Recipe submitted by Nibedita Das
Paneer Curry Pasta Salad
As a Kindergarten teacher I have spent years observing children eating their lunch box. I also raised two very picky eaters. One thing I have noticed over the years is that children truly love eating pasta. This was my inspiration to try a fusion recipe - Paneer Curry Pasta Salad.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups egg-free Radiatore pasta
- 1 cup of paneer, cubed
- 1 cup 1 cup of sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen, I used fresh)
- 1/2 cup of light whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 yellow onion, diced
- 6 baby carrots, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 lemon – zested; ½ lemon juiced
- (dash of chili powder to taste, especially if adults will be eating alongside the children)
Method
In a 4-qt sauce pan, add 8 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and boil on high heat until tender (~25 minutes). Drain in colander. While pasta is boiling gather and prepare other ingredients.
Gently saute paneer cubes in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick pan (gently brown). Set the paneer cubes aside and leave oil in the pan.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the nonstick pan. Heat to medium-high. Progressively add ingredients in the following order:
Carrots – sautee for about 1 minute
Onions – mix
Curry powder and garlic powder - mix
Corn – mix
Green and red bell peppers – mix
Saute all ingredients together for about 1 minute.
Add salt, raisins, light whipped cream cheese. Stir together.
Add cooked pasta (which was set aside earlier). Again stir ingredients and leave on heat for about 1 minute.
Add zest of 1 whole lemon and juice of ½ lemon. Mix it all together.
Take skillet off heat and add paneer (which was previously gently sautéed and set aside). Gently toss all ingredients.
Serve and enjoy! (You can add dash of chili powder to taste if adults will be enjoying the dish with children).
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