Paneer Pasanda Recipe

Method15 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: For cashew gravy, soak 20 cashews in the separate ½ cup water while cooking the onions. Drain and discard the soak water before step 2; skip this if using almond flour. Heat 2–3 tbsp onion-frying oil and sauté the 200 g onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the ½-inch ginger (½ inch) piece and four medium or eight small garlic cloves. Continue over low heat until the onions are deeply golden without burning.

   Uses 2 to 3 tablespoons oil · 1¾ cups (200 grams) onions (fine processed or chopped) · ½ inch ginger (peeled & sliced) · 4 medium (or 8 small) garlic ( cloves) · 20gravycashewsONLYcashewroute, soak and drain · half cup cashew soaking water ONLY cashew route, discard

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Cool the same cooked onions/ginger/garlic fully, leaving any excess frying oil in the pot. Blend the cooled onion mixture with tomatoes, yogurt and the same drained cashews from step1 OR the separate quarter-cup almond flour. Blend smooth; do not put hot onions into the yogurt.

   Uses ONLY cashew route, same20nutswithsoakingwaterdiscarded · same cooked onions/ginger/garlic removed from excess pot oil · 1½ cups (200 grams) tomatoes (diced, sweet variety, not sour) · ½ cup curd (fresh yogurt, not sour) · quarter cup almond flour ONLY instead soaked gravy cashews

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the gravy butter (1 to 1½ tablespoon) over low heat in the same pot with its retained onion-frying fat. Add bay leaf (1), mace (1), cinnamon (1½ inch), whole cloves (4), green/black cardamoms (1) and optional deseeded green chili (1).

   Uses only oil remaining in same pot after onion removal, no fresh dose · 1 to 1½ tablespoon butter · 1 green chili (slit, deseeded or leave it for low heat) · 1 bay leaf · 1 strand mace · 1 black cardamom · 4 green cardamoms · 4 cloves

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Let the butter spices sizzle for about 1 minute. Stir in the gravy’s ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder and ¾ tsp garam masala, then immediately add the blended puree from step 2.

   Uses same cooled onion/tomato/yogurt with selected cashew or almond route · same butter and retained fat · ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (cut down for low heat) · ¾ teaspoon garam masala

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Cover promptly to control splattering and cook over low to medium heat for 8 minutes. Carefully stir after the first 3 minutes and about every 3 minutes thereafter, keeping the lid or a splatter screen between you and the hot sauce.

   Stir the pasanda gravy · 3 minUses same puree and butter tempering

6. 6

   Step 6: Lower the heat and add 1½–1¾ cups hot water. Cover and simmer for 16–20 minutes until the gravy is thick and creamy. Prepare the paneer pockets while it cooks.

   Pasanda gravy simmer · 20 minUses same initial cooked sauce before measured hot water · 1½ to 1¾ cups hot water

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Trim the edges of the 400 g paneer block or blocks, reserving about 35–40 g edible trimmings for the filling. Cut the remaining 360–365 g into eight pocket pieces.

   Uses 400 grams Paneer ( block/s)

8. 8

   Step 8: Carefully slit each of the eight paneer pieces from step 7, leaving one side attached to form a pocket.

   Uses Eight pocket pieces, about 360–365 g after trimming

9. 9

   Step 9: Crumble the reserved paneer trimmings from step 7. Mix with 1½ tbsp filling cashews or the pistachio-almond alternative; the filling garam masala, cumin, chili, optional dried ginger (⅛ teaspoon) and amchur (⅛ teaspoon) or chaat masala; ⅛ tsp filling salt; and 1–1½ tbsp coriander chutney. Taste and adjust with the separate extra filling seasonings or chutney only if needed. Keep the filling moist, rather than runny.

   Uses About 35–40 g edible paneer trimmings from step 7 · 1½tbspchoppedfillingcashewsORseparatepistachio/almondmixture · ⅛ teaspoon garam masala · ⅛ teaspoon cumin powder · ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder · ⅛ teaspoon dried ginger · ⅛ teaspoon amchur ( or chaat masala) · ⅛ teaspoon salt (or as needed)

10. 10

    Step 10: Fill the eight slit paneer pockets from step 8 with the filling from step 9, keeping their attached sides intact. Set the stuffed sandwiches aside.

    Uses same trimmings/chutney/nut/spice mixture · same remaining pieces, not a fresh400gstock

11. 11

    Step 11: When the gravy from step 6 is thick and creamy, add its nutmeg (⅛ teaspoon), kasuri methi (1 teaspoon), black pepper (¼ teaspoon), optional sugar (¼ to ½ teaspoon) and ¾–1 tsp gravy salt. Taste and adjust with the separate extra gravy salt or garam masala if needed.

    Uses same16–20minutesimmeredgravy · ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) · ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar (if needed, to balance the flavors) · ¼ teaspoon black pepper (crushed/powder) · 1 teaspoon kasuri methi · ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (grated) · extra gravy salt only if needed · extra gravy garam masala only if needed

12. 12

    Step 12: Add one optional finishing aroma to the gravy: a pinch of saffron, a little rose water or a little kewra water. Turn off, cover and rest for 5–10 minutes while frying the sandwiches.

    Rest covered · 10 minUses same sauce before optional aroma and rest · one pinch saffron OR one separate unmeasured flower-water option · a little rose water ONLY instead saffron/kewra; source amount unmeasured · a little kewra water ONLY instead saffron/rose; source amount unmeasured

13. 13

    Step 13: Heat the sandwich-frying teaspoon ghee or oil in a suitable pan. Fry the eight stuffed sandwiches from step 10 over medium to medium-high heat until golden on the first side. Turn carefully with tongs or two spatulas.

    Uses same pocket pieces and their returned edible trimmings · 1 teaspoon ghee · extra sandwich-frying ghee or oil only if needed after initial teaspoon

14. 14

    Step 14: Continue frying until the sandwiches are crisp and golden on both sides. Add a little of the separate extra frying fat only if the initial teaspoon is insufficient.

    Uses same eight sandwiches after initial frying

15. 15

    Step 15: Place the fried sandwiches from step 14 in the rested gravy from step 12 just before serving. If the sauce is too runny, serve them separately to preserve their crispness. Garnish with the optional tablespoon cream (1 tablespoon) or cashew cream and coriander. Rice or flatbreads make optional accompaniments.

    Uses same cooked sauce after5–10minuterest · same eight fully fried pockets · 1 tablespoon heavy cream (or cashew cream ) · 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (fine chopped)