Salams lovely people, hope you all have been well…it will be Spring soon..I’ve started seeing lovely daffodils starting to bloom already…where’s the usual British winter that we are used to gone already?
Spring/summer means wedding season too…I have 2 close family weddings very soon so at the moment weekends is just full of shopping, shopping and more shopping. Oh well, that aside lets get onto my latest dish…Chilli Paneer, who doesn’t like a bit of paneer (my hubby excluded cos cheese 🙄) this paneer dish is saucy and fully of tangy flavour, we usually have it with plain boiled rice or if your prefer you can eat it with Roti/Rotli or fresh tandoori naan. Be sure to let me know if you do try it out.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:

1/4 cup oil

1 tbs mustard seeds

4/5 whole red dry Chillies

10 curry leaves

4 tbsp tomato puree

2 cups tomato ketchup (more if needed)

2 fresh tomatoes (small cubes) or half a tin chopped tomatoes

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp crushed red Chillies

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt ( add more to taste)

Half a green pepper (cubed chunky)

Half a red pepper (cubed chunky)

1 medium onion (thinly sliced)

Spring onions (chopped finely at an angle)

Chopped Coriander

FOR THE PANEER: 

300g Paneer (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 tsp ginger/garlic paste

1 tsp coarse black pepper

Half tsp salt

FOR THE PANEER BATTER:

Half cup plain flour

Quarter cup corn flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tbs oil

Enough water to make thick batter

METHOD:

Take the paneer cubes in a bowl and add the salt, black pepper and ginger/garlic paste, mix well and leave aside for about half an hour.

Pour the oil into a large pot and heat on high and then add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the whole dry red Chillies, let the mustard seeds pop and when an aroma arises from the curry leaves etc add in the tomato puree and stir, lower the heat to medium and just stir fry this all for a few minutes. Now add in the tomato ketchup and the spices which are the cumin powder, crushed red Chillies, the salt and the garlic paste, stir well and keep the heat low to medium. Cover the pot and let this cook together for about 5-7 minutes.

Once you can see the oil has separated from the tomato mix, add the chopped tomatoes, peppers and the onions. Mix well and cook further until the onions and peppers start to soften. Make sure the tomato sauce does not dry out, if you feel it is drying out add a bit more ketchup. Also add in some chopped spring onion.

While the tomato sauce is cooking you can fry the paneer.
Make the paneer batter by mixing the plain and corn flour, salt and oil, rub the oil into the flour so that it is crumbly, make a well in the centre of the bowl and add enough water to make a thick batter.
Heat some oil in a pan to deep fry the paneer. Take the cubed paneer and dip each cube in batter and place in the deep oil and fry until golden. Drain the fried paneer on some kitchen towel.
Once all the paneer cubes have been fried, place into the pot with the tomato sauce and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander, chopped Spring onion and some sesame seeds.

Enjoy!! 🤓

 Cut the paneer into cubes

 This is the paneer I used but you can use any you like
 Put the cubes paneer in a bowl and add salt, pepper and ginger garlic paste
 Marinate the paneer cubes well and leave aside for around 20 minutes

 Make a thick batter with the ingredients listed for the batter

 Coat each paneer cube in the batter
 Deep fry the coated paneer cubes until golden

 Drain the fried paneer cubes on some kitchen towel
 In a pot heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole dry red Chillies
 Add the tomato puree and fry for a few minutes

 Add the tomato ketchup, mix well and cook further
 Next add the garlic, crushed red Chillies, salt and cumin powder
 Mix well and let this all cook further, cover pot so it doesn’t mess up your cooker
 Keep your veg all chopped & ready
 Add your chopped tomatoes
 And your peppers
 And also the chopped onions (if you like also add a handful of chopped Spring onions at this point)
 Mix it all together and cook for a while longer but don’t let the sauce dry out too much
 Once sauce is ready add the fried paneer
 Carefully Mix the paneer into the sauce
 Garnish with chopped Spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds and serve with boiled jeera rice or roti or naan