Paneer Masala by Tarla Dalal

Paneer Masala,


The desi tongue drools at the sight of Paneer Masala. It is perhaps the first dish that comes to mind when one thinks of paneer. A succulent tomato-based gravy flavoured with an elaborate masala paste containing almost all the spices in your masala dabba together with onions, coconut, and other ingredients, plays host to cubes of soft, fresh paneer. Paneer absorbs the tangy flavours well, making the overall effect very enjoyable indeed.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Cooking Time: 12 minutes.
Serves 4.

1½ cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
1 tbsp oil
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
½ cup fresh cream
Salt to taste

To be ground into a smooth paste (using approx. 2 tbsp water)
¾ cup roughly chopped onions
2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
1 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 sticks cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
6 peppercorns (kalimirch)
6 whole dry Kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
1 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
1½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
5 garlic (lehsun) cloves

For serving
Parathas

1. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai, add the prepared paste and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
3. Add the cream, ½ cup of water and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the paneer, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
5. Serve hot with parathas.

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  Cooking