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Paneer Pasanda
Serves 4
45 mins
450 Kcal
Among North Indian preparations, paneer pasanda is the richest, with paneer, or Indian cottage cheese, bracingly versatile. Flavoured creamy texture with a savoury gravy, this dish is a showstopper in family gatherings and other celebrations. "Pasanda" is, after all, a word made of Sanskrit "favourite." It certainly deserves that position, as it happens to be a favourite among vegetarians and paneer lovers. This Paneer pasanda recipe is very rich. Paneer pasanda begins with the star ingredient: paneer, which is usually cut into thick slices and then stuffed with a mixture of finely chopped nuts, raisins, and spices. This stuffing adds delightful crunch while giving just a hint of sweetness - thereafter, the dish overall gets elevated in flavour. The stuffed paneer slices shall then be shallow-fried until golden brown, which allows for richness and taste. The gravy of paneer pasanda is rich in onions, tomatoes, and other spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Cashew paste or cream can be used to make it even a very rich, velvety sauce that puts forward stuffed paneer perfectly. The dish cooks under a gentle simmer to allow flavours to collect and deliver an opulent curry with aromatic delight and indulgence. It's typically served over naan, roti, or aromatic basmati rice, so it makes a decadent centrepiece for any meal. This recipe of paneer pasanda is delightful. Garnished with fresh cilantro and sometimes a drizzle of cream, this dish is so much more than merely food for the mouth but also a delight for the eye. This dish will surely delight the guests and add some richness to the dinner table, with rich flavours and aromas inviting the palate. It is one of the celebrated dishes in Indian cuisine: paneer pasanda.
Ingredients required for Paneer Pasanda
- 250 gms paneer
- Coriander
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Cooking oil
- Dairy cream
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1 onion
- Salt
- 25 gms cashews
- Red chilli powder
- Ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 25 gms raisin
Cooking steps for Paneer Pasanda
- 1Begin by cutting 250 gms of paneer into very thin slices; use about 1/4 inch thick slices to hold together well during the stuffing and frying process. Put them aside on a clean plate or cutting board once sliced.
- 2Mix the following: grated paneer, 50 grams; chopped cashews, 25 grams; chopped raisins, 25 grams; and garam masala with salt to taste. All these will go inside your paneer sandwich as its stuffing.
- 3The gratings of paneer add a creaminess to it, whereas the crunch of cashews and the sweetness of raisins make it lip-smacking. Garam masala fixes it there on the flavour profile scale as the stuffing becomes aromatic and savoury.
- 4Now mix everything properly so that all the ingredients get well-mixed up.
- 5Take one slice of the paneer and add a spoonful of the stuffing mixture in the middle. Place another slice of paneer on top and press that down gently like you do with a sandwich. Press another slice of paneer as a sandwich, being careful not to squish it too hard. Repeat the same for all your other paneer and filling pieces. In the end, you should be having about 4-5 stuffed sandwiches based on how large slices you have cut from the paneer.
- 6Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a pan on medium flame. When it gets hot, add the stuffed paneer sandwiches in that pan and shallow fry them from both sides for about 3-4 minutes or until they get golden brown.
- 7Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry them in batches if necessary. When they turn golden crisp, get them off the pan and set them on paper towels to absorb any remaining oil content from frying. This step gives it a nice texture to the stuffed paneer, and you can enjoy it.
- 8Add one tablespoon of oil to the same pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 finely chopped onion. Fry the onion till it turns golden brown. Stir occasionally till it turns golden brown, for 5-7 minutes. That is to prevent the onions from burning. The golden onions will add sweetness to the gravy.
- 9Add 1 Tsp ginger-garlic paste to the pan. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes. The aroma and flavour of the gravy will now become all the more invigorating with the ginger-garlic paste.
- 10Add 2 cups of tomato puree to this pan, and let it thicken like gravy. Add 1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder, 1 Tsp of red chilli powder, 1 Tsp of coriander powder, and salt as per taste. Stir it well so that the gravy thickens. Allow it to cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- 11The oil would slightly separate from the mix, meaning that the spices have cooked and flavours are developed.
- 12Add 1 cup of water into the pan once the gravy has thickened. Stir over it and bring to a boil. When this boils down, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to absorb flavours and ensure the consistency of the gravy.
- 13Put fried stuffed paneer sandwiches gently into the simmering gravy. Be careful not to break the sandwiches; you may use a spatula to help slide them in. Let the sandwich rest in the gravy for about 5 minutes. This process is necessary to help the sandwich take in all that flavoured tomato gravy.