Spiced paneer with quick-pickled cucumber

Name: Spiced paneer with quick-pickled cucumber
Yield: Makes about 24
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 5 tbsp tikka masala paste; Grated zest and juice ½ lemon; 2 x 225g packs paneer, each cut into 12 cubes; 3 tbsp mango chutney (we used Geeta’s); 1 tbsp olive oil; Vegetable oil for frying; Handful micro herbs (see tip); For the quick-pickled cucumber; 4 tbsp white wine vinegar; 2 tbsp caster sugar; ½ cucumber, peeled into 24 ribbons; 1 tsp nigella seeds; You’ll also need…; About 24 canapé skewers (from most large supermarkets)

Portion size: Makes about 24
Hands-on time 25 min, plus marinating and pickling
Difficulty: easy

Vegetarian

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These little paneer bites are the new cheese and pineapple…We think they’re going to catch on. Give these Indian-inspired canapés a go at your next dinner party.

Why not serve them alongside our gunpowder potato puffs as part of a party spread?

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Ingredients

5 tbsp tikka masala paste
Grated zest and juice ½ lemon
2 x 225g packs paneer, each cut into 12 cubes
3 tbsp mango chutney (we used Geeta’s)
1 tbsp olive oil
Vegetable oil for frying
Handful micro herbs (see tip)

For the quick-pickled cucumber

4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ cucumber, peeled into 24 ribbons
1 tsp nigella seeds

You’ll also need…

About 24 canapé skewers (from most large supermarkets)

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Method

To pickle the cucumber, put the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of sea salt in a pan with 2 tbsp warm water and gently warm over a low heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, remove from the heat, then add the cucumber ribbons and set aside to quick-pickle for 30 minutes (see Make Ahead).
Put the tikka paste and lemon zest in a medium bowl, add the paneer and toss to coat. Mix the lemon juice, mango chutney and olive oil in a bowl and season (see Make Ahead).
Drain the pickling liquid from the cucumber and discard, then add the nigella seeds and toss to coat.
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Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, then fry the paneer cubes for 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden and crisp.
Roll a ribbon of cucumber and thread on a skewer with a cube of paneer. Repeat with the remaining cucumber and cubes, then arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle over the mango chutney dressing and sprinkle with micro herbs to serve.

Nutrition

90kcals Calories
6.7g (3.3g saturated) Fat
4g Protein
3.3g (3.1g sugars) Carbs
0.5g Fibre
0.2g Salt

Per canapé

Quick wins & tips

Micro herbs are available from M&S or Ocado. If you can’t find any, use coriander leaves as a garnish.

Make Ahead

Marinate the paneer and make the dressing, then cover and chill for up to
2 days. Pickle the cucumber up to 4 hours ahead. Fry the paneer a couple of hours ahead, then warm through on a baking tray for 5 minutes in the oven and assemble.