Paneer Masala (ish) with fragrant rice

Paneer is pretty simple to make. I really like it too, its a whole lot better than the over salted quorn chicken style pieces. The one main problem with paneer is that one litre of milk about serves 2 medium sized appetites. This recipe makes enough paneer to serve 2 people, but the gravy and the rice can serve 4 easily.

In a deep non stick pan bring 1-2 litres of milk to the boil. To add a small bit of flavour to the milk add a very small sprinkle of salt and pepper. (I sometimes add chilli flakes or tandoori powder etc if I will be marinading the paneer later) Once the milk is brought to the boil turn down the heat. Add 2tablespoons of lemon juice ( lemon juice is good if you are doing a Masala/ Tandoor dish) or 3 teaspoons of vinegar. Stir with a spatula. The curds should begin to separate from the whey. If it doesn't then add a little more lemon or vinegar. Once you have a greenish liquid that is almost transparent and thick clumps of curd Pour the curds through a cheese cloth. Wrap them up tightly in the cloth and make a cube shape, place on a plate. Place something heavy on top like a filled pot and put in the fridge over night. This should make the curds bind together. Leave in the fridge for anything up to 48 hours, this makes it easier to cut.
Once the paneer is ready cut it into cubes. In a bowl mix youghurt, tikka masala powder, lemon juice, salt, pepper and ginger. Pour over cubed paneer and let sit in the fridge for a few hours until you prepare the gravy.

While you are cooking the rice you can fry the paneer. It is important to brown the paneer on all sides. Do not feel tempted to poke it. Let it carmalize like you would with Haloumi. I recommend a seriously NON stick pan for this job


For the Gravy
2 large onions very finely diced
3 cloves of garlic
one inch of ginger grated
Tomato passata
sugar
cumin seeds
coriander seeds
cumin powder
coriander powder
masalla powder/tandoori powder
On finely chopped red chilli
dried fenugrek leaves
turmeric
asofedita/hing
greek youghurt
garam massala
fresh cream
salt
pepper
Butter
vegetable oil


In the pan saute the onions on a medium heat in butter and oil until translucent. Add garlic, ginger and chill and saute till soft. Then add hing, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. At the last minute add the masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric (about 1tsp of each). Once the spices are cooked add half the jar/carton of the tomato passata and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a bubble. Turn down the heat and allow it to simmer for a half hour. Taste the gravy next and see if it needs salt, pepper or if it is too hot. Turn the heat back to medium and allow to bubble again and add 1 large tablespoon of yoghurt and a good drizzle of cream. The gravy should be a mild red fragant sauce now. Add the dried fengugrek leaves. Allow to bubble



For the Rice.
Basmatti to serve as many as required
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp coriander seeds
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1 tsp turmeric
oil
butter
hing
white pepper
salt
black pepper


In a deep pan saute onions in butter and oil until soft and translucent, add garlic and spices (except hing) Add the basmati rice and coat in the flavours. Follow the packet directions and add as much water as required BUT add the hingm white pepper, salt and black pepper to the water as if making a stock. All the rice to cook while you reheat the gravy and fry the paneer



Serve the rice and the gravy in separate large bowls if serving guests.

Simple but tasty stirfry

You will need

1 large block of tofu

1large onion

3 cloves of garlic

inch of ginger

1 red chilli

3 baby bok choi

1 tsp sesame oil

3 tbsp vegetable oil

noodles for two

black pepper

soy sauce

Stir fries are amazing. Tofu on the other hand can sometimes be a bit of a chore to eat. What one needs for an epic tofu stir fry is a REALLY good pan. Non stick, obviously, and very wide so as to give the tofu plenty of space. Cut the tofu and dry it. I like tofu chunks to be approximately the size of the colouredy squares on a Rubic's cube. Finely slice and onion into strips. Finely chop 3 cloves of garlic. Finely chop ginger. Finely de-seed the chili and chop VERY finely.

Heat the pan. Add the vegetable oil and wait till it almost smokes. Then add the tofu chunks. Once one side of the tofu is crispy, turn it. Season it with the pepper and add the onions. Once the second side is crispy add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook off untill sort of tender and cooked. Keep an eye on your tofu that all sides get cooked and cripsy but none burn. Add the bok choi for about 30/40 seconds and then add your noodles (depending on the type you mail have to pre-boil) and the sesame oil. At the last moment add the soy sauce. Serve piping hot.

Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry you are

Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Now as most vegetarians know, vegetable stock cubes bought in supermarkets are gross generally. And homemade stock tastes mainly like carrots, so for this risotto doesn't use stock, but it does use a little something tastier than water.

Add a teaspoon of white pepper

A half teaspoon of salt

And a half teaspoon of hing(asofetida) to

500ml warm water

Serves 3/4

Ingredients

1 cup risotto

500ml+ of the flavoured water

1/4 large butternut squash cubed

1 Large White onion finely diced

1 clove garlic finely chopped

4 large knobs of butter

dash of olive oil

Grated Parmesan to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Sage to taste ( I use the dried stuff, but you could use fresh too)

In a large deep wok/frying pan saute the onions and the butternut squash in the butter and the oil. The oil is to keep the butter from burning. Saute for 3 minutes until the onions become slightly translucent but not soft. Add garlic and rice. Cook until rice is coated and the edges are becoming translucent. Add one ladleful of the water. Reduce heat to medium. STIR CONSTANTLY. Add as much Sage as you feel you can tolerate. I find 2 teaspoons if the dried stuff plenty. When water is almost absorbed add more water. REPEAT white STIRRING CONSTANTLY. The constant stirring helps the risotto become creamy. Half way through season with salt and pepper to taste. IF you run out of flavoured water just use normal water from now on. Add water till rice is fully cooked. When rice is cooked stir in Parmesan until the desired thickness of the creamy sauce is achieved. Squash should be tender as should rice. Ideally however, it should not be mush!

Serve with green salad or buttery garlic bread.