Beans -Paneer Malai Sabji (French Beans and Indian Cottage Cheese in Creamy gravy)

This is a wonderful way to include French beans in your diet. Who doesn't like to eat a creamy gravy with soft cottage-cheese cubes in it?

I learnt this recipe from Geetha chithi and immediately tried it. Loved it and so did my hubby, who doesn't eat beans thuvaran or anything with Beans as the major veg. This is simple to make and tastes yummilicious :) It's also different in that, this sabji does not need the ubiquitous tomato-onion base that most North-Indian gravies come with.

This post has been pending for a long time and now, when a friend of mine asked for some easy North-Indian style recipes to whip up quickly, I am sending this one.

Beans-Paneer Malai Sabji with Garlic Rice

Time - 25 minutes
Yield - 2 to 3 adults

You Need -

French Beans - about 15 (chopped into 1" pieces)
Paneer cubes - 150 g
Potatoes - 1 medium (optional, I didn't add any)

Set A -

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Dhania/Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Green chillies (slit) - 2
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp (Adjust according to your spice tolerance level)
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Fresh Cream or Malai - 5 tbsp

Nestle Cream works too.

To Temper -

Oil - 2 tsp
Whole Jeera - 1 tsp

To garnish -
Fresh Coriander leaves

How To -

• Take a kadai, heat 1 tsp oil and allow jeera to splutter. Try to spread the oil all around the sides of the pan.
• Add slit green chillies, beans, thawed paneer cubes (and potato, if you would like to) and all the spices from Set A along with fresh cream, in the quantities mentioned.
• Mix well and cover the kadai with a lid completely. This is to allow the veg to get cooked, plus get the creamy flavor infused in it in a lovely way :) Please turn the gas mark to Sim/Low.
• After 8-10 minutes, open the lid, the cream would have melted and the beans is now well-cooked.
• Check for salt and spice levels.
• If the veggies do not come together with the gravy, sprinkle some rice flour (~ 2 tsp) while stirring simultaneously. Rice flour binds them all together and the cream now coats the veggies uniformly. Do not add too much of rice flour as it will spoil the rich taste that malai (cream) lends to the gravy.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

I served this sabji with Garlic rice and we both liked it :)