{Recipe} Paneer and Aubergine Curry

I’ve often wondered what paneer was as it always seemed strange that anyone would even put cheese in a curry.  After trying a paneer curry a few years back I was hooked. The milk soft cheese really worked with the warm spices of the curry.

You can actually make your own paneer by boiling whole milk and straining the curd. I on the other hand took the option of buying it from the supermarket, but I quite fancy making it myself one day.

I was in the mood for a curry the other night and decided to make use of the paneer and an aubergine that needed using.

Ingredients (vegetarian, makes 4 servings)

250g of paneer cubed

1 onion diced

1 thumb size piece of ginger grated

1 clove of garlic minced

1 cup of chopped aubergine

4 large tomatoes chopped

2 tsp of curry powder

1 tsp of cumin

1/2 tsp of ground cardamom seeds

1/2 tsp of tumeric

2 tbsp of concentrated stock

1/2 a tin of coconut milk

seasonings

Dice the onion add to some heated oil in a pan.  Cook the onions until softened and add all of the spices.  Allow the spices to cook out and coat the onions.  Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook for a further few minutes. Next add the chopped aubergine to the pan and coat in the spices and cook for 5 minutes.  Pour in the coconut milk, stock and tomatoes and allow the curry to simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the cubed paneer to the pan and allow the curry to simmer for a further 15 minutes until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the paneer has softened.

Serve and enjoy!

This curry has quite a authentic flavour and is far more healthier than ordering a take away. Also, it a lovely way to get some full fat goodness into your diet.  It’s quite mild as it doesn’t include any chilli, but feel free to add some if you like a little heat. The curry would be great served with brown rice and vegetables or you could even go out and have an Indian banquet with naan bread and chutneys.

Have you cooked with paneer before?  What is your favourite type of Indian curry?

Tagged as: Paneer and Aubergine Curry