Achari Paneer

[Achar = pickle]

Featuring in the endless array of paneer gravies is this unique curry that melds in the flavors of a typical Indian pickle. The whole spices that make up the body of pickles are roasted and ground to an aromatic powder. This is added to the curry to make it take on the flavors of a pickle. 

However, the recipe below is just my take on achari paneer. I took a short-cut. Instead of roasting and grinding the whole spices, I plopped in a few tablespoons of  pre-made pickle into the gravy. I am not taking credit for thinking of this short-cut, though :). I have heard many people adding lemon pickle, or most commonly, mango pickle, in any given curry to easily amplify the flavor by several notches. I also  frequently add avakkkai/mango pickle to regular dal-tadka to flavor it - an inherited preference. So, adding mango pickle to a panneer gravy was a natural hop, not a leap, in my thinking.

I also earn brownie points if I make up "new" paneer dishes.

Sabudana Vada / Tapioca Fritters

Sabudana Vadas are delicious deep-fried fritters made with tapioca, potatoes, and peanuts. When I mentioned to one of my friends that this is basically a double-carb deep-fried fest, she balked. It seems almost illegal to make, let alone consume, such decadent food these days. The calorie-police are all over the place :).

But, as I always say, that's why we have special indulgent days in the year in the form of birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals. So, set aside your guilt to try these out during an indulgent evening.

I added a few additional ingredients - onion, cloves, and cardamom - that are not commonly added to sabudana vadas. I couldn't help adding the essential ingredients that spice up masala vadas. But, not to worry, the cloves and cardamom do not overpower the vadas. They bring a subtle flavor and aroma that will intrigue your guests enough to wonder what the "secret" addition is.

Uppu Cheedai /Savory Seedai

Cheeda/Seedai are festive savory munchies commonly prepared during Gokulashtami (Lord Krishna's birthday) or on Diwali. It is a complement to sweet cheedais prepared with jaggery, rice flour, and cardamom.

The only word of caution while preparing savory cheedais is to exercise extra care while frying them. Cheedais are known to sometimes burst and splutter out of the hot oil because of trapped bubbles of air/moisture. So, drop the balls carefully into the oil and maintain a good distance away during the first minute of frying. Also, make sure to not neglect roasting and sieving the flours, because they are essential steps to make sure the flours are dry and smooth to minimize the risk of spluttering oil.

Rava Paayasam / Semolina Pudding

There are so many different kinds of paayasams (sweetened porridge/pudding). Of all the paayasams that can be made, this version with semolina/rava is one of the simplest and fastest, because rava cooks in no time!

Fenugreek-Cilantro-Mint Roti / Paratha

This is a small and flavorful variation of the regular methi paratha. I am not a huge fan of methi (fenugreek) because of its bitterness, but it's really good for you. So, just to change things up a little, I recently added a couple of other really flavorful herbs - coriander leaves and mint. They both (along with the spices added) flavor the paratha beautifully. The subtle aroma of mint works very well with the other flavors.