Side Please... Paneer Maharani on the way!

14th August, 2020; we were bit ambiguous about tomorrow's independence day celebration at the office. 3/4th of the office staffs were interested to take a day leave. Suddenly, something popped in my head and we decided to do something different this independence day. I mean since our school days, we are habituated to have samosa and jalebis on Republic Day and Independence Day. One of my colleague said Kanaya, let's do something to develop a good bond and affinity toward each other, let's finds ways so that we spent valuable time and cherish these memories over the time. What else can bring in such affinity apart from food!

When shared with other colleagues, many of them agreed on this. Suddenly, like a sea wave on a high tide day, idea popped in my head and we decided to cook typical fried rice with a new variety of cottage cheese, which we later named, Paneer Maharani.

Many of you might think, Paneer Maharani...ummm...?

Well, so it's started with an idea of making something different than usual cottage cheese recipes. We decided to use capsicum as the key element in the new dish. I was a bit ambiguous at this point, since I took a big risk to cook something that I had no idea of. I checked on you tube, recipe books etc, but received no clue about it. Deep in the heart I was confident that this would not ruin the idea of today's celebration and enjoyment.

3 of my  super active colleagues joined me to lend me their hands in the kitchen. I just forgot to say, it was for the first time I decided to cook for 15 people, at one go. Another tense giving situation!!!

Boys came in with fresh veggies and other stuffs. I distributed chopping and cutting work to my shoe-chefs. And then since we had a single burner Gas stove, I decided to cook today's main dish first.

I remembered the days when my aunt used to make tomato puree and store it in the fridge and use it whenever she urged to make a mouth licking dish. I used similar idea, but of making a capsicum puree with a small sized tomato. With little oil, I fried the finely chopped capsicum with a bay leaf and a teaspoon of cumin seeds.  Thereafter, Iet  it cool and make a thick puree by adding 4-5 cashew nuts and raisins to give that royal touch in the dish, which had to be done obviously since it's Paneer Maharani (Queen of the cottage cheese... Sounds interesting!).

Simultaneously I cut the piece of cottage cheese into rectangles and marinated it with half tea spoon of kasundi (mustard paste). (P.S.: I did that since I found a small packet of it lying on the kitchen slab.)

After putting a spoon of oil in the same frying pan, I poured the paste, added pinch of salt, chilli powder, paneer butter masala and let the spices fry for two minutes, later I added the marinated paneer and added dried fenugreek leaves to it.  

Fried rice was next to be cooked, and since I was a pro in it, I was less tensed.

And guess what, Paneer Maharani turned out to be the showstopper. From the day since then, I used my version of paneer, wherever I wish to cook something special and it has turned out to be one of the favourite of all.  I feel extremely happy and proud to share that my decision of trying something different with the capsicum turned out to be an amazing, if I would have not done by keeping things in mind that how can I succeed in cooking for 15 people's at one go, I would have never explored it.

Guys! give everything a try whatever you get in your way, use your cognitive skills and just say calmly, "Bring it on, baby!!!".