SERVES 6

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, diced
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
4 small tomatoes, diced
2 small green peppers, diced
2 small red peppers, diced
2 small yellow peppers, diced
6 ounces paneer cheese, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 scallions chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat; add the ginger and garlic, stirring about 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the coriander, cumin, fennel, and cardamom, red pepper flakes and salt. Stir over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers, cover the wok, and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the dish is saucy, about 5 minutes.

Add the paneer, cilantro and the scallions and cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, about 5 minutes.

Serve hot, sprinkled with black pepper.


Paneer Cheese

MAKES 1/2 LB

Paneer which is also known as Indian cottage cheese, is made by curdling milk with something sour, such as yogurt, lemon juice, or vinegar, and then separating the curds from the whey.

This soft, spongy cheese with its sweet, milky aroma is preservative-free, has no artificial additives, and can be made with low-fat or whole milk.

Paneer cheese can be served as part of an antipasto platter, giving it an Italian twist with salt, pepper, chopped fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar or as a caprese salad with fresh plum tomato & basil.

1/2 gallon low-fat or whole milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (2-feet-square) piece of fine muslin or layers of cheesecloth

Place the milk in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium high heat. Before the milk boils. Add the lemon juice, and continue to stir until the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Drape the muslin or cheesecloth over a large pan and pour the curdle milk over it. As you do this, the whey drains through the cloth into the pan, and curdled paneer cheese remains in the cloth. Tie the ends of the cloth and hang drain over a sink. Allow to drain 3 to 5 minutes.

Twist the cloth around the cheese, then place the cheese between 2 plates. Place a large pan of water or a heavy sauce pan on the top plate and let the cheese drain further, 10 to 20 minutes.

Remove the weight off the cheese (which, by now, should have compressed into a chunk), cut into desired shapes and sizes and use as needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator 4 to 5 days or freeze up to 4 months.