Paneer Pasanda

Year 2011, pot luck party at work. I decided to buy food from outside but co-workers insisted to bring home-cooked food. Now you don't expect bachelor guys to bring home-cooked food for a pot-luck party unless off-course they live with parents, mom to be precise. But yes apparently they wanted everyone to bring home-cooked food. And again off-course, "Vegetarian". 
So I put on my thinking hat in the evening to decide what that could be. And this is what I came up with.
People really liked the dish a lot and appreciated a lot. Someone asked me the name of the dish, it was just out of the blue. I never thought I would have to have a name of the dish. 
I had no time to think, I just replied "Paneer Pasanda".

Here is how I did my Paneer Pasanda.

Ingredients:

• Paneer                           - 400 gm
• Onion                             - 1 medium
• Tomato                          - 1 medium
• Green chilli                  - 5-6(cut in halves)
• Ginger garlic paste    - 1 tsp
• Cashew                          - 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice                     - 2 tsp
• Oil                                   - 2 Tbsp
• Ghee                               - 2 Tbsp
• Bay leaf                         - 1
• Cinnamon                    - 1 inch stick
• Green cardamom      - 3
• Cloves                            - 5-6
• Salt                                 - as per taste

Method:

1. Cut paneer into small cubes of half inch. 
2. Soak the cashew nuts in half cup warm water for 30 mins.
3. Mix paneer with salt, lime juice, half the turmeric powder. Keep aside for 15 mins.
4. Make a smooth paste of onion and tomato and keep aside.
5. Make a smooth paste of cashew nuts and keep aside.
6. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan. Fry the paneer pieces till golden in color. Remove from pan and keep aside.
7. In the same pan add ghee and remaining oil.
8. When hot temper with whole spices(bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves).
9. When the whole spices release aroma add the onion paste and green chillies. Saute till raw smell of onion goes away and onion is cooked.
10. Add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a few minutes.
11. When masala is cooked well add the cashew paste, half a cup of water and mix well.
12. Add the fried paneer pieces, give a good stir and cover with a lid. Cook on low heat till masala thickens.
(I also added some thinly sliced fried potato in the gravy to give it a twist and make it more rich in taste which turned out awesome. But I will keep this optional to the one wearing the chef's hat)
13. Remove from pan and serve hot with roti or naan.