Paneer Cheese Cubes with Chickpea Flour and Spices

This month I am pairing up with Val of More Than Burnt Toast. She had a brilliant idea for a food event - Invite a Blogger to your Table. The idea is to challenge another blogger to replicate a recipe that you come up with.

Here are the guidelines for Val's event and click on this link to see her post:

Choose a dish to prepare and invite 1(one) blogger to create that dish with you. You can source your recipe from a cookbook, magazine, blog or any other source. Your dish can be sweet or savoury; easy or complicated. Decide upon a date that you can both mutually post your recipe within a 4 week time frame.

Link back to More Than Burnt Toast somewhere in your post as the caretaker of this event. Please feel free to use the Avatar/Badge above "Invite a Blogger to Your Table". Once you have made your dish with your blogging friend or friends and posted it, you can choose to STOP or CONTINUE on and "invite another blogger to your table" to make something DIFFERENT on a mutually agreeable date within the next 4 week time frame.

If you would please e-mail Val at bloggerstable(AT)gmail(DOT)com for no other reason than to let her know you have participated. She would love to see what you have accomplished.

Cut and paste these instructions into your post and contact a friend. Let magic happen and let's get cooking!!

Paneer is one of my favorite cheeses and I can never have enough recipes on hand for this classic Indian delight. I've made the following recipe, adapted from 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra, twice already.

The second time around I experimented further and pre-fried the paneer cubes and simmered a finely chopped tomato along with the spices before adding the paneer and chickpea flour. Whatever variation you try, if you enjoy paneer as much as I do, you will not be disappointed with this dish that goes well with rice on the side, your favorite Indian flatbread and a fresh leafy green salad. Serve with a nice crisp dry white wine for an extra special treat.

Paneer Cheese Cubes with Chickpea Flour and Spices - (Besan Paneer)

400 grams of paneer cheese, (homemade or store-bought) cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons of dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon of amchoor powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of sea salt
3 tablespoons of chickpea flour
a generous handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Cut the paneer cheese into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Heat the ghee, or butter and oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and stir and fry for a minute. Now add the ginger, ground cumin, green chilies, fenugreek leaves, amchoor powder, cayenne, coriander, red pepper flakes, turmeric and salt. Stir and fry for a few minutes. Add the paneer cubes to the pan and cook, turning the cheese every minute or so until lightly browned. Sprinkle the chickpea flour over the paneer and stir to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes, flipping the cheese often, making sure to incorporate the chickpea flour evenly. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

Serves 4 - 6.

More paneer dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Saffron Marinated Paneer Cheese with Fresh Basil, Cashews and Pomegranate Seeds
Paneer Tikka Masala
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Gravy
Paneer Butter Masala

On the top of the readings stack: cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: silence, finally (no doozers and no lawn mowers for the time being)