#HealthyHarborne Chef Special Paneer Tiranga recipe from Barsana

Did you know reducing meat in your diet can decrease the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart disease and even some cancers?!

The lovely folk at Barsana, the new vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant on the High Street, have been kind enough to share some tasty veggie recipes for those who are looking for some healthy home cooking inspiration.

These are great for anyone who’s full-time plant based or just wants to cut down on meat in 2023. Check out the first recipe below:

Chef Special Paneer Tiranga

45 minutes, 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 250 grams cottage cheese/paneer
• 2 medium sized onions
• 2 tbsp cashews
• 1 cup spinach puree/palak paste (blanched spinach puree)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 small piece cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamom
• 3-4 cloves
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 green chillies
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• to taste – salt

Cooking instructions:

1. Boil 2 glasses of water in a pan, add roughly chopped onion, cashews and green chillies. Cook until the onion softens. Let it cool and then blend into a smooth paste.
2. Now heat 1 tbsp butter in a wok. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, sauté for 2-3 seconds.
3. Now add paneer pieces to the three gravies. Mix well.
4. Add onion puree and ginger garlic paste. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes on low medium flame.
5. Now add black pepper powder, salt, sugar, curd, cream and kasuri methi, mix very well. Add water according to the consistency you want.
6. Boil the gravy for 1-2 mins and keep it aside. White gravy for making paneer tiranga is ready. Keep it aside.
7. Now for making orange gravy – heat 1 tbsp butter in a wok on low medium flame.
8. Add 1 tbsp white gravy and tomato puree to heated oil and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
9. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Sauté for a minute and add water according to the consistency you want.
10. Orange gravy for making paneer tiranga is ready. Keep it aside.
11. Now for making green gravy – heat 1 tbsp butter in a wok, then add 1 tbsp kesariya gravy and palak puree to the heated oil and sauté  for 1-2 minutes.
12. Add salt and water, cook for 2 more mins. Green gravy for making paneer tiranga is ready.
13. I have not added any spices to this green gravy because I have added green chillies while making spinach puree. But if you want then you can add spices according to your taste.
14. All the 3 gravies are ready for making paneer tiranga.
15. Now boil some water in a pan along with some salt. Add paneer pieces to it. Boil for 1-2 minutes and immediately transfer the paneer pieces into chilled water. By doing this, paneer will remain soft.
16. Assemble the dish like tiranga in a serving dish and enjoy hot with naan, chapati or jeera rice.

Happy cooking!

If you try these recipes for yourself, tag us in your pictures @HarborneVillage #HealthyHarborne!