A mouthwatering film of our Aubergine and Soya Paneer Curry, filmed by Eat Pictures. Find the recipe below.

Soya Paneer

Serves 2 - makes 150g

Ingredients

• 1 litre unsweetened soya milk
• 5 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Pour the soya milk into a large saucepan and place over a medium heat.
2. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
3. Spoon in the lemon juice and stir gently to combine.
4. Let the saucepan of soya milk sit undisturbed for a few minutes. After this time the soya milk should have separated into clumps of soya milky white curds and clear watery whey — dip your slotted spoon into the mix to check. If you still see a lot of un-separated soya milk, add another tablespoon of lemon and bring back to the boil and wait a few more minutes.
5. Strain the curds: Set a strainer or sieve over a bowl and line the strainer with muslin. Pour the curds and the whey through the strainer.
6. Drain the curds for 30 minutes and allow to cool slightly, at this point you should have about 250g of curd.
7. To make the paneer firmer, gently squeeze as much liquid out as you can, and then place a weight on top, a heavy pestle and mortar should do the job. Yo should end up with about 150g paneer.
8. Use straight away or store the soya paneer, fresh paneer can be used right away or refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Paneer Baigan

Aubergine and Indian Cheese Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 small aubergine
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 dried kashmiri chilli, deseeded
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder (shop brought or homemade - recipe below)
• 3 large vine tomatoes, cut into eights
• 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger root
• 1 tsp garam masala, plus extra for sprinkling on top (shop brought or homemade - recipe below)
• 1 tbsp tamarind water
• 1 tsp jaggary
• Pinch of salt
• 150g soya paneer
• Small handful of freshly chopped coriander leaf

Method

1. Cut the aubergine into half down the length, then each half into 6 long wedges.
2. Rub the cut sides with turmeric and sprinkle with salt.
3. In a large frying pan, fry the aubergine slices in 1½ tablespoons of sunflower oil until soft and golden, and set aside.
4. Wipe out the frying pan, heat 1½ tablespoons of sunflower oil and fry the curry leaves, mustard seeds, and kashmiri chilli for a minute until the mustard seeds pop, then add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and fry on a gentle heat for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
5. Add the chopped garlic to the onion and stir-fry for a minute.
6. Add the curry powder and stir-fry for half a minute.
7. Mix in the tomatoes and add 100ml water, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
8. Peel and grated the ginger then squeeze for juice into the sauce.
9. Add the garam masala and flavour to taste with tamarind water, jaggary and salt.
10. Push the aubergines into the curry sauce and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
11. Divide the paneer it into pieces and push them into the curry. Heat through, and finish with and extra sprinkle of garam masala and chopped coriander.

Curry Powder

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp kalonji seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 hot dried red chillies, deseeded
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp asafoetida

Method

1. Heat a small frying pan on a medium heat. When it’s hot, put in all the spices, except the turmeric and asafoetida, and dry fry until fragrant, but don’t let them burn as it will ruin the flavour.
2. Decant on to a plate and leave to cool.
3. Grind to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and asafoetida and mix well.

Garam Masala

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cardamom pods, deseeded
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 5cm stick of cinnamon
• 1/3 of a nutmeg
• Curl of mace
• 5 curry leaves

Method

1. Dry fry the spices and curry leaves in a small frying pan until fragrant, tip out and allow to cool.
2. Grind in a spice grinder/coffee grinder as fine as possible. Store in an air-tight container.

Foodie Film by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

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