Paneer, or Indian cottage cheese, is a popular delicacy in Indian cuisines. Made by curdling fresh milk with lemon juice, these cheese can be found in numerous dishes with various gravy, be it tikka, kadai, saag, palak, shahi, etc. Another amazing thing about Paneer is that it can also be incorporated into other dishes like Pakora (fried snack), Biryani (mixed rice dish), Paratha (flat bread), and even Pizza (yes as the toppings!).
Today we are sharing our very own Paneer recipe with yummy vegetable curry that you can serve with warm rice for an afternoon or dinner meal. If you're ever up to the challenge to cook an Indian dish (it ain't hard, we promise) then do read the recipes below :)
Note: For Vegans, you can always substitute milk Paneer with Tofu.
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Pinch of himalayan salt
Pinch of sugar
7 large tomatoes, chopped and blended into puree
2 cups spinach, chopped
2 small potatoes, chopped and boiled
2 medium carrots, chopped and boiled
1 cup soya chunks, boiled
1 cup paneer (or tofu for vegan) cubes, pan fried
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
Directions:
1. Put oil in a pan in medium low heat and add cumin seeds until seeds become fragrant (about half a minute). Add onions and garlic then saute till garlic has turned golden brown. Add curry powder, garam masala and chilli powder then stir quickly until incorporated.
2. Pour the tomato puree into the pan then stir on medium high heat. You will need to reduce the tomato puree till it reaches a chutney/sambal consistency. This will take about 20-25 minutes.
3. Add seasoning such as salt and sugar, then add the potato, carrots and soy chunks.
4. Pour water into the mixture and stir until you get a saucy consistency. Add spinach and paneer. Let everything simmer on low heat.
5. Blend cashews with 3 tablespoons of water until you get a smooth and thick paste.
6. Stir the cashew cream with the sauce and give it a taste. Adjust your seasonings.
7. Serve with warm rice.
Voila! There you have it. Let us know what do you think of this recipe below, and do share it with friends and family! :)