Smoky Paneer Tikka Masala Restaurant Style (Marinated Indian Cheese)

Paneer Tikka Masala is a famous Punjabi dish. The pre-marinated pieces of Paneer are grilled and then added to a thick spicy gravy. In this recipe the Paneer lends a subtle smoky charcoal flavor and finally the paneer tikka along rest contents (onions, tomato, capsicum) is cooked along a rich smooth creamy gravy with all the goodness of Indian spices. This is just the resturant way of taste with lovely smokey and tangy flavored delicious curry, which you can enjoy along Pulka/Nan/Chapati or even Rice items (pulao). This recipe can be made little quick if you are managing to make tikka one side and gravy on other end. Try it for yourself and relish, I am sure you will love this Recipe!

Paneer Marination :

Ingredients:

4 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp Red chilli powder

1 medium tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp ajwain powder

1 tbsp giner-garlic paste

1 tbsp musturd oil

1 tsp kasturi methi powder

1 tbsp Besan (roast it well till you get plesant smell)

1 small tsp corn flour 

Salt to taste

~ Mix all the above ingredients and make a paste

•  Make medium cubes of Paneer (200 gm), Capsicum (1 no), onion (1 no' separate the leaves), Tomato (1 no' deseed it).

•  Marinate the Paneer, capsicum, onions & Tomato for 30 minutes (If kept 1 hour in refrigerator is also good).
• Now insert slowly capsicum, onion, paneer, tomato alternately in satay sticks. (You can also use tooth picks)

•  Heat iron griddle, grease some butter and fry the stuffed tikka stack. Let the flame be low. Add melted butter if needed while turning over the tikka stack. Let them fry well to golden brown on all sides. When done, remove the individual paneer, onion, tomato and capsicum and keep aside.

Making of the gravy:
Ingredients:
2 large onions finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
Ginger garlic paste 1 big tbsp
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 small tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp kasturi methi
1/2 thick Cashew paste (Soak 250 gm cashew in warm water for 10-15 minutes and grind it to fine paste)
1/2 cup fresh Cream
100 gm butter
3 tbsp coconut oil
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Take a kadai, add 100 gm butter, when it melts add the cumin seeds, follows by onions.
• Let the onions get to golden brown.

•  Now add the chopped tomato, and fry it for 5 minutes untill it gets cooks well. Add salt.

•  Transfer the content to grind into mixer to paste. Now add the ground paste into a thick bottom vessel containing 2 tbsp oil. Saute it well for a minute.

•  Now add Red chilli powder, coriander powder, kasturi methi, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and saute well till the content leaves oil.

•  Add the cashew paste , followed by the Cream & cook the content well. Add sufficient amount of water. Let the gravy cook well. (You can add corn water if your gravy turns to be thin)

•  Now add the fried tikka pieces. and mix well. Cook it for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the salt if needed. Add chopped coriander leaves/ spring onions. Serve it along nan/pulka/Rice

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN

SHAHI PANEER

Shahi paneer is a typical North Indian dish eaten with with roti, chappati, nan or other Indian breads.
Shahi paneer is preparation of paneer pieces in a thick, creamy and spicy gravy prepared in tomato, onion and cashewnuts paste. Here I have added poppy seeds too, as it helps the gravy to be thick and also it enhances the taste. Paneer is the Indian word for cottage cheese, and shahi is the Indo-Persian term for royal (in reference to the Mughal court) as information through Sources available.

Ingredients:
200 gms paneer (cottage cheese), cut into even size cubes
2 medium onions chopped 
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 cup cashew nut (kaju) paste [Soak 2 fist full of cashews & poppy seeds in warm water, then grind to smooth paste using milk cream/ or even milk is fine]
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste (Choice, but i hav used paste as well as chopped pieces)
1 big tbsp chilli paste [I have ground fresh red chilli to fine paste]
4 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 star anise
1" Cinnamon stick (cut into 2-3 smal piece)
3 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Shahi jeera
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp fine chopped garlic
2 tsp fine chopped ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
2-3 tbsp Coconut oil for shallow frying paneer
2 tbsp coconut oil + 1 tbsp Ghee
For garnish fine chopped cilantro leaves/ melted butter [Choice]

Method:

• Cut the paneer into even size cubes.

• Shallow fry the Paneer until they are golden brown and keep aside.

• Take a Kadai, add coconut oil and ghee, fry the spices (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera) untill you get the pleasant smell. Add the ginger-garlic chops followed by onions and salute well till it gets golden brown. 
• Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt to taste and fry well for 2-3 mins. Now add the tomato puree and chilli paste. Now cool this masala mixture to room-temperature and grind it to a paste. Again transfer this masala paste to kadai. [You can also add 1-2 green chilli here]

• Grind the cashew and poppy seeds along milk to fine smooth paste. [You can also strain it through fine mesh strainer, in order to get a smooth paste]. Now add the Cashew paste into the ground masala content and saute well for 5 minutes. Adjust the salt if needed. Now add adequate quantity of milk (milk : water -> 1:1 ratio) to bring the masala mixture to gravy consistency, the poppy seed added along cashew paste helps the gravy to get thickened (Do not make the gravy dilute add little by little mater to check the thickness of the gravy).

• Now when the curry is getting to boil add the fried paneer and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Switch off the burner, garnish with fine chops of coriander if needed. You can also top it with some butter. Serve along chapati/nan/dosa/ Rice. Its Yummmmm and creamy rich recipe and healthy too :)

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN

Paneer Momos [Dumplings]

I have become crazy for these dumplings. So trying variety of stuffing's. Make similar method as shown in Egg Dumplings, then finally instead adding the egg; add the grated paneer.  Here I have tried making a different shape for the dumplings and it is really looks nice :) 
Serve it along Tomato Chilli Sauce... Its yummy... 

Tomato chilli sauce:

• Take a pan, add 3 tbsp oil, fry 3 finely chopped tomato. When the tomato softens, add the finely chopped 2 green chillies, 1 tbsp of chopped ginger-garlic. (you can also add 1 small capsicum chopped, this too gives an exotic taste to sauce; I din have capsicum else could have added)
• Saute well for 2-3 mins, add 1 tbsp soya sauce & 1 tbsp chilli sauce, salt to taste and fry for a minute.
• Now grind this to a fine paste in blender.
• Use this sauce as dipping for the momo's
• This is just yummy.

Mutter Paneer Butter masala

This weekend is quite busy with lot of activities, being Diwali weekend preparation. I thought of making Mutter Paneer. I love it along chapati/paratas. I made paratas along this curry. It is easy to make, but includes lot of ingredients which add to the richness of its flavour. As you try making it, indeed you become an expert!!

Paneer 250gm packet  cut into 16 cubes, Boiled Green Peas 1 Cup

For Gravy:
Big Tomatoes 4 Nos, think tomato puree    2 tbsp, Tomato Sauce 1 tbsp, Garam masala powder 1/2 tbsp, Coriander Powder 1 tbsp, Cumin Powder 1 tbsp, Turmeric Powder 1/2 tbsp, Salt to taste, Honey 1 tbsp, Butter 3 tbsp, Fresh Cream 1/2 Cup, Bay Leaf 1 Nos, Cardamon 3 Nos, Cloves 4-5 Nos, Kasturi Methi    1 tbsp, Grated Paneer  2-3 tbsp, Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing

For grinding:
Onion 1 Nos, Ginger 1" piece, Garlic Pods 4-5, Red Chilly 2, Cashewnuts 8

Method:

• Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a non stick flat pan. Fry paneer until light brown color on all the sides.After all paneer is fried keep aside.
• Heat butter add bay leaf, cloves, cardamon and saute for a minute. Make a fine paste grinding together Onion, ginger, garlic , cashewnuts and red chillies. Add them and cook till it turns light brown. Meanwhile grind all the 4 tomatoes and keep aside the puree.
• Drop in the concentrated tomato puree and tomato sauce(ketchup) into the onion mixture and cook for a minute. Add the set aside tomato puree along with all the powders - turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala and salt. Cook until oil separates from the masala.
• Add tablespoon full of honey along with milk, cream and about 3/4th cup of water and allow it to boil. Add in Peas along with paneer and the required salt and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Add grated paneer, kasturi methi (remember to fry the methi for few sec on the tava and then crush them between ur palm) & coriander leaves and serve hot with nan/paratas/phulkas or ghee rice.