Two Mumbai chefs share innovative recipes to cook paneer

With paneer pasanda clinching the top position, and bhurji making it to the ninth spot on Google’s trending recipes for 2022, two chefs share their innovative take on India’s favourite cottage cheese

Laung latika paneer
Sherry Mehta, founder, Kanak

PREP time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: Six

INGREDIENTS
Paneer preparation
>> 12 paneer squares; each square should be 3.5 inch thick 
>> 1 cup crumbled paneer
>> 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
>> 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
>> 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
>> 1/2 tsp cumin powder
>> 3 tbsp crumbled khoya or mawa
>> 1 tbsp cashew
>> 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
>> Salt to taste

Paneer pasanda gravy

>> 2 tbsp ghee
>> 2 bay leaves
>> 2 whole black cardamoms
>> 3 to 4 cloves
>> 2 green cardamoms
>> 1 medium-sized onion, cubed
>> 2 small tomatoes, chopped
>> 1/2-inch ginger, peeled and sliced
>> 6 to 7 cloves of garlic 
>> 2 small green chillies
>> 1.5 tbsp cashews soaked for 30 minutes, and drained
>> 1 tbsp sugar
>> 1 tsp coriander powder
>> 11/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
>> 3/4 tsp haldi 
>> 1 tsp garam masala powder
>> 1 tbsp kasoori methi
>> Salt to taste

METHOD

For the paneer

Start by cutting the paneer into 3.5-inch squares. Then, crumble some paneer with cilantro, spices, mawa and cashews. The paneer stuffing should be moist and not runny; so add a little bit of milk or cream. Take a paneer cube, slice it halfway and stuff it with the paneer-nut crumble. Press the paneer cubes firmly. Repeat the process with the rest of the squares. Pin all the cottage cheese pieces with cloves. Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is moderately hot, slowly add the pieces into the pan. Shallow fry them on both sides. Remove from oil and drain them on a kitchen paper towel. When the perfectly sealed paneer squares are ready, set them aside.

For the gravy

Melt ghee or butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the ghee starts to melt, add chopped onions to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. Add ginger and garlic to the onions. Sauté the ginger and garlic for two minutes or until fragrant. Now add chopped tomatoes to the pan. Sauté the tomatoes with onions and cashews. Turn the flame to the lowest setting and cover the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and tender. Once the tomatoes are soft, uncover the pan. Take it off the heat and allow the masala to cool down. Transfer the cool mix to a blender. Purée until smooth and creamy, and set aside. 




Heat another heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add butter, oil or ghee to it. As the butter starts to melt, add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, and cloves to the pan. Sauté for a few seconds until the whole spices are fragrant. Now add Kashmiri red chili powder to the whole spices.  Mix until fully combined. Do not cook for long or the chillies will burn. Pour in the butter gravy. Mix until the sauce is fully blended. Now mix and season the masala. Add coriander powder, turmeric, sugar, garam masala powder, and salt to the mix. Stir for a while until the spices blend into the gravy. Cook for another two minutes on medium heat and keep stirring. Now tip in water to the butter masala gravy. Add the paneer sandwiches to the simmering gravy. Cover and cook for another three to four minutes or until the paneer is soft. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and cream.

Char-grilled paneer in pepper cream sauce
Radheshyam Mishra, head chef, Corra

Prep time : 26 to 30 minutes
Cook time : 16 to 20 minutes
Serves: Four

INGREDIENTS
>> 400 gm paneer, cut into two-inch thick rectangles 
>> 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 
>> 1/2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs  
>> Black peppercorns crushed to taste
>> Salt to taste
>> 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes 
>> 5 tbsp olive oil 
>> 2 tbsp cornflour 
>> 1/2 cup medium yellow squash, halved vertically and sliced
>> 1/2 cup medium green zucchini halved vertically and sliced
>> 3 coloured capsicums cut into triangles 
>> 10 to 12 broccoli florets, blanched
>> 1 cup medium carrots, sliced and blanched 

For the sauce
>> 2 tbsp butter 
>> 1 tbsp refined flour 
>> 1 and 1/2 cup vegetable stock 
>> 1 tbsp white sauce 
>> Crushed black peppercorns to taste
>> Salt to taste

METHOD
Mix the parsley, half of the fresh herbs, crushed black peppercorns, salt, a pinch of red chilli flakes and olive oil together. Apply this mixture on the paneer pieces. Sprinkle some cornflour on them and rub it on well. Set aside to marinate for 20 to 25 minutes. Take the yellow squash and green zucchini in a bowl. To it, add capsicum, broccoli, carrot, the remaining chilli flakes, salt, crushed black peppercorns, fresh herbs and one tbsp of olive oil. Give the ingredients a good mix. Heat one tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the vegetables and toss well. Sauté for five to six minutes before transferring it into a bowl. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same non-stick grill pan and place the marinated paneer pieces in it. Shallow-fry the paneer by turning sides until it turns light golden. Transfer onto a plate. To make the sauce, add butter to the same pan and let it melt. Add refined flour and sauté until light brown. Pour in the vegetable stock, white sauce, crushed black pepper and salt. Cook well for two to three minutes. Finally, make a bed of vegetables on a serving plate. Place the paneer steaks on it and pour in the sauce. Serve hot.

Google’s Top 10

1. Paneer pasanda 2. Sex on the beach 3. Chicken soup 4. Modak 5. Malai kofta 6. Pornstar martini 7. Pizza margherita 8. Pancake 9. Paneer bhurji 10. Anarse

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