SWEET N SOUR PINEAPPLE PANEER

The trend that I see these days is that the visiting guests are keen about the varied appetiser spread. With the unwinding chitchat at the weekend, we really need a good starter platter to accompany. As far as I am concerned, whenever I visit someone's home, I forget all about my diet and indulge in eating from the cheese to the fritters. These days when guests come over, I try to keep the appetisers as healthy as possible without ignoring the taste factor. The taste and colour of the food matters a lot to me. If the colour does not appeal to me, half of my interest to have it is gone. Last week I had some visiting guests in our home. I wished to prepare vegetarian appetisers for them as the main course was predominantly a non vegetarian one. To me paneer [Indian Cottage Cheese] is a good vegetarian option. I love using it in different ways. When I prepare salad for myself, I use paneer instead of feta cheese. I enjoy cheese but I am too scared to have it. That day I had some pineapple too at home. Hence, the idea of Sweet N Sour Pineapple Paneer popped up. The pineapple and paneer combination did work well, I have seen such recipes around earlier. Let us do the  quick and yummy Sweet and Sour Pineapple Paneer together.

INGREDIENTS :

Pineapple Cubes : 1big cup
Paneer Cubes : 1 & 1/2 big cup
Red Bell Pepper Cubes : 1/2 small cup
Green Bell Pepper Cubes : 1/2 small cup
Onion Cubes : 1/2 medium cup
Green Chilli : 4-5 slitted or chopped
Cornflour : 1tsp
Minced Garlic : 1tsp
Minced Ginger : 1/2tsp
Light Soy Sauce : 1 tbsp

Tomato Ketchup : 2 tbsp

Vinegar : 1 tsp
Sugar : 1/2 tsp

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/4 tsp

Chilli Flakes : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :

Mix together the tomato ketchup+light soy sauce+vinegar+chilli flakes+sugar. Mix well and keep aside.

Wash, peel, cut the pineapple into cubes. Marinate the paneer cubes with salt and crushed black pepper for 15 minutes.. Rub the bell peppers with salt 10 minutes before the cooking.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cornflour to the paneer pieces, fry them lightly and take out.

Temper the remaining oil with the minced garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute and add the bell peppers & the cubed onions.

Stir at high heat for a minute or two. Thereafter, add the paneer cubes, pineapple cubes and the slitted or chopped green chillies. Add the prepared sweet & sour sauce and stir carefully for a minute. We should be done.

I served it with burnt garlic rice & grilled chicken.