Kashmiri ruangan chaman is a fragile, tangy, and beautiful dish. Chaman refers to paneer—South Asia’s recent, pressed cheese—within the Kashmiri language. Served with rice or flatbread, this recipe, which is tailored from British Indian chef Romy Gill’s cookbook, On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes and Stories from Kashmir to Ladakh, is one in every of her husband’s favourite dishes. Some cooks prefer to blanch and peel the tomatoes earlier than pureeing them, however Gill thinks that further step is pointless. Black cumin seed is darker, thinner, and sweeter than its extra widespread brown cousin; search for it in South Asian markets or specialty shops like Kalustyan’s.
Featured in “For Chef Romy Gill, the Allure of Kashmir’s Cuisine Was Worth the Epic Journey.”
Ruangan Chaman (Kashmiri-Model Paneer in Tomato Gravy)
A easy however filling vegetarian dish
Yield: serves 4
Time:
1 hour, 10 minutes
Elements
- 3 medium plum tomatoes (10 oz.), cored
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ghee or 2 Tbsp. mustard oil
- 14 oz. paneer, reduce into ½-in. thick strips
- One 3-in. cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp. Kashmiri chile powder combined with 2 Tbsp. scorching water
- 1 tsp. floor ginger
- 1 tsp. crushed inexperienced cardamom seeds (from about 8 pods)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. floor turmeric
- 1 tsp. dried mint or dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ tsp. black cumin seeds
- ¼ cups plus 1 Tbsp. cockscomb flower extract (elective)
- Steamed basmati rice or flatbreads to serve
Directions
- To a blender, add the tomatoes and course of to a clean purée; put aside. To a medium skillet set over medium warmth, add the ghee. As soon as scorching, add the paneer in batches and cook dinner, turning as soon as, till golden brown on either side, about 6 minutes. Switch to a plate and put aside.
- Add the cinnamon stick and the reserved tomato puree to the skillet and cook dinner, stirring steadily, till the tomatoes thicken barely, about 4 minutes. Stir within the chile powder water, ginger, cardamom, salt, and turmeric, and cook dinner 2 minutes extra. Add 1½ cups scorching water, then flip the warmth as much as medium excessive and produce to a boil. Decrease the warmth to take care of a gradual simmer, cowl, and cook dinner, stirring steadily, till the tomato gravy begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Take away the lid, then return the fried paneer to the skillet. Stir within the dried mint, black cumin, and the cockscomb extract (if utilizing), then cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the gravy has thickened sufficient to coat the again of a spoon, about 5 minutes extra. Flip of the warmth, cowl the skillet, and put aside to relaxation at room temperature for half-hour to permit the flavors to meld collectively. Switch to a platter and serve heat with steamed basmati rice or flatbread on the aspect.
