Title: Paneer Pakoras
Categories: Indian
Yield: 16 Pakoras
4 oz Paneer; thinly slice 1"
2 tb Yogurt (curd, dahi)
4 tb Corn starch or arrowroot
1 ts Ginger paste
1 Green chile; minced
1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Cilantro (hara dhania);
- finely chopped
MMMMM---------------------------BATTER--------------------------------
1/2 c Besan (gram flour);
- available in Indian
- grocery stores
1/2 ts Cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 ts Salt; adjust to taste
1/8 ts Baking soda
1/4 c Water (approximate)
MMMMM-------------------CILANTRO HARI CHUTNEY------------------------
1 bn Cilantro; chopped
3 Green chiles; chopped
3 tb Lemon juice
Fresh ginger (1/2")
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Cumin seeds
1 ts Oil
1 ts Sugar
1 pn Asafetida (hing)
MMMMM----------------------TAMARIND CHUTNEY---------------------------
1/2 lb Tamarind; seeded
2 1/2 c Sugar
2 c Water; boiling
1 1/2 tb Cumin seeds; roasted, ground
1 tb Salt
1 ts Black salt
1 ts Red chili powder
1 ts Ground black pepper
1/2 ts Ginger powder
Marinate The Paneer:
In a mixing bowl combine the yogurt, corn starch, salt, ginger, green
chile, and cilantro. Mix well, to the consistency of a soft paste.
Add the paneer pieces and gently coat them with the yogurt mixture.
Set aside 1 hour or more.
Batter:
Mix the besan, cumin seeds, salt, and baking soda. Add water slowly
to make a thick, pasty batter. Heat about 1" of oil in a frying pan
over medium high heat. To test, put one drop of batter in the oil.
The batter should form a small ball on the surface of the pan, but
not change color.
Dip the marinated paneer slices in the batter one at a time. Drop
slowly into the frying pan. Fry the pakoras in small batches. The
pakoras will take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook. Turn them
occasionally, until both sides are golden brown. Repeat for the
remaining batches.
The crispy, delicious paneer pakoras are ready to serve, with a dip
of your choice. I like to serve them with Cilantro Hari Chutney or
sweet and sour Tamarind Chutney.
Cilantro Hari Chutney:
Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste. Add
cilantro, a little at a time, and blend until smooth. Add water as
needed. Taste and adjust salt, green chiles, or lemon juice as
desired.
Tips:
Using a little oil and sugar keeps the color fresh.
While cleaning cilantro (hara dhania) chop off just the thick stems.
You can make hari chutney in large quantity in advance and freeze it
in ice cube trays. Store the frozen cubes in a zip-lock plastic bag.
When ready to serve, defrost as many cubes of hari chutney as needed.
If you freeze the hari chutney soon after preparing, the chutney will
not lose its bright green color and freshness.
Variations:
Mix mint leaves (without stems) with cilantro half and half.
Serving Suggestions:
To make a delicious dip for vegetables, chips, or crackers, mix one
part chutney and three parts yogurt.
To make a sandwich spread, mix 1 part chutney and 2 parts cream
cheese.
