Asparagus with Spiced Tomato and Crumbled Paneer

Asparagus is not a vegetable that traditionally or commonly features in Indian dishes, but when you pair it with creamy and delectable paneer cheese and Indian spicing, you'd swear that asparagus was just meant to be part of Indian cuisine.

This recipe in inspired from Raghavan Iyer's treasure collection of Indian recipes, so enticingly titled 660 Curries, because you will find that many recipes in this mammoth book that have occupied a treasured space on my cookbook shelf ever since it was published. Fittingly, the recipe appears in the section of the book entitled "Contemporary Curries" where recipes are featured that meld together foods and flavors native to Indian with those of other cultures.

This is so good that it's the second time that I've made this recipe, but I've changed it quite a lot since the first time so I'm posting it as a new recipe. It's a quick and easy satisfying side, so much so that you may want to pair it with lighter dishes, such as a broth dal or soup.

Asparagus with Spiced Tomato and Crumbled Paneer

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Adapted from 660 Curries
Cuisine: Indian
Published on May 20, 2019

Simple and flavorful Indian-style asparagus cooked with tomato, spices and tender paneer cheese

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 lbs (675 g) asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 cup paneer cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Fry until the seeds darken a few shades and the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to splutter and pop — about 60 seconds. Stir in the onion and sauté for a few minutes until softened and slightly browned.
Add the turmeric, ground coriander and chili powder, and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the asparagus and stir well to coat. Pour in a scant 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is fork tender, roughly 15 minutes.
Stir in the tomato, paneer, salt and pepper, and cook uncovered until warmed and somewhat thickened, roughly 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and serve hot, sprinkled with some fresh chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.

Makes 6 servings