Paneer Handi
Handi Paneer presents a luscious and velvety curry, prepared within the confines of a traditional Indian cooking vessel known as a "handi." This vessel, characterized by its broad base and shallow depth, contributes to the distinct cooking process that enhances the flavors of this dish.
Ingredients
For Cashew Paste
- 3 tablespoons cashews
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water for grinding cashews
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 1 small tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 single strands of mace
- ⅓ cup chopped onions or 1 medium sized finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste or 1 inch ginger + 3 to 4 medium sized garlic, crushed in a mortar or pestle to a paste.
- 1 green chilli – slit
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes or 1 medium sized finely chopped tomato
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 teaspoons milk powder – optional
- 1 cup water
- salt as required
- 200 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi – crushed (dried fenugeek leaves)
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak 3 tablespoons cashews in ⅓ cup hot water for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, drain all the water and add the cashews in a grinder or blender jar. Also add 3 to 4 tablespoons water.
- Grind cashews to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Making Paneer Handi
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a heavy handi or pan or kadai. Keep the heat to a low.
- Then add 1 small tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and 2 single strands of mace.
- Fry the spices for some seconds till they become aromatic.
- Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions. Mix and begin to saute onions on a low to medium heat stirring often.
- First the onions will turn translucent. Continue to saute them. For quick cooking of onions add a pinch of salt. saute till the onions turn golden.
- Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1 green chilli (slit) and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
- Then add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes. Mix the tomatoes and begin to saute them on a low to medium flame.
- Saute till the tomatoes turn pulpy and mushy. The tomatoes have to be cooked very well and oil should release from the sauteed onion-tomato mixture.
- Now add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
- Mix the spice powders and saute for half a minute. Then add the cashew paste. mix well.
- Stirring often saute the masala till you see oil releasing from the sides.
- Then add 2 teaspoons milk powder. mix again very well. Then add 1 cup water.
- Stir and mix again to a smooth curry. Season with salt as per taste and mix again.
- Simmer the gravy for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat. When the gravy is done you will see oil specks on the top.
- Add 200 grams of paneer cubes and stir to mix. Turn off the heat.
- Then add ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) which have been crushed. At this step, you can also add 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg.
- Stir to gently mix. Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix again gently.
- Serve paneer handi hot or warm with naan or tandoori roti or khasta roti or phulka or plain paratha or lachha paratha or pudina paratha or malabar paratha or butter naan or saffron rice or jeera rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 9gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 69mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 430IUVitamin C: 5.1mgCalcium: 277mgIron: 0.8mg
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