Tawa Paneer

Ingredients

• 200 to 250 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 onion large, finely chopped – 100 to 120 grams
• 1 capsicum medium-sized – 80 to 100 grams green bell pepper
• 3 tomatoes medium-sized, chopped – 180 to 200 grams
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves small to medium-sized
• 1 inch ginger
• ½ teaspoon chopped green chilies or 1 green chili
• ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
• ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika or cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
• 1 teaspoon Pav Bhaji Masala or swap with ½ teaspoon garam masala + ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
• 2 tablespoons Butter – salted or unsalted
• ½ teaspoon crushed dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• salt as required
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves – for garnish
• 2 to 3 lemon wedges – to serve with

Instructions 

Preparation

1. Finely chop the onions and capsicum or green bell pepper.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes, green chili, ginger and garlic.
3. Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar-pestle to a paste.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes in a blender and make a smooth puree. Set aside.
5. Chop the paneer in small cubes.

Making Tawa Paneer

1. Melt butter on a tawa or frying pan or skillet.
2. Add the carom seeds and fry them for a few seconds or till aromatic.
3. Add the onions and saute stirring often till they soften and turn translucent.
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, finely chopped capsicum/green bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
5. Then add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala. If you don’t have pav bhaji masala, then swap it with garam masala powder + dry mango powder.
6. Stir and saute for about a minute.
7. Then add the tomato puree and salt as needed.
8. Stir well and saute till you see butter releasing from the sides and the masala has thickened a bit. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low heat.
9. If the tomato masala looks dry, then add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and continue to saute.
10. Add the paneer cubes and mix gently so that the masala coats the paneer cubes evenly. Switch off the heat.
11. Then add the crushed dry fenugreek leaves and mix gently.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve paneer tawa masala with roti, naan, paratha or bread. Accompany with a few wedges of lemon slices which can be drizzled on the tawa paneer and a side onion salad.

Notes

1. If you plan to scale the recipe, then add the ground spices in approximation. This recipe will need an experienced cook to scale it.
2. Use soft homemade paneer for best taste.
3. Avoid using overly sour or unripe tomatoes.
4. Skip dry fenugreek leaves if you don’t have it.
5. Swap carom seeds with cumin seeds.