Mung Bean Paneer

Revisiting an old favorite of mine, via Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi. As usual, I always change recipes and this time was no exception. Creamy mung beans with fried paneer is always an irresistible treat. This recipe is a particularly good one to serve to guests.

Do take the extra time to fry up fresh paneer cheese instead of buying the pre-fried cubes. My only regret is that I didn't make my own paneer cheese from scratch.

Mung Bean Paneer

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on May 6, 2010 An old favorite, creamy sweet mung beans are cooked with tomatoes and spices and served with golden-brown pieces of paneer cheese Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 65 to 75 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups dried whole mung beans 3 1/4 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric 3/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 4 tablespoons ghee or oil and butter (2 tablespoons if using pre-fried paneer cheese) 8 to 12 oz (200 to 300 g) paneer cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon asafetida 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon amchoor (dried mango) powder 2 tomatoes, diced 2 to 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 3 to 5 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt, to taste juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 4 tablespoons fresh parsley or coriander, chopped Instructions: Rinse the mung beans and soak for 6 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse. Bring the 3 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the turmeric, cayenne, paprika, sugar, ginger and 1 tablespoon of the ghee or oil and butter mixture. Add the beans, reduce the heat to low, and partially cover. Gently simmer for 50 to 60 minutes or until the beans are butter-soft but not mashed or broken. Remove from heat. Transfer 1 cup of the beans to a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Return to the pan. Alternately, use a hand blender to mash a small portion of the beans in the pan. If using fresh un-pre-fried paneer, heat 4 tablespoons of the ghee or oil and butter mixture in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add the cheese cubes and stir-fry for about 5 to 10 minutes, constantly turning the cubes to brown them evenly on all sides. As they turn crisp and golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drop them into the cooked beans. If using pre-fried paneer cheese cubes, add directly to the pan of cooked beans. Heat the remaining ghee or oil and butter mixture in a frying pan over medium heat. Toss in the cumin seeds and stir for a few minutes or until they turn brown. Add the asafetida, amchoor powder, garam masala and coriander, and immediately add the tomatoes and fresh chilies. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes turn into a thick paste. Pour the tomato mixture into the beans, then add the yogurt or sour cream, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and gently mix./p> Serve hot or warm. Makes 6 servings

More mung bean recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mung Bean and Vegetable Soup
Indian Sour Mung Bean Soup
Creamy Mung Dal Curry
Spicy Mung Bean Soup with Coconut Milk