Aloo Paneer - No onion garlic recipe

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time         : 30 mins

Serves                      : 4

Ingredients:

• Paneer                          - 300 grams
• Potato                           - 2 medium
• Tomato                         - 1 large, cut into cubes
• Green chilli                  - 3-4, sliced into halves
• Cilantro                        - a handful, chopped
• Ginger paste                - 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder       - 3/4 tsp
• Red Chilli powder      - 1 tsp(Adjust as per your level)
• Cumin powder            - 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala             - 1/2 tsp
• Salt                                - to taste
• Oil                                 - 1 Tbsp
• Ghee                             - 2 tsp
• Bay leaf                        - 2
• Whole cumin              - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Cut paneer into 3/4 inch cubes

2. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes of 3/4 inch.

3. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder on panner and potatoes, separately. 
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add paneer and fry on low heat till paneer turns golden brown. Remove from oil and keep aside.
5. In the same oil add potatoes. Fry till golden brown. Remove from oil and keep aside.

6. In a small bowl take remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and ginger paste. Add 1 Tbsp water in it and make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
7. In the same oil(if less add a bit) add whole cumin and bay leaves. 
8. When cumin starts to crackle add the masala paste and fry for about a minute in medium heat. 
9. Add the tomato and green chilli and mix well. Cook for around a minute. 

10. Add the fried paneer and potato. Mix well making sure paneer and potato is coated well with masala.
11. Add 1/2 cup water. Add salt. Give a good stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes.
12. Remove lid, add garam masala. Cook for another few minutes until gravy thickens a bit. 

13. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with roti or rice.

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.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

For Palak puree -

• Palak(Spinach)                  - 250 gms
• Green chilli                       - 3-4(chopped)
• Garlic                               - 5-6 cloves
• Ginger                              - ½ inch

For the curry-

• Paneer                         - 250 gms
• Onion                           - 1 large(chopped)
• Tomato                        - 1 medium(chopped)
• Turmeric powder          - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder          - ½ tsp
• Whole Cumin                - ½ tsp
• Bay leaf                        - 2
• Cinnamon                     - 1 inch stick
• Green Cardamom          - 3
• Cloves                          - 8
• Black peppercorn          - 10
• Whip Cream                  - 2 Tbsp
• Oil(or ghee)                  - 3 Tbsp
• Salt                              - to taste

Method:

1. Blanch the spinach in hot water for few(2-3) minutes. Remove from the hot water and put in ice cold water for 5 minutes.
2. Add blanched spinach, garlic, ginger and green chilli in a blender and make a smooth paste.
(If needed add half cup water)

3. Cut paneer into 1" sized cubes. Mix with a pinch of salt and turmeric.

4. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add the paneer pieces and fry them till golden brown in color.

5. Remove from pan and keep aside.

6. Add remaining oil in the pan. When hot temper with cumin seeds.
7. Add bay leaves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, black pepper corns.
8. When aroma of whole spices come out add chopped onions and sauté till onions turn translucent.

 9. Add chopped tomatoes. Keep cooking till tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy.

10. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Stir well and cook for a minute.
11. Add palak puree and half cup water and salt. Mix well.

12. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.
13. Add the paneer pieces. Give a good stir. Cover and cook for few more minutes.
14. Add cream and mix well. Remove from stove.

15. Serve hot with Naan or roti or jeera rice.

Paneer Shondesh

Ingredients:

• Paneer(Cottage cheese)         - 250 gms
• Condensed milk                     - 200 gms
• Cardamom powder                - 1/4 tsp
• Pistachios                             - 15(chopped)
• Almonds                               - 10 (chopped)

Method:
1. Grate paneer. Then knead using your hand till a smooth mixture is formed.
2. Add the paneer in a pan, add condensed milk and put on low heat.

3. Add half the amount of chopped pistachios and almonds and mix well.4. Keep cooking on low flame till the mixture thickens and no more sticks to the surface of the pan.
5. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
6. Remove pan from stove and let the mix cool.

7. Form small balls by rolling in your palm and then flatten a bit.
8. Garnish with the remaining chopped dry fruits.
9. Freeze for an hour and paneer shondesh is ready to serve.