Paneer Capsicum Roast

Spicy and delicious vegetarian paneer roast from the authentic chettinad style to the modern table.  A perfect crowd pleasing starter or an appetizer, if your palette demands for a spicy kick start!


Boldly spiced with freshly ground spices that brings out oodles of flavors and aroma.  Most importantly, it is an easy one pot cooking with no marination required without compromising the original flavor nor its crispness.


I have reduced the spice level and the fat level for a healthier start. It is an awesome crispy starter or a side for mildly flavored rice such as Pulao, Ghee Rice, or Roti/ Chapati and Naan. You may prepare this with chicken, soy, mushroom or my favorite, paneer.


PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME

Category: Appetizer/ Snack/ Starter
Cuisine: South Indian
Level: Medium
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
  1. Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 tablespoons 
  2. Oil - 2 tablespoons
  3. Shallots - 3 or 1 large onion (diced)
  4. Capsicum/ Bell pepper - 1/2 (julienned)
  5. Panner - 1 pack (cubed)
  6. Yogurt / Curd - 1/4 cup
  7. Curry Leaves for Garnishing
  8. Spring onions/ green onions -  few for garnishing (optional)
  9. Salt to taste


Chettinad Masala:
  1. Kashmiri Chilies/ Dry whole chillies - 5-6 nos
  2. Coriander Seeds - 1 teaspoon
  3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
  4. Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
  5. Black Peppercorns - 1 teaspoon
  6. Turmeric Powder - 1/8 teaspoon
  7. Ginger - 1 inch
  8. Garlic - 2 pods
  9. Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
DIRECTIONS



Chettinad Masala:
1. In medium-low heat, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns and dry red chilies. Once the aroma starts to release, transfer to a plate to cool. Be careful not to burn the seeds.


2. Blend all the above ingredients along with turmeric powder, ginger, garlic and required water. Grind it to the fine paste, now your masala is ready.

Paneer Roast:

3. In a pan, add the ghee and oil and set the flame to medium heat. Shallow fry the paneer cubes until it turns golden brown*. Drain and remove the paneer cubes and set aside.




4. In the same pan, using the remaining ghee and oil, roast the julienned capsicums bell peppers for 2-3 minutes. Drain and remove before it starts to wilt. Slight crunchiness is highly recommended. Set these aside.


5. In the same pan with the remaining ghee/ oil, saute the diced shallots/ onions, required salt until it turns translucent. 


6. Now add the ground masala paste and yogurt. Stir well  and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the raw smell vanishes and the oil oozes out.  Keep stirring occasionally to prevent from any burns. 


7. Add the paneer cubes and stir well until well coated for 2-3 mins to roast well. Now add the capsicums/ bell peppers and curry leaves and give it a good stir. 


8. Garnish with green onions/ spring onions and serve immediately. Enjoy this savory relish!




 
NOTES AND TIPS



1. Do not shallow fry the paneer cubes for too long. Once they turn golden color remove it else they tend to become hard.

2. Shallots adds more flavor than big onions. But you may choose whats is readily available.

3. Mixing ghee and oil in equal proportion, reduced the fat level while the taste and aroma of the ghee is incorporated. Since I have reduce the ghee quantity by half, the red chillies are reduced too, as ghee cuts down the heat from the chillies.


You might be interested in:





Comments

  1. Awesome! Looks so yummy and tempting. Love the pictures. Will definitely make it. Paneer and capsicum are a fabulous combination. The flavors are balanced. The portrayal of this dish in the pictures extenuate my craving to eat this immediately. Amazing job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks much Priya! I totally agree with this combination of flavors well balanced. Will look forward to your feedback if you decide to try making it.

      Delete
  2. Want Want Want! I am so impressed. Lovely shots. I love the moody backdrop. It accentuates the Paneer and Capsicum.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I tried making this yesterday and it came out extremely well. Masala was absolutely fantastic, the aroma just filled our home. We all just loved it. Thanks so much for wonderful receipe. I tried making it with colored capsicum and sure it looked rich.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks a lot for the feeds! I'm so glad you tried and tasted this recipe :) I agree nothing can beat the freshly made Chettinadu masala. Paneer and this masala goes hand in hand!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm so glad I found this incredible post. I also like your blog theme and design. Bookmarked!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Feel free to drop in your feedbacks, suggestions and queries here or email me. © All copyrights reserved! Thank you for supporting my passion!