Paneer and Peppers

This quick stir fried Indian dish is perfect for a weekday dinner. Paneer and peppers makes a simple, yet delicious combination that cooks up less than 15 minutes!

I absolutely love paneer and eat it just about every week. Until now I’ve stick to some more traditional Punjabi-style paneer dishes – Matter Paneer (peas) which I learned from my mother-in-law, palak paneer (spinach) and creamy paneer butter masala (I’ll get around to posting those eventually too!) This paneer and peppers dish is a great new addition to the line up!

These other dishes are a bit more complex and require more cooking time to develop ntheir flavours. This paneer and peppers dish, on the other hand, uses juts a few spices and, since the tomatoes don’t need time to cook down into a gravy, it’s a breeze to whip up.

The only pain point is frying paneer. Since I eat a lot of paneer and tofu, I have some oil I keep aside for frying (I keep it and reuse a few times, straining after each use and replacing as needed). It’s actually quick and easy if you have the right tools! Add 1-2 inches of oil to a pot and heat over medium-high. When oil is glistening (or when the back of a wooden spoon pressed to the bottom of the pan releases lots of bubbles), add paneer cubes in small batches, frying until just browning (1-2 minutes).

I simply eat this one with naan or parantha (these I buy frozen so they’re always on hand). If you’ve got time, you can also make a batch of Naanotis (a cross between a roti and a naan similar to Tandoori Rotis).

I like this dish with a good amount of heat which is complimented by the mild flavour of paneer. Cooking the peppers until they’ve just begun to soften adds a nice sweetness too.

Enjoy!

Paneer and Peppers

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 PACKAGE PANEER Cubed and fried (just enough to brown slightly and so that it holds shape)
• 3 PEPPERS Sliced (I prefer red and yellow, but green is fine too)
• 1 CAN DICED TOMATOES Well drained and finely chopped
• 1 TSP CUMIN SEEDS
• 1 TSP TUMERIC
• 2 TSP GARAM MASALA
• 1 TSP CAYENNE PEPPER
• 1 SALT
• 2 TBSP CILANTRO Optional, for garnish and a pop of colour
• 2 TBSP OIL Canola, or another neutral oil (plus more for frying paneer)

Instructions

 

• Add oil and peppers to a large skillet or wok. Stir fry over medium high heat until starting to soften (5-7 minutes).
• Add cumin and fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
• Add remaining spices and tomatoes.
• Cover and cook over medium heat until flavours have melded.
• Add paneer and toss well.
• Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot with your favourite Indian flatbread.