Paneer Pulao

We spend weekend mid-mornings passively refusing to step into the kitchen to fix lunch. Obviously each one of us has a valid reason for not wanting to get into the kitchen. Well, with a mind that never ever stops dwelling on yummy food, I am always the first to lose this battle of sorts!! This Saturday was no different.

I wanted to make something that would be done in a jiffy, but taste delicious. With loads of paneer lying around in the fridge, the easiest option was to make paneer pulao. And so I did.

I fried the paneer cubes in oil and dunked them in warm water to keep them tender until I finally used them.

This is how I made the pulao:
1. Heat oil and pop a couple of cloves, cardamom and a small piece of cinnamon.
2. Temper cumin seeds.
3. Fry slit onions, ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies. Add a cup of rice and fry until the moisture is absorbed.
4. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves, along with a handful of peas.
5. Add salt as per taste, a teaspoon of lemon extract and enough water.
6. Pressure cook the rice.
7. Allow the rice to come to room temperature and gently mix in the fried paneer.
 
Voila! Paneer pulao is ready within no time!!

Pasta and tomato sauce

Familiarity does breed contempt! I was so fed up with the white sauce that I always make when we have a pasta meal. I tried making the red sauce several weeks ago and was quite pleased with the tangy and spicy taste.
Been so busy with so many things and hadn't really give much thought to blogging up until now. It took quite a while to make the sauce and pasta but the result was a welcome change.

I boiled two cups of pasta (macaroni and fusilli) with a teaspoon of salt and a dash of olive oil. I drained the water and let cool water run over the pasta so it wouldn't stick together.

This is how I made the sauce:
1. Mix a tbsp of maida or cornflour in 1/4 cup of water and set aside.
2. Heal a tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add broken red chilies, cumin seeds, carom seeds, basil leaves and oregano.
3. Add chopped vegetables of choice (carrots, capsicum, beans) and saute until soft.
4. Add about 2 cups of  finely chopped tomatoes and allow it to become pulpy. Simmer for few minutes.
5. Add the maida paste along with sugar and salt. Allow the sauce to boil and come to required consistency.

Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and serve hot with a dollop of melted cheese on the top.