Recipe Achari Paneer (Indian cottage cheese in pickling spices)

[karadekoolaid]

This recipe is adapted from "India - cookbook", by Pushpesh Pant. There are over 1,000 recipes from all parts of India.
One of the ingredients was "300 gms mango pickle, with oil". I make mango pickle, but there was no way I was going to add 300 gms and blow my head off. I added a little bit!
Ingredients:
200 gms paneer cheese, cut into cubes
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds
1/2 tsp red chile powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 tbsps mustard oil
Small piece of ginger, grated
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
50 gms full fat Greek yoghurt
Pinch of salt
1 piece mango pickle
1 tbsp mango pickle oil
Coriander leaf for garnish

Method:

• Heat the mustard oil in a frying pan and add the whole spices: mustard seeds, fennel and nigella. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Put the yoghurt into a bowl and beat lightly. Add the chile powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well.
• Once the mustard oil, ginger, garlic
  
  
  
  & spices have cooled, add to the yoghurt mixture and mix well. Dice the pickled mango and add to the yoghurt mixture, along with the oil.
• Add the paneer cubes and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.
• After marinating, skewer the cheese cubes. Heat another tbsp of mustard oil in a frying pan and, when hot, place the skewers in the pan. Alternately, grill the cheese over hot coals. Rotate the skewers every 1-2 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.
• Serve with tamarind chutney.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

This is impressive. I do have a few questions:

• Did you make the mango pickle by soaking mango chunks in vinegar and salt (and oil?) for a certain amount of time?
• How much of the marinade did the paneer soak up? I thought an overnight soak would pick up a lot of the flavor, but it could also soften the paneer too much.
• I assume mustard oil isn't banned in Venezuela. It's banned here (though I have found it at Indian grocery stores)

 

[karadekoolaid]

The mango pickle is made by 1) salting the green mango and adding turmeric 2) leaving this for 3-4 days, stirring occasionally 3) heating up mustard oil, adding an insane amount of hot pepper and spices 4) pouring the mustard oil over the mango and 5) bottling.
The paneer was delicious, and soft, with a slight tang from the yoghurt and a kick from the mango pickle
I bought my last bottle of mustard oil at Patel's, in Ohio, so it can't be banned. lots of warnings on it though - a bit like a packet of cigarettes

 

[YogChakra]

The mango pickle is made by 1) salting the green mango and adding turmeric 2) leaving this for 3-4 days, stirring occasionally 3) heating up mustard oil, adding an insane amount of hot pepper and spices 4) pouring the mustard oil over the mango and 5) bottling.
The paneer was delicious, and soft, with a slight tang from the yoghurt and a kick from the mango pickle
I bought my last bottle of mustard oil at Patel's, in Ohio, so it can't be banned. lots of warnings on it though - a bit like a packet of cigarettes

I tried to buy mustard oil in an Indian store in San Jose, CA but saw the warning. Do you think it is okay to use it? Indian pickles and some traditional curries taste so much better with mustard oil. I use olive oil instead.

 

[Barriehie]

Found a read here on mustard oil regarding the labelling.

 

[badjak]

I did a quick google and mustard oil is easily available for cooking purposes in the Netherlands

 

[karadekoolaid]

I tried to buy mustard oil in an Indian store in San Jose, CA but saw the warning. Do you think it is okay to use it?

Perfectly fine ot use it . I've been using it for years and never, ever had a problem. Mind you, it's not like I'm drinking a glass of it every day
Apparently the panic from the FDA is to do with erucic acid, which "might" be a health risk. Since I only use it maybe once a month, or less, no problem. The warning on the label is simply to cover themselves in case of a lawsuit.