STIR-FRY PEPPERS AND PANEER

Nothing can cure your evening hunger better than this quick and easy batch of stir-fry peppers and paneer.

Whenever I don't feel like cooking or spending an hour in a kitchen I always make a small snack for myself. Last weekend, I made a batch of stir fry peppers and paneer. It's a 15 minutes recipe. I was so surprised when I tried this easy, quick vegetarian snack. It turned out really delicious. It's my perfect go-to recipe. It can be served as a starter or a nice main course dish if you have a big enough bowl. It's colorful and loaded with fresh tastes. It's an incredibly appetizing and a delicious side dish that goes well with steamed rice, vegetable platter or any of your favorite dish.

This snack is quick and easy to make and sure to wake up your sleepy taste buds. You can also make this recipe on a lazy weekend or for thanksgiving. It's a great party appetizer to serve your guests. The paneer in the recipe provides with a lot of protein and calcium and the crunchy bright colored bell pepper provides with a lot of vitamins, folate and antioxidants.

It's an Indo - Chinese dish, inspired with Asian sauces using Indian ingredients. It's quite an easy dish to make. You just need 3 veggies and few ingredients to make this delicious starter. If you don't have the Indian spices available near you, add salt and pepper and it'll taste exactly the same. I added the green bell pepper in this dish. Feel free to use your favorite bell pepper. You can add any of your favorite veggies in the snack, so just be creative and surprise yourself!!

Do try these lightly fried onions, pepper and paneer cubes mixed with Indian spices. Drizzle some red tomato sauce, vinegar and/or lime juice and you'll love it! I totally adore the combination of peppers and paneer. They add crunch, color and sweet flavor to the meal. I'm sure you'll love it too!!

STIR-FRY PEPPERS AND PANEER

Serves : 3-4 People

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 15 minutes

Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS 

250 grams - Indian cottage cheese (paneer), cut them into 1/2 inch cubes

2 medium size - Bell peppers or capsicum, cut them into  1 inch square pieces

2 medium size - Onions, sliced

2 tablespoon - Olive oil

1/2 inch - ginger, peeled (grated)

5-6 - garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

1 teaspoon - Salt or as per taste

1/4 teaspoon - Turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon - Red chili powder

3/4 teaspoon - Coriander powder

1 tablespoon - Vinegar

1 tablespoon - Red tomato sauce

1 tablespoon - Lime juice (optional)

chopped coriander leaves

METHOD

1. Heat olive oil or butter in a non-stick skillet. Add grated ginger followed by chopped garlic cloves over medium to high heat. Cook for 40-50 seconds.

2. Add a sliced onion and sauté it for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add all the spices - salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix it well.

4. Next, add capsicum and chopped green chillis and toss it. Stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes on high/medium flame.

5. Add Paneer cubes and reduce the heat of the skillet. Toss it for 2-3 minutes. 

6. Drizzle some red tomato sauce, vinegar and/or lime juice. Stir fry to combine!

7. Garnish them with chopped coriander leaves and transfer immediately to a serving bowl. Serve it hot!

NOTES

1. If you don't have the Indian spices available near you, add salt and pepper and it'll taste exactly the same.

2. Feel free to use your favorite bell pepper in the dish.

VEGETABLE FRIED-RICE

Indulge in this one pot meal dish and take your tastebuds on an interesting ride...!!!

This hearty and wholesome one pot meal dish is loaded with garden fresh veggies, vinegar, dark soy sauce and assorted spices. Flavored with the aroma of cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, this is an extremely delicious recipe for rice lovers and a simple satisfying meal for a lunch, dinner or any kind of occasion!

Vegetable fried rice is a Chinese dish of cooked rice, mixed with vegetables, sauces and spices that has been stir fried in a frying pan. It's one of the most popular Chinese dishes, consumed mainly in Asia and Middle East regions. It's often served as a complete dish or can also be enjoyed with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!

Fried rice are mostly prepared with the leftover rice but can also be prepared with the freshly cooked rice. It's a complete dish on it's own and is just like what you get at your favorite Chinese restaurant. I love eating vegetable fried rice. It's absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. It's easy to prepare and a great recipe to use up the leftovers!!

It's a simple delicious meal made from white rice. I have worked with aged good quality basmati rice. You can use any type of white rice in the dish. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

It's versatile meal. I always try to make it differently, depending on what is available at my home. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.

Hope you give it a try and love it as much I do!!

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Cooking time of Basmati Rice - 
Soaking time : 30 minutes               
Boiling time : 10-12 minutes
Resting time : 30 minutes

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 people
Author : The Food Root


INGREDIENTS
200 grams or 2 cups Basmati Rice
4 cups - water
1 tablespoon - salt
2 tablespoon - oil
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds (jeera)
1 - green cardamom (choti elaichi)
1- bay leaf (tez patte)
3-4 cloves (lavang)
1/2 inch - cinnamon (dalchini)
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds
1 inch long - ginger, grated
5-6 - garlic cloves, chopped
1 - onion, chopped
1/2 cup - beans, chopped
1 - carrot, chopped
1- potato, chopped
3/4 cup - cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup - green peas
2 - green chillis, chopped
1/2 teaspoon - red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon - garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of salt or as per taste
4-5 cashews, chopped (optional)
5-6 raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon - soy sauce
1 tablespoon - vinegar
chopped coriander leaves


METHOD
1. Rinse the basmati rice with cold water and soak it for about 30 minutes.

2. Next, cover a saucepan with a lid to bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add 2 cups of basmati rice, followed by 1 tablespoon of salt and loosely cover the pan. Reduce the heat and cook the rice for about 10-12 minutes. Don't overcook it. Stir it once and turn off the flame. Let the rice sit for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander or a strainer let it cool for sometime.

3. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add crushed cumin seeds, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon. Wait till they crackle. Then add grated ginger, chopped garlic and a chopped onion. Sauté it on a lower flame till it turns golden brown.

4. Add peas and the other chopped veggies (beans, carrot, potato, cauliflower) in the frying pan and stir it for 2-3 minutes on a high flame. Mix it well.

5. Cover the lid and let the mixture cook for 7-8 minutes on a lower medium flame. Stir it occasionally. The vegetables should be tender yet still have a crunch

6. Next, add chopped green chillis followed by the spices - red chili powder, garam masala and salt and stir it well.

7. Then, sprinkle some cashews and raisins in the mixture. Stir it gently on a low flame.

8. Next, add the cooked rice in the pan, toss it with vegetables and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. Make sure to check nothing is sticking to the bottom.

9. Pour in some soy sauce and vinegar and toss to combine. Turn off the flame and remove it.

10. Now, transfer the vegetable fried rice to a serving bowl and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

11. Serve them as a complete dish or enjoy it with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!


NOTES
1. Soak basmati rice or any type of white rice for 30-40 minutes.

2. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

3. Do not overcook the rice.

4. This recipe works best with aged good quality basmati rice.

5. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces.

6. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.