Paneer Lababdar (Restaurant Style Recipe)

Ingredients

For tomato-cashew paste

• 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes (ripe and red), 250 grams
• 10 to 12 cashews
• 1 inch ginger – chopped
• 2 to 3 garlic (medium-sized) – chopped
• ½ cup water
• 1 green cardamom
• 2 cloves

More ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• ½ cup finely chopped onions – 100 grams
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder or kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne pepper
• 1 or 1.25 cups water or add as required
• 1 or 2 green chilies or serrano peppers – slit
• salt as required
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
• 200 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
• 2 tablespoon grated paneer
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – crushed
• ¼ cup low-fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter added later – (optional)

For garnish

• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
• 1 inch ginger – julienne

Steps

Preparing tomato-cashew paste

1. Put chopped tomatoes, cashews, chopped ginger and garlic, green cardamom, cloves and water in a small pan. Choose tomatoes that are not too tangy or sour.
2. Turn on the stovetop and simmer the mixture over low heat.
3. Cook until the tomatoes soften. If the water dries up while they are still not soft, add about 2 to 3 tablespoons water and keep cooking.
4. Let the mixture become warm or cool completely, then put in a grinder or blender jar.
5. Grind into a smooth paste with no cashew or tomato chunks or pieces, adding water if required. Set the tomato-cashew-spice paste aside.

Sautéing onions and tomato-cashew paste

1. Heat butter in a pan, kadai or wok. Add tej patta and sauté for a couple of seconds.
2. Add the finely chopped onions and stir thoroughly.
3. Continue sautéing, stirring and cooking until the onions are light golden or golden.
4. Add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Any water in it will cause spluttering, so be careful; stir very well.
5. Mix in cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder.
6. Stir and sauté the masala; it will clump and gather around itself.
7. Keep sautéing until fat leaves the sides of the masala paste.

Making paneer lababdar

1. Add water and mix thoroughly.
2. Put in the slit green chilies.
3. Stir and let the gravy reach a simmer, then season with salt and sugar.
4. Add both the paneer cubes and grated paneer.
5. Mix gently to bring everything together.
6. Sprinkle the kasuri methi that has been crushed with garam masala powder and stir very well again.
7. Finish by adding low-fat cream or heavy whipping cream. Turn off the heat and combine thoroughly. At this stage, 1 tablespoon butter may also be added if desired.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. Serve with chapati, tandoori roti or naan; cumin rice or veg pulao also go well.