Paneer Bhurji / Scrambled Cottage Cheese

Here comes another paneer recipe from me. The recipe was sleeping in the draft section for a long time. Finally, it has come out today to be published for the blogging marathon event. Thanks to the event.



This is one of the easiest paneer recipes, which can be prepared in a jiffy and at the same time gives a delicious taste. You will find a big list of serving suggestions for this recipe. It can be used as a stuffing for sandwich, side dish for roti/rice, stuffing for tortilla roll, can be used as a topping for bruschetta or can be eaten directly with spoon. I prefer the last option :-)



As TH and I like capsicum a lot, I added them with this dish. You can add any vegetables available at hand or simply go only with paneer. Everything goes out well with this dish.



Basic Information:  

Preparation Time: <15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 cup, crumbled

Capsicum - 1/2 cup, cubed, any colour

Peas -  1/4 cup

Onion - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Tomato - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Green chilli - 2 no, slice vertically

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 teaspoons

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:



1) Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and sliced green chillies. Allow it to crackle.

2) Add onion and saute well till it turns translucent.

3) Add tomato saute till it get completely mashes.

4) Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well.

5) Add capsicums and peas. Stir fry for 5 minutes.

6) Add crumbled paneer and continue frying for another 2-3 minutes. Initially paneer forms a sticky texture but after few minutes, it will again get the crumble texture.

7) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/rice. We enjoyed it as stuffing for tortilla.

Note:

1) If you are making paneer at home, use the excess, shapeless corners while cutting into cubes for preparing this bhurji.

2) Store bought paneer also gives a best result for this dish.

3) Add any vegetables as per your choice.



Check out what others are cooking for Blogging Marathon by clicking it here.

Paneer Jalfrezi

I had been thinking kadai paneer and paneer jalfrezi are one and the same untill I visited an Indian restaurant here. The reason behind my assumption is that the ingredients required for making both the dishes were common. But after seeing the menu card at the curry house here, I was little curious to know what's the difference.



So, once I returned home, after few searches, my conclusion is here.



The dish grabs the name from its cooking method rather than the recipe of it. During the period of British rule, the dish was named as it involved cooking / reheating the left-over roasted meat through stir-frying by adding extra chillies/sauces.



Over a period of time, Indian restaurants have adopted this cooking method, however the meat is not the left-over, instead they use fresh meat/vegetables to make this jalfrezi.



As it is stir fried, the ingredients like onion and other vegetables are clearly visible in this dish.



I hope these details are sufficient to understand what is paneer jalfrezi and how it differs from kadai paneer. Now, off to the recipe.

(Minimised adopted from Indiacurry)

Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 cup, 1 inch cubes

Capsicum - 1 cup, any colour, thinly sliced

Onion - 1 no, medium size, sliced

Tomato - 1 no, large size, sliced

Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon (see notes)

Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon (see notes)

Dry red chilli - 2 nos, crushed

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Amchoor powder/Lemon juice- 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala - a big pinch

Turmeric powder - a big pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 teaspoons

Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon, for garnishing



Method:



1) Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander powder and dry red chilli. Pound coarsely. You can you mortal and pestle for this.

2) Heat oil in a pan and add ground ingredients once it is hot. Fry it well. Make sure not to burn the masala here.

3) Add onion and fry till it gets cooked and retains its shape.

4) Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry for a minute.

5) Add tomato and fry it for another 2-3 minutes.

6) Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, amchoor powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Cook until the raw smell of masala goes off.

7) Add capsicum followed by paneer and stir fry it till both cook well.

 

 

8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti or pulao.

Note:

1) I used both coriander powder and seeds as family preference. you can go for any one for preparing this dish.

2) You can also add the ground ingredients (as said in step 1) with masalas instead of adding them initially.

3) Increase the lemon juice/amchoor powder as per taste. If you are using lemon juice add it at the end of preparation.



I'm linking this recipe to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon #12 under the theme of paneer. Check out what others are cooking by clicking it here.

New Counter Tops Anyone?!!

     The counter tops made it in today...well at least most of them.  The island is still in waiting and the back splashes must wait a bit too.  Not long, but in this business patience seems to be the key.  After a good wiping down and dusting the kitchen is looking wonderful.  The new, stone sink will go in tomorrow.
    Phil is working hard this evening during the snowstorm but his lovely assistant (Bonnie) left to brave the weather home to the kiddos.

 The mess that will soon be cleaned up and turned to gorgeous wood.

     The wood is coming along beautifully down the hallway and the next phase is the family room.  Completed photos will arrive sometime next week.