STIR-FRIED PANEER AND PEPPERS IN A KADHAI MASALA

Paneer soaks up all the goodness of the spices, and it is perfect served with parathas or rice. The

kadhai masala blend quantities are enough to make this recipe twice

over, so store the remainder in an airtight container for the next time

you cook this dish.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves four

INGREDIENTS

For the kadhai masala

3 dried red Kashmiri chillies 2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp whole black peppercorns 7-8 green cardamom pods,

seeds only

For the stir-fried paneer

300g tomatoes, roughly chopped 2 heaped tbsp tomato purée

(paste)

5 tbsp vegetable oil 80g red onion, thinly sliced 300g mixed peppers,

thinly sliced 450g paneer, cut into

bite-sized cubes

1 tsp cumin seeds 7½cm ginger root, cut

into matchsticks 120g white onions,

finely chopped

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder ¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander Pinch of sugar

Salt, to taste

2 tbsp kasoori methi Chopped coriander, to garnish

METHOD

h First, make the kadhai masala. Put the spices in a frying pan and dry-fry over a low heat for three to four

minutes until fragrant, stirring well to make sure

they are evenly toasted. Leave to cool, then grind in a spice grinder to a coarse

mix; then set aside. h Put the tomatoes and tomato purée in a blender and blend to a smooth, fine

paste; then set aside. h Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then

add the red onion and peppers and fry for five minutes until they begin to soften, stirring well. Add

the diced paneer, along with three tablespoons of

the kadhai masala (or a touch more if you prefer it spicy). Stir well, but make sure not to break up the paneer cubes. Cook for

two minutes to soften, then turn off the heat and

set aside.

h Heat the remaining three tablespoons of oil in a wok,

or kadhai, over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds

and two-thirds of the ginger matchsticks and fry for a few seconds, then add

the white onions and fry for 12-14 minutes until they soften and change colour, stirring well to make sure they don’t stick to the

bottom of the pan.

h Add the blended tomato purée and cook for another

12 minutes until the mixture thickens and

reduces slightly.

h Add the chilli powder, ground turmeric, ground

coriander and sugar, season to taste and cook for a couple of minutes,

stirring well. Now, add the paneer and pepper mix and stir together over a low heat for two to

three minutes.

h Turn off the heat, add the kasoori methi and the

remaining ginger matchsticks and stir well.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.