Dhaba style paneer masala

Paneer can be made into different styles, with gravy, bhurji, palak paneer, paneer makhni and so on.

Today we have tried making dhaba style paneer and enjoyed the process.

It's a flavourful side dish and your family will surely like it.

The recipe for dhaba style paneer is bit time consuming.

Ingredients

400 Grams fresh cubed paneer pieces

2 large tomatoes(chopped and coarsely ground)

3 medium sized onions (chopped and coarsely ground)

A small piece ginger grated

3-4 cloves of garlic(chopped)

2 tablespoons of coriander, chopped

Spices for tempering

3-4 green cardamom

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon broken into small pieces

2 tablespoon peanut oil/butter/ghee

(I used butter)

Dry masala powders

1 tsp kashmiri lal mirch

1/2 tsp kasuri methi

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp crushed peppercorns

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

Dry masala for marinating paneer

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp degi mirch(kashmiri lal mirch)

1/2 tsp salt

4 tablespoon curd

Method

*In a bowl add paneer, garam masala,degi mirch, curd and salt, mix well, keep aside for about half an hour.

* Wash, peel and chop onion, garlic and tomatoes. Make coarse puree with onions and tomatoes. Keep aside. 

*Grate ginger

* In a thick bottomed pan pour oil/ghee/butter. Add jeera, green cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Allow it to emit it's aroma. 

*Add coarse onion puree, cook it until it's golden brown, add dry masala powders, mix well, cook further, add coarse tomato puree, mix well, close lid cook it for about 3 minutes.

*Now keep the flame high cook for another 5 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves.

You will notice the ghee/oil/butter is coming out of the gravy.  

*In the meanwhile, In another pan add ghee, quickly mix in the marinated paneer for 3 minutes, the paneer will turn into extremely soft in texture

*Add the paneer to the onion tomato masala. Mix well. Adjust salt if needed.

*Mix well, let paneer be coated with the masalas, cook for two minutes. Off stove.

*Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

*Serve with naan, garlic naan, roti or rice.

I am sure you will enjoy this absolutely delicious dhaba style paneer masala..

*Notes

*Make the dhaba style paneer masala just before serving as the taste of got, soft paneer taste good when it's served immediately. 

* Make sure you use fresh paneer for best results.

 

Jackfruit jam. (chakka varatiyathu)

Jack fruit jam (chakkai Jam)

Jackfruit jam. It's probably the most difficult and laborious jam. But it's taste divine and all efforts taken to make this delicious traditional jam is worth try. I have used about 30 to 40 pieces from a large big ripe jackfruit.

Jack fruit jam (Chakkai jam)

Ingredients

30 to 40 jackfruits florets(chakka chulla)

500 grams of jaggery (approximately two jaggery oval shaped ones)

1/2 to 1 cup ghee

5 to 6 green cardamom (Peeled and crushed)

For melting jaggery

1 glass of water

Method

* Jackfruit pieces (chakka chulla) 30 to 40 remove seeds and outer layer of seeds. Use a large vessel, cook the jackfruit florets in pressure cooker by adding grid and water. Grind pr smash jackfruit pieces to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

* In a pan add two large pieces of black or golden jaggery, crush it into big cubes, add a glass of water and bring to boil. Use a strainer to remove impurities from jaggery.

* In a large pan mix in jackfruit and jaggery extract and blend well, add ghee 2 tablespoon and stir. 

*Keep the flame very low and allow jam to slowly cook into a soft consistency by evaporating any excess water. 

*Add two more tablespoon ghee gently stir in so that it doesn't get burnt or get stuck in the bottom of pan. 

*This task is most difficult as you need to keep stirring and be extremely cautious. 

*The jam starts leaving ghee and becomes like a soft halwa consistency. 

*You can off stove and when it reaches room temperature store in air tight containers.

Notes

*We make chakka pradhaman by adding coconut milk an integral part of feast. Jackfruit jam is served with adai or with rice adai.

*Shelf life of this dish is one year or until it lasts! It generally gets over in 3 months for us. 

*We keep jackfruit jam in small air tight containers and keep it refrigerated.

My recipe appeared on chef at large an year ago. 

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