Spicy Paneer Capsicum Fry

Spicy Paneer Capsicum Fry

Need to make a quick side dish for my rotis, need to make a special paneer dish for my guests, need to avoid grinding for the gravy.....Go for Capsicum Panner Fry.!! A simplest, tastiest, quickest, healthy side dish for the Rotis.

Ingredients

Green Capsicum -  6 Medium Size

Onion - 1 Big

Tomato - 1 Medium

Paneer  -  16 oz cut into square cubes.

Jeera - 2 tsp.

Turmeric Powder - 1 tbsp

Red Chilly Powder  - 1 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tbsp

Sugar - a small pinch

Coriander Leaves - To garnish

Olive Oil - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Wash the capsicum, tomato and cut into thin slices. Cut Onion also into thin slices.
2. Cut the fresh panner into small squares and keep it separately.
3. Add 2 tbsp of Olive oil into the kadai. When its heated, add jeera seeds into it.
4. Add slices onions first into the kadai. Add a pinch of salt into it while frying the onions. Fry for a minute.
5. Add sliced green capsicum pieces into the kadai. Cover the lid and cook it for 1-2 minutes. DONT ADD any water into the kadai at any stage.  Then open the lid and fry the capsicum and onion for another 5-6 minutes on medium flame.
6. Add a pinch of sugar and 1 tbsp of salt into the kadai.
7. Add all the powders into the veggie mix in the kadai. Mix everything thoroughly.
8. Then, add the paneer cubes into the kadai. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of Oil into the kadai.
9. Fry the contents on a medium flame. Carefully mix the contents till the capsicum gets cooked and fried nicely and paneer cubes get toasted slightly. Make sure that the paneer pieces do not break into pieces. Carefully stir the contents in the kadai.
10. Finally add the sliced tomatoes and mix it once again. Cover the lid of the kadai for just 2 minutes enough for the tomato slices to get cooked. Main purpose of tomatoes is to add some tangy taste to the dish.
11. Open the lid and keep it on medium flame for 2 minutes. Mix everything once again and switch off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.
12. Capsicum Paneer Sidedish is now ready to serve with Rotis.

Variations

If  "Red Capsicum" is available, try to add 1 red capsicum in this curry.  As red capsicum has some slight tangy, sweet, spicy flavour in it, it nicely enhances the taste of this paneer dish.

Tips

Good quality fresh paneer and fresh capsicum decides the taste of this dish.

Mixed Vegetable Fry

Mixed Vegetable Fry

Having few leftover veggies not enough to make a complete curry. No worries. I had 2 brinjals, 2 potatoes, 3 or 4 drumsticks and only one tomato. I decided to make a simple, mixed vegetable fry which played as a good side dish with rasam rice for us.

Ingredients

Brinjals - 2 big size cut into small cubes

Potatoes - 2 Medium Size cut into small cubes

Drumsticks - 3 or 4 cut into small finger size

Onion - 1 medium size

Tomato - 1 medium size

Frozen Peas ( cooked ) - 1 handful

Curry Leaves - 1 stem ( if you have )

coriander leaves - 1 handful

Asafoetida / Hing - 1 pinch

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Jeera  - 1 tsp

Red chilly dry - 1 medium size

Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu / Mina Pappu - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp ( Depends on your taste )

Sambar Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Sugar - a small pinch

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Wash the vegetables and cut those into small cubes and keep them aside. Cut the tomatoes and onions too and keep them aside.
2. Add oil first into the kadai on medium flame. When it gets heated, add mustard seeds, jeera, red chilly dry, urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves for tempering.
3. When its done, then add onions and fry it little bit with a pinch of salt. Add turmeric powder to it now.
4. Then, add cut brinjals, potatoes to the kadai and fry for a minute. Then, cover the kadai with a lid and cook the brinjals, potatoes for 4-5 minutes on medium flame with little water.
5. Separately cook the drumsticks in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and keep it ready.
6. When the brinjals and potatoes get cooked, add the cooked drumsticks, peas into the kadai.
7. Add all the powders as mentioned in 'Ingredients' into it. Also add remaining salt and a pinch of sugar at this stage.
8. Mix everything thoroughly in the kadai and let it cook openly for 3 - 4 minutes. In the middle, stir the mixture.
9. After few minutes, when all the vegetables get cooked and fried to your satisfaction, switch off the heat.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve. An excellent dish with any rice variety.