Thin homemade pancakes layered with a paneer filling and an easy to make tomato sauce, which is then topped with cheese, and baked to perfection.
Author: Shumaila
Recipe type: dinner, main
Serves: serves 2-3
Ingredients
For the pancakes
75 gms maida
130-150 ml milk
2 tsp melted butter
pinch baking powder
¼ tsp salt
For the tomato sauce
500 gms tomatoes
50 ml cream
1 tsp red chili powder, or to taste
1 tsp sugar
salt, to taste
½ tsp dried oregano, or to taste
For the paneer filling
250 grams paneer, crumbled (can use homemade- method on blog post)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro/dhania
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ghee
For the assembly
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Butter, to grease pan
Instructions
For the pancakes:
Mix the ingredients listed under batter to make a thinnish, pouring consistency batter. Leave to sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime you can prepare rest of the ingredients for the dish.
After you have left the batter to sit for a while, heat a non stick skillet. Pour the batter (about ¼ cup) and swirl pan to make a 6 inch round pancake. The pancakes shouldn't be thin- more towards crepe thickness than pancake thickness. Cook on medium low heat for 30-40 seconds per side. Repeat for the remaining batter. You can place the cooked pancakes one on top of the other on a plate till ready to assemble. You can also make ahead and freeze them after cooking.
For the tomato sauce:
Cut the tomatoes into big pieces. Add 1 tbsp water to a sauce pan, along with the tomatoes and cook covered on low till the tomatoes are soft and mushy. When cooked, take out thick soup by passing through a sieve. Alternately, you can purée the tomatoes in a blender after boiling them without removing the skin- if you have a good blender you will get a smooth puree.
In the same sauce pan, add the puréed tomatoes, chilli powder, sugar and salt and boil, partially covered for 10-15 minutes to make a thick sauce on low. Once cooked, add the cream and oregano. Your sauce is ready.
For the paneer filling:
In a pan, heat the ghee. Add the onions, and cook till translucent. Add the green chillies, and chilli powder. Mix.
Add in the crumbled paneer, coriander and salt. Mix well and take off flame.
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F
Grease a deep baking dish. (I use a 8 by 5 by 2.5 inch dish).
Spread a bit of the sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Place a pancake (in case your pancakes are small, use another one to complete the layer).
Add about 3-4 tbsp of filling.
Spread the sauce over the filling. Place another pancake on top, and repeat layers.
End the layers with the pancake on top, spread with the last layer of tomato sauce.
Top with grated cheese.
Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or till the cheese melts and is golden brown.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve hot.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2020/07/07/moms-paneer-pancakes/