Recipes Paneer-and-Pepper Fritters Be the first to rate & review! "It took me a while to figure out how to make these fritters," says Rajat Parr. "My mom never gave me the exact recipe." He creates the delicate hors d'oeuvres by combining paneer (fresh Indian cheese), diced bell pepper, garlic, and ginger, then rolling the patties in Japanese panko bread crumbs and frying them. By Rajat Parr Rajat Parr World-renowned wine expert Rajat Parr is a sommelier, winemaker, and co-founder of Sandhi, Domaine de la Côte, and Evening Land Vineyards. He co-authored two books on wine, the James Beard Award-winning Secrets of the Sommeliers (2010) and the André Simon Drink Book Award-winning The Atlas of Taste (2018). Parr has demonstrated his unparalleled scent memory with appearances in such wine documentaries as SOMM, SOMM3, Cellar Stories, and Blind Tasting Sessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 14, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Total Time: 40 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1/2 pound paneer (see Note) or farmer cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons crème fraîche 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and freshly ground pepper All-purpose flour, for dredging 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups panko Vegetable oil, for frying Lemon wedges, for serving Directions In a bowl, combine the paneer, red and green bell peppers, garlic, ginger and crème fraîche. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Shape into 12 balls and flatten each into a 2 1/2-inch patty. Put the flour, beaten eggs and panko in 3 separate shallow dishes. Dredge the patties in the flour, then dip them in the beaten eggs; let any excess egg drip off. Coat the patties with the panko. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 1/4 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. Fry 4 patties at a time, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to a paper towel–lined platter and season with salt. Keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining fritters. Serve right away with lemon wedges. Notes Paneer, the firm-textured fresh Indian cheese, is available at large supermarkets and Indian groceries. Suggested Pairing Parr serves the fritters with Sauvignon Blanc because he likes the wine's grassy citrus notes with the slightly tangy cheese. Rate it Print