Achari Paneer with Jeera Rice and Chicken Nibbles

A visit (thanks to Jethro) to the Mudgeeraba Spices has rekindled my curry fervour. When I spied Paneer as a new arrival in the supermarket cheese section, I thought yes, I'll try that. Vague memories of having seen Paneer in an Indian cookbook.

Having not had the time to make it during the week, I decided to take the ingredients to Canberra and cook it for Kristel's birthday.

Ingredients:

200g paneer

200g farm cheese

1 red capsicum

1 zucchini

2 yellow squash

2 T sunflower oil

garlic

ginger

red chilli

1 t fennel seeds

1/4 t black mustard seeds

6 fenugreek seeds, ground

1 t kalonji seeds

1/2 cumin

1/2 t aesofoetida (optional)

1/2 t turmeric

1 tin diced tomato

2 T mango pickle

1 t garam masala

salt to taste

1 t coriander leaves chopped

Roughly cut the vegetables and set aside.

Cut the paneer and farm cheese into 1 1/2 cm cubes and set aside.

Heat the oil, add ginger, garlic and chilli and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes.

Add all the spices (except the masala) and fry until aromatic.

Add the tinned tomato and simmer for a few minutes then set aside while you prepare the rice.

Add the veggies and simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the cheese, pickle and masala.

Gently combine and cook until heated through. Add the coriander just before serving.

For the rice you will need:

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

2 t cumin (Jeera)

1/2 cup salted roast cashews

3 whole peppercorns

2 bay leaves

3 cloves

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/2 t cinnamon pdr

1 onion finely sliced

2 T ghee (1T butter 2t peanut oil)

salt

Wash the rice and soak for 1/2 hour.

Heat ghee, fry the onion until soft, then add the bay leaves and spices.

Add the rice, salt and about 2 1/2 cups water, stir then cover and simmer until done. (We also added the juices from the roasted chicken nibbles).

The chicken nibbles were Kristel's recipe that she had made-up the night before. It was a marinade of dukkah, harissa, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and white wine. The chicken can then be either fried or baked.

Swadisht mazedar!

The experiment was a great success and I will definitely make this again.