Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
A quick and nutritious dish with kick! Paneer is a cheese that browns easily in a pan, but doesn't melt. Add it to a tangy Indian sauce with sweet snap peas and bright, juicy cherry tomatoes. Serve it over rice for a delicious dinner, ready in minutes. This version is adapted slightly from Epicurious, and can be modified according to your preference for hot spices.
More vegetarian or vegan options: White Bean Shakshouka, Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage, Summer Squash or Zucchini Galette, Asparagus Galette, Squash with Nutmeg, Spinach and Cheese, Curry Marinated Summer Squash, Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust, Herby Grain Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms, Crispy Chickpeas with Lemon/Garlic Yogurt, Roasted Chickpea and Vegetable Salad, Roasted Mushrooms with Braised Lentils, Warm Lentils and Potato Salad, Walnut or Almond Pesto Pasta, Pasta with Hazelnut Pesto and Parmesan, Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce. Back to Main Dishes.
Ingredients
6 scallions or two leeks (white), thinly sliced
(1") piece ginger, scrubbed, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds or 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, and more as needed
8 oz. paneer, sliced into (1/4"-thick) planks, patted dry
Kosher salt
12 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
4 oz. sugar snap peas (about 1 cup), strings removed, halved on a diagonal if large
Pinch of sugar - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 cup (lightly packed) mint leaves (optional)
Method
Toss chopped leeks or scallions, chopped ginger, and minced garlic in a medium bowl to combine. If using coriander seeds, crush them coarsely with a mortar and pestle or the side of a chef’s knife. Add the coriander add to the vegetables along with the cumin, the black mustard seeds, and the turmeric. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Arrange the paneer slices in a single layer in the pan and cook until golden brown underneath, about 1-2 minutes. (If the paneer is sticking, just give cheese a little more time to brown. Add more oil if necessary. The paneer will release from pan once it is sufficiently crisped.)
Using a slotted spatula or spoon, transfer the paneer to a plate, leaving as much oil behind in pan as possible. Turn browned side up and season generously with salt.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon oil to same skillet. Cook the reserved leek or scallion mixture, stirring often, until the leeks are wilted and the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and 1 cup water to the skillet and season with salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
Gently smash each tomato open with a spatula (you just want to break them open a little) and simmer until tomato juices thicken slightly, about 3 minutes (it should still be pretty brothy and light).
Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. If your tomatoes aren’t super sweet, you may need to add a pinch and up to 1 teaspoon of sugar at this point to balance their acidity.
Add the paneer back to pan and simmer until warmed through.
Remove pan from heat and toss in the mint, if using. Serve with cooked rice.
A quick and nutritious dish with kick! Paneer is a cheese that browns easily in a pan, but doesn't melt. Add it to a tangy Indian sauce with sweet snap peas and bright, juicy cherry tomatoes. Serve it over rice for a delicious dinner, ready in minutes. This version is adapted slightly from Epicurious, and can be modified according to your preference for hot spices.
More vegetarian or vegan options: White Bean Shakshouka, Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage, Summer Squash or Zucchini Galette, Asparagus Galette, Squash with Nutmeg, Spinach and Cheese, Curry Marinated Summer Squash, Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust, Herby Grain Salad with Butter-Basted Mushrooms, Crispy Chickpeas with Lemon/Garlic Yogurt, Roasted Chickpea and Vegetable Salad, Roasted Mushrooms with Braised Lentils, Warm Lentils and Potato Salad, Walnut or Almond Pesto Pasta, Pasta with Hazelnut Pesto and Parmesan, Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce. Back to Main Dishes.
Ingredients
6 scallions or two leeks (white), thinly sliced
(1") piece ginger, scrubbed, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds or 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, and more as needed
8 oz. paneer, sliced into (1/4"-thick) planks, patted dry
Kosher salt
12 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
4 oz. sugar snap peas (about 1 cup), strings removed, halved on a diagonal if large
Pinch of sugar - 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 cup (lightly packed) mint leaves (optional)
Method
Toss chopped leeks or scallions, chopped ginger, and minced garlic in a medium bowl to combine. If using coriander seeds, crush them coarsely with a mortar and pestle or the side of a chef’s knife. Add the coriander add to the vegetables along with the cumin, the black mustard seeds, and the turmeric. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Arrange the paneer slices in a single layer in the pan and cook until golden brown underneath, about 1-2 minutes. (If the paneer is sticking, just give cheese a little more time to brown. Add more oil if necessary. The paneer will release from pan once it is sufficiently crisped.)
Using a slotted spatula or spoon, transfer the paneer to a plate, leaving as much oil behind in pan as possible. Turn browned side up and season generously with salt.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon oil to same skillet. Cook the reserved leek or scallion mixture, stirring often, until the leeks are wilted and the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and 1 cup water to the skillet and season with salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
Gently smash each tomato open with a spatula (you just want to break them open a little) and simmer until tomato juices thicken slightly, about 3 minutes (it should still be pretty brothy and light).
Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. If your tomatoes aren’t super sweet, you may need to add a pinch and up to 1 teaspoon of sugar at this point to balance their acidity.
Add the paneer back to pan and simmer until warmed through.
Remove pan from heat and toss in the mint, if using. Serve with cooked rice.