1,000 Indian Recipes (183 page)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.
Prepare the paneer cheese, potato bread wraps, yogurt cheese, ginger-garlic paste, and chaat masala. Then cut the paneer into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces.

2.
In a large non-reactive bowl, mix together the yogurt cheese, oil, ginger-garlic paste, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add the paneer pieces and mix well. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

3.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking sheet. Remove the paneer cheese pieces from the marinade and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. (Discard mayonnaise.) Bake, turning the pieces once or twice, until barely golden, 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not overbake, or the pieces will toughen.) Transfer to a bowl, cover, and keep warm.

4.
In another bowl, mix together the onion, green chile peppers, cilantro, lemon juice, and chaat masala. Adjust seasoning, adding salt if you wish.

5.
To assemble, lay out all the potato rotis. Place the paneer cheese pieces along the center length of each roti, top with the onion-chile pepper mixture and roll tightly. Serve immediately or wrap each one in foil and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Paneer Cheese Scrambles and Side Dishes

Basic Paneer Cheese Scramble

Paneer ki Bhurji

Makes 4 to 6 servings

With innumerable variations, this is by far the most popular dry-cooked
paneer
side dish. It looks like scrambled eggs with onion and tomato, but tastes a lot different. Enhance it even more by mixing in a cup of boiled peas or corn along with the
paneer
cheese in Step 4.

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

2 teaspoons ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.
Prepare the paneer cheese and coarsely crumble. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.
Add the tomatoes and green chile peppers and cook, stirring as needed, until most of the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes. Add all the spices and the salt, then mix in the paneer cheese. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for the first 3 to 4 minutes and then over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Mix in the cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the black pepper on top, and serve.

Paneer Cheese Scramble with Soybeans

Soyabeans vaali Paneer Bhurji

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The addition of shelled, pre-cooked soy beans along with a few other herbs and spices makes for a more substantial
paneer
scramble. They add a delicate crunch to the generally soft
paneer
cheese. This recipe can also be doubled easily to make an entrée, when served with vegetables and Indian breads. Look for shelled soybeans in the frozen vegetable section of your supermarket or in Asian markets.

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

1 cup shelled frozen soybeans, thawed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon fenugreek seeds, coarsely ground

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the paneer cheese and crumble it coarsely. Put the soybeans in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook in the microwave on high power 3 to 4 minutes or until the soybeans are very soft.

2.
Alternately, put them in a saucepan in water to cover and boil until tender.

3.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato and green chile peppers and cook, stirring as needed, until most of the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes.

4.
Add all the coriander, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt to the pan, then mix in the soy beans and stir about 5 minutes. Add the paneer cheese and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes and then over medium heat until golden, 10 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and mint. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with garam masala, and serve.

Paneer Cheese Scramble with Morel Mushrooms

Sookha Gucchi Paneer

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Morel mushrooms, called
gucchiyan
in Hindi, are grown in Kashmir and are popular all over northern India. They have a delicate smoky fragrance and an earthy flavor. When sliced into thin rounds, these mushrooms look like stars and, along with the red bell pepper, they add a luxurious elegance to this dish. You can also use other mushrooms like white button, porcini, or chanterelle.

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 red bell pepper, cut into
¹
⁄
₄
-inch pieces

1 cup (about 15 medium) fresh or reconstituted dried morel mushrooms, sliced crosswise into thin rounds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the paneer and cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion and green chile peppers, stirring, until lightly browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.
Add the red bell pepper and mushrooms to the pan and cook about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the onion and green chile peppers.

3.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and add the cumin and mustard seeds; they should splatter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the splattering subsides. Quickly add the paneer cheese and salt and cook, stirring lightly, until golden. Mix in the mushroom mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring, about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Mix in the cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Paneer Cheese Scramble with Apple-Ginger Chutney

Saeb aur Adrak Chutni vaala Paneer

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This innovative dish keeps guests guessing where its delicate flavor comes from. Try it for brunch.

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought)

1 cup (
¹
⁄
₂
recipe)
Tart Apple-Ginger Chutney with Green Tomatoes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped, fresh cilantro, including soft stems

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.
Prepare the paneer cheese and crumble it coarsely. Prepare the chutney. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Add the paneer cheese and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Then mix in the chutney and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add the coriander and salt, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the paneer is barely golden, about 7 minutes. Mix in the cilantro, transfer to a serving dish, season with black pepper, and serve.