Mattar Paneer

Ah, what a productive week! Last week, not only did I complete my second class of circuit training, jump started my projects at work, I also got to make my first Indian dish ever! (and in the process I finally learned what I have been allergic to this whole time!)

Last week, I made Matar Paneer (or is it mutter..??)

Recipe follows (courtesy of IndianFoodForever.com):

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450gms /1lb shelled Mutter (green peas) 
250gms / 1/2lb Paneer
2 medium onions (chopped) 
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 green chilies (chopped)
250gms / 1/2 lb tomatoes (peeled and sliced)
Salt To Taste 
1cup curd / plain yogurt 
1 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tbsp coriander seeds 
4 bay leaves 
2 cups water 
1/2 cup ghee / vegetable oil 

To Garnish :
Garam masala powder 
Chopped coriander leaves

• Make a paste by grinding together half the onions, the garlic and coriander seeds.
• Heat the ghee in a frying pan and cut the paneer into 2.5-cm/1-inch cubes. Fry the paneer to a light brown and remove to drain on a plate.
• Add the remaining onion and the ginger to the ghee / oil in a pan and add the bay leaves and fry until the onion is golden brown.
• Add the turmeric and the paste mixture and fry until the ghee starts to separate.
• Add the paneer and mutter (peas) along with the yogurt, chili, tomato and salt. Stir for 5-6 minutes over low heat.
• Pour in the water and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Serve the matar paneer sprinkled with garam masala and coriander.

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So first off, Indian food is not easy to cook. Talking to most of my friends, they tell me that you can't really follow a recipe, but it's all about just having that experience and special touch that their mothers and grandmothers usually have. 

Well I am determined to get that touch!

So with this recipe, I was fortunate to find out that I am extremely allergic to tumeric... so sadly, I couldn't eat much of it! I was able to get the taste and enjoy the sweetness of the paneer, but at the end of the night, I was very let down by my inability to enjoy my first indian dish ever!

Now I do realize that this recipe probably needs some tweaking so I welcome any suggestions and tips (Pragna, I'm talking to you)- I have two more pounds of paneer in my fridge!

I found the tumeric a bit overpowering and was looking for more of that creamy, tomato based gravy- which I did not get. 

I'm willing to try out new recipes (even though I am allergic) and hope that I can one day overcome this allergy! 

Now time to desensitize!

Taste: 7

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 40 minutes

Egg Topped Soba Noodles with Asparagus and prosciutto

So thanks to my coupon addiction, I happened to get 4 dozen organic eggs for a fraction of the cost. I was really excited about my purchase and my efficient use of coupons and couldn't wait to brag to my mom about how great of a couponer I had become!

Although I did eventually get sick of having 4 dozen eggs to myself, I was able to find a recipe from epicurious.com and try a new recipe, using soba noodles- something I've actually never had before! Wow am I a bad asian...

So I made Egg-Topped Soba Noodles with Asparagus and Prosciutto:

Recipe follows:

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4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 3-ounce package thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips

8 large eggs

1 9.5-ounce package thin soba noodles

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on sharp diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional cheese shavings

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add prosciutto strips; cook until slightly crisp. Remove from heat. Set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in each of 2 nonstick skillets over medium heat. Crack 4 eggs into each skillet. Cook on 1 side until eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover; set aside.
Cook soba noodles in large pot of boiling salted water 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sliced asparagus to pot; cook until noodles are cooked through and asparagus is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain noodles and asparagus, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
Add drained noodles and asparagus to prosciutto mixture in skillet. Cook over medium heat until heated through, tossing and adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten.
Remove skillet from heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil and toss to coat. Divide among 8 plates. Top each serving with 1 egg and cheese shavings. Serve immediately.

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So a few things... first off, don't overcook  your soba noodles. They cook really fast and you can easily overcook them, making them really mushy and starchy. A big no no. So keep an eye out on them!

This recipe was interesting, a unique Japanese twist with an italian influence! The crispy, salty prosciutto was great (especially as a cooking snack)

The crunchy asparagus provided great contrast (do not over cook them either), and in the end the dish came out really successful!

Maybe I just find a runny egg incredibly sexy and delicious, but having the yolk mix in with the garlic infused olive oil made a great 'sauce' and really took the soba noodles to another level. 

And of course, make sure to use fresh eggs and good olive oil! Especially when olive oil is 'sauce' of the dish, you want nothing but the best (yes, i used my special olive oil that i got from my summer trip in Italy for this dish)

I really enjoyed this dish but I would say that the recipe made way too much for one person. The tastes are subtle and not over powering and the dish itself is very light, but I'm not a pig! (Ok, I am)

Very simple and easy to make, i would say it would be good to give it a try. This is great for those who are busy and don't have more than 30 minutes to make a meal.  I'm not sure how often I would make it, but it is something new a refreshing- enjoy!

Taste: 8
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Braised Beef Shank with Sweet Corn Tomato Risotto

Ah, the power of braising... who knew such a simple and effortless technique can result in such sweet, succulent dishes?? Not me! Well, until now. 

After going to Borgata last month, I couldn't stop dreaming about making some risotto with braised beef short ribs (Eric got it at Wolfgang Puck's)

I got a recipe from Emeril for braised lamb shanks with gorgonzola crust and sweet corn tomato risotto. I decided to simplify it and make beef shanks without the crust and sweet corn tomato risotto:

Recipe follows:

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For Beef:

• 4 beef shanks, each about 1 pound
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 6 cups rich chicken stock, veal or lamb stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Season the shanks on all sides with the kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of the black pepper.

Put the flour on a large plate. Dredge the shanks in the flour and shake to remove any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over high heat. Add the shanks and sear until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a platter. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen any brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Return the shanks to the pot and add the stock, bay leaves, and rosemary, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer until the shanks are tender, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, skimming to remove any scum that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the shanks to a large plate and let rest until cool enough to handle. Bring the braising liquid and vegetables to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by 1/3 in volume, about 30 minutes, skimming occasionally to remove any scum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat.

• For Risotto:

  5 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels, from about 2 ears of corn
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Combine the stock, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and when foamy, add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the corn and rice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and cook, stirring constantly, until it has been absorbed. Add all of the remaining stock to the risotto, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook, stirring constantly, until the previous amount has been absorbed before adding more. (This should take 15 to 18 minutes.) Add the tomatoes, chives, and parsley and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat. Add the cheese and 2 tablespoons butter and stir well. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve immediately.

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What a hearty meal! The meat was fall off the bone and was infused with flavor while the sweet corn risotto was exactly that- immensely sweet! The creamy risotto (without the cream) was great- definitely a stand alone dish on its own, but adding the tender juicy meat was the cherry on top. 

I do have to say that I didn't cook this dish in the right type of cookware (I have now learned the importance of cookware) and thus my sauce came out a lot runnier than I had hoped. Being that it couldn't reduce as well as I would have wanted it to, I am sure this dish would have even been more amazing with the creamy sauce. I will make sure to do it right next time!


If you do try this recipe out before I do again, please let me know how good the sauce was- I'm dying to know!


Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Taste: 9