Feeling too lazy to prepare an elaborate meal?
Try Sangita Agrawal's Paneer Bhurji.
It can be made in a jiffy if you happen to have paneer stored in your fridge or freezer.
It goes well with steamed rice or rotis and is a great way to add protein to your diet.
Sangita spent a lot of her teen years watching her mom cook and then began to experiment on her own.
Paneer Bhurji
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup crumbled paneer or cottage cheese
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 1 green chilly, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric
- 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
- ½ tsp chilly powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp jeera or cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro, for garnish
- ½ lime, juiced, for serving
Method
- Heat ghee or oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or pan.
Add the cumin and let it crackle.
Add the garlic, ginger, green chilly and let it fry for a few seconds.
Add the onions and saute till translucent.
Now add the tomatoes, turmeric, chilly, coriander powder and mix.
Let it cook for a few minutes.
Add the paneer, garam masala, cumin powder, salt and stir for a minute till well combined.
- Take off heat and add lemon juice and chopped coriander.
Serve with phulkas or parathas.
Editor's Note: Vegans can replace the paneer with crumbled tofu.
For a Jain version, omit the onions.
Spice up the bhurji further with a dash of chaat masala and/or ½ tsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek and ½ a capsicum, chopped.
Paneer Bhurji can be converted into sandwiches. Place 3-4 tbsp of the bhurji on a slice of buttered bread and cover with a second buttered slice and grill for 5-8 minutes and serve with chutney or ketchup.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Sangita Agrawal
Sangita Agrawal lives in Mumbai and publishes the food blog Bliss of Cooking.