Paneer Tikka masala

Paneer dishes are one of those things that no one can get enough of. My family is no different. I have come to liking it after quite a while. I still do not like or order paneer dishes in the restaurant. I do not like the way it is smothere in cream and has that pale orange look which sends me to the exits.

The trick to making any paneer gravy is not make it overly rich. Since paneer is alredy milk based there is no reason to add more by way of cream. Adding yogurt for me seems to hit the right spot.

Paneer Tikka masala is derived I am guessing from its popular cousing the Chicken Tikka Masala. While chicken tikka masala seems to a be good way for most restaurants to repurpose their grilled or tandoori chicken into a new dish and that is precisely why I have developed an aversion to it. Paneer tikka masala on the other hand seems to be just the vehicle for smartly using the grilled paneer or tandoor paneer. Reason being paneer can be softened and it absorbs all the spices while chicken on the other hand gets drier and when it is dunked in a wet gravy only gets progressively worse. Well at least that is my take on it.

I never have to worry aboug grilled panner or pan roasted paneer because it usually disappears in no time. So to make this paneer tikka masala I make the tandoori paneer just before making the masala. While it is easy to make the paneer fresh I don't do that often enough :(

I boil the onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies to reduce the cooking time and oil needed to cook if blended raw.

Recipe in pictures,

In a sauce pan, boil the onions, ginger, garlic and red/green chilies for about 10-15 minutes. Cool and blend to a paste and set aside.
Cut the paneer piece into 1 inch pieces and in a bowl mix the paneer pieces with the spices, so they are well coated. Heat oil in a wide mouthed.
Saute the paneer pieces till the spices on the paneer turn color. Set aside.
In the same pan add a bit more oil and add chopped onion and saute till it turns brown. Add the bell peppers and saute for about 4-5 minutes.
Add the blended onion paste and saute for about 6-8 minutes or till the oil starts to bubble on top. Now add all the spice powders and give a good mix.
Blend the tomatoes to a paste.
Mix in the blended tomato paste and let it come to a boil.
Add beaten yogurt and gently mix it in. Add salt and let cook till you see bubbles on top.
Add in the paneer pieces, cook for 2-3 minutes and add coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

Paneer Tikka Masala
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:45 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 blocks of paneer (I used 12 oz block) cut into 1 inch pieces
2. 2 cups of bell pepper chopped into 1 inch pieces
3. 1 1/2 cup roughly chopped + 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
4. 4 garlic cloves + 2 inch piece of ginger
5. 4 green or red chilies
6. 1/2 cup of yogurt
7. 1/2 tbsp chili powder or to taste
8. 1 tsp turmeric powder
9. 1 tbsp coriander powder
10. 2 tsp cumin powder
11. 2 cups of tomatoes pureed
12. handful of coriander leaves
13. for the paneer - turmeric powder(2 tsp), garlic powder (3 tsp), ginger powder (3 tsp), chili powder(3 tsp), pepper powder(2 tsp), cumin powder(1 tsp) and salt
14. 2-3 tbsp oil
15. salt to taste

Method

1. Mix all the powders for the paneer with a bit of oil and toss the paneer in it, till the paneer is well coated.
2. In a saute pan, add 1/2 cup of water and add the onion, garlic, ginger and the chilies. Let it boil for about 8-10 minutes. Cool and make a smooth paste.
3. In a wide mouthed pan, add oil and saute the paneer pieces and set them aside.
4. In the same pan, add a bit more oil and add the finely chopped onion and saute till the colors starts to turn color.
5. Add in the cubed bell pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add in the blended onion paste and saute till the oil starts to separate.
7. Now add in all the spice powder and mix well. Add the blended tomato paste and if required a cup of water and let it cook for another 6-8 minutes till the oil starts to show on top.
8. Add in the cup of whisked yogurt and let it cook for another 5-6 minutes.
9. Add the sauteed paneer pieces and salt. Let it cook for a minute more. Add coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

Like what you are reading? Subscribe!

Chili Paneer - Indo Chinese Style - 2

In late 2018 I decided to take a break from my software engineering job to concentrate on my second more interesting career - being a farmer. The first few months I took it easy, the weather was cold and there was nothing much to do in the farm. Then came the spring months where I was busy but the work plan that I had for the down time never got done. I mean the previous year I had my regular job and the farm work and both got done. Go Figure! Right? So I spent a year like this with many things that needed to be not being done. Then in the fall of that year when things were slowing down at the farm, my old job came calling. I thought why not and set the wheels in motion. But by the time the contract and everthing got setup, it was the first week of the Covid lockdown.

I knew that things were going to get really busy at the farm with the new growing season but I thought, hey I mananged once maybe I could do it again. But this time there was a slight problem, I had increased the growing area in the farm so was a bit apprehensive. But a funny thing happened I mean more like a aha moment, I was busier than ever but was able to do all of my office work, farm work and also house work which included cooking more than ever :) Thinking back on it now I am not sure how I managed. Since everyone was home, all pitched in and with people wanting to be outside in nature and volunteer it all worked out. I have also noticed that I enjoy my software work more when I have a lot of farm work. Go Figure! Right?

Actually that was not the point at all. The fact of the matter is that the more work I have to do the more I accomplish. The less work I have the less I accomplish. I am curious about the psychology behind this. I have been extremely thankful for all the work and it has helped me not fret about what is going on in the world and I have absolute no control over.

With that we will go on to today's recipe, who deosn't like Chilli Paneer, this is a quick version and with some noodles nothing can beat this. Indo Chinese is what I crave when looking for something away from the normal. Also I tried growing green onions this season with the single reason of making this paneer and Indo Chinese style noodles.

Chop the green onions, the green and white parts. Dice the bellpeppers into 1/2 inch pieces.
Chop the garlic into fines pieces and grate the ginger. Prepare the spices for the paneer.
Cut the paneer into bite sized cubes. Add the oil with the spices.
Mix the oil with the spices. Add the paneer cubes into the spices and toss it so they are well coated.
Heat the cast iron pan, add oil and when hot add in thegreen onions, ginger and garlic and saute for a minute.
Add in the bell pepper and onions and saute till they are almost cooked.
Now add the paneer cubes and suate till the spices are cooked on the outside.

While I am a convert to paneer there are folks who simply adore it like my DDs. Nothing can be wrong with however paneer is cooked but this is one of their favorite recipes. Something I'd order whenever we go to a restaurant that makes Indo-Chinese food. But homemade is simply fresh and can't be beat.

Chili Paneer
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:15-20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 block paneer, about 4 cups of cubed paneer
2. 5-6 small bell peppers, seeded and cubed
3. 1/2 red onion cubed
4. 3 garlic cloves chopped fine
5. 1 tbsp grated ginger
6. 2 green chilies finely chopped
7. 4-5 stalks of green onions
8. 1 tbsp of oil
For the Paneer
9. 1 tsp turmeric powder
10. 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
11. 1/2 tbsp ginger powder
12. 2 tsp of pepper powder
13. 1 tsp of cumin powder
14. 1 tsp of mustard powder
15. 1/2 tbsp of red chili powder
16. salt to taste
17. 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Mix all the spices listed under 'For the Paneer' along with the oil and make a paste.
2. Add the paneer cubes and toss so they are well coated. This can be prepared the previous night/ahead of time.
3. In a cast iron pan add oil and when hot add the grated ginger and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes, take care not to burn it.
4. Add in the green onions and saute till they wilt.
5. Add the cubed onions and the bell pepper and saute till the required level of cooking is reached, bell pepper does not have to be cooked too much so do it till your preference is reached.
6. Now add the paneer and saute for 4-5 minutes. Till the outsides seal and the spices look cooked.

Serve with noodles or steamed rice. Like what you are reading? Subscribe!

Tandoori Paneer in a Tawa - Pan Roasted Tandoori Panner

Have not been able to post as regularly as I would like. This summer has been a time of many changes for us some inevitable but tough to handle just the same. There are lots of people for whom change is constant and they deal with it with grace. I on the other hand postpone thinking about change and live through it with trepidation and realize it is not that bad after all. Some changes are just plain hard like sending off your child to college.

With that said I am going to feel guilty every time I cook something she likes. DD and DD2 love paneer. Though I am a recent and reluctant paneer convert. I like the fact that any recipe made with it is hard to mess up.

A colleague of mine is on a diet or challenge of some sort. Any way, it was cottage cheese and fruits for breakfast one morning. She does not like cottage cheese so had this amazing pan roasted paneer(they are cottage cheese too right?) which need I say were fantastic. The recipes calls for only spice powders and ginger and garlic powder which makes the cooking that much faster. You can always use ginger garlic paste if you prefer. The cooking time will take a bit more.

Mix the marinade in oil and set aside. Cut the paneer into cubes or rectangles.
Toss the paneer cubes in the marinade. Heat a flat bottomed pan and lightly coat with oil.
Place the paneer pieces on the pan in a single layer. Let cook on one side, flip and cook on the other side till golden.
Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with onion slices and lemon wedges.

Pan Roasted Tandoori Paneer
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 12 oz block of Paneer (I used store bought)
2. 1 tbsp olive oil
3. 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
4. 2 tsp ginger powder
5. 1/2 tbsp chili powder
6. 2 tsp turmeric powder
7. 1/2 tbsp curry masala powder or tandoori masala (any kind of masala powder will work)
8. salt to taste

Method

1. Cut the paneer into desired shapes. Thin rectangles is what works best.
2. Mix the rest of the spices in the olive oil till smooth in a wide mouthed pan.
3. Now toss the paneer with the spice mixture and set aside.
4. Now heat a cast iron pan or any flat griddle spread with oil.
5. Once the oil shimmers place the panner in one layer. Cook on one side for about 3-4 minutes or slightly longer till it become golden brown.
6. Flip and cook on the other side til golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with lemon wedges and sliced onions.

Like what you are reading? Subscribe!