Paneer with Red Cape Curry Paste
This dish is the novice cook's best, best friend - it is virtually impossible to go wrong - but it tastes as if a serious cook has spent a lot of energy getting it just right... Paneer curry is also extremely tolerant - provided it is not kept too hot (it must not even come close to boiling!) - it can stand around for buffet-style eating for hours...
Red Cape Curry paste is slightly more robust than our Yellow Cape Curry paste, but it is not a hot curry paste: it is rather intensely spicy and complex in the typical Cape Curry tradition.
INGREDIENTS - Serves 4
Butter
Peanut Oil
45ml Red Cape Curry Paste
1 Onion, finely chopped
320g Paneer (or Haloumi Cheese), cut into cubes
400g Tinned, chopped, peeled Tomato
Coriander leaves, a handful, chopped
15ml Sunflower Seeds
15ml Cumin Seeds
2.5ml Coarse Salt
Rice and Naan to serve
METHOD
Heat a knob of butter and a little peanut oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook until tender. Add the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to stop it sticking. Add the tomato and season with salt.
Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the paneer until golden. Add the paneer to the sauce and warm through.
Place the sunflower seeds in a dry pan and roast until they just start to change colour, add the cumin seeds and salt, and roast a little longer.
To serve, spoon Paneer onto rice and/or Naan bread. Garnish with the sunflower and cumin seed mix, and the chopped coriander.
In May, we demonstrated this dish at a cooking school in Germany where some of the students chose to experiment with a vegan variation, using firm tofu instead of cheese.