A good, ripe mango is important as it will add vibrancy and set off the crumbly, creamy paneer. I make my own paneer as it’s easy and much creamier than shop bought, but I leave it up to you. You can substitute mozzarella (don’t grill it, of course). Lastly, find good-quality sun-dried tomatoes. I buy mine from a deli; they are more sun-blushed than dried and are moist and fresh.
ANJUM’S INDIAN VEGETARIAN FEAST by ANJUM ANAND, published by Quadrille (£19.99, hardback) Photos ©EMMA LEE
Ingredients
For the ginger dressing
- 6–8 tsp lemon juice, to taste
- 6 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the paneer
- salt, to taste
- 2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
- 20g root ginger, peeled weight, finely grated
For the salad
- 300g paneer, cut into long flat rectangles or other shapes
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large handfuls of baby spinach or mixed salad leaves
- 110–120g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2 large or 4 small ripe mangoes, cheeks cut off and diced into 1.5cm pieces
- ½ small red onion, finely sliced
- 1 mild red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- handful of chopped coriander leaves
- handful of roasted peanuts or cashew nuts
Method
Put the grill on. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Make sure the sugar and salt have dissolved and the whole thing emulsifies.
If your paneer is not fresh, soak in boiling water until it softens, around 10 minutes. Then toss it in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on an oiled rack and grill until it has browned on the edges, around seven to 10 minutes. (You can also griddle the paneer in a hot griddle pan.)
Meanwhile, toss the remaining salad ingredients with the dressing, either all together or separately, depending on how you want to present the salad. When the paneer is done, place on top. Serve immediately.