30 Min

GF

NF

Pepper Paneer Roast

In more ways than one, there has never been a summer quite like this one. I have cooked with more seasonal ingredients than ever, made friends with local farmers, bought out almost their entire harvest and explored my creative boundaries to use up the glorious produce in new ways.

Now that the abundance of eggplant and tomatoes is tapering off, it is time for peppers — Hatch, Aleppo, pepperoncini, shishito and more. At my restaurant, the mild yet delicious shishito has topped a pizza; turned into relish on a burger; grilled and topped with a masala; or battered in chickpea flour to make a pakora.

At home, a simpler approach is to roast the peppers with paneer and mango to make for a light but satisfying dish.

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Cook Time

30 Minutes

Serves

4

Directions

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Step 2

In an oven-safe skillet, heat the ghee and pop the coriander seeds — be careful not to burn them as they are quite delicate. Almost immediately add the minced onions and stir-fry on medium heat until they are soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Add the kari leaves, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and black pepper. Cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Step 4

Slice the paneer, place it on top and sprinkle the amchur over the entire pan. Place the sliced mango on top and roast the entire pan in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes & Variations

Paneer is found at most Indian grocers, or make your own.
Rotis or rice with a side of plain whole-milk yogurt make a good accompaniment.
Kari leaves are a small leaf native to India with pine-like fragrance — they can be found at most Indian grocers. If not available, omit or replace with kaffir lime leaf.

Ingredients

1 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

4 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 small red onion, minced (roughly 1 cup)

15 to 20 kari (curry) leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound shishito peppers

2 to 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (roughly 2 cups)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces paneer

1 tablespoon amchur (ground dried mango)

1/2 mango, sliced

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Step 2

Step 3

Add the kari leaves, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and black pepper. Cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Step 4

Slice the paneer, place it on top and sprinkle the amchur over the entire pan. Place the sliced mango on top and roast the entire pan in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

1 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

4 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 small red onion, minced (roughly 1 cup)

15 to 20 kari (curry) leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound shishito peppers

2 to 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (roughly 2 cups)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces paneer

1 tablespoon amchur (ground dried mango)

1/2 mango, sliced

Notes & Variations

Paneer is found at most Indian grocers, or make your own.
Rotis or rice with a side of plain whole-milk yogurt make a good accompaniment.
Kari leaves are a small leaf native to India with pine-like fragrance — they can be found at most Indian grocers. If not available, omit or replace with kaffir lime leaf.

Tags:

30 Min

Stock Your Pantry

Ghee

$10

Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in ancient India.

Ghee Pot

$40

A solid brass pot with steel lining. Ideal for ghee or other kitchen ingredients.

Essential Masala Dabba

$235

A handmade spice box containing red chile, turmeric, black pepper, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, amchur and garam masala.

Tags:

30 Min

Stock Your Pantry

Ghee

$10

Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in ancient India.

Ghee Pot

$40

A solid brass pot with steel lining. Ideal for ghee or other kitchen ingredients.

Essential Masala Dabba

$235

A handmade spice box containing red chile, turmeric, black pepper, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, amchur and garam masala.

THE BENEFITS OF PEPPERS.

According to Ayurveda, peppers — like garlic and onions — are heating vegetables, which warm and stimulate the body. This helps prepare us for fighting off infections, which is all the more reason to eat them.

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Here is a decadent rendition of Matar Paneer, with cashews and raisins. Enjoy it with a warm roti or paratha or over plain rice.

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