PANEER LABBABDAR

Paneer labbabdar is a rich onion-cashews-tomato based, restaurant style paneer gravy. I come to know about this recipe few days back and decided to try it and post it. I don't know the exact recipe for this dish but I have noted down the recipe of paneer gravy on Cookery show on television long back.This lovely recipe is so different from the ususal paneer dishes that we eat. Any paneer gravy recipe is my family favourite and I love to make variations with paneer sabzi but our all time fav is paneer butter masala. No gravy can beat the rich and yummy taste of paneer labbabdar and it is an awesome side dish for naans. Paneer labbabdar is a creamy and mildly sweet gravy dish. It is prepared with butter. This creany and smooth gravy is a pleasure for taste buds. It is not so commonly cooked at home but it is very common to find Paneer Labbabdar in the restuarants in Punjabi Dishes. Everyone at my place loved the recipe and enjoyed a lot. You can serve this with chapatti, parantha or steamed rice. Though the recipe has many steps but it is quite easy and worth trying too.

INGREDIENTS;
For the tomato-cashews paste:
250  gms Tomatoes
10-12 Cashews
1/2 inch Ginger, chopped finely
3-4 Garlic, chopped finely
1/2 Cup Water
1-2 Green Cardamoms
1-2 Cloves
Other Ingredients:
200 gms Paneer / Cottage Cheese, cut into cubes
2 tbsp Grated Paneer
100 gms Onions, chopped finely
1 Tej Patta/ Indian Bay Leaf
2-3 Green Chillies, slit vertically
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/2 teaspoon Dry Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
/ Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 Cup Low Fat Cream [Amul Cream]
1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
1 tablespoon Butter+ 1 tablespoon Butter to be added later
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
 1 Cup Water [as required]
Salt as per needed
For Garnish:
1 tablespoon Chopped Coriander
1/2 inch Ginger Julienne

METHOD:
For preparing Tomato-Cashews Paste-
STEP 1 - Heat a small non-stick pan and add chopped toamtoes, cashews and other ingredients under the title'ingredients for tomato-cashwes paste' and 1/2 cup water.

STEP 2 - Cook it on slow flame till tomatoes are softened. If the mixture dries up and the tomatoes are not softened add 2-3 tablespoon more water in it and continue cooking.

STEP 3 - Allow the mixture to cool completely and add to a mixer grinder or blender.

Grind to a smooth paste with any cashews or tomato chunks or pieces. You may add some water if required. Keep this paste aside.

Preparing paneer labbabdar gravy-
STEP 1 - Heat butter in a kadai/ wok and add bay leaf in it. Saute for a couple of seconds.

STEP 2 - Add sliced onion in it and stir and cook it till onions become light brown or golden.

STEP 3 - Add tomato-cashews paste in it and stir it well. The mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful. Stir it very well.

STEP 4 - Then add cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder in this pan and mix well and saute the masala well. You will see the masala clumping and around itself.

STEP 5 - Saute till you see fat leaving the sides of the masasla paste.
STEP 6 - Add 1 cup of water and mix well.

STEP 7 - Now add slit green chillies, stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer.

Then season with salt and sugar.

STEP 8 - Add paneer cubes which have been cubed with the grated paneer.

STEP 9 - Then sprinkle kasuri methi which has been crushed along with 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Stir it very well again and simmer for a minute.

STEP 10 - Lastly add 2 tablespoon low fat cream. Switch off the flame and stir very well.[see notes]

STEP 11 - Granish paneer labbabdar with coriander leaves and your paneer recipe is ready to serve.

Serve hot paneer labbabdar with a garnish of chopped coriander and ginger julienne. You can enjoy this paneer gravy with chapatti, tandoori rotis or naan. Paneer Labbabdar also goes well with jeera rice, steamed rice or veg pulao.

 NOTES: You can add 1 tablespoon butter at stage no. 10.