Best Jalfrezi Paste Recipes

PANEER JALFREZI RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse and slice the onions, tomatoes & bell pepper. Slit and deseed green chili. Puree tomatoes and set aside.
• If using store bought paneer, soak it in slightly hot water for 10 mins. Cut to finger length pieces. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add onions & green chilli. Fry them until transparent. Add ginger garlic paste & fry for 2 mins until the raw smell has gone.
• Pour tomato puree and cook on a medium high heat until it thickens a bit. Add chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Saute until the raw smell of tomatoes vanishes.
• Taste test the sauce and add more salt if needed. Optionally you may add vinegar and sugar. If your sauce is already sour, don't add vinegar, just sugar will be enough.
• Add the bell peppers & stir fry until slightly tender on a high heat. Reduce the heat and paneer.
• Gently stir in to coat the paneer with the masala/ vegetable spice mixture. Crush kasuri methi and sprinkle.
• Cover and cook on a very low heat just for 2 mins. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve paneer jalfrezi with rice or roti.

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Take 2-3 diced chicken breasts and coat in 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp turmeric then leave it to marinate in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• To make the sauce, fry ½ roughly chopped large onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 finely chopped green chilli in a large pan with a little vegetable oil, for around 5 mins, until browned.
• Add 300ml water to the onion mixture and simmer for around 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put a 400g can plum tomatoes in a food processor and give it a good whizz (aim for a smooth consistency).
• Heat another large pan and gently fry 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp turmeric in a splash of oil for about a minute. Add the tomatoes to this pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.
• Next, whizz your onion mixture in the food processor and add it to the spiced tomato sauce. Season generously, stir, then simmer for 20 minutes. You can make large batches of this sauce and freeze it for later use.
• Fry the marinated chicken in vegetable oil and stir continuously. After a few minutes, turn down the heat and add the remaining ½ sliced onion, 1 chopped red pepper and 2 finely chopped red chillies. Stir until the onions and pepper soften.
• Add the sauce you prepared earlier to the cooked chicken and simmer for around 10-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
• Just before you dish it up, stir in 2 tsp garam masala and handful of chopped coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

JALFREZI PASTE

Steps:

• First peel the garlic and ginger.
• Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the spices for toasting to the dry pan. (Cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds)
• Lightly toast them for a few minutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put them into a food processor and whizz to a powder.
• Either way, when you've ground them, whizz the toasted spices in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth paste.

VEGETABLE JALFREZI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook over a low heat for about 8-10 mins until soft, stirring them often and adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the paste and mix well, then add the squash, cauliflower, stock cube, coriander stalks, passata and 500ml water. Simmer for 20 mins, adding some more water if it gets too thick.
• Add the peppers and chickpeas, and cook for 15-20 mins more, until all the veg is tender. Stir in the yogurt and most of the coriander leaves. Serve scattered with the rest of the coriander and the sliced chilli, with rice and naan bread on the side.