Mixed Vegetables with Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and Cashew Nuts.

My mother who is the inspiration for this blog always liked variety, she never liked to have the same dish two days in a row. There were days when she also liked to avoid potatoes, so she thought of  some interesting mixed vegetable recipes. My mother used to cook a dish which had paneer, cauliflower, carrots, green beans and nuts. I have no clue how she cooked it but it was quite tasty, so I decided to one day experiment a bit and this is (see below) what I came up with.

The measurements are all approximate, so please use your judgment.

Ingredients: 

• 400 gms Cauliflower

• 150- 200gms Green Beans
• 2 Carrots
• 250 gms Cottage Cheese (paneer) 
• One Onion (optional)
• ½  Tomato
• Some cashew nuts
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Kashmiri red chilli powder to taste
• 4 teaspoons coriander and cumin mix powder
• One teaspoon ginger paste
• Salt and sugar to taste
• Approximately 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil

 Method:

• Chop the cauliflower into small florets.
• Chop the carrots and beans into small pieces and then boil them.
• Chop the paneer into cubes.
• Boil the onion and grind to a paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel and add cumin seeds.When the cumin seeds begin to crackle  add the cauliflower. Stir fry till they are slightly golden brown.
• Chop the tomato and add it to the cauliflower. Add salt, it will help to soften the tomato. After the tomato has softened add the onion paste and give it  a stir.
• Add the ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin mix powder and red chilli powder (I prefer to use Kashmiri chilli powder because it gives the dish a nice colour, you may use the usual variety if you so desire).
• Stir well then add the paneer and chopped cashew nuts, stir well for a few minutes or till you are sure that the spice powders are no longer raw.
• Now add the boiled carrots and green beans, along with the water in which it was boiled. This water should be enough for the dish, it also imparts a nice flavour to the dish. However, if you feel you need to add some more water, then first warm the required quantity of water before adding it.
• Adjust the seasoning, add a little more salt if required and also add a little sugar.
•  Cover and cook till done.
• Before serving garnish with some more cashew nuts.

Serve hot it goes very well with steamed rice, pulao, phulka rotis, parathas and puris.