Ingredients

• 250 gm. Paneer. You can buy ready-made from Indian grocers

• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled

• 2-3 garlic cloves peeled

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

• Salt to taste

• 1 tsp. cumin (jeera) seeds or carom (ajwain) seeds.

• 2 tbsp. oil

• Optional>

• 2 green chillies, thinly sliced

• A few very finely chopped coriander leaves

• To serve

• Lettuce or red onion, thinly shredded.

Instructions

1. Cut the cheese block into slices and then into small cubes or squares or fingers.

2. Grind together ginger, garlic, and green chillies if used, with the lemon juice. Make it into a fine paste.

3. Add garam masala, salt and cumin/carom seeds and oil.

4. Add cheese pieces to the paste and marinate overnight, or at least for a few hours, in a fridge.

5. Place on a baking dish lined with aluminium foil (it cuts down washing up!)

6. Bake in a very hot oven 240º C for 10 minutes or so. It cooks very quickly so keep an eye on it. Paneer is done when it is sizzling and the edges begin to look slightly burnt/brown, like they

7. have been barbecued. You may need to turn it over once during the cooking, to ensure even browning.

8. Serve piping hot on a bed of thinly sliced lettuce or shredded red onions or as finger food on little tooth picks.

9. If you do not have an oven, you can add marinated paneer cubes to stir fried onions and fry together in a wok. See picture 3.

Notes

• Tip from Reader Neha Sharma for making Paneer sandwich: Paneer cooks really well on a non stick tava/griddle/frying pan as well. Slice paneer thinly, just like you would slice any other type of cheese. Marinade or spice it up to taste and cook on the tava/griddle, without any oil, till they are light brown on both sides. Paneer becomes soft and melts in your mouth. Make a Sandwich with paneer alone or any salad/chutneys of choice.