Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online
Authors: Neelam Batra
Variation:
Add finely diced or grated tart apples along with some minced ginger and lemon juice instead of the chutney in step 3. Unripe peaches, plums, and nectarines also work well.
Grated Paneer Cheese with Minced Cauliflower
Sookha Gobhi Paneer
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Here is a simple side dish that can also be served as a salad. For a light crunch, mince the cauliflower by hand so the pieces will not be as fine as they are if chopped in a food processor.
8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small head cauliflower, minced to make 2 cups
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1
⁄
2
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small tomato, finely chopped
Tomato wedges
1.
Prepare the paneer cheese and grate it, preferably by hand. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and stir-fry the cauliflower and cilantro until the cauliflower is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and green chile peppers, cook 1 minute, then mix in the turmeric, red pepper flakes, salt, and cumin.
3.
Add the chopped tomato and grated paneer cheese and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon in the cauliflower. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve.
Marinated Paneer Cheese with Ginger-Lime Pickle
Adrak-Nimboo vaala Paneer
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ginger-lime pickle, with its citrusy hot flavors, gives this dish its distinctive zip. Serve it as a side dish or crumble it into salads. With its tremendous staying power, ginger-lime pickle is a ready marinade and flavor booster you may want to have on hand all the time.
1 to 1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons
Minced Ginger-Lime Pickle
8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1.
Prepare the ginger-lime pickle in advance. Prepare the paneer cheese then cut it into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces.
2.
Place the paneer cheese in a medium non-reactive bowl. Mix in the ginger-lime pickle, cover and marinate at room temperature or in the refrigerator, 1 to 4 hours.
3.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the marinated paneer cheese. Cook, stirring lightly, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cilantro and cook, turning as needed, until the paneer is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with black pepper, and serve.
Sautéed Paneer Cheese with Green Chutney
Paneer Hari Chutni
Makes 4 to 6 servings
With lip-smacking flavors and just a few easy steps, this is a dish you will enjoy making and eating. It's versatile; serve it as a salad, snack, side dish, or entrée.
1 to 1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)
3
⁄
4
teaspoon cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)
8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons ground coriander
1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large tomato, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1.
Prepare the chaat masala and the cumin. Prepare the paneer cheese and cut it into 1
1
⁄
2
-by-
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces. In a food processor or blender, process together the cilantro, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, and salt to make a smooth chutney.
2.
Place the paneer cheese in a flat dish and carefully mix in the chutney, making sure that all the pieces are well-coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, 1 to 4 hours.
3.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the paneer pieces (in 2 batches, if necessary), stirring, until just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a serving platter, cover, and keep warm.
4.
Add any remaining marinade to the skillet along with the tomato and cook, stirring, until the tomato is soft, about 1 minute. Transfer to the paneer platter. Garnish with the chaat masala and cumin seeds and serve.
Variation:
To grill the marinated paneer, drain the pieces, then thread them onto metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers and grill over medium heat until very lightly charred. Serve with or without the tomato.
Spicy Diced Paneer Cheese with Ajwain Seeds
Paneer Ajwaini
Makes 4 to 6 servings
With the thyme and pepper-like flavor of
ajwain
seeds and the fresh ginger shining through, this is a refreshing and elegant yet easy
paneer
cheese dish.
3
⁄
4
teaspoon black peppercorns, dry-roasted and coarsely ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)
8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ajwain seeds, coarsely ground
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Prepare the peppercorns. Prepare the paneer cheese then cut it into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces.
2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the green chile peppers and cook another 1 minute.
3.
Add the paneer cheese, ginger, ajwain seeds, salt, and black pepper, and cook, turning the pieces very carefully, until barely golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and cilantro and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the garam masala, and serve.
Paneer Cheese with Cauliflower and Broccoli
Gobhi aur Hari Gobhi ka Paneer
Makes 4 to 6 servings
The brilliant green broccoli florets stand out like gems against the golden
paneer
and cauliflower, adding visual appeal plus texture, flavor, and nutrients to an easy everyday dish. To make sure everything cooks evenly, cut the cauliflower and broccoli into tiny
1
⁄
2
-inch florets, similar in size to the
paneer
cheese pieces. Cut the bell peppers into
1
⁄
4
-inch pieces.
1
⁄
2
teaspoon dry-roasted and coarsely ground black pepper (
Dry-Roasting Spices
), or to taste
8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)
5 to 7 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons ground coriander