How to cook… Butter Paneer

On May 23, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes6 Comments

Serves 4 as a main dish

Paneer works excellently with this creamy, buttery and super moreish sauce. Fry the paneer chunks first so they are crispy on the outside and enjoy the rich sauce. The dish will be much better if you make your own paneer.

What you need…
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 800g paneer, cubed
• 150g unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• salt to taste
• 6 fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, if you like it sweet)
• 150ml cream
• coriander leaves for garnish

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

How to make it…
1. Heat 1 Tablespoon ghee in pan to a low-medium heat. Add the paneer cubes and fry until they brown. This should take about 3–4 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Heat 100g of the butter on a low-medium heat until melted, add the onion and cook until it starts to brown (about 4–5 minutes).
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add in the Spice Mix, salt and the chillies, stir well and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add 250ml water and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
6. Transfer the ingredients to a blender (or use a hand blender) until smooth.
7. Return to pan and reheat for a couple of minutes. You can now add in the optional sugar.
8. Add the paneer, cream, the other 50g of butter and and cook on a low-medium heat until everything is warmed through.
9. Serve garnished with the coriander leaves. The dish also looks good with a small swirl of cream and/or tiny knob of butter in the middle of the dish (it will melt quickly).

**CHEF’S TIP**
When you remove the paneer chunks and move on to stage 2 you do not need wipe out the remaining ghee. It’ll stop the butter burning and what’s a bit more oil between friends when it comes to such a rich dish?

The crispy **paneer** chunks are excellently complimented by the creamy sauce.

If you like this you should try our…
How to make Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Sag Paneer • Muttar Paneer • Prawn Madras • Prawn Rogan • Prawn Vindaloo • Prawn Dopiaza • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Butter Chicken • Chicken Dopiaza
What cheese do cyclists take on holiday? … A paneer.

How to cook… Prawn Dopiaza

On May 23, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes

Serves 4 as a main dish

Originally a dish from Persia, Dopiaza means “two onions” and gives it name to this curry because onions are used twice in the recipe (in the Base Curry Sauce and towards the end when the fried onions are added). You’ll need to quickly seal the prawns in butter and brown the onions first, then create the sauce before re-adding the prawns and fried onions again at the end.

What you need…
• small knob of butter
• 800g prawns, shelled and deveined
• 3 Tablespoons ghee
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 600ml Base Curry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
• small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste

Spice Mix 1
• 1 Tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

How to make it…
1. Heat the butter to a medium heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste.
2. Add the prawns to the butter and stir fry until they are pink. This should take about 2 minutes. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside.
3. Heat 1 Tablespoon ghee to a medium heat and stir fry the onions until they are starting to brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
4, Heat the rest of the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste.
5. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed.
6. Add the garlic paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.)
7. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
8. Add the Base Curry Sauce and the tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add the prawns, mix well and cook for five minutes.
10. Add the garam masala, salt, coriander stems and prawns and cook for 2 minutes.
11. Add the fried onions and continue cooking until the prawns are fully cooked.
12. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Caramelising the onions creates a sweet and slightly sticky dish so it’s complemented nicely with a spicy chilli pickle or tart lime pickle on the side.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Last time I was in a fruit and veg shop the owner told me that his onions could sing a Bee Gees song. I had to stay a bit longer to listen but then I noticed it was just the chives talking.

How to cook… Chicken Feet Curry

On May 22, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 6 as a main dish

Chicken Feet Curry is shared at bars in Africa while chatting to friends. This mild recipe is from a small restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa. The best way to eat this curry is with your fingers and to suck each piece to extract the slow-cooked flavour and the (small amount) of meat from the feet.

What you need…
• 1 litre water
• 1kg chicken feet
• 5 Tablespoons oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masla
• 1 teaspoon flour

How you make it…
1. Boil the chicken feet for 1 hour.
2. Add the oil to a pan and heat to a medium heat. Add all other ingredients (except the flour) until the onions are soft (but not brown).
3. Turn down the heat. Add the chicken, half of the water and the flour, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Recipe courtesy Florence Chareka, chef at TSA restaurant in Randburg, near Johannesburg, South Africa.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Why did the chicken cross the road 100 times? … To get fit.

How to cook… Swahili Chicken Curry

On May 22, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes

Serves 3–4 as a main dish

Swahili Chicken Curry, a creamy on-the-bone chicken dish, is a popular East African dish served with rice and chapatti. This recipe is from the Hilton Hotel in central Nairobi, Kenya

What you need…
• 5 teaspoons cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 5 teaspoons cardamon powder
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
• 500g yoghurt
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 litre coconut milk
• 1kg chicken thighs and legs
• 4 teaspoons corn oil
• 100g chopped onions

For the garnish
• 100g chopped onions
• 1 tomato cut into small cubes
• small handful of chopped coriander
• pinch of parsley

How you make it…
1. Mix half of the cumin, turmeric, cardamon, garlic, ginger, yoghurt and lemon juice and 150ml coconut milk, and coat the chicken with the mixture to marinade. Set aside for two to three hours.
2. When the chicken has marinated arrange the pieces on an oven tray, making sure they are all well coated with the mixture. Preheat the oven to 180 C and cook the chicken for 25 minutes. Check that all the pieces are cooked through.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion then stir in the rest of the cumin, turmeric, cardamon garlic, ginger, coconut milk and lemon juice. Reduce the sauce to half of its original amount then add the rest of the yoghurt and let it boil for 1 minute
4. Add in the chicken pieces and heat through.
5. Add the garnish and serve with rice and chapatti.
• Recipe courtesy of Dominic Keya, chef at the Hilton, Nairobi, Kenya.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Kenya make this delicious Swahili Chicken?

How to cook… Muttar Paneer

On May 22, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a side dish

Crispy cheese, a creamy sauce and peas for colour and that ‘pop’ in the mouth, makes Muttar Paneer a favourite Indian side dish. The optional chilli can provide an extra kick and a splash of colour. For that extra special touch you can make your own paneer.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 400g paneer, cut into chunks about 2–3 cm square
• 0.5 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic (or garlic paste)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger (or ginger paste)
• 120g Base Curry Sauce
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• small handful coriander leaves, chopped
• 200g peas (frozen are good)
• 100ml double cream

Spice Mix
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 0.5 tsp coriander powder

How to make it…
1. Heat 1 Tablespoon ghee in pan to a medium heat. Add the paneer cubes and fry until they brown on all sides. This should take about 3–4 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the rest of the ghee and heat to high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with enough water to form a sloppy paste.
3. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed.
4. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw away and start again.)
5. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
6. Add the Base Curry Sauce, (optional) chilli and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add the paneer and coriander and cook until all the pieces are all well-coated. This should take 1–2 minutes.
8. Add the peas, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
9. Add the cream and cook until everything is heated through.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Make sure all the pieces of the paneer are nicely browned in stage 1. This creates a crispy exterior but they’ll be soft and fluffy inside.

**Muttar Panee**r is the popular creamy peas side dish.

If you like this you should try our…
How to make Paneer • Sag Paneer • Sag Mushrooms • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
My grandad wasn’t happy when I ordered him Muttar Paneer… But then he’s always grump-pea.

How to cook… Sag Paneer

On May 22, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes26 Comments

Serves 4 as a side dish

Sag Paneer is an excellent side dish, with the crispiness of the pre-fried cheese – especially if you make your own paneer – beautifully complemented by with the wilted, bright green spinach leaves. The addition of the red chilli can add a nice kick as well as a lovely splash of colour.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 200g paneer, cut into chunks about 2-3 cm square
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 teaspoons ginger paste
• 200g Base Curry Sauce
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• small handful coriander leaves, chopped
• 200g spinach (fresh or frozen), chopped

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

How to make it…
1. Heat 1 Tablespoon ghee in pan to a medium heat. Add the paneer cubes and fry until they brown. This should take about 3–4 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the rest of the ghee and heat to high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with enough water to form a sloppy paste.
3. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed.
4. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw away and start again.)
5, Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
6. Add the Base Curry Sauce, (optional) chilli and salt and cook for 2 minute.
7. Add the paneer and coriander and cook until all the pieces are all well-coated. This should take 1–2 minutes.
8. Add the spinach and cook until all the moisture has evaporated and the spinach has wilted. This will take about 5 minutes.

**CHEF’S TIP**
An easy way to ‘chop’ up the spinach is to put it in the freezer, then just before you need it bring it out and beat it with your fist. The spinach will snap into small pieces and defrost very quickly.

**Sag Paneer**, makes an excellent side dish with its crispy cheese chunks and dark green spinach leaves.

If you like this you should try our…
How to make Paneer • Butter Paneer • Muttar Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Prawn Madras • Prawn Rogan • Prawn Vindaloo • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Butter Chicken • Chicken Dopiaza
The waiter in our local restaurant is always asking questions about my orders… It’s like the Spinach Inquisition.