Paneer Curry

So I love cooking as well, as some of my friends have figured out by now. I keep experimenting with styles of cooking to see what can we come up with. In the course, I certainly have come up with a recipe that is inspired by Kashmiri cooking. I hope you people try it and like it, though for people in India, it is advisable to cook the same during the bitter winters as the ingredients used are heat generating as per our traditional medicine system. I do not have a name for it, but I am searching for suggestions, so please be generous.

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer(cottage cheese)400 - 500 gm cut into small cubes
Milk 2 glasses
Onion 1 whole, paste
Garlic 2 cloves, paste
Turmeric 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Dry ginger powder 1 tsp (alternatively, you can use fresh ginger)
Fennel seeds powder 1 tsp
Brown cardamom 1
Cloves 3-4
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1/4 tsp (optional)
Mustard oil 3-6 tbsp (depending on the wok or the pan you use)
Garam masala for taste
PREPARATION:

Most people do not understand how to use paneer, and simply thrust it into dishes. The key to a delicious paneer is that you fry it beforehand. This is particularly true of Kashmiri food, where most ingredients including paneer are fried first-up. This ensures that the paneer will not crumble while cooking, and also allows flavors to seep into it. So, in a pan/wok heat the mustard oil and wait for the foam to disappear. Once the foam disappears, fry the paneer till its golden brown, and keep it aside.

Now, in the same oil, throw in the garlic and onion paste, and fry it till the onions are a tad bit golden in colour. (Throw in a half-inch piece of ginger grated to shreds if you did not find dry ginger powder.) Throw in the fried paneer into it, as well as turmeric, chilli powder and salt into it. Cook it for a couple of minutes only! It is preferable if Kashmiri chilli powder can be used - its less on heat and gives a brilliant color to your dishes.

Now gently pour in the milk into the mix and stir well. You will notice that the milk did not split. This is due to the fact that onions and garlic do not let that happen. Now, put in the cardamom and cloves after breaking them roughly and mix well and let the mix boil for about five minutes.

The final stage involves using the ingredients dry ginger and fennel powder (if you do not find it, just roast a teaspoon fennel and grind it). Putting in these ingredients is also typical of Kashmiri cooking. Interestingly, these ingredients are put towards the end. Mix the whole thing well, and let it cook for about ten minutes. Before you serve it, just mix a pinch of garam masala, and serve it with the Indian breads, particularly naans or tandoori rotis or even the humble chapati.


I hope you guys liked it. Give me your feedback. I shall put up more recipes from my crazy rasoi or kitchen, as we call it in Hindi. And yes, I need a better name as well. So suggestions please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!