Paneer With Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce

Step 1

First, prep your ingredients. Slice 8 oz. paneer into generous ¼"-thick planks and pat dry; set aside.

Step 2

Trim roots from 6 scallions and discard. Thinly slice on a deep diagonal and place in a medium bowl. Scrub and thinly slice a 1" piece ginger. Stack ginger slices and slice crosswise to make strips the size of matchsticks; add to bowl with scallions. Peel and thinly slice 2 garlic cloves; add to bowl.

Step 3

Using a mortar and pestle or the side of your chef’s knife, coarsely crush 1 tsp. coriander seeds and add to vegetables. Mix in 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ½ tsp. black mustard seeds, ½ tsp. Kashmiri chile powder or ¼ tsp. cayenne powder, and ¼ tsp. ground turmeric; set aside.

Step 4

Using a paring knife or your fingers and working one at a time, snap off tips from stem ends of 4 oz. sugar snap peas (about 1 cup) and pull to remove strings. Repeat process on the other end. Cut any larger sugar snap peas in half on a diagonal; set aside.

Step 5

Now, bring it all together. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Arrange reserved paneer in a single layer (just a heads-up that you are only browning one side) and cook until golden brown underneath, about 1 minute. (If paneer is sticking, just give cheese a little more time to brown. It will release from pan once it is sufficiently crisped.) Using a slotted fish spatula or spoon, transfer paneer to a plate, leaving as much oil behind in pan as possible. Arrange browned side up and season generously with kosher salt.

Step 6

Set pan over medium heat and add remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil along with reserved scallions, ginger, garlic, and spices. Cook, stirring often, until scallions are wilted and mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes.

Step 7

Add 12 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups), reserved snap peas, and 1 cup water. Increase heat to medium-high, season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Gently smash each tomato open with fish spatula or spoon (gentle is key; you just want to break them open a little) and simmer until tomato juices thicken slightly, about 3 minutes (it should still be pretty brothy and light).

Step 8

Taste sauce and add more salt if needed. If your tomatoes aren’t super sweet, you may need to add a pinch of sugar at this point to balance their acidity. Add paneer back to pan and simmer until warmed through.

Step 9

Remove from heat and mix in ½ cup (lightly packed) mint leaves. Serve with cooked rice.