This is a super easy cottage cheese recipe that I end up making atleast once a week. The chief flavouring ingredient here is the dhania seeds which is lightly roasted and then coarsely crushed. The sweet aroma of the roasted dhania seeds and the distinct flavour they impart to the whole dish really makes this a delicacy for everyday cooking.
Most of the time, I make the cottage cheese at home. Homemade paneer is really soft and crumbly in texture but really melts in the mouth.
Dried fenugreek leaves are probably my favourite ingredient of all. A teaspoon of roasted and crushed dried fenugreek leaves adds such a rich flavour to anything!
I like to have this vegetable dish with lachcha paratha and raita.
Ingredients
1. Cottage cheese (Paneer) – 250 gms, cubed
2. Tomatoes – 1 medium, finely chopped
3. Onions – 1 medium, finely chopped
4. Ginger paste – 1 tsp
5. Green chillies – 1 medium, finely chopped
6. Capsicum – 1 small, deseeded and finely chopped
7. Cumin seeds (Jeera seeds) – 1 tsp
8. Coriander seeds (Dhania Seeds) – 1 tbsp
9. Coriander powder (Dhania powder) – 1 tsp
10. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
11. Turmeric powder (Haldi) – 1/4th tsp
12. Salt – 1 tsp or to taste
13. Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasoori Methi)– 1 tbsp
14. Oil – 2 tbsp
Method
1. Heat a pan. Add the coriander seeds (dhania seeds) to the hot pan and dry roast them until they start to crackle and turn slightly brown.
2. Then remove from heat and crush coarsely in a mortal and pestle.
3. Now, heat oil in the pan.
4. Add cumin seeds (jeera seeds) to the hot oil and allow them to crackle.
5. Add the chopped onions and green chillies and fry until the onions turn light brown.
6. Then add the chopped tomatoes, coarsely crushed coriander seeds, coriander powder (dhania powder), red chilli powder, turmeric powder (haldi) and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
7. Now add the chopped capsicum. Cover again and cook until the capsicum turns tender.
8. Meanwhile, dry roast the dried fenugreek leaves on a hot pan. Then crush it into the saucepan.
9. Add the cottage cheese cubes and mix well. Cover and cook on simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Serve with hot lachcha parathas.
Step by Step with pictures
STEP 1
Heat a pan. Add the coriander seeds (dhania seeds) to the hot pan and dry roast them until they start to crackle and turn slightly brown.
STEP 2
Then remove from heat and crush coarsely in a mortal and pestle.
STEP 3
Now, heat oil in the pan. Add cumin seeds (jeera seeds) to the hot oil and allow them to crackle.
STEP 4
Add the chopped onions and green chillies and fry until the onions turn light brown.
STEP 5
Then add the chopped tomatoes, coarsely crushed coriander seeds, coriander powder (dhania powder), red chilli powder, turmeric powder (haldi) and salt. Mix well.
STEP 6
Cover and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.
STEP 7
Now add the chopped capsicum. Cover again and cook until the capsicum turns tender.
STEP 8
Dry roast the dried fenugreek leaves on a hot pan. Then crush it into the saucepan.
STEP 9
Add the cottage cheese cubes and mix well. Cover and cook on simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Serve with hot lachcha parathas.
