Paneer Jalfrezi (A spicy end to a very sweet Diwali)

After a very sweet Diwali I thought a spicy Jalfrezi was a good recipe to post . This is a firm favourite in my house. Actually anything with paneer is always welcome in my family, that's particularly because I adore paneer. My husband teases me by saying that my face glows with happiness when I cook ,eat or even buy paneer. I don't believe him and know he exaggerates. But I can't deny the fact that I love it. I don't know what the word Jalfrezi means but I have always associated the word Jal with fire and therefore make this dish a little more fiery than normal.

So here's my very simple recipe for a spicy and mouth-watering Paneer Jalfrezi:

Ingredients:

200 gms Paneer cubes,

1 large onion chopped (chop them into small square shapes if possible),

3/4 cloves garlic crushed,

1/2 inch piece ginger grated or 1 tspn ginger paste,

2 large tomatoes coarsely pureed,

1 tspn concentrated tomato puree (optional),

1 large green capsicum cut into small square shapes,

4 baby corn (each one cut into 2 to 3 chunky pieces)

1 tspn garam masala,

2 tspn chilly powder,

4 tblspn oil for cooking

salt to taste,

lots of coriander for garnishing and a few cherry tomatoes if available.

Method:

Note: Before starting the actual cooking immerse the paneer cubes in warm water and leave them in the water until the time you need them. This makes the paneer beautifully soft on cooking and doesn't turn it leathery.

1. Heat the oil in a kadhai and saute the onions ,ginger and garlic for a few mins,

2. Next add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and cook thoroughly on a medium heat. Add small amounts of water if the mixture begins to stick to the pan,

3. Now add garam masala, chilly powder, salt and stir it all in,

4. At this stage add the baby corn and the capsicum and half a cup of water . The baby corn and capsicum should be cooked but there should also be a bit of crunch in them. So don't overcook them.

5. At the last stage add the paneer and give the whole jalfrezi one last boil on medium heat and switch off the gas.

Decorate with whole cherry tomatoes, thin slices of raw capsicum , fresh coriander and serve with parathas or rotis