Nawabi Guchhi

Stolen from : Nita Mehta's "Vegetarian Curries" p. 90

100g mushrooms - cut into halves
1 cup shelled peas
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
3/4 tsp salt

Nawabi Paste
2 onions
1" piece ginger
1/4 cup kaju (cashewnuts)
1/2 tsp shani jeera (black cumin)
1/2 jeera seeds (cumin seeds)
1 green chilli
1 dry red chilli

Grind all the stuff for the paste together with a bit of water.
Fry it until rich golden colour, adding a bit of water as you go along to keep it from burning.
Add garam masala and chilli powder, give it a good stir.
Add 1/2 cup water & bring to boil.
Add mushrooms and peas and cook for 4-5 mins on low.
Add 1 cup water & 1 tbsp coriander leaves, keep simmering until veg is cooked.
Other coriander leaves are for the garnish.

Paalak Chaman

Stolen from : Nita Mehta's "Vegetarian Curries" p. 69

250g paalak (spinach) - chopped
pinch sugar
4 tbsp methi leaves
200g paneer / tofu - cut into 1/4" cubes
2 tbsp kaju - soaked in warm water for 20 mins and ground to paste with a little water
1/2 stick dalchini (cinnamon)
2 chhoti illaichi (green cardamoms)
3-4 laung (cloves)
2 onions
1/3 cup cream

1tbps desi ghee & 1/2 tsp chilli powder for tempring

Boil spinach in 1/2 cup water with pinch of sugar. Cover and cook on low flame for 4-5 mins until spinach turns soft. Cool and blend to a purée.
Fry paneer / tofu until golden brown.
Crush dalchini, laung and seeds of the cardamom to a rough powder, set aside.
Fry onions until they brown.
Add the rough powder, cook for a few seconds.
Add the methi & spinach and cook for 5-7 mins until dry.
Add cream - cook for 3-4 mins.
Add paneer / tofu.
Add kaju paste & simmer.

To serve : heat the ghee, remove from heat & add chilli powder and pour it over the palaak thus ruining what was looking like a nice meal.



Obviously I used tofu. It took ages to reduce the spinach not the 5-7 mins suggested here.
I didn't use the tempring - may as well eat butter on a spoon.