PANEER PASANDA

Friends today I am going to share the recipe of Paneer Pasanda and I hope you all like it. As per it’s name everyone loved the dish at my place. Traditionally this dish comprises of paneer triangles that are stuffed with rich khoya and dry fruits mixture and then shallow fried and added to a thick and creamy tomato based gravy. Here I am sharing the recipe but not with stuffed paneer traingles as I was confused about it. So I made it without stuffing but I promise I will share the original recipe as early as possible.This mildly spiced gravy can be enjoyed with just white rice or as accompaniment to rotis and naan. I have shared so many recipes with paneer in my blog as paneer / cottage cheese is loved by all in my family. Paneer Pasanda is a rich and aromatic paneer recipe cooked in flavors of garlic, kasoori methi and cream. Learn to make easy and tasty paneer pasanda and make your meal a remembrance one.

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm Paneer/ Cottage Cheese [ cut into triangles]

3 Medium sized Tomatoes, chopped

2 Medium Onions

6-8 Cashew Nuts

½ “ Ginger

4-5 Garlic Cloves

1 Bay Leaf

2 Black Cardamom [masala vilaichi]

1 Green Chilli, chopped

½ tablespoon Kasoori Methi

½ teaspoon Garam Masala

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

1 teaspoon CuminPowder

½ Cup Fresh Cream [amul]

½ Cup Water

 2- ½ tablespoon Oil + 1 tablespoon Oil

2 tablespoon Fresh Coriander, chopped

Salt as needed

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Grind cahsews in mixer grinder to a smooth and fine paste. [see notes]

STEP 2 – Make a paste with ginger, garlic and green chillies.

STEP 3 – Blanch the onions and make puree [see notes]. Make tomatoes puree by crushing them in small mixer jar.

STEP 4 – Cut the paneer into triangles.

Heat 2-1/2  tablespoon oil in a pan over medium flame. Shallow fry the paneer triangles until edges become light brown.

Drain them on tissue paper to remove excess oil.

STEP 5 – Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a kadai.

STEP 6 – Add bay leaf and black cardamom in it and sauté for 1 minute.

Then add garlic, ginger and onion in it. Saute well till the raw smell goes off or until it turns light brown.

STEP 7 – Add tomato puree and saute until oil starts to separate from sides.

It takes approximately 2-3 minutes.

STEP 8 – Add cashew paste and mix well and sauté it for 1 minute.

STEP 9 – Add powder spices in it and mix well.

STEP 10 – Add water and mix it and bring it to boil.

STEP 11 – Season it with salt and when it starts to boil, add kasoori methi, garam masala powder 

and shallow fried paneer in the gravey.

STEP 12 – Mix well and cook the gravy for 2-3 minutes or till desired consistency.

STEP 13 – Add fresh cream and give a nice stir to mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes.

STEP 14 – Turn off the flame and let the curry stand for 5 minutes.

Transfer in in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve it.

Serve hot paneer pasand with naan, paratha, chapatti or rice and enjoy.

NOTES: * Here I have cashew powder ready so I used that only for my recipe. 
              * Already have onion paste ready in my fridge so used that only.

              * You can cut the paneer into rectangles or squares instead of triangles.

              * Cahsew nuts gives a thick and creamy texture to your gravy. You can replace it with poppy seeds too. Soak them and make a fine paste.

              * You can use boiled matter and shallow fried capsicum in this recipe to make best paneer pasanda. Add it at step no. 11.