Paneer curry (paneer ke sabzi)

Paneer Curry
(Paneer ke sabzi)

Paneer curry (paneer sabzi) is a very popular north Indian dish liked by most people. Paneer cubes are first sautéed then simmered in rich spicy gravy prepared with onion, tomato and cashews and almonds. Paneer curry goes well with rice and with any Indian bread.

Paneer curry is a very simple to make dish and paneer is a versatile ingredient that can be added in any aromatic gravy. By using the basic recipe you can make several variations of this delicious dish. Try it and experiment lot of variation by adding different vegetables.

Ingredients:

1    12 oz bar of paneer
2    Medium onions
1   Tablespoon minced garlic
2    Medium ripe tomatoes
or 3 tablespoon tomato sauce
4    Tablespoons plain yogurt
5    Tablespoons vegetable oil
1    Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1   Medium green chili - chopped
2    Teaspoons coriander powder
½   Teaspoon red chili powder
½   Teaspoon turmeric powder
½   Teaspoon cumin seeds
1   Pinch of Asafetida (Hing)
½   Teaspoon garam masala
1   Teaspoon salt or to your taste
1   Cup of whole milk
12 Almonds (optional)
12 Cashew nuts (optional) (raw
unsalted and not roasted)
2   Tablespoons chopped coriander
leaves
2    Tablespoons grated paneer
(optional)

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Block of Paneer

Onions, Tomatoes, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chili & Coriander leaves

Milk, Yogurt, Almonds, Cashews & Grated Paneer

Directions to sauté paneer:

1. Slice the paneer in 1” long and ¼ “thick cubes.

2. In non stick wide frying pan heat 1 tablespoon oil, spread the paneer pieces in the pan and sauté them, 1 minute each side. Once both sides of paneer pieces become golden brown take them out and place them in a plate over paper towel so that extra oil is absorbed. Once all the paneer sautéed keep them aside.

Slice the Paneer

Spread the Paneer pieces in the pan

Paneer is sautéed

Sauteed Paneer

Directions to prepare gravy:

1. Soak the almonds and cashews in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Mince the onions and garlic in the chopper or in the blender. Mixture should
be coarse.

Soak Almonds & Cashew nuts

Mince Onion & Garlic

3. On high heat add 3 tablespoons oil in a wide nonstick frying pan or a wide heavy bottom stainless steel frying pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes or until cumin seeds become brown.

4. Add minced onions and garlic and sauté, while periodically stirring. Onions will have a lot of water so for the first 8 to 10 minutes keep the heat high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.

In a pan add oil, Cumin seeds & Asafetida & fry

Add minced onion & Garlic & fry

5. While onion mixture cooks peel the skin of soaked almonds. Add the soaked cashews, skinned almonds and yogurt in the same food chopper or blender and grind them to a paste. Transfer the paste in a bowl.

6. Add tomato to the same blender and puree.

Grind Almonds & Cashew nuts

Tomato Puree

7.  Once the onion water has evaporated turn the heat down to medium and let
the onions fry for 8 to 9 minutes, frequently stir the onions.

8.  Once onions become light brown add Coriander powder, Red chili powder,
      Turmeric powder and mix with the fried onions and fry for few seconds.

Onions become light brown

Add Coriander powder, Red chili powder & Turmeric powder

9. Add tomato puree and yogurt and nut paste. With the tomato puree and yogurt,
    onion masala become watery turn the heat high for 2 to 3 minutes, so that water
    evaporated quickly. Frequently keep stirring the onion masala, turn the heat
    down to medium

Mix the spices with Onion & fry

Add Tomato puree and mix

10. In about 5 to 6 minutes tomato puree and yogurt and nuts paste will blend
with fried onion.

11. Once all the water has evaporated you will see the oil in pan. That means
onion masala is done

Add Yogurt nut paste & mix

Onion Masala is done

12. Add 2 cups of water and salt and mix with Onion Masala cover the pan and
cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until half of the water evaporated

Add water in Onion Masala & mix

Cover the pan & cook gravy

13. Once gravy is cooked add ½ cup of whole milk and mix with gravy. Constantly stir the gravy for a minute so that milk blends in with the gravy well, cook for 5 minutes or until you have the desired consistency. Paneer curry generally have thick gravy.

Onion gravy is cooked

Add Milk in the gravy

Mix Milk with gravy

Gravy is cooked

13. Once the gravy is cooked add chopped green chilies, grated ginger, garam masala, mix and cook for 5 minutes if the gravy looks too thick then add little water.

Add grated ginger, chopped green chilies & garam masala

Gravy is ready

Add sautéed paneer pieces

Mix Paneer with gravy

14. Once you have the desired thickness of gravy add sautéed paneer pieces, mix and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn the stove off.

15. When ready to serve transfer curry to the serving dish and garnish with grated paneer and chopped coriander leaves.

Cover the Pan and cook

Paneer curry is ready

Tips:

1.      Two cups of green peas could be added with the paneer.

2.      To get the rich taste add ½ cup of cream in the end after cooking paneer.

3.    To enhance the flavor if you like add 1 teaspoon dry methi leaves (fenugreek
       leaves)

Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.

Thank you

Geeta Seth

Other recipes:

Shahi paneer                                            Palak paneer (paneer with spinach)

Paneer frankie (wrap)                            Kadhi paneer

Paneer tikka masala                              Muttar paneer (paneer with green peas)

Paneer pakoras (Fritters)                      Butter paneer

Paneer Bhurji                                         Paneer kofta

Paneer Curry (Paneer ke sabzi)

Paneer Curry
(Paneer ke sabzi)