Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,438

1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala or store-bought
8 ounces (1 recipe) Paneer Cheese or store-bought
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
3 tablespoons melted ghee or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ajwain, seeds, coarsely crushed
2 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 piece peeled fresh ginger (1-inch), cut into thin matchsticks + 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1. Prepare the chaat masala. Prepare the paneer cheese then cut it into 3/4-inch pieces. In a bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, cream, and garam masala.

2. Heat the ghee or oil on a large tava griddle or a skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin and ajwain seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and ginger matchsticks and cook, stirring, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the minced ginger, green chili peppers, and coriander, stir about 30 seconds, then add the paneer cheese pieces and salt. Cook, carefully turning the pieces, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the tomato-cream mixture and cook, stirring and turning the pieces carefully, until the liquid evaporates completely, leaving behind a lovely red glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and stir another minute. Sprinkle the chaat masala on top and serve straight from the tava or transfer to a serving dish.

VARIATION: For a variety of flavors, mix in finely chopped bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, or other vegetables and use any of the sauces in the Vegetarian Curries chapter instead of the tomato-cream sauce.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,438
Calories from Fat: 500

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Paneer Cheese
Basic Paneer Cheese Scramble
Crunchy Paneer Cheese Pâté
Curried Paneer Cheese and Potatoes
Curried Paneer Cheese with Peas and Potatoes
Grated Paneer Cheese with Minced Cauliflower
Griddle-Fried Paneer Cheese
Marinated Paneer Cheese with Ginger-Lime Pickle
Marinated Paneer Cheese with Saffron Yogurt Sauce
Nine-Jewel Paneer Cheese Curry
Oven-Bakes Paneer Cheese with Puréed Cilantro
Paneer Cheese Balls
Paneer Cheese Bites with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Paneer Cheese Chile-Fry with Crispy Ginger
Paneer Cheese Curry with Coconut Milk
Paneer Cheese Curry with Two Onions
Paneer Cheese Glazed with Puréed Tomatoes
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Apple-Ginger Chutney
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Morel Mushrooms
Paneer Cheese Scramble with Soybeans
Paneer Cheese Wedges with Chickpea Flour
Paneer Cheese Wraps
Paneer Cheese with Baby Spinach and Fresh Fenugreek Leaves
Paneer Cheese with Cauliflower and Broccoli
Paneer Cheese with Coconut and Corn
Quick Spinach with Crumbled Paneer Cheese
Royal Paneer Cheese Curry
Sautéed Paneer Cheese with Green Chutney
Seared Paneer Cheese in Lemon Cream
Seared Panner Cheese with Caper Sauce
Silky Paneer Cheese Curry with Red Chili Peppers
Spicy Diced Paneer Cheese with Ajwain Seeds
Spicy Peppered Paneer Cheese
Spinach with Paneer Cheese
Stir-Fried Paneer Cheese with Onions and Bell Peppers
Stuffed Paneer Cheese Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce