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CLOSESpicy Karahi-Style Paneer With Peshwari Rice inspired by The Lunchbox (2013)
The Lunchbox (2013), Saajan eats a paneer kofta curry. (19 mins, 30 seconds)
This spiced up curry is inspired by the paneer curry that Saajan finds in his tiffin in The Lunchbox. Originating in Pakistan, Karahi is a dry, spicy curry. We’ve teamed our paneer version with sweet and nutty Peshwari-inspired rice, which is the perfect side to balance the heat. You won’t be mad about finding this one in your lunchbox.
Ingredients
For 2 people [double for 4]
- 1 brown onion
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 garlic cloves
- 11g vegetable stock mix
- 1 green chilli
- 200g paneer
- 3 tomatoes
- 32g tomato paste
- 15g flaked almonds
- 15g fresh root ginger
- 20g coconut flakes
- 130g basmati rice
- 5g coriander
- 30g sultanas
You’ll also need
- Pepper, salt, sugar, vegetable oil
Cooking instructions 25 mins
For 2 people [double for 4]
Step 1
Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat. Once hot, add the coconut flakes and flaked almonds and cook for 2-3 min or until toasted and lightly golden. Tip: Watch them like a hawk so they don’t burn! Once toasted, transfer the toasted coconut and almonds to a plate and reserve the pan.
Step 2
Add the basmati rice, sultanas, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp [1 tsp] sugar and 300ml [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked, then remove from the heat and keep covered.
Step 3
Cut the paneer into bite-sized cubes and pat dry. Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat and add a generous drizzle of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the cubed paneer and cook for 3-5 min or until golden, turning occasionally for even colouring. Once cooked, transfer the golden paneer to a plate and reserve the pan.
Step 4
While the paneer is cooking, peel and finely slice the brown onion[s]. Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic, Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely slice a few matchsticks from the ginger and finely chop (or grate) the rest. Slice the green chilli[es] in half lengthways.
Step 5
Add the chopped garlic, chopped ginger (save the matchsticks for later!), curry powder and a generous grind of black pepper to the pan and cook for 1 min further or until fragrant. Add the tomato stock and chopped tomatoes to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6-8 min or until sauce has thickened – this is your curry. Don’t worry if it’s a little thick, karahi is drier than most curries.
Step 6
Once the rice is cooked, add the toasted coconut & almonds and half the chopped coriander to the rice and give everything a good mix up – this is your peshwari rice.
Step 7
Add the cooked paneer and the remaining chopped coriander to the curry and cook for a further 30 secs – this is your spicy karahi-style paneer. Serve the spicy karahi-style paneer with the peshwari rice to the side. Tip: For fancy presentation, press the rice into small bowls and turn out. Garnish with the reserved ginger matchsticks and enjoy!
