麻豆约拍

by Tristan Hogg & Jon Simon from

A vegetarian recipe, this dish stars paneer, a cheese that is found throughout India & makes a great 鈥榤eaty鈥� alternative to meat.

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 50 mins (including 35 mins baking)

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Ingredients

70ml vegetable oil

350g paneer cheese, diced

Approx 660g shortcrust pastry (preferably made with wholemeal flour and 1 rounded tbsp of Nigella seeds added too)

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

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For the Sauce:

50ml vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds

A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2-3 green chillies, finely chopped

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

1 heaped tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

Half of a 400g can of chopped tomatoes

500g spinach, roughly chopped

150g peas

200ml double cream

1 tsp ground methi (fenugreek)

陆 tsp ground cardamom

Sea salt

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Method

1. Heat the 70ml of vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan until spitting hot.听

2. Add the diced paneer & fry until golden brown. Remove from the pan & keep to one side.

3. Now make the sauce. Heat the 50ml of oil in a clean frying pan, add the onion, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic & chillies & fry until then onion is translucent.听

4. Add the ground cumin, coriander & turmeric & stir until the onion mixture is coated in the spices & gently sizzling.听

5. Add the fresh & canned tomatoes, spinach & peas & cook briefly until the spinach has wilted.听

6. Stir in the fried paneer & cream then add the methi & cardamom. 听Season to taste with salt, remove from heat & leave to cool.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 180鈦癈/350鈦癋/gas mark 4.听

8. Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick & use to line the pie dish, with a little overhang.听

9. Spoon in the filling & brush the pastry edges with a little beaten egg.听

10. Roll out the rest of the pastry & cut it out to fit the top of the pie.听

11. Cover the pie with the pastry & press the edges down well to seal, trimming off the excess & then brush top of the pie with beaten egg.听

12. Make a couple of holes in the middle to let out the steam.听

13. Place in the oven & bake for about 30-35 mins, until the pastry is browned. 听

14. Serve with a selection of Indian chutneys & pickles.听

Or for 4 individual pies:

As per points above numbers 1-6.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 180鈦癈/350鈦癋/gas mark 4.听

8. Roll out half of the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick & use to line 4 individual pie dishes, with a little overhang.

9. Spoon in the filling & brush the pastry edges with a little beaten egg.听

10. Roll out the rest of the pastry & cut it out to fit the tops of the pies.听

11. Cover the pies with the pastry & press the edges down well to seal, trimming off the excess, then brush the tops with beaten egg.听

12. Make a hole in the middle of each one to let out the steam.听

13. Place in the oven & bake for about 30 mins, until the pastry is browned. 听

14. Serve with a selection of Indian chutneys & pickles.听

Shortcrust pastry

from Pieminister鈥檚 鈥楢 Pie for All Seasons鈥� (Bantam Press)

This sturdy pastry is straightforward to make and simple to use.听 The proportions are half fat to flour, with enough water added to bind the pastry together.听 If you want to turn this into a sweet pastry (that isn鈥檛 too sweet!) add 4 tbsp of caster sugar.

Makes about 660g

Ingredients

400g plain flour (for the Saag Pie-Neer, use wholemeal flour and stir a tablespoon of nigella seeds into the flour)

A pinch of salt

200g butter, cut into small cubes

About 4tbsp cold water

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl & add the salt.听听 Add the cubes of butter & rub them into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.听听 Gradually stir in enough cold water to make a pliable but fairly firm dough. Knead lightly for 30 seconds or so until smooth, then wrap in clingfilm & chill for at least 30 mins before use.