Paneer do pyaza with capsicum | Cottage Cheese with Onions & Capsicum

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Paneer do pyaza is another Indian curry with rich flavors of cottage cheese, onions and other Indian spices. There is double the quantity of onions used in this gravy, one is sliced/chopped and fried to golden brown that almost melts in the gravy while the other is slightly cooked crunchy onion cubes, hence the name do pyaza (Do is two and Pyaza is Onions).

Paneer has a milky flavor that tastes heavenly when cooked with flavorful Indian masalas. I have added green capsicum for color and peppery taste but it's completely optional. I served this spicy paneer with Garlic Nan, it also goes well with plain roti or chapathi or even as a side dish with flavored rice. Please read on for the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer (cottage cheese) : 3 large cups

Sliced medium Onion: 2

Cubed onions: 2-3

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Sliced green chillies: 2

Tomato : 2

Capsicum : 1 (optional)

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Salt to taste 

Oil: 2 tbsp

Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add thinly sliced onion and sauté it.

2. While the onions are cooking grind chopped tomatoes and 1/4 capsicum in a mixer to a coarse paste and keep aside.

3. When the onions turn golden brown in color, mix in turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add slit green chillies and sauté for a while.

5. Now mix in salt, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well. Add a little water if the masala is sticking to the pan.

6. Next add ground tomato paste and cook until the oil separates. Add capsicum pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding a little water.

7. Add crushed kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and mix well. 

8. Mix in cubed onions and paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with your choice of Indian flat bread.

Variations: 

1. For a creamier version add 2 tbsp of fresh cream just before turning it off.

2. Or add 1 tbsp of powdered fried cashew for a thicker gravy.

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Palak Paneer |Cottage Cheese in creamy Spinach curry

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My first post of 2016. I wish you all a very healthy and prosperous new year! I hope the year brings all the good things your way. Last couple of weeks had been a roller coaster ride for me professionally and personally that I hardly cooked and clicked. Hectic yearend workload and then my little one's first play school had kind of drained me emotionally:) I was eagerly looking for her first day at school since the time the registration was completed. 

I wanted to see her reaction when she steps into the bigger world out there all by herself although it's just for 2 hours a day. Like most of the mommies I was very emotional but she handled it with ease in the first week. Then started her separation anxiety in 2nd week. Now we are into 3rd week of her play school and things look more or less settled. So far it's been a good year:-) 

I am not a resolutions person but this year I have made a list and the main resolution is to make time for everything that I like this year. That definitely includes making time to post the recipes more frequently and consistently. 

Coming to today's long pending recipe Palak Paneer - it's one of the very famous curries from India, absolutely easy to make and super tasty dish that can hardly go wrong. It tastes really well with Naan/Roti or any other Indian Flat breads. I served it with hot garlic naan with butter on top and sliced onions. 

Ingredients:

Palak/ Indian Spinach : 1 big bunch

Paneer/cottage cheese : 2 cups

Chopped Onion: 2

Chopped Tomato: 2

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder :1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp (Optional)
Whole garam masalas : Cinnamon Sticks-2, Cardamom: 3-4 and Cloves. 

Crushed Kasoori Methi : 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:0

1. Heat water in a big pot and add washed spinach leaves and 1/2 tsp sugar and boil for 4-5 minutes. Once it cools down grind to a smooth puree and keep aside. Sugar helps in retaining the bright green color of spinach.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add whole garam masala and saute until the oil is fragrant. Add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add chopped onion and saute until golden brown, next add in ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell is gone.

4. Add turmeric powder and then add in chopped tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are soft.

5. Mix in red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt and cook until the oil separates.

6. Add spinach puree and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes. Add crushed Kasoori Methi leaves and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. keep mixing it in between.

7. Now the gravy is ready and its time to add the paneer. You can either add the paneer cubes directly or roast them on a wide pan with a little oil and then add to the gravy. Roasting/deep frying the paneer ensures that the cubes are not breaking after mixing with the gravy but its completely optional.

8. Add in 1 tbsp of whipping cream and serve hot with any Indian flat breads.

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