How to Prepare a Paneer Balti

A simple paneer balti to prepare that makes full use of a range of spices. The classic paneer cheese is South Asia’s answer on how to make a delicious dairy food. There are different types of paneer available. You could use feta but it’s not authentic enough in my view.

Usually served up with a plain naan bread.

Curry powders and pastes are easily made but you can buy these too. The basar curry powder which I think works best here is typically Pakistani in flavour and style although the dish is very much based on balti curries found in the Midlands of the UK. This is the recipe from Cinnamons in Coleford.

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon rapeseed (canola) or groundnut oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped finely – use a blender or food processor.
• ½ tsp cumin seeds or powder
• 1 tbsp ginger powder or paste, or a similar amount of chopped fresh ginger.
• 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped or 1 tbsp garlic paste/powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tsp basar curry powder or 2 tsp masala paste
• 250ml/1 cup curry sauce
• 2 green chillies, (try a Bird’s-Eye or Jalapeno) finely chopped
• 70ml/¼ cup tomato puree
• 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
• 250g/9oz paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 tbsp single cream, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
• ½ tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a kadai, wok or skillet where it should start to slightly smoke.
2. When hot enough, stir in the cumin seeds to infuse for half a minute. Be careful not to burn the cumin!
3. Add the onion. Fry it for about 3 minutes and then stir in the garlic and ginger paste to fry for another 30 seconds or so.
4. Stir in the ground spices and then add the green chillies, followed by the tomato puree. Bring to a simmer.
5. Add about half of the curry sauce and bring to a simmer.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and stir into into the sauce. Add more base sauce as needed. It should bubble and simmer.  Stir if the sauce is sticking to the side of the pan.
7. Add the paneer and stir in well so that it cooks in the sauce. Any paneer can fall apart if cooked too long. It only needs a few minutes if that.
8. Stir in the cream and bring again to a simmer. Add the kasoori methi, the butter and lemon juice.
9. Season with salt to taste to serve.