Paneer Pasanda 

Ingredients 

For tomato gravy: 

Tomatoes                        4 pcs

Onion                              2 pcs  

Ginger                             ½ inch

Green chilli                     1 pc

Garlic cloves                   5-6 pcs

Oil                                   2 tbsp

Water                             as required

Coriander with stem      2 tbsp

Green cardamom          2 pcs

Black cardamom           1 pc

Cinnamon                     1 inch 

Bayleaf                          2 pcs

Cloves                          5-6 pcs

Black pepper                7-8 pcs

Coriander stems           a handful

 

Paneer                                500  gms

Khoya                                 2 tbsp

Potato peeled                      2 pcs

Almonds fried & chopped   ¼ cup

Cashew fried & chopped    ¼ cup

Raisins fried & chopped      2 tbsp

Ginger chopped                  1 tbsp

Green chilli chopped           1 tsp

Salt                                      ½ tsp

Red chilli powder                 ½ tsp

Cardamom & Mace powder ½ tsp

Mint leaves chopped           1 tbsp                         

Coriander chopped             1 tbsp

 

For batter:

Refined flour ½ cup

Rice flour ½ cup

Cornflour ½ cup

Salt ½ tsp

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Kalonji ½ tsp

Water as required

 

For Paneer Pasanda:

Oil                                       1 tbsp

Ghee                                   1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste             1 tbsp

Curd                                      3 tbsp

Turmeric powder                   1 tsp

Red chilli powder                  1 tsp

Coriander                             1 tsp

Salt                                       1 tsp

Khoya                                   1 tbsp

Fried cashew paste              ¼ cup 

Cardamom & Mace powder ½ tsp

Fresh cream                         ¼ cup 

Garam masala                      1 tsp                     

 

Method 

Prepare the paneer pasanda by following these steps:

Begin by cutting the paneer block into rectangular slices.

In a pan, fry the cashews, almonds, and raisins until they turn golden. 

Once fried, chop them into small pieces.

In a mixing bowl, combine grated khoya, fried and boiled potato slices, chopped nuts, chopped ginger, chopped green chilli, green cardamom and mace powder, chopped coriander. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Take a slice of paneer and place a generous amount of the mixture on top. 

Cover it with another slice of paneer to create a sandwich.

Prepare a slurry by mixing refined flour, cornflour, rice flour, kalonji, turmeric powder and water in a bowl.

Dip the paneer sandwiches into the slurry.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Carefully place the coated paneer sandwiches into the hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown. 

Once fried, remove them from the oil and set them aside.

 

To make the tomato gravy:

In a separate pan, add roughly chopped tomatoes, onions, coriander stems, green chilli, sliced ginger, garlic cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, black cardamom, and green cardamom.

Boil the mixture until the tomatoes and onions become soft and mushy.

Allow the mixture to cool, then remove the whole spices and blend it into a fine paste.

 

In another pan, heat oil and ghee. Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté until fragrant.

Add curd to the pan and cook until it releases oil.

Stir in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well.

Add khoya to the mixture and cook.

Pour in the tomato paste along with some water. Cook the mixture for 7-8 minutes.

Add the fried cashew paste and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle garam masala and give it a stir.

Finally, add fresh cream and mix until well combined.

 

To serve:

On a serving plate, pour the rich tomato gravy.

Place the fried paneer sandwiches on top of the gravy.

Garnish with rogan, fresh cream, and coriander sprigs.

Serve the delectable restaurant-style paneer pasanda with butter naan.

 

This delightful dish offers a perfect blend of textures and flavours, making it an excellent choice for a hearty and satisfying meal.