Paneer Masala Mushroom Appetizers

Paneer masala is pan-fried paneer cheese simmered in a spicy, creamy sauce. It is amazing with plain basmati rice or hot naan. But instead of serving this dish the traditional way, I used it as a filling for mushrooms. The bold flavor of the curry sauce marries beautifully with the earthiness of the mushrooms; they make the most delicious fusion appetizers.

The idea for these cute appetizers was inspired by my aunt, Ma Mười. She told me the first time she tried Indian food years ago at a restaurant, she was served a lot of little metal tins filled with colorful sauces. After a while, she asked the waiter when her main meal was going to arrive. She thought they were condiments and didn't realize that was her entire meal.

These appetizers showcase the wonderful flavors of Indian cuisine for those who are not really familiar with this culture. I've prepared pizzas, "naaninis" and other fusion dishes with Indian toppings in the past. Indian cuisine is boldly flavored, so pairing it with simple and attractive presentation techniques is a low-risk strategy for producing delicious new dishes.

Aloo Korma Recipe (Beef and Potato Curry)

I've prepared this Indian curry called korma countless times since I got married. I learned this dish from my husband Lulu's aunt (I call her Phoopi). It's a very flexible dish that allows for many combinations of meat and vegetable. Chicken, beef, goat, potato, taro and  various vegetables (peas, carrot, broccoli) are commonly used. The spicy gravy is what's constant.

The gravy is made of fried onion paste and yogurt and is flavored with ginger-garlic paste as well as several Indian spices. This version contains beef but you can easily omit the meat if you're preparing a vegetarian version.

I had initially planned to include aloo korma ("aloo" is Urdu for "potato") in my first cookbook, Haute Potato: From Pommes Rissolees to Timbale with Roquefort, 75 Gourmet Potato Recipes, but finally went for other Indian dishes such as kheema cutlets (Indian-style meat-filled pancakes), panipuri (bite-sized, crispy South Indian masala potato-filled appetizers) and aloo bonda (spicy potato fritter) to name a few.

Paneer Makhani Recipe

I don't make paneer makhani very often because of the calories, particularly since I started working out to lose the baby weight. But today I had an excuse: I had leftover cream from making a white peach macadamia tart (which I'll share tomorrow), a bucket of freshly picked tomatoes and a bag of cashew nuts in the pantry. 

I marinated the cubes of paneer prior to pan-frying them. The tangy flavor from the lemon juice, yogurt and cream balanced wonderfully with the sweetness from the tomato sauce. I didn't feel bad eating the dish because it was so good!

Paneer Dal Curry Recipe

I just discovered freshly made paneer cheese at a local Indian market. The cheese is wonderful and tastes great pan-fried. I didn't want to just serve it as-is, so I prepared a creamy masala sauce to go with it. I also threw in store-bought steamed black lentils (dal) for added protein. It's a nice change from the usual spinach (palak paneer) dish I often make for my husband Lulu.  

Served with a large plate of greens, this vegetarian Indian curry makes for a balanced, tasty meal. It's also very versatile; you can make your own variation by just swapping a few ingredients, such as chicken or eggplant in place of the lentils. 

Makhani Fish Curry Recipe

I only cook fish when I can find extremely fresh product at the market. I discovered some wonderful looking king mackerel at the Asian market that I just had to bring home. Mackerel is a tasty fish packed with essential, healthy, fatty acids.

Instead of a drizzle of nước mắm (fermented fish sauce), I pan-fried the fish steaks and then simmered them in an Indian spiced, buttery sauce called makhani curry. I love this sauce; it's creamy and very flavorful due to the use of garam masala. If mackerel isn't your thing, you could replace it with other fish or go the more traditional way with chicken. It's just as delicious.