Veg Recipes of India: Paneer Lababdar

After the disappointment that was Instant Pot Butter Chicken, I really felt the need to cleanse my palette with something cooked the traditional (more delicious) way.  But since I'd already done chicken, I figured I would try something with paneer, which may actually be more delicious in this preparation than chicken.  It's really not that more difficult to make, just a little more time, and the results are vastly more satisfying.

Paneer Lababdar

Adapted from Veg Recipes of India

For the tomato-cashew paste:
1½ cups chopped ripe tomatoes
10 to 12 cashews
½ inch ginger, minced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green cardamom pod
2 cloves

For the paneer lababdar:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1 or 2 green chilies, slit
Kosher salt, as needed
¼ to ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, or as needed
7 ounces paneer, plus 2 tablespoons grated paneer
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed
¼ teaspoon garam masala
¼ cup heavy cream

for garnish:
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
½ inch ginger, julienned

Preparing tomato-cashew paste:
Place tomatoes, cashews, ginger, garlic, cardamom, and cloves in a small pan and add ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook until the tomatoes are softened. If the water dries up and the tomatoes are not softened, then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons more water and continue to cook.

Allow this mixture to cool and add to a grinder or blender jar.  Grind to a smooth paste without any cashews or tomato chunks or pieces. You may add some water if required while grinding. Keep this ground tomato-cashew paste aside.

Making paneer lababdar:
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in pan or kadai/wok over medium-high heat. Add the tej patta and sauté for a couple of seconds.  Add finely chopped onions; stir well.  Then continue to sauté as well as stir and cook until the onions become light golden or golden.  Then add the tomato-cashew paste. The mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful. Stir very well.  Add cumin powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder to make a masala.  Stir and sauté this masala; you will see the masala clumping and gathering around itself.  Sauté until you see the fat leaving the sides of the masala paste.  Then add 1 cup water; stir very well.  Add green chilies.

Stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer, then season with salt and sugar.  Add both cubed and grated paneer.  Stir and simmer the gravy for about a minute.  Then sprinkle over the kasuri methi which has been crushed along with garam masala. Stir very well again and simmer for a minute.  Lastly add the cream and butter. Switch off the flame and stir very well.

Garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves and julienned ginger. Serve with chapatis, tandoori rotis, or naan. It also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.

Makes 6 servings

Allrecipes: Roasted Rack of Lamb

When you come across a beautiful rack of lamb, you can't just walk away.  Normally I get lamb chops, or I cube up some leg of lamb for an Indian dish.  But a whole rack seems daunting.  If you don't cook it just right, you're done.  Luckily, I was up for a challenge.  And this recipe makes the breading a snap.  A beautiful dinner during a difficult time.

Roasted Rack of Lamb
Adapted from Allrecipes

½ cup Progresso Italian style breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons sea salt, divided use
1¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided use
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1 (7-bone) rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450°F. Move oven rack to the center position.

In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss in Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.

Season the rack all over with remaining salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.

Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

Allow internal temperature to be 5 to 10 degrees less than you like because the meat will continue to cook while it sits. Bloody rare: 115 to 125°F, Rare: 125 to 130°F, Medium rare: 130 to 140°F, Medium: 140 to 150°F

Makes 4 servings

Alain Ducasse: Braised New Potatoes

Okay, I'm guilty.  I ordered a bunch of little potatoes (so cute!), and I had no plan on what to use them for.  And I really didn't want to just boil them.  That's boring.  So luckily, this recipe popped up in my weekly email and saved the day.  These are delicious and buttery, and the chicken broth adds a bit more flavor, although vegetarians can always just use veggie stock.  Definitely delish.

Braised New Potatoes
From Alain Ducasse as seen at Leite's Culinaria

18 ounces small potatoes
3½ tablespoons canned chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 thyme sprigs
10½ tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a Dutch oven or other wide, deep pan. Place the Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chicken stock, garlic, thyme, butter, and salt to taste.

Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-ish heat. Reduce the heat and gently simmer, shaking the pan or stirring the potatoes often, until the potatoes are just tender, 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook, turning occasionally and keeping an eye on the heat so the butter doesn’t burn, until the potatoes take on browned splotches on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a dish and season with pepper. Devour immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Indian Instant Pot Cookbook: Instant Pot Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)

At the height on the Instant Pot craziness, I finally gave in and purchased one.  And immediately I heard about this fantastic Indian recipe that worked right in the pot.  Indian in-laws were oohing and ahhing.  The best recipe ever.  Makes you want to try it, huh?  Well, I'm not sure whose in-laws those actually were.  I was not impressed.  I mean, it's good for a super fast dinner.  But this in no way, shape, or form, equals the flavor achieved by cooking with proper technique.  And that's coming from a non-Indian.

Note: Maybe only use ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper if you're a sissy.  I did ¾ teaspoon, and it was still pretty spicy in my book.

Instant Pot Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)
From Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
5 or 6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground paprika
2 teaspoons garam masala, divided use
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
½ cup heavy cream
¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In the inner cooking pot of the Instant Pot, add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, cumin, and salt.  Mix thoroughly, then place the chicken pieces on top of the sauce.  Lock the lid into place.  Select Manual and adjust the pressure to High.  Cook for 10 minutes.

When the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally.  Unlock the lid.  Carefully remove the chicken and set it aside.  Using an immersion blender in the pot, blend together all the ingredients into a smooth sauce.  Let the sauce cool for several minutes.

Add the butter cubes, cream, remaining 1 teaspoon of garam masala, and cilantro.  Stir until well incorporated.  The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon when you're done.  Remove half of the sauce and freeze for later, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Add the chicken back to the sauce.  Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting Saute and adjust to Less for low heat.  Let the chicken heat through.  Break it up into smaller pieces if you like, but don't shred it.  Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings

Allrecipes: Banana Sheet Cake

You know what the world needs now?  No, not love.  Well, yes, love.  We always need love.  But also banana cake.  Because I ordered bananas in my grocery delivery, didn't use them, and now they're a fantastic shade of speckled.  Which is the best time to make delicious desserts.  And the best part is getting to spread a layer of sweet cream frosting on the top.  Perfection.

Banana Sheet Cake
From Allrecipes

1½ cups mashed bananas
2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2⅛ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups buttermilk

Cream cheese frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 275°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.

In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

For the cream cheese frosting:

In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Makes 18 servings

Red Hot and Blue: Warm Potato Salad

This is it, folks.  The bestest, most awesome potato salad.  And interestingly, also probably the easiest.  This definitely has less ingredients than the other delicious varieties I've made.  And yet, it's somehow....special.  Maybe it's the fact that it's served still a bit warm, so you don't have to wait an hour or two for everything to sit in the fridge.  Maybe it's the rustic feel of it.  Whatever it is, I highly recommend that you try it.

Warm Potato Salad
From Red Hot and Blue, as seen at Food.com

4 pounds Red Bliss potatoes
4 large eggs
½ cup finely chopped green onion, light and dark green parts only
1¼ cups Duke's mayonnaise
1¾ teaspoons celery seeds
2 teaspoons sea salt

Steam the potatoes in their skins for approximately 45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Hard boil the eggs, then do the same. When cool enough, peel the eggs ONLY (do NOT peel the potatoes - the skin gives the salad part of its unique texture and taste).

In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Chop the potatoes and eggs into bite-size pieces and add to bowl. Mix GENTLY - you want salad, not mush - until blended.

Serve at room temperature for up to 2 hours after making and refrigerate leftovers. It tastes best when room temperature, but is delicious cold, too, so if you are making this in advance, it's fine to chill it.

Makes 12 servings