PANEER STEAK WITH CHERRY TOMATO RICE

Paneer steak is a delicious vegetarian alternative to traditional steak. In this recipe, paneer is marinated and then grilled or pan-seared to create a rich, flavourful, steak-like experience. You can experiment with different marinades, but here I’ve used a fragrant pesto sauce and served it with vibrant cherry tomato rice.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Paneer Steak:

100 grams paneer (cottage cheese)

1 cup pesto sauce

3 tbsp oil

For the Cherry Tomato Rice:

2 cups steamed rice

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp chopped yellow bell pepper

1 tbsp chopped green capsicum

1/4 cup broccoli florets (blanched)

10–12 cherry tomatoes (halved)

1/4 cup tomato puree

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tbsp mixed herbs

1/4 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Method:
Prepare the paneer steak: Slice the paneer into two thick pieces. Marinate them in pesto sauce and refrigerate for a while to absorb the flavours.

Heat some oil in a grill pan or skillet and grill the paneer slices on both sides until golden and lightly crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice: Heat oil in a pan and sauté the chopped garlic until fragrant.

Add the bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Stir-fry for a minute.

Add red chilli flakes and mixed herbs. Stir-fry for another minute.

Pour in the tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate.

Add salt, sugar, and the blanched broccoli. Mix well.

Finally, add the steamed rice. Combine everything gently and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Once the paneer is nicely grilled, serve it hot with the prepared cherry tomato rice.