PANEER IN CREAMY GRAVY

Paneer in creamy gravy, is a vegetarian dish, as you all know, my point here being, this  is one of the rare vegetarian dishes I try at home. My hubby is a bit reluctant in eating veggies, veg curries and legumes. So I wanted to try something with paneer with its gravy tasting similar to chicken gravies...
And hence this dish. I used some of the similar steps that I used to prepare my admirable kind of chicken curries, giving it the rich creaminess using cashew milk and my favorite seasoning with kasoori methi. Also instead of using whole tomatoes, I used tomato ketchup to impart thickness to the gravy...Here goes the recipe...

Ingredients:

• Panner - 200 gms
• ghee- 3 tbsp. to fry paneer+ 3 tbsp. for the gravy
• onion- 1 medium
• ginger garlic paste- 11/2 tsp
• tomato ketchup-2 tbsp.
• tomato paste-1  tsp
• chilli- 1 or 2
• Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tsp
• turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• kasoori methi- 1/2 tsp
• garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp
• pepper powder- 1/2 tsp, or less if you want less spicy
• cashew nuts soaked in hot water  for 10 mins- 25 gms

Preparation:

Drain off water from soaked cashews ,and grind to smooth paste in 1/4 cup water. Keep aside.

Heat ghee in a deep bottomed pan on low medium heat and fry the paneer till all the sides are nice and golden brown. Meanwhile mix tomato ketchup and tomato paste in a small bowl and keep aside. Take offthe paneer  from pan and add 2 tbsp. ghee from 3 tbsps. to the same pan and sauté onions. Cook till soft, add ginger garlic paste and chillies. Saute till raw smell disappears. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, garam masala powder and pepper powder. Be careful you don't burn the spice powders so keep the flame relatively low. Add tomato ketchup and salt. Add 1/2 cup water or little more and let the mixture boil. Don't make the gravy too watery as it looses its texture. Once the gravy starts to boil add cashew paste and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. I actually wasn't pleased with the taste of the gravy as it all tasted raw. But I simmered gravy for 15- 20 minutes and the raw taste of tomato paste and cashew disappeared and loved it just like any other chicken curry. Once the gravy is all set add in the fried paneer and simmer for 2 minutes. Do not add the panner first and then let the mixthure to boil for so long and the paneer can get powdered into the gravy. For the final touch add ghee and coriander leaves and kasoori methi and serve hot with battoora, paratha or naan. Enjoy.

Also I would like to mark my participation in Guru's cooking giveaway hosted by +guru wadhwa of Guru's cooking.... Lovely event with only vegan recipes.

 

 ALso linking this to Healthy Breakfast Event