Vegetarian paneer curry
- Published: 31 May 13
- Updated: 18 Mar 24
This delicious curry stars aubergine and paneer cheese and is simmered with fragrant toasted spices and coconut milk. Serve with basmati rice and sliced spring onions.
Love a coconut-based curry? Try our aromatic vegan coconut curry with tofu, broccoli and tamarind next.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves removed, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 aubergines, halved or quartered and sliced
- 400g can coconut milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
- Juice of 1-2 limes
- 250g paneer cheese (from major supermarkets), cut into chunks
Method
- In a food processor, whizz the onion, lemongrass, garlic, chilli and ginger with a splash of water to form a paste.
- Heat a small dry frying pan over a medium heat, then toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. Remove and grind the seeds in a pestle and mortar. Add a little vegetable oil to the spice pan and fry the fresh paste over a medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring (don’t let it catch and burn). Add the toasted spices and the ground turmeric, then the aubergines. Coat the aubergines in the spices, then cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the coconut milk with 200ml water, the cinnamon stick, soy sauce and the juice of 1 of the limes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Meanwhile, fry the paneer. Heat a sauté pan or large frying pan with a little more vegetable oil, then add the chunks of paneer, frying on each side until browned all over. Remove from the pan and add to the curry. Taste the curry and add the juice of the other lime if you think it needs it. Serve with basmati rice and sliced spring onions.
- Recipe from June 2013 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 323kcals
- Fat
- 27.1g (17.3g saturated)
- Protein
- 13.6g
- Carbohydrates
- 10.6g (5.9g sugars)
- Fibre
- 3.2g
- Salt
- 1.5g
delicious. tips
Traditionally this dish would be made with fish sauce instead of the soy sauce used here. Fish sauce gives the dish a distinctive depth and richness of flavour. If you’re not vegetarian, we recommend you use it instead.
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I love the recipe because it tastes amazing but is easy to make, even meat eaters love this curry