Paneer malabari

Paneer like chicken can be mounded to form variety of dishes. The versatile “paneer” can absorb different flavors beautifully and reflects a unique taste. So, no doubt I love to experiment with paneer a lot. Recently, I have started making “paneer” at home to make it healthier. However, there are times when due to time constraint I have to get “paneer” from the market. So, one of my kitchen resolution is to make “paneer” at home as many times as possible. A preservative free food is welcome any day.

Coming back to the recipe in “Paneer malabari”, I have attempted to cook “paneer” in malabari gravy base. Well, I like Kerala cuisine a lot which has a great balance of spiciness, sweetness and mild sourness. Whenever, I go to Kerala for vacations I devour the local delicacies as much as I can. Once I am home I try to replicate the Kerala flavors and one of such successful experiments is “Paneer malabari”. In this recipe I have wedded the north Indian popular “paneer” with South’s amazing “malabari gravy”

Paneer malabari 

Serves: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:

Paneer- 200 gms (cut into cubes)

Onion (medium) – 2 (finely chopped)

Tomato (large) – 1 (finely chopped)

Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Chilli powder- ¾ tsp

Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 spring

Mustard seeds- ¼ tsp

Thin coconut milk- 1 cup or dilute 3 tbsp of coconut powder in 1 cup water

Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Oil- 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste

Procedure: Heat oil in a pan, once hot add the mustard seeds and half of curry leaves. After the mustard seeds have spluttered add onions and sauté it well till translucent. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry it well till the raw smell disappears. After that add tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and mix everything well. Drizzle the pan with some water, cover and cook the masala well, till oil oozes out from the sides of the masala. Do remember to add water whenever the masala sticks to the pan. When the masala is well done, add rest of curry leaves and coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Add the paneer cubes, salt and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Notes:

I did not fry paneer, but if you want you can do it.