Quick Masala Corn & Paneer

What would you do if you were to walk into an empty refrigerator after a vacation? Order from restaurant? No way, you have already been eating out for so many days. Definitely, not going for grocery shopping in such a tired state. Chances are, you would be so tired that you would settle for a dal rice meal.

When we had gone to vacation in Kerala last month, I finished every possible perishable item in my fridge. Ironically, we returned at a time when most restaurants had closed for lunch, not that we would have ordered anyway. While I was gazing at my fridge and blaming myself for having finished all the grocery, a packet of corn kernels and frozen paneer in the freezer compartment smiled at me, as if saying, "Main Hoon Na!"

So, this is how I prepared this quick and easy Masala corn and paneer and not in a kadai, but in my time saver pressure cooker!

Do try it out and let me know in the comments section how it turned out. Also, let me know if you have been in a similar situation and how you managed!

Okay okay enough of my bak bak, now over to the recipe. 

Ingredients (Serves - 4)

Cottage Cheese/Paneer - 200g

Corn kernel - 100g

Onion/Pyaaz/Kaanda - 1 medium

Ginger/Adrak - 1 small piece 

Oil - 2tbsp

Cumin Seeds/Zeera - 1tsp

Cloves/Laung - 3-4 pieces

Asafoetida/Hing - 1/2 tsp

Black Peppercorns - 3-4 no.

Bayleaf/Tejpatta - 1/2 

Salt - 1,1/2 tsp or to taste

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder/Dhaniya - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder / Haldi - 1,1/2 tsp

Tomatoes - 2 large, pureed 

Water - 1/2 Cup

Method

1. Grind the onion and ginger into a fine paste.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add asafoetida, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and bayleaf.

3. Add the ginger onion paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. We don't have to make it golden brown, just saute till the raw smell of onions goes away.

4. Add the corn kernels and mix well.

5. Add the spices - salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Saute on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add the tomato puree. Saute for 3-4 minutes or till the oil separates.

7. Add water, mix well. Cover the lid and give 2 whistles.

8. Now that the gravy is done, add the cottage cheese cubes. Give it a nice boil for 2-3 minutes. 

9. Masala Paneer and Corn is ready!

P.S. I was broke on grocery that day else I would have garnished the dish with some chopped coriander leaves and would have added 1-2 tsp cream/malai to make the gravy rich. So, if you are preparing this on a good day, I suggest these to enhance the flavour. The dish nevertheless comes out to be lip smacking even without these!