Tag Archives: Paneer

Recipe: Dum Paneer Kali Mirch

Posted on by
Reply

A couple of weeks back, I was searching for recipes to make when I chanced upon this recipe in NDTV food which was a pure paneer recipe. It intrigued me enough that I decided to make it, after making some changes to it based on what I had at home. It was super delicious and it’s a definite keeper at home.

This recipe cooks on dum in the last stage which essentially means cooking it in its own steam and not let the steam escape. I have cooked something on dum on a stovetop for the first time and it was achievement unlocked for me with this recipe!

Dum Paneer Kali Mirch

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups paneer, chopped into biggish chunks
  • 2-3 pieces of clove
  • 2-3 pieces of cardamom pods
  • 1 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
  • 3-4 garlic pods
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 4 green chillies (use a lesser number if you are using the smaller green chillies as they tend to be spicier)
  • 10 pieces of cashew nuts soaked in warm milk for 20 mins and then blended to a smooth paste
  • 1 small cup of beaten yoghurt
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp pepper powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper (to garnish)
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the onions and on fry them on a medium to low flame. We need to brown the onions, but not burn it, so you need to keep stirring. When nice and brown, cool it, blend into a fine paste and keep aside.
  • Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies to a fine paste and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, add the remaining oil and fry the dry whole spices – cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and let them fry till the oil becomes fragrant.
  • Now add the browned onion paste and let it fry for around 5 minutes till the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.
  • At this point, add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute for a few minutes.
  • After this, add the cashew paste and let it cook for a few minutes.
  • Next, add the beaten yoghurt and the dry spices – turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and garam masala and let it cook.
  • Add some water to bring it to the consistency you want and let it come to a rolling boil.
  • Add the paneer/cottage cheese and salt and any extra water should you need.
  • Now you need to cook it in dum. What it means is that you cook it in its own juice with no steam being able to escape. You seal the pan with aluminium foil and then cover it with the lid of the pan and let it cook on a low flame for 5-10 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, garnish with coriander seeds and cracked pepper and serve hot with any rice dish or even Indian flatbreads. I served this with a simple pulao.

Simply delicious!!

Recipe: Aloo Matar Paneer

Posted on by
Reply

Another simple, rustic recipe, straight from the Punjabi heartland, this recipe is also courtesy of my helper R. According to her, this version is what is made in weddings in her village and is a super yummy dish which goes very well with any Indian flatbread. A version of this recipe was what I also made when I cooked a non-South Indian dish for the first time. This recipe was taught to me by a neighbour.

Aloo Matar Paneer

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1/2 pack frozen paneer, refreshed in a pan with hot water for 30 minutes
  • 2 medium-sized onions, chopped roughly
  • 4 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped roughly
  • 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped roughly
  • 8-10 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsps oil (I use a canola-olive blend)
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds powder
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 2 tsp cumin seed powder
  • a handful of cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Pour hot water over the cashew nuts in a dish and keep aside for 30 minutes till the nuts are soft.
  • Grind together onion, tomatoes, ginger, dried red chillies, garlic and cashew nuts and keep aside. Try not to use any water to make the paste and keep the paste smooth.
  • Chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and wash and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds.
  • Add the ground tomato-onion paste and saute till it is browned. Keep stirring so it does not burn. Keep stirring till the oil starts leaving the pan.
  • Add the dry spices now – salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and stir well.
  • Next, add potatoes and mix well.
  • Add around a quarter cup of water and mix well and cover and cook till the potatoes are almost done.
  • Now add the frozen green peas and mix. Cover and cook till the vegetables are done.
  • If the gravy appears to be thick, add some water to thin it.
  • Now add the paneer pieces and sprinkle the garam masala powder and let it simmer for five minutes.
  • Remove from the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any rotis or Indian flatbread.

Recipes: No Onion No Garlic Matar Paneer

Posted on by
Reply

img_6144

Another recipe I made during the nine days of Navratri when I do not use either onions or garlic in my cooking. Again I replaced onions and garlic with a cashew and sesame paste and we did not miss the onions at all. This was a very quick recipe and I made it in less than 30 minutes, start to finish.

img_6143

No Onion, No Garlic Matar Paneer

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen paneer, refreshed in hot water for 15 minutes and then drained. Keep the water for the gravy
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 8-10 cashew nuts, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
  • 1 tsp white sesame seeds
  • 3 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seed powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 3-4 tbsps beaten yoghurt
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsps oil
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Blend together the cashew nuts and sesame seeds into a fine paste and keep aside.
  • In the same blender, chop the tomatoes and blend well till it becomes a fine puree and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil and when warm, add the cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add the cashew nut, sesame paste and let it fry for a minute. Then add the tomato puree and let it fry for a minute.
  • Now add all the dry spices – turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt and garam masala and stir well. Add a bit of water if needed and let the masala fry well till the oil starts to come out and it becomes a bit dry.
  • Now add around 1 cup of water (here, add the water used to soak the paneer and the cashew nuts) and let it come to a rolling boil.
  • When it starts to boil, add the frozen peas and let it continue to boil and cook. The peas should be cooked in around 5-7 minutes and at this point add the paneer.
  • Let it cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Check for salt and seasoning and add as required.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or any rotis.

img_6142

img_6141

Recipe: Malai Kofta

Posted on by
Reply

img_6096

One of the most famous dishes which you find in almost all Indian restaurants, Malai Kofta is a scrumptious dish, albeit one that takes a bit of time to make. This is a dish you should make when you want to impress someone or when you have a dinner party at home. These creamed dumplings are made of the mashed potatoes and paneer (fresh cottage cheese) and served in a rich tomato based gravy which is enhanced with the addition of fresh cream and cashew nuts.

img_6098

Malai Kofta

Ingredients:

For the kofta:

  • 1 cup frozen paneer/cottage cheese, refreshed in hot water for 30 minutes and then mashed well with a masher or your fingers
  • 4 medium size potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies
  • 2 tbsps cornflour or plain flour (maida)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves
  • Sunflower or Vegetable oil to deep fry the koftas

For the gravy:

  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 inch piece of ginger
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 3-4 medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 7-8 pieces of cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1-2 tsps red chili powder
  • 1 tsp coriander seed powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seed powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • Water as required
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsps oil
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 2-3 green cardamoms
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh cooking cream
  • Chopped coriander leaves to garnish

img_6097Method:

For the Koftas

  • In a large pan, mix the mashed potatoes and paneer and add some chopped coriander and salt to taste.
  • Add the required amount of cornflour or plain flour to make it into a smooth dough.
  • Make medium-sized balls with the dough and keep aside.
  • Heat the sunflower or vegetable oil in a pan and fry the koftas till they turn golden brown and keep aside.

For the Gravy

  • In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and add the roughly chopped onions and fry for a few minutes till it becomes translucent. At this point, add the ginger and garlic and fry each for a fee seconds before adding the next ingredient.
  • When the ginger and garlic is fully fried, add the cashew nuts and let it fry for a while. Next add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and stir well till oil is released from the gravy. At this point, switch off the flame and let it cool.
  • When completely cool, blend this mixture till completely smooth. Use some milk to add moisture if you need.
  • In another pan, heat 2 tbsps of oil and add the dry spices – cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, one by one, and stir well. Next, add the blended gravy and let it boil.
  • Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cumin powder and salt to taste.
  • When the oil starts to leave the sides, add the cream, reduce the flame and let it come to a nice rolling boil. Check for seasoning (and add if needed) and then add the kasuri methi (after crushing it a bit with your palms).
  • Add water if the gravy is too thick.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

To serve

  • Add the koftas just before you are ready to serve the dish. If you add the koftas too early, it will break when it gets saturated with the gravy and it also soaks up the gravy.

img_6101Notes:

  • You can also serve the koftas as a tea-time snack.
  • You can also serve the koftas as a tea-time snack.
  • To make the dish richer, you can add a tsp of chopped nuts (cashew nuts, almonds, raisins etc) into the middle of each koftas as a stuffing before frying it.

 

Recipe: Aloo Matar Paneer aka Potatoes, Peas and Paneer

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_5612

BB loves Paneer and will ask for it to be added to any and all vegetables at any given chance. On Saturday, when we had to go to to the hospital so GG & BB could meet their new cousin, I wanted to make dinner at home before we left, so that once we’re back, we can eat. The most obvious choice would be roti and a sabzi. I made a traditional Punjabi dish, but with a twist that R suggested which really took it up a notch. Try it, especially with the addition of this totally unexpected ingredient!

Aloo Matar Paneer

IMG_5611

Ingredients:

  • 2 potatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen paneer, thawed in hot water for 10-15 minutes

For the gravy

  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 5-6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 4-5 dried red chillies (or fresh if you have them)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp Garam masala powder
  • 1-2 tsps Kasuri Methi
  • A handful  of chopped spinach leaves, washed well to remove any residue dirt
  • 2 tbsps oil

Method:

  •  Chop the potatoes, and put the paneer in a bowl of hot water to thaw and soften.
  • Once the paneer is soft, cut them into smaller pieces.
  • In a pan, heat up 1 tbsp oil and once the oil is warmed, add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and carom seeds in that order. Let each pop for a few seconds before adding the next one in.
  • Then add in the garlic and ginger, stirring a few minutes each time.
  • Once the garlic is slightly brown, add the onions and stir, letting it become translucent.
  • Next add the washed spinach and let it wilt.
  • Add the tomatoes next and a pinch of salt to help cook. The tomatoes need to break down completely and become mushy. At this point switch off the gas, let this cool and once cool, blend it to a smooth paste.
  • In the same pan, add the balance oil and once warm, put the potatoes in to cook. Add the turmeric powder here and let it coat the potatoes. Cover and add a few drops of water to help it cook. When it is halfway cooked, add the peas and let it cook.
  • When the potatoes and peas are three quarters cooked, add the blended paste and some water to bring it to the consistency you like.
  • Once the whole mixture is bubbling away, add the paneer pieces to this.
  • Check for salt and add the garam masala and if you want, add a tsp or two of ghee, this really makes the dish look as if you’ve cooked the whole thing in ghee!
  • Once the gravy has attained the consistency you want, switch off the gas and enjoy hot and tasty Aloo Matar Paneer.

IMG_5610