Paneer-Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

Paneer…………….……………….100 gm (diced in cubes)   

Bhindi (ladyfingers/okra)….8-10 (washed, chopped)
Carrot……………………………..1 (large, chopped in circles)
Pea………………………………….1/3 cup
Onion…………………………..….1 (medium, finely chopped)
Tomato…..………………….…...1 (large, finely chopped) 
Garlic…..…………………….…...1 clove (large, finely chopped) 
Ginger paste………………...….½ tea spoon 
Coriander powder………..…..½ tea spoon 
Red chilli powder……….…….½ tea spoon 
Garam masala powder…..….½ tea spoon
Water…………………………...…2/3 cup 
Salt to taste
Oil to cook

Method

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add the onions and cook until transparent.
• Now add the tomatoes, garlic and garlic paste. Cook for 2 min.
• Mix in the garam masala, red chilli, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 min.
• Add water and mix well.
• Now mix in the ladyfingers, carrots and peas. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 min or until the vegetables are cooked and gravy starts to thicken.
• Lastly add the paneer and cook for 2 min.  
• Serve hot. 

Serves: 2

Paneer-Bhindi Masala

Ingredients

Paneer…………….……………….100 gm (diced in cubes)   

Bhindi (ladyfingers/okra)….8-10 (washed)
Onion…………………………..…..1 (medium, finely chopped)
Tomato…..………………….…...1 (large, finely chopped) 
Garlic…..…………………….…...1 clove (large, finely chopped) 
Green chilli…………………..….1 (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder………...…..1/3 tea spoon 
Coriander powder………..…..1/3 tea spoon 
Red chilli powder……….…….1/3 tea spoon 
Garam masala powder…..….1/3 tea spoon
Cinnamon stick.……………….1 (1 inch) 
Clove…………………………...….1 
Water…………………………...…½ cup 
Salt to taste
Oil to cook

Method

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add the onions and cook until transparent.
• Now add the tomatoes, garlic and green chilli. Cook for 2 min.
• Mix in the garam masala, turmeric, red chilli and coriander powder.
• Add the cinnamon stick, clove and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 min.
• Add water and mix well.
• Now mix in the ladyfingers. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 min or until the ladyfingers are cooked and gravy starts to thicken.
• Lastly add the paneer and cook for 2 min. 
• Serve hot. 

Serves: 2

Mutter Paneer

Ingredients

Paneer…………………………….250 g (diced in 1 inch cubes)

Peas……..……………………..….½  cup
Onion…………………………..….1 (medium, finely chopped) 
Tomato…..………………….…..1 (large, finely chopped) 
Garlic paste……………………..½  tea spoon
Ginger paste…………………….¾ tea spoon
Red chilli powder….....…..…½ tea spoon
Cumin powder……………..….½ tea spoon
Coriander powder……..…....½ tea spoon
Turmeric powder….…………1/6 tea spoon
Garam masala…………..….….½ tea spoon
Water………………………………¾ cup
Double cream…………………..½ cup
Oil to cook
Salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add the onions to the oil and cook until transparent.
• Now add the tomato, garlic and garlic paste. Cook for about 2 min.
• Mix in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli and garam masala powder and salt and cook for 10 min on medium heat. Stir every few min to make sure it does not stick at the bottom of the pan.
• Now add the water and mix in the peas. Cook until the gravy thickens and peas are cooked.
• Finally add the paneer, cook for 2 min.
• Mix in the cream and cook for half a min. Remove from heat.
• Serve hot with naan , pitta bread or rice.

Serves: 2

Palak Paneer (Paneer in Spinach Curry)

Ingredients

Spinach……..…….……….200g (blanched in boiling water for 2 min)

Paneer…….………………..200g (cut in 1 inch cubes)
Tomato……………………..1 (large, chopped)
Garlic……………..............2 cloves (large, chopped)
Green chilli…………….....1 (finely chopped)
Onion………………………..1 (small, finely chopped)
Fresh cream…..…………..2 table spoon
Garam masala….………..2/3 tea spoon
Cumin powder….………..½ tea spoon
Coriander powder………½ tea spoon
Red chilli powder….……1/3 tea spoon
Oil to cook
Salt to taste

Method

• Grind blanched spinach, tomato, garlic and green chilli in a mixer into a paste.
• In a pan heat some oil and add the onions to sauté until transparent.
• Now add the garam masala, cumin, coriander and red chilli masala and sauté for 2 min.
• Add spinach paste to the pan and boil it for 3 min.
• Min in the paneer pieces, cook for another 3 min.
• Add the fresh cream, mix and cook for 2 min.
• Garnish with fresh cream if required.
• Serve hot with naan.   

How to make Paneer (Indian Cheese) at home?

Ingredients

Whole milk…………....….3 pints

Lime/lemon juice…….…4-5 table spoon
      
Method

• Simmer the milk in a deep pan. (Note: the milk should not be boiling vigorously, but should be kept lightly simmering for 1 min)
• Add one table spoon of lime juice. Mix with a spoon. The milk will start to curdle.
• Now add the remaining lime juice one table spoon at a time, mixing the milk at each interval. (Do not add all the lime juice in one go, keep an interval of at least ½ min between each table spoon of lime). Once you add the 4^th spoon, the paneer will have separated completely, leaving behind the greenish water.   
• Use a muslin cloth to strain the paneer from the greenish water.
• Roughly run the panner in running cold water to remove the lime taste.
• Now tie a knot to the muslin cloth to hang it in a suitable place (e.g. from the kitchen tap) to drain water from the paneer. Leave it to drain for 15-20 min.
• Now untie and unknot the muslin cloth and try and shape the paneer in a square/rectangle by folding and wrapping the cloth around the paneer.
• Place the wrapped paneer on a plate and place any kind of weight (e.g. a pan) on top of the paneer to add pressure on it to drain any excess water from it and help it set in the required shape.  Leave it to shape for 1-2 hrs.
• Unwrap the paneer and use it as required.

Note:

If you drain it for too long or squeeze out all the moisture for the paneer, it can get very dry and crumble, and might not set in shape properly.