Perfect side dish

METHI PANEER

Jeyashri Suresh

Methi paneer is a semi-dry sabzi made using paneer and methi leaves, a perfect side dish for roti and jeera rice.

Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 25 mins Ingredients: Methi leaves 1 cup Paneer cubes 1 cup Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp Oil 4 tsp; Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Onion 1; Tomato 1 Red chilli powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 3/4 tsp Garam masala 1 tsp Kasoori methi 2 pinches Salt as needed Method: 1) Chop the methi leaves. Chop the onion and tomato. 2) Soak the paneer in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside. 3) In a pan add 4 tsp oil and add cumin seeds and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste. Saute in low flame till the raw smell goes off. 4) Add 1 chopped onion, saute till translucent. Add 1 chopped tomato and cook till it becomes mushy. Add the chopped methi leaves to this. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Methi leaves gets cooked easily. 5) Add 1 tsp red chili powder, 3/4 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala and salt. Cook till the raw smell goes off. 6) Add the paneer cubes now. Mix well. 7) Add 2 pinches of kasoori methi to this. This gives a nice flavour to the methi paneer curry. Mix it and switch off the flame. Methi paneer is ready to serve. Notes: Adding tomatoes will remove the bitterness of the methi leaves. If using fresh paneer, no need to soak in hot water, just proceed to make Methi paneer.

tabla@sph.com.sg

Singapore-based Jeyashri Suresh runs the vegetarian food website www.jeyashriskitchen.com