Paneer Pasanda

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil (Use 2 to 3 tablespoons for sautéing the onions.)
• 1.75 cup onions (Finely processed or chopped.)
• 0.5 inch ginger (Peeled and sliced.)
• 4 garlic cloves (Medium cloves (or 8 small); slice if large.)
• 1.5 cup tomatoes (Diced; use a sweet variety, not sour.)
• 0.25 cup cashews (Soaked; alternatively use ¼ cup almond flour. Soak in ½ cup water.)
• 0.5 cup water (For soaking the cashews.)
• 0.5 cup curd (Fresh yogurt, not sour.)
• 1 tbsp butter (Use 1 to 1½ tablespoons.)
• 1 green chili (Slit and deseeded, or leave seeds in for more heat.)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 strand mace
• 1 black cardamom
• 4 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1.5 inch cinnamon (Piece.)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (Reduce for a milder dish.)
• 0.875 tsp garam masala (Total for gravy and filling: ¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon.)
• 1.5 cup hot water (Use 1½ to 1¾ cups.)
• 0.125 tsp salt (For gravy and filling; source lists ¾ to 1 teaspoon for gravy and ⅛ teaspoon for filling, or as needed.)
• 0.375 tsp sugar (Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon if needed to balance the flavors.)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (Crushed or powdered.)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves.)
• 0.125 tsp nutmeg (Grated.)
• 1 pinch saffron (Adjust to taste; rose water or kewda may be used instead.)
• 400 g paneer (Block(s); trimming edges yields about 35 to 40 g crumbled paneer for the stuffing.)
• 1 tsp ghee (For frying the paneer sandwiches; oil may be used instead.)
• 1.5 tbsp cashew nuts (Chopped; pistachios and almonds may be used instead.)
• 0.125 tsp cumin powder (Adjust to taste.)
• 0.125 tsp red chili powder (For the paneer filling.)
• 0.125 tsp dried ginger (Optional.)
• 0.125 tsp amchur (Or chaat masala; body text allows ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon, adjusted to taste.)
• 1 tbsp coriander chutney (Use 1 to 1½ tablespoons.)
• 1 tbsp heavy cream (For garnish; cashew cream may be used instead.)
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves (Finely chopped; for garnish.)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, until golden.

2. 2

   Add the sliced ginger and garlic. Lower the heat and continue sautéing until the onions are deeply golden and caramelized, taking care not to burn them.

3. 3

   Cool the onion mixture. Transfer it to a blender with the tomatoes, soaked cashews, and curd, then blend to a smooth paste.

4. 4

   Add the butter to the same pot and heat over low heat. Add the bay leaf, mace, cinnamon, cloves, green and black cardamoms, and green chili.

5. 5

   Let the whole spices sizzle in the butter for 1 minute.

6. 6

   Stir in the Kashmiri red chili powder and ¾ teaspoon garam masala.

7. 7

   Add the onion-tomato puree. Take care because it may splutter; cover the pot quickly and cook over low to medium heat for 8 minutes. Leave a spoon in the pot and stir every 3 minutes without uncovering.

8. 8

   Turn the heat down and stir in the hot water. Cover and simmer until the gravy is thick and creamy.

9. 9

   Trim the edges of the paneer blocks, reserving the trimmings (about 35 to 40 g, or ¼ cup crumbled) for the filling. Cut the remaining paneer into 8 portions.

10. 10

    Make a slit in each paneer portion, keeping one side intact so each piece can be filled without separating.

11. 11

    Combine the crumbled paneer trimmings with the salt, coriander chutney, chopped cashews, red chili powder, amchur, garam masala, and dried ginger. Taste and adjust the spices to your preference; keep the mixture moist but not runny.

12. 12

    Carefully fill each paneer piece with the mixture, keeping one side intact and taking care not to break the paneer. Set the sandwiches aside.

13. 13

    Check that the gravy is thick and creamy. Stir in the nutmeg, kasuri methi, black pepper, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

14. 14

    Sprinkle on the saffron (or use rose water or kewda instead). Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for 5 to 10 minutes.

15. 15

    Heat the ghee or oil in a pan. Add the paneer sandwiches and fry over medium to medium-high heat, using a wooden tong or two spatulas to turn them carefully.

16. 16

    Continue frying until the sandwiches are crisp and golden on both sides.

17. 17

    Let the gravy cool slightly; it thickens further as it cools. Serve the gravy with basmati rice, naan, or roti. Place the paneer sandwiches in the gravy and garnish with coriander leaves and cream.

Notes

Use fresh, non-sour curd and sweet, non-sour tomatoes to avoid an overly tangy gravy. Saffron is optional; rose water or kewda are alternatives. Serve with basmati rice, naan, or roti. Structured recipe gives a yield of 4 to 5 servings; set here to 4.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• pan-fried
• Indian
• comfort food