When it comes to cooking, my father has never really strayed into the kitchen.

But the joy of being my father’s daughter is that I know the things that make him stop and smile for a moment. And that thing for him, when it comes to food, is cheese, in particular paneer.

Paneer is Indian unsalted white cheese. It has a mild flavor so takes to marinades really well and unlike most cheeses, it can be grilled without melting so that it softens in the middle and chars on the edges.

This marinade is for the dish known as paneer tikka in India. It gives the paneer an addictive, lip-smacking and savory flavor.

SPICY GRILLED PANEER

The paneer is best served hot with a salad, raita and some Indian flatbreads, like roti or naan. Paneer is more widely available in Asian supermarkets, specialist stores and online. You’ll also need skewers.

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Makes 4 servings

4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges to serve

1 tablespoon chickpea flour

4 large cloves of garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons ground cumin

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2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoons kosher salt

11/2 teaspoons red chili powder

1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil

1 pound paneer

2 handfuls of fresh coriander, chopped

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2 bell peppers, cubed

1 red onion, cut into 8

1 small zucchini, thickly sliced

Blend the yogurt, lemon juice, chickpea flour, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and chili powder together in a blender, then tip the marinade into a bowl. Add a handful of chopped coriander and mix.

Cut the paneer blocks into 9 equal sized cubes and add to the marinade. Stir to mix. Then thread each of your skewers alternately with the onion, pepper, zucchini and paneer.

To cook the paneer, coat griddle pan with oil and heat pan until very hot.

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Lightly oil the pan so the paneer doesn’t stick. Place the skewers onto the pan and turn every minute or so until they are evenly cooked and a little charred on each side.

Serve with fresh coriander and lemon wedges.

Meera Sodha is an Indian foods expert and author of “Made in India: Recipes from an Indian family kitchen.” She lives in London and blogs at:

meerasodha.com

Twitter: meerasodha


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