Recipe for Paneer Masala with Tomato-Based Curry

Vegetarian Cheese Recipes are Mild to Hot or Sweet - Flexible Food

Sep 14, 2009
Alia Luria

Paneer Masala Over Saffron Rice - Alia Luria

With a tomato-based curry, this dish can be taken from sweet and mild to hot and from simple to as complex as desired with the addition of more types of vegetables.

This recipe is great for a mild, sweet curry sauce over paneer, or to accompany a vegetable biryani. The base is a tomato, garlic, ginger, and chili reduction that is pureed and intensified with cream, fenugreek leaves and a little bit of honey.

Modifications

If a stronger, hotter sauce is desired, double the number of chilis or pick a hotter chili. Any type of serrano, jalapeno, or other small chili can be used. If a sweet tang is not desired, leave out the honey for a less sweet taste. If you do not have access to ghee, substitute one part butter and one part olive oil. A link to a recipe and directions for making homemade ghee is linked below. Additionally, this recipe can support more than just the basic onions listed below. Some potential additions are green peppers or mushrooms. The cook can get creative and add extra vegetables. To make it vegan, substitute tofu for the paneer (or just other vegetables) and coconut milk for the cream.

Ingredients

2 cups paneer, cubed in 1/2 inch pieces (recipe below or purchased at an Indian market)
1 onion, diced in 1/2 pieces
1 tablespoon desi ghee, divided
4 green cardamom pods, seeds removed
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (or 4 cups fresh diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup whole cashew nuts
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 bay leaves
1 inch fresh ginger root, skinned and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
1 green serrano chili, stemmed and split in half (remove the seeds for a milder sauce)
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the cardamom seeds into a fine powder. Add them to a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the tomatoes, cashews, salt, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, ginger root, garlic, and chili to the pan. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until reduced and thick. The consistency should be spoonable but not dried out. This will probably take 15 to 17 minutes depending on how juicy the tomatoes are.
Discard the bay leaves and let the sauce cool until it can be handled.
Puree the sauce to a smooth consistency in a blender or food processor. This may require a couple minutes of pureeing, but the consistency should be completely smooth.
While the sauce is blending, reheat the saucepan to medium heat and add half the ghee and the onions. Saute the onions until softened, a couple of minutes.
Gently add the paneer cubes to the pan, trying not to break the cubes up. Lower the heat on the pan to medium low.
Once the sauce is done pureeing, return it to the pan and add the fenugreek leaves, cream, and the remaining ghee.
Let the sauce warm through, gently stirring until heated.
Right before serving, stir in the honey (if desired).

Serve over basmati rice (see below for recipe) or with a nice Indian bread. Serves 4

Additional Helpful Recipes

Recipes: Saffron and Whole Spice Basmati Rice and Homemade Ghee (makes 8 cups)
How to make Homemade Paneer Cheese (makes 2 cups)

Alia Luria - Alia Luria began her career as a web designer and developer in 1997. She worked for a series of internet-based companies and experienced ...