Paneer Bhurgi

On the streets of Bombay ( Mumbai ) relishing the taste of egg bhurgi with bread use to be a favorite part of my life during the college days. For the people who are vegetarians paneer bhurgi is an excellent alternative and it tastes as good as the egg bhurgi.

Ingredients -

• Grated Paneer ( Cottage Cheese )
• Onion
• Tomato
• Garlic cloves
• Curry Leaves
• Green chili / Red chili powder
• Coriander Leaves finely cut
• Cumin Seeds
• Mustard Seeds
• Asafoetida (Hing)
• Turmeric
• Garam Masala
• Grated fresh coconut for garnish (optional)
• Oil
• Salt

Method - Grate paneer and keep aside.

Grated Paneer ( Cottage Cheese )

Chopped onions and garlic

Chopped tomatoes, coriander / cilantro, curry leaves

          Heat a pan and add 2-3 tbls. of oil. Once oil is hot add mustard seeds, 
          cumin seeds and hing (Asafoetida). Once seeds start to splutter add 
          garlic,curry leaves and green chili.
          Add chopped onion and tomato to it. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
          Put some salt. Then add turmeric and red chili powder (if you are not
          using green chilies).
          Add garam masala and mix it well.

Mixture of onions, turmeric etc sizzling on oven

          When mixture is cooked add grated panner and mix well. Cover with lid
          and cook for few mins.
          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut.

Paneer Bhurgi garnished with coconut and coriander leaves

          Paneer bhurgi is ready to eat with bread / roti / chapati.

Note - You can use paneer bhurgi in a pastry sheet to make paneer puffs.

Paneer Masala

 Paneer Masala is primarily a Punjabi entree. It's a dish with rich gravy which could have cream, cashew paste. I always thought it was hard and time consuming till figure out this easy recipe for it :)
Ingredients -

• Paneer
• Onion - 1 medium-sized one, chopped fine
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder
• Garam masala
• Red chilli powder
• Tomato paste  (or 1 tomato, pureed)
• Tomato sauce / ketchup - almost 1 tbsp
• Kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves - 1 generous pinch
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Cream - 1 cup
• Oil 
• Salt to taste

Method - Add 2 tbsp oil to a hot pan and swirl around until the base of the 
                   pan is well coated. Add in cubed paneer pieces. Lightly fry the 
                   paneer cubes until golden brown.Remove it from pan and keep  
                   aside. Drain excess oil from paneer cubes by lying them on paper 
                   napkin. 

Fried Paneer Cubes kept on paper napkin to drain excess oil

                   Add oil again to the same pan and put chopped onion. Fry it until 
                   golden brown. Then add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. 
                   Then add coriander powder, chili powder, garam masala and salt 
                   to taste. Fry it until the masala is mixed and cooked. 
                  Add tomato paste. If you don't have tomato paste ready, then puree
                  1 medium-sized tomato and add it. Then put tomato ketchup/sauce .
                  Put generous pinch of kasuri methi in it. Add milk to it and mix well. 
                  Cook for few minutes - covered - on low fire .

Curry just before adding paneer cubes

                  Once the mixture is cooked well add fried paneer to it. 
                  Finally put cream, mix well and simmer for few minutes on low fire. 

Delicious Paneer Masala

 
                  Paneer masala is ready.

Capsicum / Bell Pepper Paneer Fry

A quick and easy recipe to do is bell pepper paneer. It has a distinct flavor of bell pepper.
Ingredients – 

• Capsicum / bell pepper
• Paneer ( Cottage Cheese )
• Turmeric 
• Red chili powder 
• Cumin seeds
• Cumin-coriander powder 
• Garam masala 
• Salt 
• Oil

Method –Cut Bell pepper into small pieces.

  

                   Cut paneer into small cubes.

                   Heat oil in a pan and add cumin. As soon as cumin seeds splutter 
                   add bell pepper pieces into it. Sprinkle little salt and let bell pepper
                   pieces cook till they become tender. 

                   Then put paneer cubes into the same pan and saute for few mins.  
                   Make sure not to over fry paneer pieces. Paneer should remain soft. 

                   Then add turmeric, red chili powder,  cumin, coriander and garam
                   masala powder. Add salt if needed. Mix it very well and cook it for 
                   few minutes.

Bell Pepper Paneer Fry

                  Bell pepper-paneer fry is ready to serve.