Okra paneer masala

Ingredients:
Okra (lady's fingers) - 250 gms, cut into 1 inch pieces
Paneer – 250 gms, cut into 1 inch long rectangles

Onions – 2 large, sliced
Tomatoes – 2 medium, cut into small pieces
Green chillies – 3/4 , slit sidewise
Ginger – 1 inch piece, cut into tiny pieces
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Pepper powder – as needed
Chilli powder - teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt
Monosodium glutamate (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Curry leaves
Oil

Method:

Marinate the okra and paneer pieces in pepper powder and salt for half an hour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry them separately and keep aside.

Add the chillies, ginger and some curry leaves to the oil. Then add the onions and sauté well. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.

Add the tomato pieces, followed by salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate and mix well. Add the okra and paneer pieces and stir well. Pour the coconut milk, mix well, cover with a lid and cook until there is no water content.

Take off the stove and garnish with curry leaves.

Postscript: We used paneer in this recipe because some members in our family don't like okra! :D

Paneer Aloo Masala

Ingredients:

Potatoes- 2 medium, cubed

Tomatoes - 2 medium, cut into small pieces

Onions - 2 medium, thinly sliced and cut in the middle

Green chillies - 3 or 4, slit in the middle

Ginger - 1", cut into small pieces or crushed

Curry leaves, mint and coriander leaves.
Paneer - 250 gms, cubed and marinated in salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder for half an hour and fried.

Ingredients for masala (to be fried and ground into paste) Coconut - 1 half, shredded

Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 4 teaspoons
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Heat a frying pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into it.
Add the cut onions, green chilllies, ginger and leaves into it and saute until onions are transparent.

Then add the tomatoes and stir well, followed by the potato cubes.

Stir for a few minutes and add the ground masala paste. Add enough water for the potato cubes to cook.

When the potatoes are cooked, add the fried paneer cubes and cover the frying pan for a few minutes. Add salt to taste.
Garnish with coriander and mint leaves and a little coconut cream.