1,000 Indian Recipes (110 page)

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

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon mango powder

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, as needed

12 to 15 metal or bamboo skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

2 cups shredded lettuce, such as green or red leaf, or romaine

1.
Prepare the chaat masala and the paneer cheese. Then, in a food processor, process together the cashews, green chile peppers, ginger, onion, and cilantro until fine. Then add the paneer cheese and all the remaining ingredients (except the flour, butter, chaat masala, and lettuce) and process until everything is well mixed and starts to gather together, about 1 minute.

2.
Preheat a grill to 375°F to 400°F or preheat the broiler. Moisten your clean fingers with water, and divide the mixture into 12 to 15 equal parts, making long, thin shapes, similar to hot dogs. If the mixture seems too soft to work with, mix in some all-purpose flour, using as much as needed to make a soft dough that holds its shape.

3.
Thread onto the skewers and grill or broil on the top rack (about 6 inches from the heating element), turning frequently, until firm and lightly golden. (Do not overcook, or they will become tough.)

4.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, mix in 1 teaspoon chaat masala and lightly baste the kabaabs just before removing them from the heat. Transfer to a platter lined with the lettuce, sprinkle the
¹
⁄
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teaspoon chaat masala on top, and serve.

Chutney-Marinated Broiled Paneer Cheese Kabaabs

Hari Chutney Paneer Kabaabs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is very delicate and easy to make, especially if you have the chutney in your freezer. (If not, and you can't make it fresh, a store-bought version will work in a pinch.)

Substitute pesto for the green chutney and you'll end up with a surprising yet familiar dish that will remind you of pesto-coated mozzarella cheese, because paneer and fresh mozzarella are actually quite similar.

8-ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought), cut into 1-by-1
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⁄
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-inch pieces

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⁄
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cup
Basic Green Chutney
(or store-bought)

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⁄
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cup nonfat plain yogurt or nonfat sour cream, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
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teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 to 3 scallions, green parts only, minced

¹
⁄
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teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the paneer and the green chutney. Place the paneer pieces in a large non-reactive bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt (or sour cream), green chutney, and salt. Add to the paneer cheese pieces and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well-coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

2.
Preheat the broiler. Oil or coat with foil a large broiler-safe tray and place the paneer cheese pieces on it in a single layer. Place the tray on the top rack, about 4 to 5 inches from the heating element, and broil until the pieces are barely golden, about 5 minutes. (Do not overcook; they will toughen.)

3.
Turn off the broiler and turn on the oven to 500°F. Place the tray on the bottom rack bake until the pieces are just golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Alternately, leave the tray in the broiler, turn the paneer over with a spatula, and broil about 3 minutes more until golden. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with scallion greens and garam masala, and serve.

Skewered Paneer and Vegetable Kabaabs

Paneer Shaslik Kabaabs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The Indian version of
shish kabaabs
, made with
paneer
instead of meat, and a popular item on most typical Indian restaurant menus, these familiar skewered
kabaabs
have a chickpea flour marinade. The flour soaks up the juices and forms a thin, almost invisible shell around the individual pieces.

For your vegetable selection, choose those that cook fast, because
paneer
cheese toughens very quickly. Good choices are bell peppers of different colors, small mushrooms, thinly sliced Japanese eggplant or squash, pearl or quartered onions, and cherry tomatoes. You can also use fruit such as pieces of apple, pineapple, peach, nectarine, and kumquat.

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
, cut into 16 equal pieces

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

About 1
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pounds mixed fresh vegetables of your choice, cut into 1
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-inch pieces

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

1 teaspoon garam masala

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teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

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⁄
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teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

4 to 6 metal or bamboo skewers, soaked in orange juice or water at least 30 minutes

Shredded lettuce (optional)

1.
Prepare the paneer cheese. Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Place the paneer cheese and vegetables in a large non-reactive bowl. In a small bowl mix together the paneer, lemon juice, oil, chickpea flour, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt. Add to the paneer cheese pieces and vegetables and mix well, making sure that all the pieces are well-coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or up to 12.

2.
Preheat a grill to 375°F to 400°F or preheat the broiler. Thread the vegetables and paneer cheese onto the skewers and grill over medium-high heart coals, or broil on the top rack (about 4 to 5 inches from the heating element), turning frequently, until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. (Don't overcook, as paneer cheese will toughen.) Baste occasionally with the marinade. Transfer to a serving platter and serve the shaslik on skewers, or slide the pieces off onto a bed of shredded lettuce, if using.

Paneer Cheese Kabaabs with Pomegranate Seeds

Anardana Paneer Kabaabs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

My daughter Sumi's sister-in-law, Anu Khatod, has a great hand in the kitchen, as we can see from this sumptuous dish that she fed dozens and dozens of people at a July 4th party. Influenced by her Punjabi upbringing in America, Anu uses sour cream with her Indian spices.

Do not discard the marinade left in the bowl after the
paneer
cheese pieces are removed; use it in curries, rice, or soups.

¹
⁄
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teaspoon dry-roasted and coarsely ground cumin seeds (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

8 ounces (1 recipe)
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought), cut into 1-inch or larger pieces, each about
¹
⁄
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-inch thick

1 cup sour cream, any kind

2 to 3 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons ground dried pomegranate seeds

1
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teaspoons garam masala

1
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⁄
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teaspoons ground paprika

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Prepare the cumin seeds and paneer cheese. Then, place the paneer cheese in a flat dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, garlic, ginger, pomegranate seeds, garam masala, paprika, and salt. Add to the paneer cheese, making sure that all the pieces are well-coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or up to 12.

2.
Preheat the broiler. Grease a broiler-safe tray or cover with foil. Leaving all the marinade behind, transfer the paneer cheese, piece by piece, to the broiling tray and broil on the top rack (4 to 5 inches from the heating element) until the top side is golden, about 5 minutes. Turn once and broil the other side until golden, about 3 minutes. (Do not overcook; the paneer will toughen.) Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle the roasted cumin on top, and serve.

Black Chickpea Kabaabs