Chilly paneer(gravy)
Ingredients:
Cottage cheese(paneer) – 250 gm (cubes)
1 Capsicum cut into dices
1 Onion cut into dices
1 Tomato in puree form
Corn flour – 2 tbsp or more (for gravy)
1 Onion chopped
1 tbsp Ginger paste
1tbsp garlic paste
3 Green chilli chopped
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
½ tsp oregano(optional)
Sugar -1 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
2 tsp dry red chilly crushed(chilli flakes)
Tomato sauce – 4 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste.
Chopped green spring onions or cilantro for garnishing
Method:
In a bowl dip cottage cheese with ½tsp of salt in hot water for about 5 minutes.
Take another pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds. When it splutters add onions and fry it for few seconds and add capsicum. Stir fry them on high flame for 2 to 3 minutes. So that capsicum turns crispy from outside but remains juicy from inside.
Add ginger and garlic paste, stir for few seconds. Add all the spices like chilli powder, crushed chilli powder, tomato puree and sugar and mix well.
Add half a cup of water and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and spices are cooked well.
Add tomato sauce, soya sauce and green chillies. Mix well and put more water.
In a small bowl dissolve cornstarch with cold water. Add this to your gravy. Once you add cornstarch to your gravy mix it well. It will thicken your gravy.
Check the consistency of the sauce as desired and add paneer pieces. Mix well.
Keep it on low flame so that cottage cheese absorb the flavors of your sauce. Sprinkle oregano on top.(cottage cheese will not take much time to cook as ins tarting we have already dipped it into hot water)
Take it off the flame and garnish with spring onions or cilantro
Serve it hot with fried rice, chapati or Veg Hakka noodles.
Note:
You can also use tofu instead of cottage cheese(paneer).
You can also shallow fry paneer pieces with a coat of cornflour on them instead of dipping them in hot water . I avoid shallow frying as I try to use minimal oil in my cooking.
