Asparagus with paneer, brown butter, and a burnt shallot-preserved lemon dressing

Paneer is common in Northern India and appears in curries and stir-fries. Its origins are hotly debated, with three main theories. The oldest, and the one I am most likely to lean toward, is the Kushan and Saka-Satavahana periods (AD 75–300), or even earlier, during the Indus Valley civilization. The second origin theory is from the Persians period, the 16th century. The last is from the Portuguese period, the 17th century, when colonizers came to Bengal and taught locals to make cheese. Theories aside, North India is home to paneer, a favorite ingredient.

I was looking through my cookbooks for an unusual recipe, not the usual malai paneer or mutter paneer, and this lovely one caught my eye. I love the creative ingredients that come together to make this dish. Green asparagus, still a luxury item in India; crisped paneer for texture; brown butter for richness; and my own burnt, shallot-preserved lemon dressing, which deviated slightly from the original recipe.

The salad is fresh, with wonderful flavors, tartness from the preserved lemons, and a touch of bitterness from the smoky, charred shallots.

Jikoni is a new cookbook on my shelf. I bought it primarily for the Kuku Paka recipe, but it is also loaded with amazing recipes from around the world. The recipes are admittedly exotic, which also means they're quite intense. But when the recipes turn out as well as this one, the effort is well deserved. I love the book, its flair, photography, and recipes, and will cook from it often.

For more recipes from the fabulous cookbook, click here.

For more recipes from Zafar, click here.

Ingredients:

8 0z. asparagus

10 oz. paneer, cubed into 1-inch pieces

Ghee, for frying

For the dressing:

4 shallots

3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons preserved lemons

2 tablespoons butter

Method:

Break the asparagus at the tips into about 2-inch pieces. They should snap easily.

Cut off the lower pieces and peel, if needed, to remove the fibrous skin.

Blanch the asparagus in salted water for 1 minute. Cool in cold water to keep them plump and green. Set aside in the fridge.

Fry the paneer in ghee until caramelized on all sides. Do this step right before serving the salad.

For the dressing:

In a dry frying pan, roast the shallots and garlic until well charred. You want the outer skins to be blackened. Set aside to cool.

Melt the butter in a small pot until browned. Set aside to cool.

Mix the butter, shallots, garlic, and preserved lemons, then pound in a mortar until emulsified. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

To serve:

Spoon a teaspoon of the dressing onto a plate. Add the freshly fried paneer, then the asparagus. Spoon more dressing on top. Serve immediately.