Paneer – Capsicum Gravy

The very first time I tasted paneer was when I was in engineering college. Our all parties involved atleast one paneer dish. I have tried including it in my cooking, but I don’t say I have been very successful. I buy it once in a while when I remember. Recently, we are having lot of get togethers and we get to taste atleast one dish with paneer, thanks to my North Indian friends.

Yesterday I wanted to make a gravy with paneer which was sitting in my freezer for a while. I asked my friend Amrita for a recipe, she makes lip smacking good paneer dishes. She suggested shahi paneer or paneer matar. I started making shahi paneer but then I kept tweaking it and made something which is kind of cross between shahi paneer and paneer kadai. It came out really good, even my 3 and half year old liked it (who hates any kind of cheese, so I tell him it is white chicken!!).

Ingredients:
2 cups paneer cubes
2 cups chopped capsicum (green bellpepper)
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup tomato
1 tea spn ginger paste
1 tea spn garlic paste
1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1/2 tea spn cumin powder
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
A pinch turmeric
1 tea spn chilli powder
2 tbl spn chopped coriander leaves (use stems also)
1 tbl spn cashews
1 tabl spn almonds
Oil
Salt

Method:

Heat a little oil and fry paneer pieces in it till they get brownish color. Then add capsicum pieces and fry for few minutes.

Take cashews, almonds in a bowl with water and microwave for about 40secs. (Or soak them in water for for few hours).

Heat oil and add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, onion. Fry till they are transparent. Now add tomato, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and cook till tomatoes are soft.

Grind with soaked cashews-almonds, coriander leaves. Grind to a smooth paste.

Add the paste to paneer-capsicum, pour in enough water to make it to gravy of needed consistency. Add salt and cook 5-6mins.
Serve hot with chapatis or jeera rice.

Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 30mins