Saffron Marinated Paneer Cheese with Fresh Basil, Cashews and Pomegranate Seeds

I can never heap enough praise on Raghavan Iyer, the author of 660 Curries. A truly indispensable addition to any spice filled kitchen, this inspired cookbook is consulted weekly, and I certainly will be revisiting many of the creations I have tried already. It has proved to be a well received gift on more than a few occasions.

As I have noted before, this informative and creative book is not strictly vegetarian, but Mr. Iyer includes hundreds of vegetarian friendly recipes, most of which do not take much trouble to prepare. There is no shortage of ideas for spice blends, pastes, appetizers, paneer, legumes, vegetables and rice. His helpful cooking hints and focus on ingredients is highly instructive. Recently my focus has been on his Contemporary Curries section. If you are looking for dishes to impress your dinner guests, you need look no further. My regular readers will know I can never resist the allure of paneer cheese and this recipe for Saffron Marinated Paneer with Basil, Cashews and Pomegranate seeds was simply heavenly. Mr. Iyer describes the dish as "sexy", and humorously notes that even if you don't smoke, "you may well wish for a cigarette" afterwards.

Saffron Marinated Paneer Cheese with Fresh Basil, Cashews and Pomegranate Seeds
Adapted from "660 Curries"

2/3 cup of heavy cream or yogurt or kefir
1 scant teaspoon of saffron threads
1 teaspoon of sea salt
3 - 4 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
dash of turmeric
400 grams of paneer cheese, cut into squares, roughly 1 inch thick and 3 inches long and 1/2 inches wide
3 - 4 scallions, finely chopped (include some of the green tops)
1/3 cup of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/3 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup of fresh pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup of dry roasted cashews, coarsely crushed

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream or kefir to a boil over medium heat. Sprinkle in the saffron, add the salt and chillies, stir and remove from the heat. Add the paneer, gently stir to make sure the paneer is covered with the cream and refrigerate, covered, for about 1 hour.

Remove the paneer strips from the marinade and transfer to a greased broiling pan. Broil on the top rack of the oven, turning the paneer every few minutes. Bake until they are golden brown on both sides, about 10 - 12 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate.

Bring the marinade to a boil over medium heat. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the scallions, basil and cilantro. Pour the sauce over the broiled paneer and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and roasted cashews.

Serves 4 - 6

Other delightful paneer dishes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Mung Bean Paneer
Massaman Curry
Macaroni and Paneer Cheese
Mattar Paneer

On the top of the reading stack: Elias, Or, the Struggle with the Nightingales by Maurice Gilliams

Audio Accompaniment: Translucence/Drift Music by Harold Budd and John Foxx