The versatile paneer can be turned into several lip-smacking dishes, perfect for your weekend cravings. In a mood to dig into a sumptuous meal this weekend, but too tired to put all the ingredients together? Just get a pack or two of fresh paneer from the market and let […]
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- The versatile paneer can be turned into several lip-smacking dishes, perfect for your weekend cravings.
In a mood to dig into a sumptuous meal this weekend, but too tired to put all the ingredients together? Just get a pack or two of fresh paneer from the market and let the spices do all the magic. The luscious white paneer with its milky and mild flavour and crumbly texture could be a perfect ingredient for rustling up a variety of spicy Indian curries and crunchy snacks to enjoy with tea. The high protein content of this ubiquitous Indian favourite is an added advantage.
Not only paneer helps you to lose weight (use less oil and butter in your preparations) by keeping you full for longer, it is also wonderful for your bone health. It is also an ideal food for diabetes keeping your blood sugar levels perfectly in control. (Also read: As Paneer Butter Masala trends on Twitter, Shashi Tharoor digs in)
Here are three paneer recipes to satiate your weekend cravings.
Zafrani Paneer Tikka
(Recipe by Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar, The Resort Mumbai)
Ingredients
200 gm paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
1 cup hung curd (chakka dahi)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
Few stands of saffron (zafran)
1 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1/4 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1 1/2 tbsp butter (optional)
Salt to taste
Method
- Toast the saffron threads in a dry pan to bring out the volatile flavours.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp of butter in a pan, add 1 tbsp of besan and saute for 1/2 minute. Keep aside.
- Combine the curds and dried saffron.
- Add all other ingredients, except paneer and mix well.
- Coat the paneer cubes with the prepared saffron curd paste and keep them refrigerated for 30 minutes.
- Put the coated paneer pieces in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 4 minutes in an oven or clay tandoor.
- Add 1 tbsp of melted butter on top.
- Serve hot.
Mahtania mirch ka paneer tikka
(Recipe by Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar, The Resort Mumbai)
Ingredients
1 ½ cup cottage cheese cubes
2 tbsp bell peppers
3 tsp red chili
3 tbsp hung curd
2 tsp cardamom powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter.
1 nos onion
1 nos tomato
2 nos imported lemon wedges
1 no green chilly
1 no coriander sprig
For mint yoghurt chutney
1 cup mint leaves
½ cup coriander leaves
2 tbsp yoghurt
½ tsp salt
Method
1. Cut the Cottage Cheese in even size cubes.
2. Mix in the cottage cheese, bell peppers in the yogurt marination.
3. Skewer the cottage cheese and capsicum and cook it in the tandoor. Add melted butter.
4. Serve it with salad of sliced onion and tomato julienne with chaat masala and chili Powder with coriander sprig. Garnish with chilly and imported lemon wedge.
Paneer Butter Masala Lababdar
(Recipe by Chef Kunal Kapur)
Ingredients
Oil – 1 tbsp
Butter – 3 tbsp
Bayleaf – 1 no
Onion chopped – 1 cup
Ginger chopped – 1 tbsp
Garlic chopped – 1 tbsp
Green chilli – 1 no
Kashmiri chilli powder – 3/4 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Tomatoes chopped – 2 cups
Paneer diced – 1½ cup
Dash of water
Fenugreek (methi) leaves powder – ½ tsp
Coriander chopped – handful
Cream – ½ cup
Method
- In a deep vessel add oil and butter. Drop in bay leaf and then onions. Cook the onions till they brown. Now add ginger, garlic & green chilli. Saute for a minute and then add chilli powder. You can dissolve the chilli powder with ¼ cup water also so that the chilli does not burn.
- Saute and then add tomatoes and salt. Cook till the tomatoes are mashy, you can add a dash of water if the masala dries up.
- Add methi leaves powder, paneer chopped coriander and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in cream and serve hot.
