Collard Greens Saag Paneer

Totally similar to palak paneer, cooked with just an addition of collard greens. 

Tastes good with roti or naan.

Ingredients :

• Spinach - 1 bunch
• Collard Greens - 1 bunch
• Paneer ( cottage cheese ) - 100 grams or as many as you like
• Onion - 1 Large
• Butter - 3 tbsp
• Bay leaves - 2-3
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black Pepper powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 2
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tbsp
• Amchoor Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil/Butter - 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Heavy Cream - 1/2 cup

Directions :

• Wash collard  greens and spinach thoroughly. If needed 2-3 times so that you are sure that it is absolutely clean. Then chop them roughly. 
• Boil collard greens and spinach in some water for 12-14 minutes. Grind it to a paste when it cools. (Collard greens are hard leaves so that take little more time to cook than spinach.)
• Heat butter in a pan and fry bay leaves , slit green chillies, and cumin seeds.
• Add finely chopped onions and ginger garlic paste, saute till onions turn transparent
• Add salt, black pepper powder, garam masala, amchoor powder . Stir well.
• Add ground greens and cook on low.
• In another pan, heat oil and fry paneer cubes till they turn golden brown. You can avoid this step and add raw paneer as well. Both taste equally good. 
• Now add these paneer cubes to greens curry. Cook it covered in medium flame till the butter separates. 
• Add the fresh cream and cook for just another minute or two just to incorporate the cream well with the gravy. 

Enjoy with roti or naan. 

Beerakaya Thokkala Pachadi

Beerakaya thokkala pachadi  means ridge guard skin chutney or turai ke chilke ki chutney.
We usually peel the ridge guard and trash the skin. But try this chutney making use of the peeled skin and you will never want to throw the skin away.
I sometimes add in 4-5 small cubes of ridge guard along with the skin to make the texture a little smooth, however you can avoid that and make it with just the skin.

Ingredients:

• Skin of 3-4 ridge guards
• Green Chilies - 3-4 or to taste
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Chana Dal - 2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
• Garlic Pods- 3-4
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp ( optional )
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

For tempering: 

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Red Chili Whole - 1-2
• Hing - a pinch
• Curry Leaves - 4-5

Directions:

• Wash the ridge guard very well and peel. Use the ridge guard for making curry or dal and save the skin.
• Wash the skin once again, just to be sure.
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and splutter cumin seeds. Add urad dal, chana dal and fry till golden brown. Add green chilies. Saute and take it out in a plate. Let it cool.
• In the same pan, add one more tbsp of oil and fry the ridge guard skin. If you are using a small piece of ridge guard, then chop and add that as well.Fry till cooked. Let it cool.
• In a grinder, make a course powder of the fried mixture. 
• Add to the grinder, the cooked ridge guard skin, tamarind, salt, sugar, garlic pods and very little water, say about, 1 tbsp. Grind to a paste. Remove it in a bowl.
• Now for tempering, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal, red chili, curry leaves, hing. Fry till urad dal starts to change color. Pour this over the chutney and mix well. Adjust salt.

Eat it with hot rice with a dollop of ghee. I promise you will find it delicious. :)