The last recipe that I have for this week’s Entrée theme is this Paneer Bhurji that I have served with Pav buns to make it a quick brunch for the weekends. All this week I wrote about recipes that work as quick weeknight dinners and that are kid’s friendly (approved by my boys). Most of the recipes that I have are one pot meal and they are fun to eat as a family.

This paneer bhurji is something that you can alter based on what you have in hand. I had made some fresh paneer the day before and hence I made the bhurji with paneer. If you only have tofu in hand, go ahead and use it. Serving options are also unlimited. I served it with pav buns, but the bhurji works great as sandwich stuffing, with roti or pooris.

If you have paneer in hand in takes only few minutes to make it. You could also add some bell peppers or green peas for color. The bhurji works great for lunch boxes as well stuffed in bread.

My other recipes this Marathon – 

Preparation time – 5 minutes
Cooking time – 15 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

Ingredients – Serves 2 – 3

• Paneer – 1 cup (crumbled)
• Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes – 2 medium (finely chopped)
• Green chilies – 2 (optional)
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Red chili powder – ¾ tsp (adjust as per taste)
• Pav bhaji Masala or Garam masala – ¾ tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Cilantro – a handful (finely chopped)
• Pav Buns – to serve

Procedure – 

• Crumble the paneer and keep it aside. Homemade paneer works great as they are softer and crumbles easier. If using frozen paneer, make sure you thaw them before using. Refrigerated paneer can also be grated using a box grater.
• In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add the onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add all the masala powders; turmeric powder, red chili powder and pav bhaji masala/garam masala. Fry for a minute and then add the chopped tomatoes along with salt.
• Fry the masala until the tomatoes are mushy and aromatic.

• Add the crumbled paneer and mix well. Sprinkle a little water if it appears too dry. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes and then add the chopped cilantro. Mix once and turn off the flame.

• Serve the paneer bhurji with bread, pav buns or roti. You could squeeze a little lemon juice if you like to add a layer of tangy flavor.