed at Cooking.com

Sassafras Little Cook Tool Kit
This complete tool-kit is a great gift for the kids who love getting their hands dirty, helping moms during meal preparations. it includes a Box-Pastry scraper, wooden spoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons, spatula, whisk, rolling pin, funnel, melon ball scooper & a vinyl bag. With non-slip handles and small sizes designed for kiddie-hands, it won't be such a mess to clean up after you tiny-tot is done with his cooking!
Reviewed at Kaboodle.com

SiliconeZone Kids' Flexible Bakeware Set
For the young aspiring chefs tingling to bake something for the holidays, here's a 10-piece colorful silicone bakeware set that compliments the toolkit above. Included in the set is a wooden rolling pin, wooden spoon, recipe and instruction booklet, four cookie cutters and four baking molds (Christmas tree, Teddy Bear, Round Cake Pan and Tart Pan). Each of the molds has a patented, high-gloss, nonstick finish and a temperature range that reaches to 428 degrees Fahrenheit. It is easy to clean, and is dishwasher-safe.
Reviewed at Cooking.com

There are tonnes of other cooking-kits available for kids, but these are a few that caught my attention. I'm getting one for my 8-year old nephew who loves cooking, and I hope you can find one that is suitable for your young budding chefs too! And while you are on the hunt, don't forget to get some kids cookbooks too!

Related Articles:
How to Make Candied Edible Flowers
Affordable Holiday Gift Ideas
20 Ideas for Healthy Kid-Friendly Snacks

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mojito-recipes-pear-mojitoPears are available in all their bounty, and to compliment my Pear Almond Cake, here's a lovely recipe for Pear Mojito. Mojitos are a popular cocktail made from light rum, lime juice and some mint. But they can be made special by blending some seasonal fruits and adding them to the drink. To make this Fall Cocktail, you can use the sweet red pairs or the semi-sweet and tart white pears. Just puree them and pass through a sieve to get thick nectar, or you can use ready-made nectar from the market. A great twist to a classic recipe, this Pear Mojito is perfect for entertaining!

[Recipe & photo courtesy of Cocktail Times; recipe developed by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser, Cocktail Times Master Mixologist]

Ingredients
1 1/2 parts white rum
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
2 parts freshly extracted pear nectar (juice)
1 part simple syrup
4 sprigs mint
Club soda or seltzer

Directions
Add rum, simple syrup, lime juice, pear nectar and 3 sprigs mint to shaker and muddle until desired mint flavor is achieved.

Strain into fluted glass filled with ice. Top with seltzer. Garnish with sprig of mint and slice of pear. Serve & enjoy this delicious Pear Mojito and make the most of fresh Fall produce!

Related Recipes:
Pomegranate Martini
Pumpkin & Gingerbread Cocktail
Italian Mint Mojito

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