Paneer, that delectable, nutritious Indian cottage cheese that I have been telling you all about, has always been present in our household diet since as long as I can remember. In the earlier days, one could have dismissed this paneer fetish as simply being a thrust upon necessity due to the presence of high production dairy cows that we used to have at home. But long after the cows have gone (over 2 decades now), our love-affair with paneer continues…
Paneer continues to be made at home (always)…Paneer continues to be consumed in various forms & dishes. Paneer Do Pyaja, in spite of the high & mighty sounding name, is a quick fix dish, made with ingredients generally available in all kitchens, and enjoyable in various manners by all age groups.
Method
Add oil/ghee 1.5 tbsp to a wide bottomed kadahi (non-stick would be nice).
Add a tsp of jeera. As it crackles to the surface, add the sliced onions to the pan.
When the onions have glazed and become a little transparent, add diced ginger.
Cook for a minute. Add diced tomatoes & green chillies to the kadahi, and cover and cook for another couple of minutes on sim. Keep stirring occasionally.
Add the ketchup/sauce, salt to taste, red pepper powder 1 tsp, haldi ½ tsp, dhaniya powder 2 tsp, garam masala powder 2 tsp. Mix thoroughly. Cover & cook for a couple of minutes.
Add diced Paneer pieces to the kadahi. Mix with the masala. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes, till the tomatoes become very soft. Check for seasoning. Remove from the stove.
Paneer Do Pyaja is ready to be enjoyed with flaky parathas, chapati, naan, bread…whatever fancies your taste buds… 😊
