Paneer Kheema

Paneer is a fresh cheese like cottage cheese used often in Indian dishes and very easy to make at home. Kheema just means minced e.g. minced lamb, minced paneer etc. I love paneer as it can been cooked in a variety of ways and can be used in curries, wraps and fritters and is a great source of protein for vegetarians. If you fancy something a little different and more interesting to the normal paneer dishes, do give this is go. It’s my vegetarian adaptation for the lamb kheema.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 inch stick of cinnamon
• 2 long green chillies
• 2 ½ – 3 tsp garlic paste
• 2 ½ tsp ginger paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1-2 tsp chilli powder
• 3-4 tsp cumin coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp honey
• 260g passata
• 500g minced paneer
• ½ cup of petit pois (peas)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 1 tbsp. light soya sauce
• Freshly chopped coriander for garnish

Instructions

Heat oil in large frying pan.

Add cumin, cinnamon stick followed by the green chillies and onions.

Cook onions until golden brown.

Then add the garlic and ginger paste and stir through.

Reduce the heat and add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder and cumin coriander powder and sauté well.

Next, add in the passata and honey and leave to cook covered for a few minutes.

Then add in the soya sauce and give it a stir.

Add in your minced paneer, petit pois and the kasuri methi and leave to cook for about 8-10 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with hot chapatti or naan and poppadums.

P.S. If you would like a bit more gravy, add a little water to the sauce before adding in the paneer. Leftover kheema can be used in a wrap the next day.