Herb-Marinated Cheese with a Blackened-Chile Sauce

Name: Herb-Marinated Cheese with a Blackened-Chile Sauce (Haree Bharee Paneer)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2 red Thai or cayenne chiles, blackened, stems removed (see Tip); 2 tablespoons canola oil; 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped; 2 red Thai or cayenne chiles, blackened, stems removed (see Tip); ⅓ cup plain yogurt; 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; 8 ounces Doodh paneer, cut into finger-like pieces about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1 inch thick; ¼ cup firmly packed fresh curry leaves; 4 to 6 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, to taste, stems removed; 4 to 6 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, to taste, stems removed; 4 to 6 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, to taste, stems removed; Vegetable cooking spray; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems; 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar; 1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped; ½ teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; ½ teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; ¼ cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves; ¼ cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Haree Bharee Paneer

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

Once you secure the ingredients for the curry, creating this stunningly beautiful and full-flavored masterpiece is easy. Even though the proliferation of fresh and dried chiles may signal a pungent-hot dish, rest assured that that perception will dissipate, thanks to the dairy-rich, meaty but tender homemade cheese.

Ingredients

For marinating the paneer

¼ cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
¼ cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves

Method

To make the marinade, pile the cilantro, mint, curry leaves, and chiles into a food processor. Using the pulsing action, mince to form a green, intensely aromatic blend. Transfer the blend, each whiff bursting with minty chiles and citrus undertones, to a small bowl. Fold in the yogurt and salt to make a creamy-tart, pesto-like marinade.
Using a skewer, poke a few