19 October 2023

 

SUNIL GHAI'S PANEER CHEESE SKEWERS

 

This delicious recipe comes from Sunil Ghai's latest cookbook Spice Box, which editor Gillian Nelis has found essential in her kitchen this autumn. "Traditionally the skewers are served with only paneer, peppers and onions, but you could add fruit to the skewers as well, like pineapple or apple, or other vegetables like aubergines or boiled baby potatoes," says Ghai of this dish

WHAT YOU NEED

 

3 x 200g packs of paneer cheese, cut into thick slices
4 red, yellow and/or orange peppers
2 large red onions

FOR THE FIRST MARINADE 
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1.5 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds

Half tsp mustard seeds
50ml rapeseed oil
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
Half tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp fine sea salt
1.5 tsp grated or finely chopped fresh ginger

1.5 tsp grated or finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp malt vinegar
 
FOR THE SECOND MARINADE

100g thick Greek yoghurt
50ml cream
1 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
Half tsp each ground turmeric, paprika and ground fennel
Quarter tsp fine sea salt
 

WHAT YOU DO

Step 1. Measure out your spices into three separate small bowls: one bowl for all the seeds in the first marinade; one for the paprika, turmeric, chilli flakes and salt for the first marinade; and one for the turmeric, paprika, fennel and salt for the second marinade. Prep and measure out all the remaining ingredients before you start cooking so that everything is ready to go and the spices don’t burn.
Step 2. Cut a pocket into each thick slice of paneer cheese by slicing it in half but without cutting all the way through. Cut the peppers into large pieces. Peel the onions and cut into thick wedges.
Step 3. To make the first marinade, put all the seeds on a chopping board, then roll over them a few times with a rolling pin to lightly crush them (or use a pestle and mortar).
Step 4. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the oil, paprika, turmeric, chilli flakes, salt, ginger, garlic and vinegar and mix into a paste. Add the paneer, tossing to coat and making sure you get the marinade into the pocket that you cut into the paneer, then add the peppers and onions and toss to coat them too. Cover the bowl with cling film and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but preferably one to two hours or overnight.
Step 5. Mix all the second marinade ingredients together, then drizzle over the paneer, peppers and onions and toss to coat.
Step 6. Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C. Line two baking trays with foil. To assemble, thread an onion wedge (or a few separate petals, as inevitably some of the wedges will break apart) on to a metal or wooden skewer, followed by a slice of paneer and a pepper.
Step 7. Repeat with another onion, slice of paneer and pepper, then add one last onion to finish the skewer. Divide the skewers between the two baking trays. Cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to char. Turn over the skewers as best you can (some of the vegetables and paneer won’t want to flip), return to the oven and cook for 10 minutes more, until nicely charred.
Step 8. Alternatively, you could brush the ridges of a griddle pan with vegetable oil and set over a high heat. When the pan is good and hot, add one or two skewers (depending on the size of your pan – you don’t want to overcrowd it) and cook for three to four minutes on each side without touching them, until the vegetables and paneer are nicely charred with defined grill marks but the onions and peppers still have some crunch. Serve hot.

 

Recipe extracted from Spice Box: Easy, Everyday Indian Food by Sunil Ghai, published by Penguin Sandycove. Photo by Joanne Murphy

Makes 6-8 skewers|Difficulty: Easy| 

Time: Less than an hour, plus marinading time

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