Paneer and Red Pepper Kebabs with Turmeric and Green Pea Rice

The plan for dinner was to make tandoori chicken thighs and rice, and then I saw the piece of paneer in the freezer. Jeet Gandhi's book "Indian Flavor" has a recipe for paneer and red peppers that are marinated in yoghurt and spices, and then grilled. I decided to try it.

What a wonderful recipe; the only change I made was to omit the fresh ginger as I had none. To be honest, it wasn't really missed as the marinade is so full of flavour. So the half orange pepper in the fridge and the piece of paneer in the freezer were used up!

There were a couple of tablespoons of lightly cooked diced onion in the fridge (a long story), so I used them in the rice, before adding turmeric, mostly for the bright yellow colour, but also for its distinct taste. Adding in some frozen peas brought even more colour to the plate.

The peppers retain some crunchiness, but have that roasted red pepper taste. The paneer stayed firm, retaining its shape, but the inside was soft and gooey. The spices added a kick of heat, which was offset by the rice and chutney I served with the meal.


To make the marinade for the kebabs, combine:


2 tablespoons plain Greek yoghurt
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Cut the paneer into 1" - 1 1/2" cubes. you will need:

5 ounces paneer

Cut the peppers into similar sized pieces. I used:

1/2 orange pepper
1 red pepper

Add the paneer and peppers to the marinade and mix, making sure all surfaces are coated.

Set aside while you cook the rice.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a saucepan, and cook until soft and starting to brown slightly:

2 tablespoons minced onion

Stir in and cook for a minute:

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add:

1 cup basmati rice, washed
1 1/2 cups water

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cover.




Leave to cook until all of the water has been absorbed and the grains of rice are tender and fluffy.

Add:

3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted

Cover and leave off the heat to allow the peas to steam. The rice will stay hot while you grill the kebabs.

Assemble the kebabs by alternating paneer and pepper on bamboo skewers. I used 4 pieces of paneer per skewer, but you can \use as many as you choose to.

Cook the kebabs on a hot, lightly oiled grill until the peppers are lightly charred, and the paneer is soft, turning often.






Serve the kebabs on a bed of the turmeric and green pea rice. I added some tandoori chicken thighs to the plate. Pass a fruit chutney at the table; the sweet, tangy slightly spicy flavour will complement all parts of the meal.

• As I have discovered, paneer freezes very well. Allow it to defrost before cutting it into chunks, or why not cut a fresh piece into chunks and freeze the extras, omitting one step the next time you make this.
• The yoghurt marinade coats the paneer and peppers and contributes to the flavour and texture during grilling.
• Add other vegetables to the skewers...onion, eggplant or zucchini.
• Turmeric is often used as a cheaper substitute for saffron when making things like rice, as the colour is similar. However, the flavour is very different, so keep that in mind. 
• If rice is kept tightly covered after it is cooked, it will stay hot for a while. This is a perfect time to add the green peas, as they will steam and heat through without overcooking.