Mini Fajitas ~ One-Bite Appetizers for Parties

For the final day of BM#54, under One Bite Appetizers, I have a mini version of Fajitas. Well you might question me on how these would be termed as Fajitas. I could have called them Quesadilla, somehow Fajitas stuck and I was not ready to change.

I was remembering the mini versions that were served during Vaishali's son reception that we went a year back. The starters were so many that we simply could not even taste all that was being served. I especially loved those mini fajitas. Ok now you know why I couldn't change the name. I was told it was a fajita and I wasn't ready to dispute that. Moreover we had such good time and enjoying the spread that we didn't bother much beyond clicking and eating. I searched for that picture, unfortunately couldn't get hold of that. I had clicked everything that was served as I was planning to recreate it myself.

Fajita as the definition goes, is a tortilla on which a sizzling grilled meat is served with other condiments and fillings. I just took one part of it and made coin cutlets and served with roasted broccoli and cheese. The mini tortillas were fun to cook. Since these are mini, there is no serving control, though there is portion control. In a party you won't really worry about that right. This will surely be a hit if you are planning to host a party for kids.

I enjoyed this one bite appetizers a lot and researched so much on different ideas. I wish I had time to make the rest as well. These are total hit in at regular times with kids, as they seem to love anything that's bite sized and smaller ones.

For me it works out best as well, as I need not make one dish so much and at the same time have a variety going on.

Do share your ideas on bite size snacks that will be a hit at parties.

Mini Fajitas

Ingredients Needed:

For the Tortillas

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Cold butter - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For the grilled Corn Paneer Coin Cutlet.

Grilled Sweet Corns - 1  cup
Paneer - 1/2 cup
Boiled Potato - 1/4 cup
Bread Slices - 2 slices
Green Chilies - 2 medium
Red Chili flakes - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

For Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli, blanched - 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Red chili flakes

Tomato Salsa
Mozzarella Cheese for topping

How to make the Mini Fajitas

For the tortillas

Take the flour in a bowl along with salt and cold butter, rub the butter well and slowly add water to knead to a soft and stiff dough. Let it rest till you make the toppings.

For the Grilled Corn Paneer Coin Cutlet.

Smear oil over the corn cob and grill over flame until it browns.

Remove the kernels and pulse it along with bread slices to a coarse paste. Make sure the corns are not completely grounded.

Transfer to a bowl, add potato, crumbled paneer and other ingredients. Pinch out tiny balls and flatten.

Heat a nonstick pan with oil and pan roast the coin cutlets till done on both sides.

For the Broccoli,

Blanch the washed broccoli and roast it with oil and season with salt and red Chilies.

Assembling the mini fajitas

When you are ready to assemble, knead the dough again and dust well. roll out a huge disc and using a cutter of the size you prefer, pinch out individual tortillas.

Heat a pan with oil and cook the mini tortillas on both sides.

Transfer to a serving plate and spread the tomato salsa. Place pieces of roasted broccoli, coin cutlets, sprinkle some grated cheese and serve.

Notes:

You could assemble everything and MW for 10 secs just before serving for the cheese to melt and the tortillas to warm up.

Paneer Croissants | How to make Paneer Croissant Sticks

For the second day of Bite size Appetizers, I have a Stuffed Paneer Croissants. These are not your flaky buttery croissants, rather yeasted rolls. However these warm rolls are just right to lighten your time, when you are enjoying time party. In spite of blending in the paneer into the dough, I also stuffed it spiced up, to ensure you get the spicy cheesy dig when you bite into it.

Apart from paneer, I had ideas of stuffing cheese cubes. Then decided that my ideas seem to end up very monotonous, with cheese stuffed into every other snack. I know my kids will love cheese, but including that in everything seems so predictable. I know paneer falls in that category as well.

Just the other day, seeing me work overtime, trying to get all the dishes done for July, Athamma was asking me if I was cooking for the blog for the next two months. I said I have about twenty plus posts to be done for a month. She was shocked and asked what all I plan to make. I said I am aiming at simpler ones and she also nodded saying I must have blogged all of Amma's and hers already! Yes I know, even the simplest chutney has made an appearance. 

So coming back to the paneer Croissants, I hopping on blogs and landed at Archana's. I knew my kids will love it as they enjoyed the twisted Pizza sticks. I thought these might be interesting for them as well. I was very happy when Chinnu tasted it and said he liked it. He went on for second one as well. Konda was going on encouraging him. I know its a good thing he was not eating all purpose loaded stuff. However nothing wrong in just tasting it. So in that way I was much happier.

If you are wondering why those ribbons seem to make an appearance, well those are my boy's handiwork. On a Sunday with about seven dishes to cover, I hardly have energy to set this up. So I ended up asking their help. They decided these ribbons will be great. I didn't want to discourage them. I am hoping with time and exposure, they will learn the coordination soon. 

Paneer Crescents

Ingredients Needed

For the Dough

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1.5 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Paneer, crumbled - 1/4 cup
Melted Butter - 2 tbsp
Instant Yeast - 1.5 tsp
Warm Milk - 1/2 cup and water as required to knead to a soft dough

For the Stuffing

Paneer, crumbled - 1/2 cup
Red chili flakes -1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter for glazing

How to make the Paneer Crescents

In a mixing bowl, take the flour, salt, crumbled paneer, instant yeast, olive oil, sugar and warm water. Mix everything well together. Knead well.

Finally add the melted butter and continue kneading till you get a soft dough. cover and let it rise. Mine rose by 45 mins.

When read to bake, punch it down softly and knead for couple of mins again.

Dust and roll out as to a disc. Using a sharp knife slice through the middle and do a crisscross to get 4 pieces. Slice each again to get a thinner triangle.

Place a small serving of the spiced paneer in the outer wider place and start rolling from outer to inner, ensuring the stuffing is fully covered.

Continue with rest and place everything on a greased baking tray.

Bake in pre heated oven at 185 C for 20 mins.

Brush with butter on top and bake for another 2 mins.

Serve warm.

Notes:

Stuffing can be more spicy if you want, can stuff with cheese as well. top it with more spiced butter or any other topping if required.

Just before serving you can warm it for 20 -30 secs in MW and pour spiced butter or sauce. You can serve this with some spicy dips as well.

Paneer Butter Masala, yet another form!

For the final week of BM#55, I picked up to do Bookmarked recipes. I know everyone would be having endless bookmarks, and with each edition of BM, my list grows bigger and bigger. Infact it has become so bad that I hardly ever refer my physical cookbooks. That's why I make sure I do the Cooking From Cookbook challenge.

Anyway coming to this week, picking up just three was so hard. So I went by what I feel is the best I can do. I picked up three that my kids enjoyed/ I knew they will enjoy!

First in the series is a classic rich Paneer Butter Masala from Padma. Padma had invited us for dinner along with few other BM members. I had taken my family to meet them all. So wanting to ensure the kids eat, she called up to ask what they like. I said what else, but paneer! I also said she should keep the menu very simple knowing it is going to be talking more eating less gathering.

Even then she had prepared quite a menu, and I remember she saying her next day cooking was also done..:) Anyway back to the dish she prepared, needless to say my kids loved it, so much that the next time I was supposed to make it, they only wanted Padma Aunty's Paneer Butter Masala. So my next stop was to check out the recipe and shared with Amma as well. Since then we have been regularly making this version as well, apart from our usual ones.

Paneer Makhani / Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese, cubes - 250 gms

For the Tomato Puree:

Tomato Puree - 2 - 3 big ones
Bay leaf - 2 small
Cardamom - 2
Nutmeg - 1/2"
Mace - 2 pieces

Wash and make a cross slit on the tomato tops. Bring a cup of water to boil, add the tomatoes, and simmer for 5 -7 mins. Once cooled, peel off the skin and chop fine. Cook these chopped tomatoes along with rest of the ingredients for 2 -3 mins. Once done, cool. Then grind to a smooth paste and strain through a colander. This puree can be refrigerated for a week.

For Roasted Coriander and Cumin powder

Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 & 1/2 tsp

Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds till they crackle, ensuring they don't get burnt. Cool and grind to a fine powder. This can be stocked as well.

For the gravy:

Onions - 1 big
Tomato Puree - 2 cups
Roasted coriander and cumin powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Thick cream - 1/2 cup
Kashmiri Chili powder – 1 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp
Cashew nut paste - 1 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

How to make Paneer Butter Masala

If using store bought paneer, cube and soak in hot water, squeeze well. Roast in ghee till it turns golden. If using homemade, cube and roast directly.

Boil cubed onion pieces in a cup of water. Drain and cool the onion. Reserve the water for the gravy. Once cooled, grind to a smooth paste.

Dry roast Kasuri Methi and crush with your hand and keep it aside.

Hat butter in a non stick pan, add onion paste and fry till light brown color. Then add ginger garlic paste and stir for a min.

Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander and cumin powder, garam masala powder and mix well. Simmer for couple of mins, then add cashew nut paste and tomato puree, salt to taste and cook till butter leaves from the sides of the pan. This takes about 10 mins.

Next add paneer cubes mix well, then add cream, Kasuri methi mix well and cook for 2 more min. and remove from the heat.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

Serve with Naan/ Roti

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM