Paneer Pasanda (Restaurant Style Recipe)

In a frying pan or kadai take the 1.75 cups roughly chopped tomatoes, 10 to 12 cashews, ½ inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 2 single thin strands of mace, 2 cloves and 1 cup water.

On a low to medium heat, stir and simmer this mixture till the tomatoes soften.

When the tomatoes soften, switch off the heat. Some stock will remain in the pan and we will use it while blending the tomatoes. Let this mixture become warm or cool down completely before you grind.

Add the cooked tomatoes-cashews-spices mixture together with the stock in a blender or mixer-grinder. No need to add any extra water while blending or grinding.

Grind to a smooth and fine paste. There should be no cashew chunks or pieces in the paste. Keep this tomato-cashews paste aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and add 1 cup heaped chopped onions.

Stir and saute the onions on a low heat. Add a pinch of salt for the onions to brown faster.

Once the onions turn to light golden, switch off the heat. Let the onions cool.

Now in a blender or grinder, transfer the sautéed caramelized onions. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of water or as needed.

Blend or grind the fried onions to a fine and smooth paste. Keep this onion paste aside.

In a bowl or plate, take the 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of grated paneer, 1 tablespoon raisins (chopped), 2 tablespoons finely chopped cashews, 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and ½ tablespoon chopped mint leaves.

Now add ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required.

Mix everything evenly and set aside.

Slice the paneer gently in triangles. Now slice each triangle into two halves gently.

Now place some of the stuffing on one paneer triangle halve.

Cover it with its top halve gently. Don't press. One paneer sandwich is ready.

Make all paneer sandwiches stuffed with the filling this way.

In a bowl, make a paste of ½ cup corn starch with 4 tablespoons of water.

Dip the paneer sandwich slice in the batter.

Turn over and coat from all sides. You can also use a spoon or small tongs to coat the slices. Ensure that all the sides are evenly coated and the filling side should be also coated with the batter.

Place the paneer slices in a medium hot oil for shallow frying.

Dip each paneer sandwich triangle this way and then place more paneer triangles in the hot oil. Do stir the corn starch paste before you coat the paneer triangles with it as the cornstarch settles down at the bottom of the bowl.

When the base is golden, turn over and continue to shallow fry until the second side is golden. You can also deep fry these paneer triangles.

Remember not to overdo the frying as this may cause the paneer to become chewy, dry and dense.

Now place the fried paneer sandwiches on kitchen paper towels. Keep aside.

In the same pan, in which we cooked the tomatoes, add 1 to 1.5 tablespoon oil. Add 1 tej patta and ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera).

Fry till the shahi jeera crackles. Substitute cumin seeds (jeera) if out of caraway seeds.

Add 1 to 1.5 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste.

Stir and saute on low heat for a few seconds till raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

Now add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.

Stir and then add the fried onion paste. Stir very well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder. Stir and mix very well.

Then add 1 cup water. Stir again to combine.

Simmer paneer pasanda gravy on a low heat.

If the gravy splutters a lot, then cover the pan with a lid.

Simmer the paneer pasanda gravy till you see some oil specks on the top. The gravy will also thicken. About 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.

Then add salt as required.

Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or as required.

Stir to mix and then add ¼ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed and 2 tablespoons light cream or low fat cream.

Stir till the cream is mixed evenly with the rest of the paneer pasanda gravy.

Now you can place the paneer triangles or pasanda in the gravy. Coat the paneer pasanda gently in the gravy.You could also opt to place them in a serving tray or plate and pour the gravy from top.

Serve Paneer Pasanda hot garnished with some chopped coriander leaves. Best accompaniments with paneer pasanda are naan, tandoori roti, chapati, lachcha paratha, malabar paratha and jeera rice or veg pulao.