Amma's Recipes: Nagori Poori | Puri with Paneer Korma

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“A mother's love is something we keep locked deep in our hearts; always knowing it will be there to comfort us.”  ~ Harmony Ferrario

Nagori Poori, all puffed up and ready to be devoured.

Yesterday was Mother's Day - a day that celebrates the essence of a mother, her importance in our lives, to cherish the everlasting bond we share with them and acknowledge their selfless love.

...well, if I may ask, do we really need a special day to express our feelings and make our mothers feel special? Honestly, all my mother would want is to hug her and plant a kiss on her cheek. That in itself is a mother's day for us. :-).  I have talked about her many times before and I never get tired of it. She is an inspiration to me and my little sister and would strive to be like her when I hit 50!

Make sure the dough is stiff.

uncooked poori.

Today's recipe - Nagori Poori is a recipe I bookmarked eons ago and the korma recipe is my mom's classic and a long time family favorite. It is very versatile and works best with any combination of vegetables, meat, eggs and paneer/tofu.

The weather here in Hyderabad is quite unpredictable these days. Durring one such chilly, gloomy days, my mother made these with spicy paneer korma on the side. Amidst some funny family conversations and while watching a old black & white Telugu movie, these pooris were devoured until the last morsel and gone in matter of minutes. :-)

Now, its your turn to enjoy! Buon appetito..

Paneer Korma. 

{Recipe}  Nagori Poori with Paneer Korma

Adapted from here. NDTV Cooks

Makes 5-6 medium sized pooris

Ingredients:

1 cup maida/all purpose flour
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp yogurt/dahi
1/4 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
salt- to taste
1/2 cup or less water
oil - for frying

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix maida, ghee, ajwain, salt and yogurt. Add water little by little and knead to a stiff dough.

2. Make small lemon sized balls of the dough and roll out into small rounds.

Note: Click here for step by step pictures of frying a traditional poori.

3. Heat oil. Slide one-poori-at-a-time into hot (not smoking) oil and it almost instantly rises up. For puffy pooris, the trick is to press down slightly.  Fry until light golden brown. Drain all excess oil and drop them onto a paper towel. Serve immediately to enjoy them at their best taste.

Paneer Korma:

Cut paneer into small cubes and fry them in oil until light golden brown. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Follow this post for the korma recipe. Just add the fried paneer at the very end.

We all scream for poori!!!

Previously posted Amma's Recipes:

Instant Mango Pickle
Chana Dal Wadi ki Kadhi (Lentil Dumplings in Yogurt Gravy)
Cut Mirchi Bhajji (Double Fried Cut Chilli Fritters)

Kova Billalu & Kobbari Undalu (Ammama's recipe)

Eggplants stuffed with a Spice paste

Spice Powder for Dry Curries

Poori Bhaji/Poori Koora 

Coconut Chutney and Babycorn Kurma

Vegetable Biryani

Aloo/Tofu Kurma (Version 1)

until next time,

Black and White Wednesday # 31 Gallery + Two Surprise winners.

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"Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected." 

~ Robert Frank

Experimenting with Food in Raw

Sihi of Wandering Ladle

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Simplicity

Sharmila of The Yellow Turmeric

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Paris in NYC

Kavita of Tasty Touch

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“You don’t take a photograph, you make it." - Ansel Adams
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Chocolate Fudge Doughnuts

Nags of Edible Garden

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Cardamom Cookies, easiest ever

Scarlett O'Hara of The Meal Algorithm

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On the Kitchen table

Alessandra - Alessandra Zecchini

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“Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow." 
~ Imogen Cunningham

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Vada

Rajani of My Kitchen Trials

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Making caciocavallo: Stretching the curd

Simona of Briciole

Taleggio in the mold: early phase of draining

Simona of Briciole

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“I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn’t that good." 
~ Anonymous

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Fish & Chips, Pub Food

Shri of TiffinCarrier Anticque's

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Vintage Snack

Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums

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Aluminium Kitchen Tools

Cinzia of Cindystar

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 “In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” 
~ Alfred Stieglitz


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Whistles

Raks of Rak's Kitchen

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i-Kitchen book

Cinzia of Cindystar

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Penne Pasta

Jaya of Spice and Curry 

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”There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.”
~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

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Mizuna Apple Almond Salad

Mireille of Chef Mireille's Global Creations

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Shopping at Naviglio Grande Antiques Market, Milan

Cinzia of Cindystar

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White Beans

Brii of Briggishome

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Toppings for your drink
Lata Raja of Flavours and Tastes

Flavours for your drink
Lata Raja of Flavours and Tastes

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I feel brand new again
La belle Aurore

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Pumpkin Yogurt Gravy
Sara of Sara's Corner

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Here is the entry from original host of BWW herself - Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook

Leading the Way 

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...and here is my Black and White submission 

Playing With Fire (photographed at Shiro, Bangalore)

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Thank you all for participating in this week's Black and White Wednesday event. I never realized world in monochrome could be so beautiful. To make things a little interesting and as a small of token of thanks, I randomly chose two participants from the list above to give away award-winning books by Jigyasa and Pratibha. (Cooking At Home With Pedatha  fame)

....and those two lucky ladies are:  Alessandra - Alessandra Zecchini and Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums. Congratulations. Please email me your shipping details at the earliest.

Cya and until next time,

Kolhapuri Teekha Aloo (Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste) #FoodieExchange

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Potatoes cooked with Kolhapuri Thecha [chilli-garlic spice paste]

I love surprises, especially when it involves 'food'.

Last month, a "FoodieExchange" was organised by Charis of Culinary Storm where each of the participating bloggers from different parts of India are paired together and send each other a goodie bag filled with little surprises.

...and here what I received from "the moody foodie" (jeetendra), a blogger from Maharashtra.

[L-R] - Kolhapuri Thecha, Sindhi papad, Kutti (a maharashtrian sweet made with wheat flour, ghee, sugar & nuts)

I quite liked the taste of "kolhapuri thecha" and today's recipe is the simplest way to make use of it - with potatoes and spring onions added for a herby feel. This paste so versatile that am sure it can be used in every and anything. - even in these, to add a spicy, indianized note. I can't wait to try. :-)

"the thecha".

..devoured on it - one bite at a time!..

 Below are the bloggers who participated in this round of "Foodie Exchange" -

Deeps of Naughty Curry
Madhuri of Cook Curry Nook
Sarita of The Clean Toothpick
Pratiksha of Honeyed Pandemonium
Jeetendra of Moody Foodie
Apeksha of Veggie Wiz
Poorna of Presented by P
Ameya of Kitty in the Kitchen
Sid of Chef at Large
Ruchira of The Great Cookaroo
Geetha of Fragrant Kitchen
Renuka of Pinch of Salt
Marsha of The Harried Cook
Sangeeta of Health Food Desi Videshi
Rekha of My Tasty Curry
Nikhil of Nonchalant Gourmand

It was so good that me and my laws polished it off and had to make again for Mr.Husband's dinner.

{Recipe} Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed.
3 bunches of spring onion, trimmed to remove roots (if any) and finely chopped leaves & white bulb as well.
(1 tbsp of kolhapuri thecha masala + 2 tbsp of olive oil) --> Mix well. Note: Reduce or increase the amount based on the spice level you can handle. I would recommend add little by little.
1 tsp olive oil
salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a flat, shallow pan and add potato cubes. Cover and cook until half done.

2. Add chopped spring onion leaves and bulb (the white part). Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat.

3. Now, add the (thecha + oil) mixture and season with salt. Gently toss until potatoes are coated. Cook until done.

4. Serve with rice or roti. Tastes best when eaten hot.

until next time,

19th Annual Day Celebrations at Vaidehi Ashram, Hyderabad

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 For the beautiful word begets the beautiful deed. ~ Thomas Mann

Here on this blog, you must have read many stories written on Vaidehi Ashram (a Flickr set of all the photographs taken there) and some generous souls even offered a helping hand to make a difference and help realize the tiny dreams of Ashram girls. The authorities at Vaidehi Ashram thank US even today for our gesture. :-)

April 29th was the day when the Ashram came to life with just two girls 19 years ago and I was invited to their annual day celebrations. Honestly I was representing all of Y.O.U over there. The entire courtyard in front of the ashram was filled with people who helped the ashram in one way or the other and a small number of relatives of the girls who stay in the Ashram. There were some distinguished guests and most importantly many squeaky, little excited girls running all around who were seen practicing their performances back stage. It was a pure delight to watch them sing and dance. There was also a special performance by four to ten year olds (22 of them) who were rescued last year in 2011.

I wanted you all to be a part of the celebrations as well. Here are some pictures I took while I was there and also a small video of girls performing at the very end of the post.

Its been 19 years since its inception. It is heartwarming to know it gave a new life  and shelters hundreds of homeless girls.

Beautiful them. Beautiful We.

the one in the middle will be a great dancer one day. Look at her terrific expression! :D

All set to rock the stage. 

the formation.

singing songs.

the ashram girls are trained in self defence too.

displaying their Nunchaku skills.

[Update] - I will be guest hosting Susan's Black and White Wednesday this week. Click away and send in your entries to info DOT siri AT gmail DOT com by Monday, May 7th. The gallery will be published on May 9th.