BADAM CHAMAN
Paneer is used in many recipes of North India and is a versatile ingredient to create many quick spontaneous vegetarian dishes. Often cooked cut in cubes, paneer itself has texture but not much flavour. It is what you combine with it or make of it that evolves into a delicious dish. In this recipe inspired by a Kashmiri version, I use almonds & saffron, both grown in Kashmir, for a creamy sauce. The paneer balls are delicate & soft, very lightly spiced. The sauce has very subtle flavours and the spiciness is mostly from the ginger & green chilli. You can adjust these to your taste. An elegant dish ideal to serve vegetarian guests.
Substitute coconut or almond milk from a packet if you do not possess a small blender / mortar & pestle to grind the almonds. You can make the paneer balls & sauce the day before, store them separately in the fridge. Bring to room temperature, add the paneer to the sauce & heat through to serve.
Serves 3-4 / 1tsp=5ml/1 tbsp=15ml/ 1cup=225ml
| For making the paneer balls: | |
| 200g paneer- crumbled/grated through a fine grate | |
| 1 green chilli finely chopped | |
| 3 cm piece ginger, peeled, grated very fine (or you pound chilli & ginger to a paste in a mortar & pestle for uniformly distributed flavour in the paneer) | |
| Salt to taste | |
| ¼ tsp black pepper | |
| 1 tbsp semolina ( to help bind- you can use plain flour too) | |
| 1 tbsp of milk (if required) | |
| Some oil or ghee for shallow frying | |
| For the sauce: | |
| 3 cm piece ginger- peeled finely grated | |
| 1-2 green chillies as per taste- finely chopped | |
| ½ cup almond flour (substitute-fine desiccated coconut)-soaked in 1/4 cup water to moisten it | |
| 1 tbsp ghee or oil | |
| 6 cardamoms | |
| 1 medium onion finely grated or diced | |
| 1 tsp garam masala | |
| ½ cup water | |
| Salt to taste | |
| A pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp hot milk |
BADAM CHAMAN Paneer is used in many recipes of North India and is a versatile ingredient to create many quick spontaneous vegetarian dishes. Often cooked cut in cubes, paneer itself has texture but not much flavour. It is what you combine with it or make of it that evolves into a delicious dish. In this...
| 1. | Make the Paneer balls: |
| 2. | In a bowl mix the grated paneer with the ingredients for paneer balls upto the semolina/flour |
| 3. | With your hand mix and knead it to a smooth soft texture. If needed add a teaspoon or two of milk if the paneer is too dry. |
| 4. | You know it is time to stop when your hand starts to get greasy. Make small balls the size of a walnut. |
| 5. | Heat a small pan that will fit all the balls, add a layer of ghee or oil in it- about 1 cm deep |
| 6. | When the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium-low and arrange all balls in it. Fry a minute per side as you gently turn by rolling the balls over. |
| 7. | In about 3-4 minutes balls will be golden, remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the oil. |
| 8. | To make the sauce: |
| 9. | In a blender/ mortar & pestle pound the ginger and chillies to a paste. |
| 10. | Add the almond and grind to a smooth paste. |
| 11. | Heat a wide heavy-base pan. When hot, add the ghee. |
| 12. | When ghee is hot lower the heat, add the cardamoms and fry to release the aroma. |
| 13. | Add the onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes till it is transparent/ smell is not raw. The grated onion will change to a pink tint. |
| 14. | Keep heat at medium-low all through to the end of cooking this recipe. |
| 15. | Add the garam masala and about 2 tbsp of water. Fry for few seconds till the mixture is fragrant. |
| 16. | Now add the almond paste & about ½ cup water to have a sauce-like consistency. Add salt to taste. |
| 17. | Raise the heat just a bit to bring the sauce to a simmer- do not boil, lower the heat again, cover & simmer for 1-2 mins. |
| 18. | Add the saffron infusion, mix through. Arrange the paneer balls in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 2 mins only. (or heat through just before you serve). |
| 19. | Serve warm with basmati rice. You might laugh at this, but I often use it as pasta sauce too! |