Paneer Makhanwala

Hi!

Cottage Cheese/Paneer is an all time favorite with my kids especially my younger one. I keep trying various preparations with it so that it can be enjoyed every time we eat. One can surely read many recipes with this versatile product here in my space.

When I say it is versatile it means that it can be used to make curry, starters, desserts etc. Since it has quite a plain taste, as a foodie we can play with many flavors and spices with it. I personally like my curry a little spicy. This particular preparation is quite simple to prepare and does not need any special ingredient and surely tastes good. S, who is on a diet could not stop asking for more of this. As for my younger one he could not resist it and had an early dinner and loved eating it.

For the simplest of the curry to get the right flavor I insist that the masala be roasted properly, that surely is the key to any curry and I am quite patient about it, I surely do not compromise on that. I might use low oil while roasting/bhuno the masala but I ensure that it’s well cooked and the aroma spread out. When I was roasting the masala for this curry, my elder one had just come back from school and the first question he asked is “What are you making?” I could smell the masala at the main gate. Now the main gate is about 40m from my place but as the masala was well roasted the aroma had spread out. Check out this simple but amazingly tasty curry and yes, well roasted too!!!

Ingredients

250gms Cottage Cheese/Paneer cut into cubes

3 onions roughly chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

4-5 garlic pods

1/2” piece ginger

2-1/2  tbsp Tomato Paste

2 tbsp Kasoori Methi

1 tsp degi mirch

1 tsp red chili pwd

1 tbsp coriander pwd

2 tbsp fresh cream

1/2 tsp garam masala (mine is verry strong)

1/4 tsp of turmeric pwd

salt to taste

oil for cooking

Method

Grind together onion, ginger, garlic and cumin together.

Heat about 2 tbsp oil and add the onion paste and saute on low flame till it’s cooked.

 

Meanwhile in a shallow pan in few tsp oil roast the cottage cheese cubes on either side till golden brown.

To the onion paste add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly.

Add salt to taste, both the chili pwds, turmeric and garam masala and cook till oil separates.

 

Add about 1-1/2 cups water and bring the curry to a boil.

 

Add the cream, simmer and cook.

Finally add the Paneer and kasoori methi and cook for about 5 mins.

Garnish with some cream and grated paneer and serve hot with roti/ naan or jeera rice.

Sending this to Flavours Of Punjab hosted by me, an event started by Nayna of Simply.food

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