Paneer and Cheese Pakora

It is amazing the way cooking dawns on you. The very first day you are so reluctant to cook your first dish. Then finally after loads and loads of dishes and many appreciations from your near and dear ones you realize that you have actually started to enjoy cooking. I still remember my very first day in the kitchen. It was the first day after me and my husband had shifted to Hyderabad after marriage. I do not know why I decided to prepare Korolar jhol (bitter gourd curry) for him. And when he tasted it I know what would have gone through his mind. He not being the bollywood style husbands who would eat anything that wife prepares after marriage said after the first bite "Okhaddo hoyeche". It is a bengali term which means "It is not edible and why on earth did you prepare this". So like many other days during those times, we ended up having dinner at a nearby restaurant.

That day and today 3 and a half years have passed, he enjoys what I cook and loves eating food prepared by me. His encouragement and support always makes me try new dishes. Like the one given below which I tried just a few days back:

Ingredients:
- Paneer (100 gms)
- Onion (1 finely chopped)
- Green Chilli (1 chopped)
- Besan (2 tbsp)
- Salt (1/2 tsp)
- Coriander leaves (1/2 cup chopped finely)
- Mozarella Cheese (shredded 1/2 cup)
- Oil (for deep frying)
Preparation:
- Cut the paneer into small cubes.
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients. Mix them well.
Note: Do not add water. There is enough water in the onion to bind the besan to the other ingredients.
- Let the mixture rest for half an hour.
- Then take some mixture in your hands and shape them into rounds or flats.
- Deep fry till brown.
- Serve piping hot with salad and sauce of your choice.
Can be served as a starter for your party or as an evening snack.
Note: Can also be baked at 150 degrees celcius for 10 min instead of deep frying for a healthier version.

This is my entry for Krithis Kitchen , Cook Starters and Soups Contest,2^nd Blog-ivrsary Event & Giveaway announced by Simply Tadka, WTML

Easy Cheesy Pizza Without Oven

This is a recipe for pizza without an oven. It can be prepared on stove top in a jiffy. It takes very little time and is a hit snack item among kids as well as grown ups. :)

Ingredients:

- Pizza Base (3 small ones/ one large)
- Tomato sauce (2 tbsp)
- Chilli Sauce (2 tbsp)
- Cheese (1 cube)
- Capsicum / Green bell pepper (1 chopped finely)
- Onion (1 chopped finely)
- Carrots (1 chopped finely)
- Corn Kernels ( 1/2 cup)
- Mozzarella cheese  / Any cheese of your choice( 1 cup grated)
- Butter (1 tbsp)

Method:
- Take a frying pan / tava and put some butter on it. Heat it.
- When the tava is hot enough put the pizza bases on it.
- After some time turn the pizza base to other side. When both sides are baked i.e brown in colour turn off the flame.
- Now take the pizza base and apply the tomato sauce and chilli sauce on it.
- Put some grated cheese .
- Now put chopped capsicum, onion, carrots, corn or any other veggies of your choice. You can even put chicken but make sure the chicken is cooked before it goes into your pizza.
- Now add some more grated cheese on top of the veggies.
- Put the pizza in microwave for a min on high so that the cheese melts and the veggies are cooked a bit. Veggies should be crispy that is not totally cooked. If you do not have a microwave put the pizza on a tava and cover it with lid. It will take 2-3 mins to be ready.
- Add some more cheese if you want, add chilli flakes and oregano flakes.

Enjoy your pizza.. :)

This goes off to :
Say Cheese event at daily cuppa , LunchBox Ideas at Cuisine delights and Recipe Junction,
Kids delight at Rujuta and Srivalli at Spice your life and Cook Click and Devour.