To kick off the new series of 5 O' Clock Apron Podcast with Good Food Claire cooks with the giant of the airwaves, Amol Rajan. Amol is one of Radio 4’s Today program presenters, he also hosts BBC2’s legendary TV quiz show University Challenge. Amol Rajan Interviews on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds platform Amol interviewing momentous public figures from Bill Gates to Greta Thunberg to Sir Ian McKellen amongst others.

Amol is a busy man with x4 children under 9 years of age, he’s up early to host the Today program and home late recording University Challenge, to make things easier, Claire and Amol meet at Good Food HQ in Hammersmith to record the episode. Amol arrives on his bike (of course he does!) and apologises to Claire for not arriving as is more customary, suited and booted. If you follow Amol on his social media and on TV, you’ll know this man is a snappy dresser! 

 

Claire brings along some of her spice collection from home and Amol sets about teaching Claire his recipe for Paneer Curry and, apart from the stove top tripping a couple of times during the recording, the pair chop and chat like no tomorrow. Cricket, Cooking for Kids, Amol’s upbringing in south London, previous careers, hereditary diabetes and how to chop onions, speedily!

Can Amol cook? Of course he can, he’s Amol Rajan!

Amol Rajan’s Paneer Curry

 

2 blocks of paneer,

approximately 400g total, diced 2cm

4 tbsp ghee

2 onions, peeled and finely

diced

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and

finely grated

3 garlic cloves, peeled and

finely chopped

300g cherry tomatoes, cut in half,

or use diced tomatoes

200g frozen peas, defrosted

1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and

ground, or use ground

1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted

and ground, or use ground

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ - 1tsp chilli powder, to taste

Large bunch of coriander, finely

chopped

½ lemon

Cooked rice, to serve

Indian pickles, to serve

 

 

1.    

In a non-stick pan over amoderate – high heat, add ½ the ghee and fry the paneer with a pinch of salt,in batches if needed, until nicely bronzed on all sides, around 3 – 5 minutes.

2.    

Remove from the pan and put thepaneer on a plate and keep to one side.

3.    

Return the pan to the heat andadd the remaining ghee, add the onion and cook over a moderate for around 10minutes to soften. Add a big pinch of salt, garlic and ginger and cook for 2minutes more. Add the ground spices and cook for 30 seconds more.

4.    

Add the tomatoes and a splash ofwater, around 2 - 3 tbsp should do, you want the contents of the pan juicy, butnot soupy! Put a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes over a moderate heat forthe tomatoes to soften and the flavours to meld.

5.    

Add the peas, check theseasoning, add more salt if needed and plenty of black pepper. Cook for acouple more minutes to heat the peas through.

6.    

Add the cooked paneer to the panand stir to warm through in the pan. Check the seasoning, adding more salt andpepper, as needed.

7.    

Remove the pan from the heat andstir through with the chopped coriander and the lemon juice.

8.    

Serve the paneer curry with somesteamed rice and Indian pickles to accompany. 

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