MBN FOOD BLOG

Thursday 8 June 2023

Paneer

 Paneer is a versatile and delicious ingredient commonly used in Indian cuisine. It is a type of fresh cheese that can be made at home or purchased from grocery stores. Here's a simple recipe to make paneer at home and a popular paneer dish called "Paneer Tikka Masala."


Homemade Paneer Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 4 cups of whole milk

- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar

- Cheesecloth or muslin cloth

- Heavy object or weights for pressing


Instructions:

1. Pour the milk into a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.

2. Once the milk comes to a gentle boil, add lemon juice or vinegar gradually while stirring. The acid will cause the milk to curdle, separating the solids (curds) from the liquid (whey). If the milk doesn't curdle completely, add a little more lemon juice or vinegar.

3. Line a colander or strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Place the colander over a sink or a large bowl to collect the whey.

4. Pour the curdled milk into the lined colander, allowing the whey to drain away. Gently rinse the curds under cold water to remove any lemony flavor.

5. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie them together to form a bundle. Hang the bundle somewhere to allow the remaining whey to drip for about 30 minutes.

6. After the dripping process, place the bundle on a flat surface and put a heavy object or weights on top. Press it for about 2-3 hours to remove excess moisture and shape the paneer. You can place a plate underneath to catch any dripping whey.

7. Once the paneer is set and firm, remove it from the cloth and cut it into desired shapes. The paneer is now ready to be used in various dishes or stored in the refrigerator for a few days.


Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 200 grams of paneer, cut into cubes

- 1 large onion, finely chopped

- 1 large capsicum (bell pepper), cut into cubes

- 2 tomatoes, pureed

- 2 tablespoons of oil

- 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste

- 1 tablespoon of tikka masala or tandoori masala

- 1 teaspoon of red chili powder

- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder

- 1 teaspoon of coriander powder

- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

- 1/2 cup of plain yogurt

- Salt to taste

- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish


Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sautรฉ until golden brown.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and sautรฉ for another minute until the raw smell disappears.

3. Add tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the mixture.

4. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tikka masala (or tandoori masala), red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt.

5. Add the yogurt-spice mixture to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well to combine.

6. Add the paneer cubes and capsicum to the pan, gently tossing them in the sauce to coat. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the paneer is heated through.

7. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot with naan bread, roti, or steamed rice.

Palak Paneer

 PALAK PANEER 

3.      Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese Curry): Ingredients:

·         200 grams paneer (cottage cheese), cubed

·         1 bunch spinach leaves, washed and chopped

·         1 onion, finely chopped

·         2 tomatoes, pureed

·         2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

·         2 teaspoons cumin powder

·         1 teaspoon garam masala

·         1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         2 tablespoons ghee or oil

·         Salt to taste


Instructions:

·         Heat ghee or oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Sautรฉ until they turn translucent.

·         Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute.

·         Add tomato puree, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook the masala until the oil separates from the mixture.

      Add 1/2 cup heavy cream.

      Add Paneer pieces and steer again and boil for 3 minutes.

      Remove it from flame and use hot.

t     The Palak Paneer is a tasty recipe and full of vitamins and minerals.

       Use Palak Paneer with Roti / Chapati / Rice


Paneer butter masala

Paneer butter masala





Paneer butter masala is a tasty Indian vegetarian dish made out of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) as main ingredient prepares in creamy tomato-gravy.  Paneer best known for its smoothness and the curry when made has no choice except to wet your lips.

A basic recipe for paneer butter masala:

Ingredients:


paneer, cut into cubes200 grams
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, pureed
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
 1 teaspoon garam masala
 1 teaspoon cumin powder
 1/2 cup heavy cream
 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
 Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Instructions:
1. Heat butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sautรฉ until they turn translucent.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
3. Add the tomato puree and cook until the oil separates from the mixture.
4. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the paneer cubes and mix gently, ensuring the paneer is coated with the masala.
6. Pour in the heavy cream and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens slightly.
7. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle it over the gravy. Stir gently.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.

This recipe is a basic version of paneer butter masala, and you can customize it by adding other spices or ingredients according to your taste. Enjoy your paneer butter masala!




 

Sunday 21 May 2023

Vegetable Biriyani

Vegetable Biryani: Ingredients:

·         2 cups basmati rice

·         1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans, potatoes, etc.)

·         1 onion, thinly sliced

·         2 tomatoes, chopped

·         2 tablespoons ghee or oil

·         1 teaspoon cumin seeds

·         2 green chilies, slit

·         1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

·         1 teaspoon red chili powder

·         1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

·         1 teaspoon biryani masala powder

·         A few strands of saffron soaked in milk

·         Salt to taste

·         Fresh coriander leaves and fried onions for garnish

Instructions:

·         Rinse the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

·         Heat ghee or oil in a large pot and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

·         Add sliced onions and sautรฉ until golden brown.

·         Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Cook for a minute.

·         Add tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and biryani masala powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the spices are well combined.

·         Add mixed vegetables and cook for a few minutes.

·         Add soaked and drained rice to the pot. Stir gently to coat the rice with the masala.

·         Add saffron-infused milk and enough water to cook the rice (approximately 3 cups). Season with salt.

·         Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the rice is cooked and fluffy.

·         Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and fried onions. Serve hot.

Butter Chicken

 Butter Chicken: Ingredients:



·         500 grams boneless chicken, cut into pieces

·         2 tablespoons butter

·         1 onion, finely chopped

·         2 tomatoes, pureed

·         2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

·         2 teaspoons red chili powder

·         1 teaspoon turmeric powder

·         1 teaspoon garam masala

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         Salt to taste

·         Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

1.      Cooking:

·         Heat butter in a pan and add chopped onions. Sautรฉ until golden brown.

·         Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute.

·         Add tomato puree, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook the masala until the oil separates from the mixture.

·         Add chicken pieces and cook until they are tender and cooked through.

·         Stir in the heavy cream and cook for a few more minutes.

·         Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with naan or rice.


Health is Wealth

HEALTH PLUS

Handling FAT

What is the status of the body is the main question among people, who are very much in panic about their own health.  To maintain your health, you need to do regular exercises which will help in maintaining better metabolism. Keeping good health and fitness is of primary importance in one's own life.  Human beings are prone to stagnantly watching on health issues.  Health care is of utmost importance in everybody's life span. Eating habits like excessive food intake will result in an overall imbalance in one's body.  Care must be taken while intake food whether we are really in need of food or not at any point that means morning breakfast, lunch, tea, and snacks in the evening and dinner.  Our body is built of bones and muscles, so for keeping fit, bones should be long-lasting.  In childhood, there is no boss to guide you on what to eat and how much to eat.  Eating too much junk food will make your body a bad place to sustain.  Keeping a regular check of the body's symptoms and the food we eat will result in positive results in the long run.  Due to fat blood circulation will considerably become down and the fat concentration will settle in the blood vessels. Then the blood circulation in arteries will become a question of how to manage, so the body starts to react to food causing fatigue and tiredness.   

In order to have a fit body regular exercise is needed for human body.  Therefore, we should decide our food, which type of foods are more suited to our body.  In some persons, potatoes create problems in some other persons excessive use of tamarind creates problems. Any way daily workout is essential for the human body to keep a viable life.

TYPES OF MEDICAL TREATMENTS:

AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is one of the top medical treatments available in India.  Its origin is traced back to more than 5000 years ago. Ayurveda advises Yoga to keep the body fit.  Ayurvedic medicines are more effective than any other medicines, especially before the introduction of the allopathy medicine system, the people were used to taking treatment of Ayurveda.  During that period the ayurvedic herbs were abundantly available to prepare the ayurvedic preparations and medicines.  But ayurvedic medicines take some more time to get a good effect.  But Ayurveda is capable of proper and complete cure and uprooting the disease.   Ayurveda takes care of the causes and the treatment is done for the causes.  For physical ailments like back pain and other related problems, treatments are available in plenty, like abhyangam, kizhi, kadeevasti, pizhichil, etc. are most common treatments.

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is another available medical treatment in India.  There is a steady increase in the number of treatments of Homeopathy.  Homeopathy Doctors always advise continuous treatment of at least one year, because Homeopathy also aims at completely uprooting the causes of the disease, so that in the future such a situation does not occur.  Cold Coughs are common among people in India, and most of children have running noses, it is heard that Homeopathy is best suited for running noses. 

ALLOPATHY

Allopathy treatments are the most common and usually allopathy is considered to be our primary system of treatment.  MBBS Doctors are skilled in treating the patients.  The known diseases Viral infections, major and minor surgeries, common cold & flu.

I am writing this on the basis of my own experience of life, this article is not at all meant for blaming anybody or any type of system of treatment.

EXERCISES 

YOGA and Meditation :

Yoga asanas will be a better idea than any other exercise because it immensely helps to keep the metabolism of our body.

HEALTH CLUB:

Most people depend on the Health Club now because the health club also advises food control methods and regular exercise in the health club will make one person fit from other ailments or sicknesses.

WALKING

One person can normally walk up to 2 kilometers daily, which will keep their metabolism perfect and help to keep good health.  In addition to walking for youngsters some sort of exercise is also advisable.   Morning and evening walks daily will improve health and reduce health problems.

RUNNING 

Running in the morning hours and evening will be advisable for youngsters who are interested.  Running will provide more stamina than any other activity which spends more calories than other activities.

Playing any Sports

Playing any sports when you get time is also another important physical activity to undergo.  Regularly playing tennis, football, basketball, volleyball, and badminton will be a go-getter for one person's health updated.

Why we are doing exercise, playing, walking or running what is the need is of high importance, we are taking food regularly, if so, why we should not exercise regularly, to avoid health issues and digest food taken by the person daily.  The habit of exercising will keep anybody healthy for longer periods.  The food intake should be normal, the probable advice may be to eat less and exercise more to remain healthy and in good health always.


written by MBN.

The readers are advised to take own discretion.


Tuesday 25 April 2023

Vegetables and Fruits|nutrional source

Vegetables and Fruits | nutritional source

๐Ÿ‘‰Introduction

๐Ÿ‘‰ Type of Vegetables

๐Ÿ‘‰ Cost of Vegetables

๐Ÿ‘‰ How to use vegetables

๐Ÿ‘‰ Health issues


๐Ÿ‘ฌIntroduction :

In any country, vegetables are a very important commodity, vegetables are loved by everyone, but today there is a situation in the world where vegetables are piled up without sales because many other things are more important than vegetables, these are the goods that are booming in the world trade today, that is, fish, meat, and bread made from flour.

Once upon a time, Indian States were storehouse of grains, but later on when people went outside in search of jobs, the cultivation become for the name's sake and slowly the people became detached from farming on the verge of risk due to natural calamities or some other reasons.  By the end of 1980 people started to search jobs in foreign countries which made them rich and their families staying in the home country started reaping the benefit of foreign currency resulting into the people in the home country became rich and they are not in need of any other income which was earlier accumulated through farming crops and vegetables. But these kinds of changes cannot be completely ruled out because, as the saying goes, one must move with the times.

But there is one thing that causes a lot of pain, mansions are being built in all the fields all over the country by replacing fields.  Still there were hopes that some of the farmers remain in the field for those who does not have the foreign currency, but they changed their crops from grains and some other crops mainly coconut, areca nuts, rubber and spices were become the main source of income for the farmers.  In the northern side still wheat and sugar cane are the main source of income for the farmers especially Kerala the southern state of India changed their natural farming of crops to other commodities as stated above.  Even though farmers who were farming vegetables still continued and now a days people started to cultivate vegetables in their homes itself due to non-availability of organic and quality vegetables.

Vegetables are treated as the primary means for all to make their food, when we think of making food the basic ingredient required would be vegetables, without vegetables, food preparation is difficult.  Each and every food preparation requires the vegetable as one of the ingredients. Including vegetable in our food is of high importance as it contributes major part of the vitamins and mineral required for our body which helps to keep out of serious illness.  Vegetables helps in making essential vitamins and minerals for our body.  Truly nutritious elements in the vegetables scores and contribute abundantly to the health of a person.   If you get fresh vegetables from the local market, then it would be sufficient to meet your daily cooking needs.  


๐Ÿ‘ฌ  Type of Vegetables :

In a market we have multi-variety vegetables to choose, the following vegetables are mainly available in the veg market :

    ๐Ÿ‘Cabbage: Cabbage is a very special and common vegetable and having watery substance inside, you do not need lot of water and easy for cooking. Cabbages are usually used in salads and for making dry veg items and Manchurian.  Cabbage is filled with vitamins and minerals in abundant amounts.

     ๐Ÿ‘Tomatoes, Potatoes and Onions : Tomatoes and onions are also the main source of food preparation, today we cannot think of preparing food without onions, potatoes and tomatoes because these vegetables are the primary content of any food recipes.  These vegetables are also rich in vitamins and minerals. 

Other vegetables like Lady finger, carrot beetroot, capsicum, bitter gourd,  pumpkin, cucumbers, brinjal

 

๐Ÿ‘ฌ Cost of Vegetables:

Vegetables' costs are not too expensive and not less expensive but it still remain dependent upon the seasons.  In some seasons one vegetable cost becomes high and another vegetables cost becomes low.  Normally in the summer season and winter season vegetables cost low as compared to Monsoon.  In Monsoon due to transportation costs high and weather conditions affects crops due to which costs are also soaring.  But it is affordable for a middle-class family.  For others those who are making vegetables in their land or in their house terrace the cost is not an issue.

๐Ÿ‘ฌHow to use vegetables:

Veggies are considered to be most common raw food item which can directly be used for making salads.  Even though the usual way is to use it after properly cooked. Green salads are very commonly prepared by people to serve with lunch and dinner as a side dish.  Normally people store the vegetables in the Refrigerator for safely keeping out of drying and damaging. 

๐Ÿ‘ฌ Health Issues : 

Due to use of vegetables there no known health issues for many years we are using vegetables for our daily food needs.  Some people use vegetables as their main food instead of food grains due excess starch in the food grains.  Boiled vegetables are advised by Dieticians for those who have health issues like blood pressure and diabetics.