Effortless Indian-Inspired Pastries for Busy Cooks
Renowned food writer Rukmini Iyer has created an exceptionally straightforward recipe for spiced paneer puffs accompanied by a vibrant quick-pickled carrot raita. These delightful pastry parcels require minimal effort while delivering maximum flavour, making them ideal for both casual snacking and main meals.
Simple Preparation for Impressive Results
The recipe demonstrates remarkable efficiency with just 20 minutes preparation time and 25 minutes cooking time, serving three to four people comfortably. The method revolves around filling squares of puff pastry with a fragrant paneer mixture before folding them into triangular shapes and baking until perfectly golden.
Iyer humorously notes that while she prefers the triangular puff approach, home cooks could alternatively create half-moon shapes resembling Cornish pasties if preferred. The recipe maintains flexibility while ensuring delicious outcomes regardless of shaping technique.
Ingredients and Method Breakdown
The paneer filling combines 225g paneer block with spring onions, fresh mint leaves, lime zest and juice, green chilli, and sea salt, all blitzed in a food processor until achieving a fine, couscous-like texture. A tablespoon of self-raising flour helps bind the mixture before it's divided between twelve equal squares cut from a 320g puff pastry roll.
After assembling the triangles, they're brushed with beaten egg and baked at 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 for 25 minutes until beautifully risen and golden brown. Meanwhile, the accompanying raita features toasted fennel and coriander seeds combined with white-wine vinegar, salt, spring onions, and finely sliced carrots left to pickle briefly before being stirred through 150g natural yoghurt just before serving.
The resulting pastries offer a perfect balance of flaky pastry and generously spiced filling, complemented by the fresh, tangy crunch of the carrot raita. This recipe exemplifies how minimal effort can produce restaurant-quality results perfect for busy weeknights or impressive entertaining.
