Prawn and paneer are usually to be found on separate columns in any restaurant’s menu card, each starring in the non-vegetarian and vegetarian specialities column respectively. But The Sonnet, a four-star address near City Centre, has undertaken a novel experiment — devising recipes that bring the two together.

Arguing in favour of a culinary match, general manager Rajib Roy Choudhury points out how both are known for their rich creamy texture and neutrality of taste. “Even in our own cuisine there is a dish like Dudh Chingri, which proves that there is a tradition of bringing the two together.”

Executive chef Niladri Chakraborty has come up with four special dishes combining jumbo prawns and cottage cheese which are on offer at meal times at a uniform rate of Rs 717.

While Noorani Malai Jhinga Lababdar is a purely north Indian fare, Chinese and Japanese cuisine have been fused in Teriyaki Paneer with Sweet & Sour Prawn. Here the paneer is marinated in teriyaki sauce and grilled. The prawn, with its sweet and sour taste, sits atop a base of the tangy paneer.

Besides the fusion fare, the hotel is offering a variety of dishes using prawn and paneer separately. “We have four sizes of prawn on offer. The same dish, be it Prawn Cutlet or Goan Prawn Curry, that costs Rs 1,800 using lobsters will be charged Rs 475 if small prawns are used. We are pricing the dishes on the basis of the size of prawn chosen by the customer,” Roy Choudhury says.

The promotion is on till May 15.

Prawn & paneer picks

Noorani Malai Jhinga Lababdar

Ingredients

• 180g prawn
• 120g cottage cheese (paneer)
• 30g onion
• 5g ginger
• 1tsp hot spice
• Salt and sugar - to taste
• 15g khowa
• 5g green chilly
• 25g spinach
• 20g broken cashewnut
• 2tbs fresh cream
• 1tsp ghee
• ½ cup tomato puree
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp kastori methi

Method

Cut cottage cheese into thin square slices of 4x4 inches and marinate with chopped green chillies and salt. Marinate the prawn with turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and cook in moderate heat.

Shred spinach and saute in oil, add grated cheese, khowa and dry spices. Spread the cottage cheese and spinach mixture on the above marinated square slices, place the prawn in the middle and make a roll. Coat the above with a thin batter and deep fat fry.

For the gravy, heat oil and some whole spices and saute the onion in it till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and cashew nut paste.

Add the wrapped prawns and cook till the roll is immersed in the gravy. Finish with cream and serve hot.

Curried Cottage Cheese Timbales with Charmoula Prawns & Shrimp Salsa

Ingredients

• 120g cottage cheese (paneer)
• 180g prawn
• 10g sun-dried tomatoes
• 5g curry powder
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 kaffir lime
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 20ml refined oil
• 2 ripped tomatoes
• 5g green chillies
• 5g coriander leaf
• 2 jalepenos
• 50g charmoula spice
• ½ cup tomato juice
• Salt and sugar to taste
• 2 eggs
• 10g onion
• 5g garlic

Method

Heat oil in a pan and saute chopped onion, garlic, grated cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and add seasonings. Cook till the mixture binds together.

Make a patty of two inch diameter and keep aside. Marinate the prawn with charmoula spices, kafir lime leaf, season and grill.

Make a tomato salsa with chopped tomatoes, boiled shrimps, lime juice, garlic and tomato juice. Grill the above patty till golden brown.

Assemble the above three elements on a plate and serve with tomato salsa and olive oil, garlic and egg white emulsion.