Rainbow Peppers with Paneer

What better way to start the New Year than with bright and colorful rainbow peppers! There's something about the crunchy, juicy flavor and vibrant colors that make them really appetizing to me. I can have them in salads, sandwiches, wraps, vegetables. Oh and pizzas - gotta have them!


Paneer is a great source of protein for vegetarians and I happen to love its soft, creamy texture. It's versatile and can be paired with a number of different vegetables/ curries either in cubed or crumbled form. 


Back in India, one had easy access to fresh store bought paneer. You can find it here in the frozen section of the Indian grocery stores too, but it's rubbery and just not the same as the fresh version which is why I prefer to make my own at home. It's quite easy to make and nothing beats the taste of fresh, soft homemade paneer. I will post a step-by-step visual guide for making paneer separately soon.

I keep the spices to the minimum since the vegetables and paneer are all so flavorful on their own. I also avoid overcooking so it doesn't turn into a lumpy mass.

This medley is one of my all-time favorites. It's healthy, quick, easy to make and all the colors make it so attractive.

Ingredients:

1 red, yellow and green pepper each, deseeded

1 big red onion

1 medium tomato, deseeded

200 gm paneer, cubed (1" pieces)

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp coriander-cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala/ curry powder

2 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste


Method: 

Dice the onion, peppers and tomato into 1-1.5" pieces. In a non-stick pan or wok, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds once the oil is heated (the cumin seeds should crackle). Sautee the onions till they are light pink and translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Then throw in the peppers and sautee for a couple of minutes. Add the salt and turmeric powder. Throw in the paneer cubes. Paneer will lose some water when cooked, so continue cooking for a few minutes till the water evaporates but ensuring that the veggies are not overcooked. Now add the chilli powder, coriander-cumin powder and garam masala/ curry powder and stir it one last time.


I also add babycorn (diced into two lengthwise) to this medley if I have it on hand. It lends a lovely crispy flavor. Unfortunately, I didn't have them this time around.

If you're vegan or don't have access to paneer and don't want to go through the trouble of making it at home, tofu works just as well. Rainbow peppers with paneer tastes great when served hot with soft naan/ rotis. It also provides a great filling option for wraps.

Welcome to my blog, happy 2010!

After months of following food blogs, I decided to initiate my own blog a couple of months ago. So I went ahead and blocked myself a blogspot back in September. However, I'm a banker by profession and since long hours are an occupational hazard, I always found myself pressed for time. And just around that time my husband V and I decided to move to Miami since he had a great opportunity here, which means that the blog had to be put on the back burner.

The last couple of months were crazy with packing, wrapping things up at work and all things relating to the move. We have finally moved two weeks ago, which means that I'm in between jobs and have some time on hand to blog away. But the flip side is that it also means that I'm currently working with a skeletal kitchen.

I am originally from Bombay, India and spent a better part of my life growing up there. I love the city and the food I grew up eating there. The street foods of Bombay are simply yummilicious, and I hope to share some of those with you through this blog over time. They say you can take a person out of Bombay, but can't take Bombay out of a person :) I agree with that whole-heartedly, and deep down I'll always remain a Bombay girl!

Over the last nine years however, I have had the opportunity to travel extensively and live in various corners of the world - for which I am grateful. These experiences have not only helped me grow as a person, but have contributed greatly in developing a taste for many different cuisines.

I also have my Gujarati roots to thank for my foodieness. Anyone who is familiar with the cultures of India will know that Gujaratis = food. They live to eat, while most others eat to live.

I am a vegetarian, and proud to be one. I grew up in a strictly vegetarian home (my grandmum wouldn't even like eggs being brought home), and what started off as a way of life has now become a choice for me.

I first started really cooking when I got married. Till then I was always too busy studying or working. I was surprised by how much I started enjoying it, and how therapeutic I find it. It's a great way to destress from work and all the other pressures of day-to-day life.

I prefer natural and healthy foods, which is not to say I don't partake in the occasional indulgences every now and then, but as far as possible I try to eat healthy! I owe this largely to my mom who has inculcated the importance of a wholesome diet into us right since we were kids.

My mom is one of the most amazing cooks I know. It's funny how you appreciate your mom most when you're away from her. All my life while I was at home, I took it for granted. Now I would trade anything for a mom-cooked meal! My mom-in-law is a great cook too. I have learnt a lot from both of them, and hope that someday I can become as good as them.

I'm now eagerly awaiting my stuff to arrive so I can have my kitchen fully up and running again. Meanwhile, I'll try and post some easy, no-fuss recipes which I can manage within my limited kitchen.

Through this blog, I hope to chronicle my love for food and my experiments in my kitchen. Some of these recipes are from family/friends, some my own creations and some adaptions from books/ blogs/ magazines. I hope you enjoy reading them.

I was determined to make the start in 2009, even if my first post was on the very last day of the year! After all, I didn't want to carry forward what I meant to start in 2009 into 2010 :)  V has graciously offered to be the official photographer for the blog as a mark of his support for my endeavor, so I am excited to begin my journey into the world of food blogging.

Being that I am newbie in this space (relatively speaking), I would love to hear from you so please keep your comments flowing.

Bon apetit and wish you all a fabulous 2010!