Cooking like my mother

Kati rolls (look here  for an explanation) using achari paneer (Indian cheese cooked with spices used for pickling) has become a staple in our house. What is there not to like?  These rolls filled with paneer cooked in flavorful pickle spices and vegetables are easy to make and one of the favorite foods for my kids. Sometimes when I am puttering around in the kitchen (like today), I will make a big batch of paneer achari masala and keep it. Once you have the masala already made, making paneer achari kati roll takes only 10-15 minutes. I feel like a mom with super powers on a weekday dinner with this masala in my pantry! Recipe I have been following achari paneer recipe at  Manjula's Kitchen . For making a bg batch of masala, I usually multiply the dry masala measurements by 4 or 8 except for red chilies (which i keep on the lighter side). After roasting and grinding the masala, store in a glass bottle with tight lid.

It goes without saying that fresh ground spices will make your food more aromatic and flavorful. Grinding your own spices is easy and require hardly any time or technique as long as you know how to measure and have some machine to grind small batch of spices. I use a small coffee grinder. I do buy already ground spice powders but there are some that I always make my own. Making bhuna jeera (roasted cumin seeds) powder or dhaniya (coriander) powder is totally worth the effort and these are used in Indian cooking all the time. Recipes Dhaniya powder - I make a small batch of dhaniya powder whenever i run out and need some more. I keep it coarse. Bhuna jeera powder - Heat a heavy bottom skillet/pan on low to medium heat. Put cumin seeds turning them every few minutes till a shade darker. You will be able to smell as the aroma is released. Let it cool and grind. Again, I like it slightly coarse.