Capsicum on Skewers

Everybody loves  appetisers grilled on  skewers. They could be chicken, mutton, fish or prawn. Or chunks of  paneer, capsicum and pineapple. Yummy-looking  and mouth-watering. Too much trouble to make them at home - right?  Here is an easy alternative. No grill, no fancy marinade.


Collect
1 big capsicum ( green pepper)
6-8 cubes paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
8-10 toothpicks

Marinade

• 1 tbs  gramflour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch garam masala
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• just enough water.

Method
(I)
In a bowl, make a thick paste of the marinade ingredients.
Cut the capsicum into12-16  squarish pieces of 1" size. Toss them in the marinade and set it aside.
After 15-20 minutes, take the capsicum out of the marinade and transfer to a microwavable bowl.
Put the paneer cubes into the marinade & gently coat them.
Microwave the bowl of capsicum for 1 minute and let it cool.
If you wish, this can be done a few hours in advance, covered & stored in the fridge.
(II)
Take a toothpick & poke it into a capsicum piece, followed by a paneer cube & another capsicum piece.
Repeat with another 5 toothpicks. Now you have 6 mini-skewers ready.
Heat oil  and deep-fry them two at a time on medium heat. Take out when the paneer begins to brown.
Place them on paper towels.
Serve hot with a sauce or chutney of your choice. Regular ketchup will also do.

Tips
These appetisers are best eaten straight off the pan.
The downside is that they are deep-fried! You dare not eat too many, too often.
Use wooden (not plastic!) toothpicks, soaked in water for a few minutes before skewering.
For a change, use boneless chicken pieces instead of paneer. If you do, then marinate the chicken and capsicum together.