Garam Masala Tuesdays: Shahi Paneer
 
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Shahi Paneer is usually a special occasion dish because of its richness. I tried the recipe given by the cook for the first time on my own two weeks back. But, the gravy was a little too thick and rich, and a lot for just the two of us. Next time, I halved the recipe and decreased the cashew called for to a quarter of the original recipe. And now its the way I want it. The recipe below is the improvised version. The best part of this recipe is that it does not require too many spices, and still is quite flavorful. This dish is perfect for those who would like to make Indian food at home, but do not have the necessary spices on hand. It can be served with any Indian bread, such as naan or roti.
Author:
Recipe type: main, entree, indian, vegetarian, side
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 250gm onions (1 large onion), quartered
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • 3-4 green chillies ( if you prefer less heat, deseed the chillies)
  • 125 gm tomato (2 small roma tomatoes or 1.5 large tomato)
  • 50 gm cashews
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste ( 1 inch ginger & 4 cloves garlic)
  • 250 gms paneer
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp sugar or 1 tbsp ketchup (See note above)
  • ½ - ¾ cup low fat milk
  • 1 cup warm water (might require a little more to thin out the gravy)
  • a handful of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 3-4 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • a very small pinch garam masala (optional)
  • salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel the ginger, and in a spice grinder, grind the ginger and garlic into a paste. (You might need to add ½tsp of water to make the paste smooth).
  2. Wash the tomatoes, and remove the eyes of the tomato, and cut crosses on the other side (as shown in the picture on right above)
  3. Put the tomatoes, onions, coriander seeds, green chillies, and cashews in a big enough sauce pot. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and let it come to a boil (about 10 minutes). Drain the water and blend it to a paste. I generally keep a cup under the strainer and reserve some of the liquid to put in the gravy later. You could remove the skin of the tomatoes if you like, but it is fine even if you don't.
  4. In another pan (I use the same sauce pot), heat the butter. Once hot, add in the ginger-garlic paste. Fry till goldenish. Add the onion-tomato paste.
  5. Fry on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the oil separates. (Use your gloves- see note. If you are using a big enough pot then you might not require the gloves ).
  6. Add salt and turmeric powder and let cook for another 15-20 minutes on medium-low flame. (I added 2 tsp red chilli powder as well). Add ¼ cup of the reserved warm water. Cook for 5 minutes and keep adding the rest of 1 cup of water every 5 minutes, for the next 15 minutes.
  7. Add the roasted cumin powder and kasoori methi in the sauce and mix well. Season with salt and add sugar if required. You can add a little ketchup as well. The ketchup adds a little sweetness, and a little red colour to the gravy.
  8. While the sauce is being cooked, cut the paneer into triangles, (or cubes or whatever shape you prefer). I like to cut the paneer into 1 inch long triangles that are about ½ inch thick.
  9. Bake/broil/fry the paneer, if you would like. (see note)
  10. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce. Add the paneer, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add finely chopped cilantro, the milk and if required a little more warm water. Adjust seasoning. You can add a pinch of garam masala at this point, if you like. Serve hot with naan, or roti.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2012/03/06/garam-masala-tuesdays-shahi-paneer/