Shahi Paneer

Cottage cheese is the most favorite option for vegetarians in India as it is rich in protein and serves as a substitute for chicken or fish. A good Indian meal is never complete without a preparation of paneer.

Paneer is cooked in various forms as starter, main course or dessert, with gravy or as a dry dish. It is also used to garnish Indian biryanis and as a stuffing in famous Indian breads.

Shahi paneer can be cooked in various different ways. The method described below is the simplest of them all and can be used by any amateur to cook a great dish. The cooking time of paneer is negligible which also makes it a popular choice among most people.

Ingredients:

1. Paneer/Cottage Cheese - 1/2 KG
2. Medium size onions - 3
3. Medium size tomatoes - 4
4. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
5. Garlic - 5-6 cloves
6. Green chilly - 1-2 depending on the amount of spice you want
7. Cream/Full cream milk - 1 cup
8. Salt - to taste
9. Red chilly powder - 1/2 spoon
10. Indian garam masala - 1/2 spoon
11. Kasoori Methi/dry fenugreek leaves - 1 spoon
12. salt - 1 tbl spoon or to taste
13. Oil - 2 spoon to cook.

Serves: 4-5 people

Method:

1. Peel the onions and roughly slice them.
2. Take a deep pan and heat some oil in it.
3. When oil is hot add onions to it.
4. Add whole garlic cloves, green chillies and roughly chopped ginger to the pan and let this cook on slow flame, while stirring in between.
5. Once onions have turned golden brown add red chilly powder and stir for 1-2 mins.
6. Roughly chop tomatoes in large pieces and add to the pan.
7. Add salt to this, cover and let it cook for 8-10 mins or till the time tomatoes are done.
8. Switch off the flame and let this mixture cool down for 5 mins.
9. Put the above mixture in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add 1/2 cup cream or full cream milk (whichever is available) and blend again.
10. Switch on the flame again and add the paste to it.
11. Add the remaining milk in the pan while stirring it continuously on high flame.
12. Switch the flame to low after first boil and add garam masala to it.
13. Dry roast the kasoori methi in a pan and crush it to powder. Add this powder to the paneer gravy.
14. Cut the paneer pieces in square and add to the gravy.
15. Adjust the consistency of gravy as per your taste by adding either some milk or water.
16. Take out the paneer in a bowl and garnish it with fresh cream before serving.
17. This can be enjoyed with any Indian bread or rice.

Tips:

1. Make sure you stir gravy continually on high flame while adding mil or cream it is being added to tomato gravy which is sour and can react with milk to cause its curdling.
2. Once paneer is added to gravy it should not be cooked for more than 2-3 mins as it will make paneer hard and stretchy.