Paneer Lababdar

This was my first attempt at making paneer lababdar. (And I made this for a few friends who came for dinner!) Fortunately it was very good and everyone liked it. Till now I thought paneer butter masala was my vegetarian master piece recipe but now, I guess it has become this superb dish. Please try it.

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat paneer cubes
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted and crushed coriander seeds
3 whole dry kashmiri red chillies , coarsely powdered
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic  paste
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Method

Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, coarsely powdered dry kashmiri red chillies, dried fenugreek leaves, onions and ginger-garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the onions turn slightly brown in colour.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and 4 tbsp of water and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the flame and allow it to cool slightly and then blend in a mixer to a smooth paste.
Transfer the paste into a deep non-stick pan, add the cornflour-milk mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the paneer, garam masala and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Garnish with coriander and serve hot with chappathi or fried rice.

Paneer Achari Tikka

This is a variety paneer recipe and a truly yummy one too. Here, the paneer cubes are coated with a wonderful spice mix and a set of aromatic spices. The aroma that wafts through the kitchen when it is being cooked is truly worth all your efforts. It tastes perfect when served hot.

Ingredients

For The Achaari Marinade
1 tbsp green chilli paste
1/2 cup curd
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek  seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp mustard oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
1 1/2 cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
oil for greasing and cooking

Method

For the achaari marinade
Combine all the ingredients, except the curd in a mixer and blend to a coarse mixture.
Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add the curd and mix well.

Now add the paneer to the prepared achaari marinade, mix gently and keep aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat a non-stick tava, grease it with little oil, place a few paneer cubes on it and cook on a medium flame, using a little oil, till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Serve immediately.

Achari Malai Paneer

The name may seem a bit intimidating for you, but in reality it is a soothing and yummy dish and a perfect accompaniment with Chappathi or naan. I was on the lookout for some new paneer recipes when this one crossed my eye. I immediately  decided to make it and it became an instant hit. Try it.

Ingredients

1 cup paneer, cubed (cottage cheese)
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1⁄4 teaspoon mustard seeds
5 -6 fenugreek seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
1⁄2 teaspoon asafetida powder
1 cup onion, sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon black salt
3⁄4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon oil
salt

Directions

Mix the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida in a small bowl.
Heat the oil and add the seed mixture.
When they crackle, add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent.
Add the paneer, turmeric, chili powder, black salt and stir for some time.
Add the yogurt, sprinkle the plain flour and mix well.
Add  salt and bring to a boil. Serve hot.

Kadai Paneer Gravy

I have tried almost all the common paneer recipes and was searching for a different one today. I was ecstatic when I came across this new recipe that could easily be made with the things I already have in my pantry.  A very tasty recipe with tomato as the predominant ingredient. It tastes great with Nan and Chappathi.

Ingredients

250 to 300 gms paneer
1.5 inch ginger, chopped + 7-8 medium sized garlic, chopped, crushed in a mortar-pestle to a fine paste.
1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
7 medium to large tomatoes (2 tomatoes, finely chopped and 5 tomatoes, pureed in a blender)
¾ to 1 tsp garam masala powder
½ tbsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
½ to ¾ cup water
3 tbsp cream
2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee or butter
a few chopped coriander leaves for garnish
salt as required
for the kadai masala:
5 tsp coriander seeds
4 to 5 dry kashmiri red chilies, if using any other variety of dry red chilies, then reduce to 2 to 4 depending on the heat  of the chilies.

Instruction

First roast the coriander and dry kashmiri red chilies in a pan on a low flame till aromatic.
When the spices cool, grind both of them in a grinder to a semi fine powder. Keep aside.
Finely chop the onions.
Finely chop 2 tomatoes. Roughly chop 5 tomatoes and add them to the blender. Make a puree of the tomatoes. Keep the tomato puree aside.
Crush the ginger-garlic to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle.
In a pan heat oil or ghee or butter. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till their raw aroma disappears.
Then add the chopped onions and saute till transparent.
Add the ground coriander and kashmiri red chilli powder that we made. Also add green chilies.
stir well and saute for few seconds. add the tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Then add tomato puree.
Stir well and continue to saute till you see oil leaving the sides.
Add water and salt and continue to simmer for some 7 to 8 minutes.
Later add crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder and stir.
Add the paneer cubes or slices. Stir gently. Cook the paneer for about 2 to 3 mins.
You can also 3 tbsp of cream towards the end. Just stir the cream gently in the gravy.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve kadai paneer gravy with rotis, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice.

Paneer Paratha

A Paneer Paratha is the most delightful of all parathas and is our family favourite. Paneer is an ingredient that is commonly bought in my home and ive tried almost all recipies with it. This is an easy paratha which is a real celebration to a hungry stomach. It tastes great when eaten with Mint chutney or curd.

Ingredients

2 to 2.25 cups whole wheat flour/atta
⅔ cup water or add as required
1 tsp ghee or oil
½ tsp salt or add as required
for paneer stuffing:
200 gms paneer/cottage cheese
1 or 2 green chilies , finely chopped
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp salt or add as required
ghee or oil as required for roasting parathas
Butter (if needed) to sptead on the cooked Paratha.

Instructions

Take 2 to 2.25 cups whole wheat flour, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp ghee or oil in a mixing bowl.
Pour about ½ cup water first.
mix and begin to knead. Add more water if required and knead to a smooth soft dough. Overall i added ⅔ cup water.
Cover and allow the dough to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
For the stuffing, grate 200 grams of paneer.
Add 1 or 2 finely chopped green chilies, ½ tsp garam masala powder, ½ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp salt. You can add more salt, or red chili powder if you prefer.
Mix everything well so that the spice powders are uniformly mixed with the grated paneer.
Pinch two small balls from the dough and roll them in your palms to make them even.
Dust some flour on the dough balls.
with a rolling pin, roll the dough balls.
Place the paneer stuffing on one of the rolled rounds keeping one inch space around the circumference.
Cover with the other rolled dough and press the edges well.
sprinkle some flour and roll the stuffed paratha to your required shape.
Heat a tava and then place the rolled paratha on it. The tava should be hot. to check the heat, sprinkle a generous pinch of whole wheat flour on the tawa. If the whole wheat flour becomes brown in some seconds, the tawa is hot enough to roast the parathas.
Flip when one side is partly cooked. about ¼ cooked.
Apply ghee on this side with a spoon.
turn over and flip.
Let the ghee side get cooked now.
spread some ghee on the top.
flip again.
Press the edges with a spatula so that the edges are cooked.
Flip once or twice till the paratha has golden spots and is evenly cooked.
Spread some butter on the paratha. Serve paneer parathas hot with some fresh yogurt and chutney.

Paneer Kebab

This is a pure vegetarian recipe. Trust me, I didnt even give it an egg coating. But it can definitely give you the feel and happiness of a chicken cutlet. Easy to make. Perfect as a tea time snack or it can be eaten with warm chappathis and rotis too. A healthy dish for kids who shy away from milk products. Celebrating my craving for dairy. Enjoy this dish.

Ingredients

1/2 cup hung curds (chakka dahi)
1 1/4 cups grated paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 cup fried onions
3 tbsp chopped cashewnuts (kaju)
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
5 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
a pinch of sugar
salt to taste
bread crumbs for rolling
oil for deep-frying

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well.
Divide the mixture intoequal portions and shape each portion into a round kebab.
Roll each kebab in bread crumbs so that the kebabs are evenly coated from both the sides.
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry 2 kebabs at a time till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides.
Drain on an absorbent paper.

Palak Paneer

I absolutely hate Spinach, whatever form it is, palak  being comparitively bearable. But I like Paneer a lot. So Palak Paneer is always a welcome in my home. I've noticed that the colour of the dish is different in different places. But I prefer the dark green colour for which you have to immerse Palak in Ice cold water immediately after you boil it. Perfect with Roti, Chappathi and Nan. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 kg palak
250 gms of cottage cheese or paneer (cut cubes and lightly fried till brown in a tsp of clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seed
3 to 4 bay leaf
4 tomatoes (blanched in hot water, peeled and pureed)
2 onions
1 inch piece of ginger
7-8 garlic flakes
2 green chili
Pinch of sugar granules
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp garam masala
3/4 tsp dry mango powder
3 tsp oil
1 tsp butter
1 tsp fresh cream

Method

Remove spinach leaves from stem and wash leaves well.
Take 2 glasses of water when it starts to boil, then add spinach, onions, green chili, garlic and ginger with a pinch of sugar granules to it. Let it boil for 10-15 minutes.
Switch of the heat and let the spinach cool down.
Blend the spinach mixer in a blender and make a thick spinach paste.
Heat a heavy bottomed wok; add oil and butter to it, when the oil is hot add cumin seed and bay leaves. When a cumin seed starts to crackle add the tomato paste and let it cook for 5-6 minute on medium heat. Then add spinach paste along with spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and dry mango powder; let it cook further for another 5 minute.
Add the fried pieces of cottage cheese and mix it well. Cook and cover on low heat for 4-5 minute.
Take it out in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh cream.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients

Paneer (cottage cheese)500 grams
Butter 5 tablespoons
Oil 1 teaspoon
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 2 one-inch
Dried red chillies broken 2
Coriander seeds crushed 2 tablespoons
Onion sliced 1 medium
Ginger paste 2 teaspoons
Garlic paste 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes chopped 5-6 medium
Salt to taste
Kasoori methi crushed 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh cream 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat three tablespoons butter with one teaspoon oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, red chillies and half of the crushed coriander seeds. Saute for half a minute.
Add onion and stir-fry for thirty seconds and add ginger paste and garlic paste. Cook for another thirty seconds. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and tomatoes. Cook on high heat till oil leaves the masala. Puree the mixture.
Heat the remaining butter in a pan, cook the pureed mixture for two minutes. Add paneer pieces and salt. Add half a cup of water. Cook covered on low heat for five minutes.
Sprinkle kasoori methi and mix in lightly. Remove from heat and mix in cream. Serve hot, garnished with remaining crushed coriander seeds.