G : CHILI PANEER

This happens to be one of my favourite paneer recipes. I first tasted it at my mejo-mashi's residence and fell in love with its awesome subtle flavour. After marriage, I called her up on the eve of my in-laws' anniversary to request her to provide me with the recipe. This will also remain close to my heart for the following reason. My sister-in-law, Titai, and her husband Abir, had been asked to join in a family dinner that night and I considered that it being Mamoni's anniversary, she should have others celebrating it by helping her out that day with the planned dinner. So she cooked an amazing ghee-bhaat (a sweet polao) and chicken curry while I prepared this dish. I was awfully nervous that it would go wrong (especially since I had never cooked anything before or after my marriage except microwaved tomato rice and dhania chicken, which K helped me out with anyway) and everyone would secretly add me to their list of bad cooks. However, it turned out scrumptious and everyone was impressed for good (especially our family Gurudev, who was the one to give me the idea of doing my share in the cooking that day in the first place) !

INGREDIENTS :

Paneer, 500gm

Onion, 1 large (cut into thick square/broad strips)

Capsicum/Bell-pepper, 1 whole (thinly sliced into strips)

Tomato, 1 large (finely diced)

Ginger, 1 tbsp (paste)

Green chillies , slit lengthwise (adjust to taste)

Salt (adjust to taste)

Sugar (adjust to taste)

Soya sauce, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Chili sauce, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Tomato ketchup, 3 tbsp

Arrowroot/Cornflour, 1 tbsp (dissolved in a few tbsp of milk)

Oil

METHOD :

Fry the paneer cubes till golden brown. Retain the oil.

Keep the paneer cubes immersed in mildly hot, salted water for about 20 mins.

Mix the 3 sauces well and keep aside.

Re-heat the residual oil.

Add onions, stir fry till golden-brown.

Add capsicum/bell-pepper. Stir-fry till soft and glassy.

Add tomato, followed by ginger paste. Mix well.

Season with salt and sugar.

Add half a cup of water to the mixture. Bring to a boil. Allow the water to reduce till gravy is according to desired texture.

Introduce the fried paneer (after draining the salted water).

Mix well to coat paneer with the gravy.

Add green chillies.

Allow the entire mixture to cook till paneer is tender and cooked through.

Pour in the sauce mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Add the arrowroot/cornflour 2 mins before removal from heat.

TIPS :

You may substitute the arrowroot or cornflour with flour.

G : PALAK PANEER

This time, I was a bit apprehensive since :

1) K has begun to entertain high hopes from me, especially when it comes to paneer-based preparations.

2) I'd heard that palak or palong shaak recipes are usually tricky. If they come out well, you are lucky. If they don't, you'll have to eat it all by yourself.

3) I was trying to effect a mix-and-match of 2 net recipes.

Well, since it was obviously my lucky day, I dare to divulge my own take on the net recipes :

QUANTITY :

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS :

Spinach/palak/palong shaak ( 1 or 2 bunches)
Paneer cubes (500 g)
Onion (1 medium)
Tomato (1 medium)
Green chilli (quantity according to taste, 1 would do)
Salt (to taste)
Kasoori methi (a pinch)
Ginger-Garlic paste (1 tbsp each)
Coriander powder (a pinch)
Cumin powder (a pinch)
Oil

METHOD :

Pluck the spinach leaves, wash and boil them.
Puree the boiled spinach.
Puree onions and tomato separately.
Fry the paneer cubes till golden. Retain the oil.

Keep the paneer cubes immersed in mildly hot, salted water for about 20 mins.

Heat oil.
Add kasoori methi and onion paste.
Add ginger-garlic paste.
Add the pureed tomato
Add the pureed spinach.
Add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder.
Add green chilli.
Add a little water, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add the drained paneer cubes, cover and cook till tender.

TIPS :

Do not fry kasoori methi for too long, as it tends to impart a bitter taste to the dish.

Add a little flour dissolved in whole milk (for a richer, creamier gravy).

Adjust the water added according to preferred consistency of the gravy.

Bon appetit !

G : JEERA PANEER

This one's a legacy from Ma, the fate of whose dishes depends invariably on her moods. But it seems she was in a good mood when she bequeathed this gem to me, for it turned out amazingly well, the very first time I tried it out. Actually, K's college batchmate Prasenjit and his wife Gopa, who had recently moved from Michigan to New Jersey, were expected for dinner one evening. The menu was simple : chicken biriyani, chilli prawn, chilli paneer and icecream. K went out in the evening to buy a couple of things and enquired whether I needed anything, to which I offered a confident negative. However, the moment I started making preparations for the paneer (everything else had been cooked by then), I was annoyed to discover that we were out of soya sauce. This recipe saved the day, especially since I'm not the type to try out my culinary experiments on my guests. I suggest you don't do it either, unless you're really out to scare away your friends !


QUANTITY :

Serves 4


INGREDIENTS :

Paneer 500 gm.
Capsicum/bell-pepper, 1 whole, thinly sliced
Ginger, 1 tbsp
Cumin (whole, roasted and grinded), 1 tbsp
Cumin Powder, 1 tsp
Black pepper, adjust to taste
Salt, adjust to taste
Sugar, 1 tbsp
Milk, 1 cup.
Garam Masala, 1 pinch
Oil

METHOD :

Heat oil. Fry paneer cubes till golden. Retain the oil.
Keep the paneer immersed in mildly hot, salted water for about 20 mins.
Re-heat the oil.
Fry capsicum/bell-pepper at low heat till soft.
Add roasted cumin.
Stir till well mixed.
Add ginger and cumin powder.
Stir well at low heat till well mixed.
Add milk slowly, while stirring.
Allow milk to boil for 5 mins or until concentrated.
Add salt, sugar and green chilli.
Cook on low heat till the gravy is thick in consistency.
Add drained, pre-fried paneer.
Cook uncovered for 5-7 mins.
Add garam masala and pepper.
Remove from heat when paneer is soft and well cooked.


The best part about this dish is how fast you can usher it up in...which is nominal !