My simple paneer and potato kofta are golden on the outside and a brilliant white colour on the inside. Each bite is soft, a little spongy and slick with a smooth and creamy tomato sauce. In my home, Malai Kofta is an essential curry for special occasions.

This Indian vegetarian curry of paneer (cheese) and potato kofta is a real celebration of rich flavours and warming spices.

What is Malai Kofta?

Malai Kofta is a delicious North Indian vegetarian curry, popular in restaurants and for celebrations like weddings and parties. It’s rich, creamy and utterly delicious with naan, paratha or rice.

Recipes for Malai Kofta vary from cook to cook. “Malai” refers to the liberal use of cream in the dish, while “Kofta” allude the balls of deep-fried paneer (a vegetarian take on meat kofta, so to speak). Many recipes also include potatoes and/or other vegetables in the kofta mixture. A filling of chopped nuts and sultanas is commonplace, too.

Where does Malai Kofta come from?

It’s said that Malai Kofta has roots in Mughlai cuisine; a style of cooking that goes back to the Mughal Empire and its’ royal kitchens. Originally from Central Asia, Turkey, Persia and beyond, Mughlai cuisine introduced dishes like Biryani, Nihari, Korma, Keema and Pasanda to the Indian subcontinent. You will now find hundreds of delicious variations of these and more dishes across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

They are often rich, luxurious and meat heavy. Ingredients like nuts, saffron, rosewater and dry fruits are found in both sweet and savoury dishes of the Mughlai kitchens.

Notable vegetarian Mughlai-influenced dishes include Malai Kofta, Shahi Paneer, Vegetable Korma, as well as desserts like Shahi Tukda, Falooda and Sheer Khurma.

There are two popular styles of Malai Kofta. Let’s explore them a little.

Mughlai Malai Kofta (Shahi Malai Kofta) – White in colour

This royal preparation of Malai Kofta is heavily inspired by the customs, techniques and ingredients of Mughlai kitchens. The white-coloured gravy is an ode to the royal emperors’ tastes for all things expensive (namely nuts, but also spices like cardamom, saffron and peppercorns).

Make this white gravy by first blanching almonds and/or cashews in hot water, then grinding to create a smooth and creamy paste. Fry off some spices and add the paste, but don’t let it brown. Copious amounts of cream and a pinch of sugar to finish, of course.

Punjabi Malai Kofta (North Indian-style Malai Kofta) – Orange or red in colour

Punjabi Malai Kofta is the version of the dish we most commonly find in restaurants. It’s an adaptation of the Mughlai dish that puts tomatoes to work, hence the orange or red gravy. Tomatoes and chillies were not introduced to India until the 15th and 16th centuries so you could say this is a more ‘modern take’ on Malai Kofta.

Over the years, recipes have changed and adapted with tastes and the movement of people. Each Malai Kofta recipe you’ll find online, in books or by word of mouth will be as unique as it is delicious.

Is this a Nut-free Malai Kofta recipe?

Yes, my recipe for Melt-Away Malai Kofta is incidentally, completely nut free. Most recipes for Malai Kofta will contain an assortment of nuts and raisins in the kofta filling and either cashews or almonds to thicken the gravy (sauce).

Now, I’ve never been a fan of crunchy nuts in my creamy kofta, although it is is typical of restaurant-style Malai Kofta.

A while back, I asked my Instagram community to vote on whether they like nuts and raisins in their Malai Kofta. An overwhelming 83% of 6,000 respondents said no. To make this suitable for those with nut allergies and intolerances, I decided to cut all the nuts out, even in the sauce. So here it is: A creamy, nut-free Malai Kofta recipe that tastes like a restaurant version!

What is Malai in Indian food?

In Indian cookery, the term ‘Malai’ refers to the cream extracted from heating whole milk (sourced from cattle: Either cow or buffalo). It’s used for making a range of dishes, both sweet and savoury. Some dishes include: Malai Kofta, Malai Peda, Rasmalai and Kulfi.

How to serve Malai Kofta

Serve Melt-Away Malai Kofta with your choice of Indian accompaniments, such as Naan, Paratha or Rice. I simply adore the combination of Malai Kofta and Garlic Naan.

Some recipes call for placement of the Kofta to be a last-minute affair, directly on top of the hot gravy. My recipe requires a gentle simmer to plump up the Kofta before serving. This gives them their mouth watering melt-away texture.

Why is it called Melt-Away Malai Kofta?

I’ve been making versions of this dish for years. Take a look at this delicious Paneer Kofta recipe from my archives. The first time I made this iteration of Malai Kofta, my husband took a portion out for himself at dinner time. I looked over and saw there were five koftas in his plate.

Important tips for making this recipe

Paneer

• Homemade paneer works best in this recipe. Refer to this recipe for Homemade Paneer. Make sure the paneer is very well pressed, overnight or for as long as possible. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. The paneer should be dry and crumbly. If it is not properly pressed, the kofta may break in the oil while frying.

Potatoes

• I use a floury variety of potato in my recipe. Maris Piper or King Edward if you’re in the UK. Any mealy potato you’d use for baked potatoes is ideal. Cook the potato however you like. I like to microwave mine in the skin until soft because it’s super quick and easy. It also draws water out of the potato rather than putting water in, like boiling does.

• Once the potato is cooked grate it on the fine side of a cheese grater. It’s best to allow it to cool a bit first!

Kneading kofta mixture

• Spend a bit of time kneading the kofta mixture. Use the heel of your palm to press the mixture into the worktop and away from you. We are creating a smooth-textured dough without a crumbly texture. This process is similar to kneading chhena (paneer) for sweets like Rasmalai and Rasgulla. It produces the perfect smooth and creamy finish.

• I spent about 5 minutes per portion, so 15 minutes kneading in total. It’s a great work out! I don’t recommend using a blender for this as it can overwork the mixture and ruin the texture of the kofta.

Frying kofta

• Heat the oil to 125°C/260°F on a cooking thermometer. It should be low enough to seal the kofta all around without browning too quickly. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, drop one of the kofta into the oil – it should bubble around the outside very slowly.
  
• The kofta need to be fried very slowly until they turn golden. Each batch will take around 10 minutes. Keep them moving in the oil all the time for even browning. If the heat is too high the outside will brown too quickly and they will deflate as soon as they come out of the oil.
  
• I do not recommend baking or air frying the kofta.

Sauce/gravy

• Since we use tomato purée in the recipe, there is no need to strain the gravy after we blend it. I love the punchy tang of tomato purée in this recipe. Fresh tomatoes don’t even come close.
  
• Skimmed milk powder and fried onions will thicken the sauce beautifully in the absence of nuts. You can replace it with 8-10 cashews, soaked in boiling hot water for 30 minutes.
  
• Be sure to remove large whole spices like star anise and cinnamon from the onion masala before you blend it. They can ruin the colour!
  
• For a bright colour, slowly sizzle Kashmiri chilli powder in warm ghee or oil before adding the gravy mixture. It has a mild flavour and great colour. If you can find this, use half the amount of regular chilli powder and supplement with a teaspoon of paprika (not smoked paprika).

Can I make vegan Malai Kofta using this recipe?

I have not tried veganising this Malai Kofta recipe. I’d imagine quite a few significant changes would need to take place in order to make a vegan Malai Kofta with this recipe. I recommend checking out this Vegan Malai Kofta recipe by Nisha at Rainbow Plant Life.

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Is this recipe for Malai Kofta gluten free?

The kofta contain plain wheat flour. Feel free to swap this for rice flour or your favourite gluten-free baking flour. Use a gluten-free baking powder.

How to make Homemade Paneer

My recipe below is best made with Homemade Paneer. Although, if you don’t have time and want to use shop-bought, I’ll totally forgive you. Please do your best to find the softest paneer possible. Malai Paneer is perfect.

Melt-Away Malai Kofta recipe

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Melt-Away Malai Kofta

I call this creamy paneer kofta curry Melt-Away Malai Kofta simply because they melt away as soon as you put them in your mouth. Malai Kofta are the ultimate North Indian vegetarian curry recipe to dazzle friends and family. A celebration of rich flavours and warming spices.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword celebration, curry, dinner party, kofta, north indian, paneer, party food

Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Blender
• Large pan for cooking the sauce
• Kadai, work or large pan for deep frying
• Slotted spoon for deep frying

Ingredients

For the kofta:

• 225 g paneer, very well pressed homemade is best (recipe linked above)
• 100 g potato (any floury variety such as Maris Piper, King Edward or Yukon Gold) cooked, cooled, peeled and grated on the fine side of a grater
• 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
• 1/3 tsp salt
• Baking powder same amount as two grains of rice
• Oil for deep frying any cooking oil

For the kofta curry:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 whole star anise
• 2 cm stick cinnamon or cassia bark
• 4 whole green cardamom pods
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 small piece black stone flower optional
• 2 onions finely diced (about 250g)
• 2 tbsp double concentrate tomato purée
• 2 large cloves garlic chopped
• 2 cm piece ginger grated
• 2 tbsp skimmed milk powder
• 250 ml water

To finish the Malai Kofta:

• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• Small pinch of saffron
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 100 ml whipping cream (cooking cream)
• 1/4 tsp kasoori methi
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

To make the kofta (see video for visual tutorial):

• Crumble your well-pressed homemade paneer onto a large plate or on a clean surface. it should feel dry and crumbly. If using shop bought paneer, you will need to grate it on the fine side of a grater.
• Add the finely-grated cooked potato, salt and baking powder. Work everything together using your hands and then sprinkle over the flour. Bring the mixture together to form a very rough mixture. It should bind to a sticky, but not wet dough. Divide it into three portions.
• Taking one portion of mixture at a time, begin to knead the dough on a worktop or clean surface. Use the heel of your palm to press the mixture into the worktop and away from you. We are creating a smooth-textured dough without a crumbles This process is similar to kneading chhena (paneer) for sweets like Rasmalai and Rasgulla. It produces the perfect finish.
• Spend a bit of time kneading the kofta mixture. I spent about 5 minutes per portion, so 15 minutes kneading in total. It's a great work out! I don't recommend using a blender for this as it can overwork the mixture and ruin the texture of the kofta.
• Bring the kofta mixture back together and begin to portion it out into approximately 13-15g portions. Don't make them any bigger than this as they will expand slightly in the oil. Roll each one with a little pressure between your palms. They should be perfectly smooth and without any cracks. You should have between 24-26 kofta.
• Heat enough oil to deep fry the kofta in a kadai or wok. Work in batches of 2-3 so the oil is not overcrowded. Heat the oil to 125°C/260°F on a cooking thermometer. It should be low enough to seal the kofta all around without browning too quickly. If you don't have a cooking thermometer, drop one of the kofta into the oil – it should bubble around the outside very slowly.
• Fry the kofta at this temperature. At no point should the oil temperature exceed 130°C/265°F. Agitate the oil around them, rather than directly moving the kofta at first. This will ensure they don't get knocked out of shape. The kofta need to be fried very slowly until they turn golden. Each batch will take around 10 minutes. Keep them moving in the oil all the time for even browning. If the heat is too high the outside will brown too quickly and they will deflate once they come out of the oil.
• Line a plate with kitchen towel. Lift out your fried kofta and drain on the plate. Repeat this process for your remaining batches of kofta. Note: It's okay if the kofta deflate very slightly on the surface. They will plump up again in the kofta curry later.

For the kofta curry:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add star anise, cinnamon or cassia bark, cardamom, cloves, black stone flower if using (I recommend it) and onions. Sauté over a medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions turn soft and translucent but do not brown. Tip: Add the salt at this stage to help the onions cook quickly.
• Next, add the tomato purée and cook out for a further minute. Finally, add the ginger and garlic and cook for two minutes longer over a low heat. Allow this mixture to cool and then remove the whole star anise and cinnamon or cassia. Leave the other whole spices in.
• Once cool, transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the milk powder and water. Blend on the highest speed until very smooth. The sauce should be thick and very creamy.

To finish the Malai Kofta:

• Heat ghee or oil in a large pan set over a low heat. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder and allow it to sizzle for a few seconds before adding the blended kofta sauce. Stir well. Add saffron, sugar and cream (reserve a tablespoon for garnishing). Stir well and bring to a very gentle simmer.
• Add the fried kofta and mix gently to ensure they're covered. Place a lid on the pan and allow to heat through over a low heat for 4-5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and garnish with a swirl of cream, kasoori methi (rub between your palms first) and fresh coriander. Serve immediately with naan, paratha or rice.

Video

Notes

How to store leftover Malai Kofta

Pack any leftovers into an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan, adding water if sauce is too thick. Try not to stir too much to avoid breaking. Do not freeze.

To make Malai Kofta ahead of time

This can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep the kofta and sauce separate until you’re ready to serve. At the last minute, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer (add water if necessary as it will thicken over time), add the kofta and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes as directed in the recipe above.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Restaurant-Style Shahi Paneer

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The post Melt-Away Malai Kofta appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

If you’re on the hunt for a minimal-effort curry recipe to add to your weeknight meal rotation, you’re in the right place.

What are Tindora?

Ivy Gourd. This member of the gourd family is usually no larger than the average pinky finger. It’s most popular in southern Indian states but is a common vegetable across Indian cookery.

The skin of Tindora is thin and the flavour very subtle. Inside, you’ll find lots of small seeds but far less moisture than most gourds. This means that once you cook the Tindora, they retain their crunch.

While it’s a popular ingredient in Indian cuisine, it’s important to note that Ivy Gourd is used in cuisines from Africa to East Asia and South East Asia.

What are the different names for Tindora?

Tindora is the Gujarati name for Ivy Gourd. They’re also known as Tendli (तेंडली) in Hindi, Dondakaya in Telugu and Kovai in Tamil. Almost every local community in India have their own name for this popular little gourd.

What’s a gourd?

Think courgette (zucchini), squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and melons). Tindora are firm to the touch and have a smooth, shiny surface.

How to choose Tindora in the shop or market

I have the fondest memories of choosing vegetables in the local Indian shop with my mother.

She would explain to me the difference between a fat aubergine and a skinny one, a limp okra and a firm one, and why we always choose the most slender roots of ginger.

To choose the best Tindora, you must look for small gourds, no larger than the average pinky finger. It should be very firm, with a shiny and smooth skin.

Try to choose Tindora with a pale skin. This indicates that they are young and tender. The fatter they are, the more likely they are to contain a large amount of seeds. This means they’re older and may be holding more water. This in turn, can make the Tindora bitter.

Are Tindora the same as Parwal?

Not quite. Tindora have a thin and smooth skin and rounded ends, while Parwal (pointed gourd) have a thicker, rougher skin and as the name suggests, pointed ends. They do however, come from the same family.

Tindora tend to be smaller in comparison to Parwal. The skin of Parwal is often scraped or peeled before cooking to remove some of the toughness. Parwal is a favourite in Punjabi cuisine.

What can I use instead of Tindora?

While Tindora are unique in their texture and shape, a similar result can be achieved using young courgette (zucchini). Cut them into 4cm x 1cm batons and cook in the same way as Tindora in this recipe.

Texturally, the final result won’t be exactly the same but the flavours will be a close match.

What’s the best way to cook Tindora?

With very little water. I find a quick shallow fry is the best way to achieve a deliciously tender, yet crunchy texture when it comes to Tindora. You can drain away excess oil once they’re cooked.

What type of corn should I use for this curry?

I use tinned because I always have a tin of sweetcorn in the cupboard. It’s what makes this curry the perfect weeknight dinner. If you have fresh corn, feel free to cook that and add it in. Indeed, frozen corn also works a treat.

Why do you add chickpea flour to this curry?

Chickpea flour (besan) gives this dish a dry finish. It’s a light dish served without sauce. I also love the toasted, nutty flavour the chickpea flour gives the curry.

Is this 30-Minute Tindora Curry with Corn suitable for vegans?

Yes, this easy curry is both vegetarian and vegan.

Is this curry gluten free?

My 30-Minute Tindora Curry with Corn can be gluten free if you leave out the asafoetida (hing). Why? Because wheat flour is a common additive in commercial brands of asafoetida.

Having said this, asafoetida in its pure form is naturally gluten free. If you happen to come across pure asafoetida, simply crush it in a pestle and mortar or grate using a microplane for an asafoetida that’s suitable for gluten-free cooking.

How to serve this easy weeknight curry

Serve this Tindora Curry with roti, phulka, paratha or rice. It’s lovely as it is for a low-effort midweek meal. Although you could kick things up a notch and serve this dish as part of a larger thali or tiffin.

Just add your favourite daal, raita, pickle and sweet dish to the spread. When I serve this as part of a big meal, I pair it with:

• Easy Palak Paneer
• Homemade Gujarati Rotli
• Daal Kachori
• Creamy Kesar Shrikhand

My essentials for this recipe

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How to make 30-Minute Tindora Curry with Corn

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30-Minute Tindora Curry with Corn

Tindora Curry with Corn is a simple, dry-style curry of tindora (ivy gourd) and sweetcorn. It's light, fresh and quick to prepare. Serve this weeknight vegetable dish with roti, phulka, paratha or rice. If you can't find tindora, try it with courgette cut to the same size.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, gujarati, sweetcorn, tindora

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 450 g tindora (ivy gourd/tendli/dondakaya)
• 285 g cooked sweetcorn I used tinned but fresh or frozen are fine too
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
• 50 ml any cooking oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin & coriander seeds (dhana-jeeru)
• 3/4-1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut optional

Instructions

To prepare the tindora:

• Wash the tindora well in cold water. Dry them in a clean tea towel. Top and tail the tindora, removing only a small amount of the ends. Slice the tindora in half lengthways and then into quarters in the same direction.
• Heat the oil in a large pan. Once hot, add the sliced tindora. Stir fry the tindora in the oil, stirring all the time until tender and very slightly golden. Don't overcook the tindora – they should retain some crunch. This will take 5-6 minutes over a moderate heat. Remove the tindora from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain in a colander or plate lined with kitchen towel. Set aside.

To make the curry:

• Remove all but 1 tbsp oil from the pan. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop and crackle. Once the dance of the mustard seeds subsides, turn the heat down to low and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté briefly, about 10 seconds.
• Add the chickpea flour and sauté for a further 20 seconds. The chickpea flour will turn a few shades darker, rather like a light caramel colour and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Now add the dry spices: ground cumin and coriander seeds, ground fennel seeds, chilli powder, ground turmeric and salt. Stir well to incorporate all the dry spices. If the mixture feels very dry, you can add a splash more water to moisten and prevent the spices from burning. Be sure not to add too much water as this is a dry-style curry. Stir all the time.
• After 2 minutes, add the cooked sweet corn and stir, cooking over a moderate heat for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the cooked tindora and fold the sweetcorn masala into it so everything is well coated. Cook this for an extra 2-3 minutes to heat everything through.
• Garnish with fresh coriander and optional desiccated coconut. Serve hot with rotis, phulka, paratha or rice.

Video

Notes

• This curry is suitable for freezing. To freeze, pack the cooled curry into a freezer-safe container and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and heat through until the curry is piping hot before serving.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 48 hours.
• If you can’t find tindora, try making this curry with young courgette cut to the same size, about 4cm in length.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Matar Paneer Rice

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The post 30-Minute Tindora Curry with Corn appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

The beauty of simple ingredients, very few spices and fiery cooking method ensures this dish is world famous for its leopard-spotted char and smoky flavours.

How to make amazing paneer tikka at home

I’ve been working on this recipe for the ultimate Restaurant-Style Tandoori Paneer Tikka made without a tandoor or barbecue for SO long. You’ll notice my dreams of installing a big, badass tandoor in my garden still haven’t come to fruition.

Don’t worry though, I’ve found a great workaround. It’s a recipe that gives you restaurant or street-style flavours at home with minimal effort.

Spoiler: there’s no grill or oven involved either.

What is paneer tikka?

Juicy chunks of paneer marinated in a punchy hot and sour tandoori masala are skewered up with onion petals and pieces of pepper.

The loaded skewers are then grilled on a wire rack directly over the cooker to infuse deep, smoky flavours into the paneer and veg.

The ghee and oil combo in the marinade ensures the outside becomes freckled with the familiar scorch marks you’d expect from a restaurant or street-style tandoori dish.

How to serve Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka

Serve it up with a pool of coriander and mint chutney, fresh salad leaves and lemon wedges. You can also toss in raw red onion slices and serve with butter naan or garlic naan for a true Punjabi-style feast.

A few tips before you make Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka

1. Marinate!

Marinate the paneer, peppers and onions for a minimum of 30 minutes to give the ingredients time to get acquainted. If you have time, you can pop the paneer and veg in the tandoori marinade the night before. Be sure to keep it covered in the fridge.

2. Soak the paneer

Being your resident paneer fangirl, you’ll know I’m always going on about soaking shop-bought paneer for a fresh, homemade texture and taste. You can find out how I do this in the recipe below.

The basic idea is to rehydrate the paneer in boiling water to soften it up and give a brilliant-white colour that’s just like homemade. If you want to make your own paneer at home, you can find my recipe here: Homemade Paneer.

3. Crack a window open

Open all the windows in your house for good ventilation. The cooking process will create smoke which will need to escape. If you have an extractor fan, switch it on. It will make your house smell like a restaurant kitchen. Glorious!

4. Consider these alternative cooking options

If you don’t fancy cooking this over a flame, you can also place the skewers on a wire rack and cook them in an oven. Make sure it’s very hot. Traditional tandoors average 400°C heat so it needs to be hot! You can also place these on a griddle pan or on the barbecue.

5. Choose the right kind of skewers

I used flat metal skewers (be careful when turning as the handles can get really hot) but you can also use bamboo skewers. Be sure to soak them in cold water for an hour before you use them. This will stop them burning during the cooking process.

6. Kashmiri chilli powder is your friend

Most restaurants and street vendors add red food colour to their marinade for the iconic and eye-popping crimson colour. I’m no food snob and am not opposed to food colours in cooking but I just don’t find it necessary in this dish.

Kashmiri chilli powder will give you a gorgeous natural red colour with very little heat. If you can’t get hold of it, use equal parts smoky paprika and regular chilli powder in its place. I often use tomato paste for colour and tang which isn’t traditional but works a treat.

Can I veganise this Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka?

If you’re looking for a vegan tandoori option, check out my Tandoori Tofu Tikka recipe. The marinade for that recipe packs a huge punch to really infuse the tofu with plenty of flavour.

If you prefer a milder tikka, you can easily veganize this recipe. Switch the paneer for tofu, tempeh or seitan, use all oil instead of ghee and sub in coconut yoghurt in both the tikka marinade and chutney recipes.

Watch a full step-by-step video for this Paneer Tikka recipe

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Paneer Tikka

Juicy chunks of Indian cottage cheese marinated in homemade tandoori paste and grilled until charred. Perfect with naan, roti or paratha.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cheese, kebab, north indian, paneer, skewer, tandoori, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 6 large metal kebab skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for 1 hour prior to skewering the paneer)

Ingredients

For the paneer & marinade:

• 400 g paneer cut into large cubes (soak in hot water for 5 minutes and drain)
• 2 bell peppers cut into large squares
• 2 red onions quartered and separated into petals
• 75 g plain yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 cardamom pods (seeds ground)
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 2 large cloves garlic crushed
• 2 cm piece ginger grated
• 2 tbsp sunflower, vegetable, mustard or rapeseed oil

To serve:

• 1 tbsp melted ghee for brushing on the cooked tikka
• Sliced onions and tomatoes
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

• Roast the chickpea flour in a dry pan until lightly toasted. Set aside.
• Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade, including the roasted chickpea flour and except the oil.
• Heat the oil over a high heat until smoking hot. Carefully whisk this into the marinade.
  Add the paneer, peppers and onions. Mix well to coat and set aside for 30 mins (or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days).
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
• Skewer the paneer, onions and peppers on the skewers, alternating in each ingredient.
• Set a metal wire rack on top of a baking tray and arrange the skewers on top. Bake for 10 minutes if proceeding to the next step, or 15 minutes if skipping the next step.
• Optional: Once out of the oven, hold each skewer over a direct flame on your hob burner roll char the outside. Be careful not to burn yourself and open a window before you start.
• Brush the paneer tikka pieces with melted ghee and serve immediately with all the accompaniments.

Notes

This paneer tikka is excellent with naan, roti or a simple salad.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Shahi Paneer

More Chutney Recipes to pair with this Tandoori Paneer Tikka recipe

Mango, Lime & Coconut Chutney

A sweet and mild chutney packed with fruity flavours. This quick and easy mango-based chutney is made creamy with coconut milk and packs a zing with fresh lime zest.

Check out this recipe

Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity. Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour.

Check out this recipe

Tamarind & Date Chutney

Learn how to make sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney from scratch! No Indian chaat is complete without a drizzle of this mouth-puckering fruity chutney.

Check out this recipe

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The post Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

If you’re not a bread lover, this Shahi Paneer also pairs beautifully with rice, should you wish to opt for a simple curry and rice bowl for dinner.

Make it as a stand-alone hero dish, or as a spectacular addition to any North Indian-style thali.

What’s in Shahi Paneer?

There’s a world of different recipes for Shahi Paneer and everyone has their own favourite way of making it. My version is made with aromatic spices like cardamom, saffron and cloves, nuts, dried mango and butter-soft paneer.

What’s the difference between Shahi Paneer and Paneer Makhani, Paneer Butter Masala, etc?

Meme culture has made a joke out of the similarities between these dishes for years. Shahi Paneer, Paneer Butter Masala, Paneer Makhani, Paneer Tikka Masala, Paneer Lababdar, Kadai Paneer, Nawabi Paneer, the list goes on.

Some restaurants generally tend to serve one of the aforementioned paneer dishes.

However, many will serve them all. It’s when the menu lists 10 similar-sounding paneer dishes that brain melt occurs and choices become difficult.

Which one do you go for?

Of course, each restaurant will have its own takes on these dishes, but there are some subtle differences that can help identify one paneer dish from another. Here are a few of them:

Shahi Paneer

A right royal affair. Expect nuts, fruitiness, saffron, cardamom and copious amounts of cream. Khoya (milk solids) may even be added. Fewer tomatoes than its counterparts — the sauce is often more yellow than orange. Some preparations can also be white in colour.

Paneer Makhani

The clue is in the word “Makhani”. In Indian cookery, “makhan” refers specifically to white butter.

White butter is different to the more commonly-sourced yellow butter we use in our homes today.

It’s made from the “malai” or uppermost fatty layer of boiled and cooled milk, i.e. The cream.

This cream is churned clockwise and anti-clockwise to separate the whey and butterfat. What you’re left with is a white butter that is free from the same sodium and preservatives found in yellow butter.

However, the two types of butter are used interchangeably these days and are the reason why makhani dishes are so luxuriously silky.

Expect lots of tomatoes, mild spices and of course, a great deal of makhan or butter.

Paneer Butter Masala/Butter Paneer

Paneer Butter Masala is the yellow butter sister to Paneer Makhani. Again, the focus is on butter in this dish.

Usually yellow butter is used but each recipe and preparation will vary. The finished dish is a burnt orange colour, similar to makhani gravy.

Generally speaking, the spices are mild and the gravy is rich in tomatoes. The final tadka (tempering) is prepared in butter. Find my Paneer Butter Masala here.

Paneer Tikka Masala

True Paneer Tikka Masala should include *drumroll please* paneer tikka. That is, paneer that has been marinated in spices and grilled in a tandoor (for restaurants), oven or pan (if you’re cooking it at home).

After grilling, the tikka pieces are folded into a silky reddish-orange makhani-style sauce. Expect smokiness, sweetness and tangy tomato goodness. Find my Tofu Tikka Masala recipe here.

Finally, one thing all of these dishes have in common is that they are all typically finished with cream and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves).

How to make vegan Restaurant-Style Shahi Paneer

Simply switch the paneer with medium-firm tofu, use oil instead of butter/ghee and finish with oat cream for a silky finish.

Since the bulk of the creaminess in my Shahi Paneer recipe comes from the cashews and almonds, it can easily be made vegan with delicious results!

Can I use something else in place of paneer or tofu?

Of course. Feel free to substitute any cooked vegetables or protein in place of the paneer in this recipe.

Indeed, some delicious options include: Cauliflower, pumpkin, courgette, mushrooms, turnips, chickpeas, white beans or tempeh.

Why do you use dried mango in your recipe?

Mughlai cuisine is rich in many ways. Hero ingredients include nuts, fruits, cream and spices. Most recipes for Restaurant-Style Shahi Paneer will include a sweetening element (often sugar) to balance the heat of the spices, and compliment the richness of the dish.

As dried fruits are such an integral part of recipes from India’s historical royal kitchens, it makes sense to include them.

My preferred options are either soft dried mango or apricots, for they lend sweetness as well as a subtle, yet welcome tang.

If you have neither of these options to hand, you can use the same measure of golden sultanas (not raisins), or simply add a tablespoon of sugar to the dish. I don’t use raisins as they will affect the colour of the Shahi Paneer.

How to make the most of your saffron

Make your saffron work harder. It’s expensive stuff and a little goes a long way if you try this nifty trick. Simply dry roast it in a pan or microwave it for 30 seconds.

This will make it brittle enough to grind into a powder. When you add this saffron to your dish, the colours will be a beautiful shade of sunflower, and the flavours as intense as can be.

How to make Shahi Paneer

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Restaurant-Style Shahi Paneer

Delicious, rich & creamy Shahi Paneer is a vegetarian food hero in North Indian cuisine. Scoop this curry up with flaky parathas or serve with basmati rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword almond, cheese, curry, mughlai, north indian, paneer, shahi, vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 450 g paneer cut into triangles or cubes

For the sauce:

• 10 cashews (30g)
• 10 almonds skins removed (30g)
• 3 tbsp chopped soft dried mango or apricots (60g)
• 1 tbsp butter, ghee or oil (I use butter)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 cloves
• 2.5 cm cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamoms cracked
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 red chillies slit lengthways (use 1 if you prefer mild head)
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 red onions cut into wedges (150g)
• 2 large cloves garlic crushed
• 2 cm piece ginger grated
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 small pinch saffron 8-10 threads
• 4 tomatoes cut into wedges (300g)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 250 ml water + 150ml extra

For the tempering:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2.5 cm piece ginger julienned
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 80 ml cream
• 1 tsp kasoori methi crushed
• 2 green cardamom pods seeds finely ground
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Saffron strands, dried rose petals, chopped coriander leaves and cream to garnish

Instructions

• Heat 1 tbsp butter, ghee or oil in a large pan. Add the whole spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom and bay leaf). Allow to sizzle for 20-30 seconds and then add the chillies, onions, ginger, garlic, nuts, apricot or mango pieces, tomatoes, saffron, turmeric, salt and 250ml water. Stir well and cover with a lid. Simmer on a medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until everything is soft. Allow to cool down. Remove the bay leaf, black cardamom and cinnamon stick and discard.
• Blend the mixture until completely smooth and creamy. I use a NutriBullet and give it a good 60-90 seconds.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove any unwanted skins and seeds from the tomatoes and spices. Add the remaining 150ml water to the blender jar and swish around to catch the rest of the sauce. Pass this through the sieve and into the sauce too.
• In the same pan, heat up the butter until melted and bubbling. Add the ginger juliennes, chopped coriander and Kashmiri chilli powder. Return the strained sauce to the pan and stir well. Fold in the paneer. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Switch the heat off and stir in the cream, kasoori methi and ground cardamom.
• Serve hot, garnished with optional saffron strands, chopped coriander leaves, dried rose petals and cream.

Video

Notes

• Serve with laccha paratha, naan roti or rice.
• For Punjabi dhaba-style Shahi Paneer, reduce the sauce by half (simmer over a low heat, stirring often) until thick and creamy. Add the paneer along with an additional 2.5cm ginger juliennes. Heath through and serve. This thick-style is popular in roadside cafes and pair beautifully with roti or paratha for a rib-sticking vegetarian dinner.
• Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Re-heat thoroughly before serving.
• This Shahi Paneer is suitable for freezing. Keep in an airtight and freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and heat through until piping hot. Freezing may affect the texture of the paneer. If you like, you can make the sauce and freeze, ready to add the paneer later.

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If you like Shahi Paneer, you’ll love this recipe for Tofu Tikka Masala

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This curry is delicately flavoured with cumin seeds, turmeric, garlic and lemon juice for a fresh vegan dish that eats more like a stir fry than the heavy restaurant curries one might be used to.

Bhinda Bateta nu Shaak in 30 minutes

The potatoes are cut thinly for speedy cooking. After just 10 minutes of cooking, the potatoes become tender and the okra remain crunchy, fresh and not at all sticky. The total prep time is just 15 minutes which means you can have this curry on the table in just 30 minutes!

How do you cook okra so that it isn’t slimy?

One of the most common questions I’m asked about cooking okra is how to ensure they don’t become slimy. The answer is simple; They must be free from any water prior to and during the cooking process. This is because it’s water that draws out the natural stickiness of okra. All you need to do is wash the whole okra and pat dry before slicing and cooking. You can also cook them whole (trim off the stems first). My recipe here uses sliced okra for quick cooking.

Lemon juice can help okra become less slimy

The lemon juice in this Bateta nu Shaak serves two purposes; It adds a fresh, zingy flavour and also breaks down any sliminess in the okra. The natural acid ensures the stickiness in the okra is minimal. Add it halfway through cooking to evaporate the excess liquid.

Can I use frozen okra?

Like frozen peas, I believe frozen okra are just as good frozen as they are fresh. As long as the brand you buy is packed correctly so that the okra are free from excess water, they are just fine for everyday curries like this one.

However, if you find the frozen okra are a little bit frosty, lay them out on a dry tea towel and pat them dry before cooking.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes

• Fresh or frozen okra
• Potatoes
• Any unflavoured oil
• Whole black mustard seeds
• Whole cumin seeds
• Asafoetida
• Garlic
• Fresh tomatoes
• Turmeric
• Ground coriander seeds
• Water
• Chilli powder
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Fresh chillies (optional)
• Thin sev (fried chickpea flour noodles) – shop bought is fine

How to make Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes

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Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes

Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes (Bhinda Bateta nu Shaak) is an everyday comfort food in many Gujarati homes, including mine. It’s usually scooped up with soft, hot rotlis (chapattis), which is our daily bread. This curry is delicately flavoured with cumin seeds, turmeric, garlic and lemon juice for a fresh vegan dish that eats more like a stir fry than the heavy restaurant curries one might be used to.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, gujarati, okra, potatoes, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 300 g okra fresh or frozen
• 2 large potatoes washed and sliced thinly (about 2cm wide and a couple of mm thick)
• 2 tbsp any flavourless oil
• 1 tsp whole black mustard seeds
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 4 large cloves garlic crushed
• 1 large tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder or to taste
• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150 ml water
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• 2 fresh red chillies chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp thin sev (fried chickpea flour noodles) (optional), shop-bought is fine

Instructions

• If using fresh okra, wash the whole okra and pat them dry using a clean tea towel. Slice the dry okra into rings, discarding the stems.
• If using frozen okra, ensure they are frost free. If they are a bit frosty, lay them out in a clean tea towel and pat dry. Slice into rings if whole.
• Slice the potatoes thinly (about 2cm wide and a couple of mm in thickness). They shouldn’t be wafer thin.
• Chop the tomatoes into small cubes.
• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick or cast iron pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Once they’ve stopped crackling, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook until the water from the tomatoes evaporates and they have broken down completely.
• Next, add the potatoes, chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander seeds, salt and water. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove the lid and continue to cook until all the water has evaporated. Stir fry the potatoes until the edges become slightly brown and crispy.
• Add the sliced okra and stir fry over a high heat for 5 minutes. Stir often. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes until the lemon juice has evaporated and the okra shrinks slightly and becomes darker in colour. I like them a little crunchy. To test, simply cook one okra ring and taste to check if it’s cooked to your liking. If you prefer them to be softer, continue to cook without adding any water for 3-4 minutes longer.
• Garnish with fresh chillies, thin sev and coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapattis.

Notes

To store, allow to cool completely to room temperature, cover and refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the pan or microwave until piping hot.

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Try my Soft Spinach Chapati recipe

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Paired with rotli, stuffed vegetable curry and rice, it’s always been our staple Sunday lunch.

What is Gujarati Daal?

Gujarati daal is made with oily tuver daal (arhar), also known split pigeon peas. They are dried and coated in a slick of oil to preserve them for months, even years.

This makes tuver the ultimate pantry ingredient to have on standby when the contents of your fridge is looking sparse.

Tip: Always wash your daal!

Always wash daal to rinse away oil. As a child my mother would keep me occupied by placing a bowl of tuver daal in warm water in front of me so I could swish and swoosh the oil away. It was the ultimate sensory activity for a bored little monkey like me, and something I still find utterly cathartic today.

Unlike many other regional Indian daal recipes, you pass the mixture through a sieve. Next, add the golden liquid to tempered spices, nuts and tomatoes.

Important!

Simmer it low and slow. Be heavy-handed with the seasoning: lemon juice, jaggery and salt are your friends because they are what gives Gujarati daal life. Serve as part of a larger meal or simply in a bowl with boiled rice.

My favourite part are the simmered peanuts and cashews which become extremely tender and melt in your mouth.

How to make One-Pot Daal Dhokli

Enter Daal Dhokli. A hand-rolled, wheat flour and chickpea flour pasta that’s dropped into a simmering pot of daal.

It’s more of a stew than a soup and considered a comfort food by many. I find adding a little chickpea flour to the Dhokli dough gives the cooked noodles a welcome firmness so they hold their shape in the daal.

If you like your pasta al dente, give it a go. This is a dish that’s unique to western India and a true food hero.

My mother always cut out pretty diamond-shapes. Although, every family, from Maharashtra through to Gujarat and Rajasthan, have their own unique way of making it.

Flavour star: Ajwain

Daal Dhokli is a true one-pot wonder. It’s packed with mouth-puckering hot, sweet and sour flavours, good protein and comforting carbs. The spicing is gentle and aromatic with star anise, cinnamon, cloves and ajwain-flecked pasta.

The yellow colour of the Dhokli predominantly comes from turmeric but the flavour is unequivocally down to the addition ajwain seeds. Having said this, if I have fresh ajwain leaves to hand, I add them to the dough for unbeatable peppery freshness.

Daal Dhokli is often made with leftover daal. Simply add water, more lemon, salt and jaggery, bring to a rolling boil and drop in the pieces of Dhokli. Because who said leftovers can’t be special?

More Ideas for One-Pot Daal Dhokli

• Add 250g fresh or frozen peas towards the end for a version called Matar Dhokli.
• Serve with steamed rice for a double-carb comfort feast or add in a few handfuls of spinach leaves if you like plenty of greens.
• Finally, my favourite way to enjoy it is with a swirl of thick Greek yoghurt and fresh coriander chutney.

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One-Pot Daal Dhokli

Not only is this daal from Western India a one-pot wonder, it’s also packed with mouth-puckering hot, sweet and sour flavours, good protein and comforting carbs. The spicing is gentle and aromatic with star anise, cinnamon, cloves and ajwain-flecked pasta.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chickpea, daal, gujarati, indian sweets, lentils, pasta, soup, stew, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the daal:

• 200 g oily tuver daal also known as split pigeon peas
• 2 1/2 L hot water
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Juice of two large lemons
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp jaggery or brown sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander

To temper the daal:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2- inch cinnamon stick
• 5-6 curry leaves
• ¼ tsp asafoetida hing
• 2 star anise
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 8 peanuts whole
• 8 cashew nuts

For the chickpea pasta (dhokli)

• 90 g chickpea flour besan
• 125 g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ajwain
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 75 ml boiling water

Instructions

• Boil the daal in a large pot of water (around 1.5L) until very soft and tender, about 40 minutes. You can also use a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot for this if you have them. Note that it will take less time if you use the latter. Allow to cool slightly and then pass through a sieve into a large bowl to ensure a smooth, golden liquid. You can also use an immersion blender for this. Don't skip this step as a smooth consistency is what makes for a good Gujarati daal.
• Give the pan a rinse and quick dry. Heat the oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to crackle and then add the cumin seeds, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, curry leaves, nuts and asafoetida in quick succession. Stir briefly.
• Quickly add the ginger, chillies, tomatoes, turmeric and ground cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes and then pour in the liquid daal and 1L water. It might sizzle and splutter a little so work carefully. Season with lemon juice, salt and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes whilst you get on with making the dough for the dhokli.

For the chickpea pasta (dhokli):

• In a bowl mix all of the ingredients for the dhokli and knead into a firm, smooth dough, about 8 minutes by hand. Cover the dough with a clean, damp tea towel and rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four portions and roll out (using extra plain flour) into something resembling a thick chapatti, around 2mm thick. Cut the dough lengthways from the left, and then across from the right, into diamond shapes. TIP: I use a pizza cutter for quick and clean shapes. Set aside and repeat for the rest of the dough. You'll have a few scraps of dough at the edges of each round. You can add them in as they are.
• Bring the daal to a rapid rolling boil and one by one drop in all the diamond shaped dhoklis. Remember to keep the daal at a constant rolling boil so the dhokli don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir them gently to avoid sticking. You may need to add extra boiling water as it is likely to thicken while the dhokli is cooking. This is normal. When you have done taste it to make sure it's spicy, sweet and sour.
• Ladle into bowls and top with fresh coriander.

Notes

Pack leftovers away into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. The Daal Dhokli will thicken once cool so when reheating, you’ll need to add some extra water to bring it back to a stew-like consistency. Reheat in a saucepan, stirring often to avoid sticking.

Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

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For me, the Indian food of East Africa is some of the most delicious food that exists. There’s no shying away from scorching hot chillies and the tang of lemon. This combo seasons everything you eat, wherever you go and whatever you order. From raw mangos on the beach, to fire-roasted maize and fried cassava chips on the salty-aired streets, it’s the typical seasoning Kenya’s rustic coastal towns. I hope to visit India to enjoy street-style Pau Bhaji in its birthplace of Maharashtra, India, but my first experience of eating this iconic street dish was in Kenya, the home of my Indian immigrant grandparents.

Pau Bhaji is a great dish to make for big get-togethers. It’s easy to scale the recipe up to feed more, since the rolls (pav) are almost always shop-bought and making more curry (bhaji) simply requires doubling up the veggies and sliding in some more masala.

My Pau Bhaji masala is magic dust. Not only is it a beautiful blend for this buttery vegetable dish, it also makes daal more delicious and peps up any Pulao (Indian fried rice). I often make up a triple batch of the masala recipe below and store it in an airtight container for using in other dishes. For this recipe, just work with the measurements below and use it all in the Bhaji recipe. It might look excessive but trust me, your buttery veggies are crying out for some spice.

The beauty of Pau Bhaji is that you can use any vegetables you like, since they’re all getting mashed like crazy anyway. The most common ones are potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrots. This also happens to be my favourite combination but feel free to add red peppers, aubergine and green beans if you like those. I typically add in some sweet potatoes for colour and sweetness without having to add sugar or food colouring. It’s very common for some street vendors to add red food colouring to their Bhaji for a rich appearance. I find a combination of tomato passata (sieved tomatoes), sweet potatoes, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder do a great job of giving my bhaji a deliciously-deep colour without having to do that. Use your judgment and add it if you like though.

This is one of those dishes where the garnishes are as important as the main component of the food itself. Don’t skip the lemon wedges, finely diced red onions, tomatoes and coriander topping. And don’t skip the extra butter on top either. It adds the special, indulgent touch that separates good Pau Bhaji from average Pau Bhaji. Nobody likes average Pau Bhaji.

Lastly, the bread must be soft, white and most importantly, cheap rolls. Don’t get fancy with artisan rolls from a French bakery. The rolls are going to get bathed in salty butter anyway (the best kind of bath, IMO). In the end, they’re a crispy carrier for spicy, melt-in-the-mouth vegetable lava and erm… even more butter.

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Melt-in-the-Mouth Butter Pau Bhaji

Slow cooked vegetable masala cooked with plenty of butter and served with fluffy buns. It’s no wonder Pau Bhaji is one of India’s most famous street food dishes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, street food, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 250 g potatoes boiled, peeled and roughly cubed
• 200 g cauliflower stalks removed and chopped
• 150 g sweet potato boiled, peeled and roughly chopped
• 100 g carrots peeled and finely diced
• 100 g peas
• 500 g passata
• 100 g salted butter + 50g for mashing in once cooked
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 large red onion finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 500 ml water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp salt

For the pau bhaji masala:

• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cardamom pods seeds crushed

To garnish:

• 1 red onion finely diced
• 2 large vine tomatoes finely diced
• 50 g fresh coriander chopped
• Lemon wedges for serving
• 50 g salted butter
• Fresh chillies chopped (optional)

For the pau:

• 12 soft white bread rolls
• 100 g salted butter softened

Instructions

For the bhaji:

• In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the pau bhaji masala. It will look like a lot but you will need to use it all, trust me.
• Melt the 100g butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions, bay leaves and salt and sauté until slightly browned, about 10 minutes. The salt will draw out moisture from the onions and help them to brown quickly.
• Add the garlic and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds. Next, add in the passata, cauliflower, cooked potatoes, cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, pau bhaji masala and water. Give everything a good stir and cover with a lid. Cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. If it starts to dry out, add more water and continue to cook until everything is very tender.
• Switch the heat off and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Now, add the reserved 50g of butter, grab a potato masher and give everything a good mash until it resembles a coarse purée. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if necessary. It should be slightly runny, like lava. Add salt and lemon juice and continue to mash until well incorporated.
• Return the pan to the heat with the lid on and simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes.

To prepare the pau:

• Slather both sides of the rolls with butter and toast in a frying pan until golden all over.

Notes

Sprinkle the onions, tomatoes and coriander over the top of the pau bhaji. Serve with more onion, tomato and coriander, as well as extra butter, lemon wedges and the toasted pau. Chilli lovers can also top with chopped fresh chillies if they dare.

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The post Melt-in-the-Mouth Butter Pau Bhaji appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

You can tell a good Indian restaurant from a bad one by the quality of their Palak Paneer.

Have they bothered to blend the sauce for a rich, luxurious finish? If it’s left chunky with tomatoes, lots of turmeric and far too many spices, it might be the base for another dish on the menu, doubled up to be used for Palak Paneer too.

What is Palak Paneer / Saag Paneer?

It also shouldn’t be labelled Saag Paneer on the menu. Saag Paneer is an entirely different dish made with a blend of seasonal greens. Usually it’s peppery mustard greens but it can be a whole range of locally-grown leafy greens.

Saag Paneer shouldn’t be confused with the milder-tasting Palak Paneer made purely with spinach.

How to make smooth and creamy Palak Paneer

It’s delightful when restaurant Palak Paneer turns out to have a smooth and creamy blended spinach sauce with a bright green colour.

You can tell it’s been made with care and attention. simple flavoured sauce paired with a big, bold and spicy tadka on top (but using very few ingredients).

Ginger, garlic & chilli: the big 3 Palak Paneer additions

You have to be able to taste the ginger, garlic and green chillies; they can’t just be part of the background flavour. Bonus points for a little splash of cream on top to temper the heat of the green chillies.

What is Palak Paneer?

Palak Paneer is a stick-to-your-ribs North Indian treasure that was made to be a filling vegetarian option so please don’t cut out the butter.

How to make vegan Palak Paneer

You can however, veganise this Palak Paneer easily by switching the paneer for pan-fried firm tofu, using a flavourless oil in place of ghee and butter and topping it off with a splash of coconut milk instead of cream.

For a true restaurant-style finish, I have some simple tips to share. These will ensure you have a smooth, bright green sauce, melt-in-the-mouth paneer chunks and a luscious tempering of garlic and chilli on top.

My tips for Easy Creamy Palak Paneer

1. Don’t overcook the spinach

The trick to a super green sauce is to cook the spinach as little as possible. Just apply enough heat to wilt it at the beginning and heat the finished sauce just to warm all the ingredients through.

2. Soak the paneer in hot water (if using shop-bought paneer)

Soak the paneer in slightly-salted boiling water to soften it up and give it a bright white colour. You only need to do this if you’re using shop-bought paneer. Fresh paneer will already be tender.

3. Top it with garlic tadka

I like to finish Palak Paneer off with a buttery garlic and chilli tadka (tempering). Only cook it up until the point that the garlic is blonde and crispy. Ensure the chillies are slit so that they don’t burst in the oil.

4. Make the most of the spinach flavour

If there’s excess water in your wilted spinach, use a slotted spoon to drain as much as you can from it before you blend the leaves.

Leave the cooking liquor in the pan and reduce it down to around 2 tbsp. This is full of flavour and goodness so you don’t want to throw it away but you also don’t want excess water blended into the sauce.

This will ensure you don’t need to evaporate the water by simmering the finished sauce too long.

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Easy, Creamy Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a stick-to-your-ribs North Indian treasure that was made to be a filling vegetarian option. Serve with laccha paratha, roti, naan or rice!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, paneer, spinach

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 900 g spinach leaves washed and squeezed of any excess water
• 450 g paneer cubed
• 5 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• 2- inch piece ginger grated
• 2-3 green chillies chopped
• 1 tbsp melted ghee
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 50 g butter
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 tbsp double cream optional

For the crispy garlic tadka:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 50 g butter
• 2-4 green chillies slit lengthways
• 3 large cloves garlic sliced finely

Instructions

• If you’re using shop-bought paneer, place the cubes in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. You can add a pinch of salt to this if you like. This will soften them up and give them a beautiful white colour. Allow this to soak.
• Place the ghee in a large pan and add the cumin seeds. Allow to sizzle for a moment before adding the ginger, garlic and chilli. Sauté for a minute or two before adding the spinach. Cover and allow the spinach to wilt, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Transfer the spinach to a blender, along with the butter. If there’s a lot of excess water in the pan (this depends on the spinach), remove as much of the spinach as you can and leave the water in the pan. Blend the spinach until totally smooth and creamy. The butter will help to emulsify the spinach and give the sauce a rich, silky finish. I use a Nutribullet to do this.
• Simmer the excess water down over a medium heat until reduced to about 2 tbsp. This is full of flavour and you don’t want to waste a drop.
• Drain the paneer cubes of their soaking liquid.
• Pour the sauce back into the pan and add the garam masala and salt. Stir to combine. Fold in the paneer pieces and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. You want to cook this as little as possible to retain that beautiful green colour.

For the garlic and chilli tadka:

• Heat the oil and butter in a small pan. Add the slit chillies and garlic slices. Sauté over a medium-low heat until lightly golden and crispy. Pour this over the Palak Paneer and garnish with the cream (optional).

Serve with paratha or naan. Or if you’re anything like me, eat it straight up with a spoon.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for 30-Minute Saag Paneer

Love Sanjana

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The secret to perfect Vegan Butter Chick’n Curry

There are multiple components to get right here; the seitan chicken needs to be firm, pullable and flavoursome without being overpowering. The colour should to be light inside, not brown. Next, the sauce. Perfect Butter Chicken sauce is the holy grail of modern North Indian cooking and everyone has their own way of doing it. It’s one of the most popular restaurant dishes around the world because of its subtlety and simplicity. It’s not always easy to find that balance.

How to make Vegan Butter Chick’n Curry extra creamy

I’ve switched the butter in my Vegan Butter Chicken with almond butter which lends a rich, creamy texture to the fresh tomato sauce. Having said this, y could also use cashew butter if you prefer that. A touch of coconut milk mellows out the spices and finishes the dish perfectly. I’d highly recommend using a high-powered blender, such a NutriBullet to blend the sauce.

Sieve the sauce!

For the silkiest sauce possible and a true restaurant-style Butter Chicken finish, pass the sauce through a sieve or food mill to strain away unwanted tomato seeds and skin, as well as any coarse spices. You don’t want rogue spices ruining your heavenly Vegan Butter Chicken experience.

Stockpiling vegan chick’n pieces 101

If like me, you need a Vegan Butter Chicken experience once a week, you can always double up on quantities and stow it away in the freezer to assemble later. For example, I keep seitan pieces in a ziplock-type (for example) bag in the freezer. You can keep it frozen for up to 3 months.

Indeed, you can also freeze sauce portions. The sauce can also be used for other curries, such as butter tofu or mixed veggies. The protein-packed seitan pieces are great in stir fries, salads, pasta, wraps and more.

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Vegan Seitan Chicken (Chick’n)

Perfectly succulent meat-free chick'n made using tofu and beans. This recipe is worth the effort and makes lots of high-protein seitan chicken for curries, stir fries, burgers and more.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword beans, seitan, tofu, vegan

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Pressure cooker
• High-powered blender

Ingredients

• 300 g extra-firm tofu
• 400 g tin any white beans inc. liquid from tin such as haricot
• 150 g vital wheat gluten
• 150 ml cold water
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp white miso paste or MSG optional
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or 1 vegan chicken-style stock cube (such as Massel)
• 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

Instructions

• In a high-powered blender, combine the tofu, haricot beans in their liquid, miso paste (or msg), salt, nutritional yeast, oil and water until you have a smooth paste.
• Add the vital wheat gluten to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the tofu mixture and mix on a low speed until the two come together in the form of a dough.
• Switch the paddle attachment to a dough hook and mix on a medium/high speed for 10-12 minutes. Stay close by as the mixer may shuffle across the counter top as the dough is tough to work. You’ll also need to be very careful your mixer’s motor doesn’t burn out. This kneading of the dough is crucial in developing the gluten and proteins in the seitan and shouldn’t be skipped. The longer and harder you work it, the more fibrous and chicken-like the final product will be.
• Once your seitan has been kneaded long and hard, remove it from the mixer and cut it in half. Wrap each “loaf” very tightly in 3-4 layers of heavy-duty foil. You want it to be nice and compact inside to stop it expanding inside as this will promote sponginess rather than the shreddable texture we’re after. The multiple layers of foil will also stop water getting inside. 
• Next, fill a pressure cooker with plenty of water (about 3/4 of the way full) and bring to a boil. Carefully drop your seitan into the cooker and put the lid on. Cook on a medium/high heat for 40 minutes. Once the time is up, switch off the heat and leave it to cool completely.
• Once cool, remove the seitan parcels from the cooker and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours.
• Unwrap and check out that amazing texture when you pull it apart. Your seitan is now ready to use in your favourite vegan chicken recipe.

Notes

• I wouldn’t recommend making this recipe by hand as your arms might threaten to fall off. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger would struggle, seriously. Having said this, you can create seitan kneading by hand – it will not however, have a shreddable, “pulled” quality and you’ll finish up with a spongy end product instead. It’ll still taste good but probably won’t fool your meat-eating friends.
• If freezing the seitan chick’n, keep it in an airtight container and use within 3 months.

Kudos goes to the brilliant Skye Michael Conroy and The Seitan Appreciation Society on Facebook who are generous enough to share their wonderful passion, tips and recipes. The addition of beans to this recipe was inspired by the Avocados and Ales Chickwheat recipe. Thank you.

Shall we get on with the curry then?

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Vegan Butter Chick’n Curry

Vegan Butter Chick'n Curry: I've veganized one of North India's most famous curries, Butter Chicken. Also known as Murgh Makhani, it's known for having a lusciously-smooth and aromatic sauce laced with mild, fragrant spices. Seitan pieces replace the chicken in this recipe for a high-protein main course that pairs perfectly with roti, laccha paratha or garlic naan.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, seitan, vegan

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the seitan chick'n marination

• 1 kg seitan chick'n, cubed recipe above
• 2 tbsp any flavourless oil such as sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp chilli powder Kashmiri chilli is best
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 large cloves garlic crushed
• 2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds

For the butter chick'n curry

• 2 tbsp your favourite vegan butter
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic chopped
• 2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 tsp kalonji seeds nigella seeds
• 2 hot red chillies chopped
• 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
• 400 g fresh tomatoes chopped
• 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds from 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp smooth almond butter
• 200 ml coconut milk plus more for drizzling on top
• 2 tsp kasoori methi, rubbed between your palms until fine plus more for garnishing
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar or agave
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped

Instructions

To marinate the seitan pieces

• Combine the ingredients for the seitan marinade until smooth. Add the seitan chicken pieces and gently mix until coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and carefully add the seitan chicken pieces. Cook until golden on all sides. You might need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Place the pieces onto a plate and set aside whilst you make the sauce.

For the butter chick'n curry

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the nigella seeds and chopped onion. Sauté until translucent. Next, add in the ginger, garlic, chillies and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add in the fresh tomatoes, ground coriander seeds, garam masala, ground cardamom seeds, almond butter, coconut milk, kasoori methi and brown sugar or agave. Give everything a thorough stir and cover with a lid. Cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and blend until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve, back into the same pan. Season with salt to taste. Switch the heat back on and add the golden seitan chicken pieces. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on. Garnish with fresh coriander, more kasoori methi and a splash of coconut milk, if desired.

Notes

• Keep refrigerated and eat within 48 hours.
• Leftovers can be frozen the day the curry is made. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and ensure the curry is piping hot before serving.

 

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Love Sanjana

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Nothing went to plan. I half expected that to happen because when it comes to babies, nothing is straightforward. The parents amongst you all will know that all too well. Our little guy decided he was no longer going to grow in my belly so was evicted at 37 weeks under our doctor’s advice. And superb advice it was because after a failed induction, he arrived via emergency c-section at a tiny but mighty 4lb 1oz. Yeah. He was serious about getting out of there and getting some real food on the outside. Sounds like my boy. Yep – I had a BOY!

He’s been doing some serious milk guzzling over the past 7 weeks and has put on weight like nobody’s business. Now, at 8lb, he’s alert, smiley and super adorable. You can see his mini series, Daily Cute over on my Instagram Stories.

My little Bodhi Veer is a blessing in every sense of the word. His name means enlightened and brave and it suits him down to a tee. I can’t wait to watch him grow and learn with each day.

To celebrate, we ate Matar Paneer. What else is quite as delicious and indulgent, eh?

I’ve got a sneaky Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer recipe that’ll knock your socks off and it’s easier than you think. The base sauce is made with ground almonds and tomatoes. The spicing is mild but complex, making you wonder if you really just made that at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, without having to go to a restaurant or pick up a takeaway menu. Mad skills.

The secret to making shop-bought paneer butter-soft and like the homemade kind is soaking it in boiling hot water for 20 minutes before popping it naked, under the grill until golden. No need for oil or frying.

If paneer and peas aren’t your thing, my sauce recipe is actually a great base for any sort of curry. Cauliflower, chickpeas or mushrooms are great options too. But let’s be real, who doesn’t love cheese and peas? For a vegan version, swap out the paneer for fried tofu and omit the cream.

A blender is key to getting a super-smooth sauce and be sure to have a lid handy because it needs to simmer for 20 minutes – and it’s volcanic! Turn your back for a minute and you’ll be spending the rest of your evening scrubbing the ceiling free of orange splodges. You have been warned.

Serve with whatever you like. I chose my beloved Garlic and Coriander Naan because there is no restaurant bread greater. If you’re pushing the boat out, bust out a bowl of Pilau rice and your family and friends will love you forever.

Here’s to family ?

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Creamy, Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer

I’ve got a sneaky Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer recipe that’ll knock your socks off and it’s easier than you think. The base sauce is made with ground almonds and tomatoes. The spicing is mild but complex, making you wonder if you really just made that at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, without having to go to a restaurant or pick up a takeaway menu. Mad skills.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, paneer, peas

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil sunflower/vegetable or rapeseed
• 1 red onion peeled and cut into large chunks
• 3 cloves garlic peeled
• 80 g ground almonds
• 200 ml + 400ml hot water
• 450 g paneer cubed and soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes and then drained
• 2 black cardamom pods whole
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom pods seeds removed and ground
• 1 tsp 5-spice powder
• 680 g tomato passata
• 2 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 300 g frozen peas
• 3 tbsp double cream optional
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves kasoori methi, plus more to garnish
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions

• Add the ground almonds, onion and garlic to a blender along with 200ml hot water. Blend until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based non-stick saucepan (one with a lid). Add the cumin seeds, black cardamom pods and bay leaves. Allow to sizzle and then add the almond mixture.
• Add the turmeric, cinnamon, chilli powder, ground coriander seeds, ground cardamom seeds and 5-spice powder. Stir to combine and cook on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring all the time to avoid it catching on the bottom of the pan. Once cooked, the paste should come away from the sides of the pan and the oil visible around the edges.
• Next, add the tomato passata and salt. Stir. Switch the heat off and allow to cool a little. Add the mixture to a blender - I used my Nutibullet. Blend until you have a super smooth sauce. Return to the pan, add 400ml hot water and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid on (VERY IMPORTANT) otherwise the sauce with spit and bubble like a volcano.
• Meanwhile, grill the paneer until lightly golden. Carefully add it to the sauce and cook it for a further 10 minutes. Finally, add the peas, garam masala and fenugreek (rub it between your palms to release more flavour). Cook for 5 minutes and switch off the heat. Finish with cream, a sprinkling of fenugreek leaves and fresh coriander leaves. Serve with Garlic and Coriander Naan and Pilau Rice. I served a red onion, coriander and chilli bowl on the side for extra toppings.

Notes

Head on over to Instagram for a full step-by-step in my Stories.

Head on over to Instagram for a full step-by-step in my Stories.

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Love Sanjana x

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