A couple of weeks back, I was searching for recipes to make when I chanced upon this recipe in NDTV food which was a pure paneer recipe. It intrigued me enough that I decided to make it, after making some changes to it based on what I had at home. It was super delicious and it’s a definite keeper at home.

This recipe cooks on dum in the last stage which essentially means cooking it in its own steam and not let the steam escape. I have cooked something on dum on a stovetop for the first time and it was achievement unlocked for me with this recipe!

Dum Paneer Kali Mirch

Ingredients:

• 2 cups paneer, chopped into biggish chunks
• 2-3 pieces of clove
• 2-3 pieces of cardamom pods
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon
• 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
• 3-4 garlic pods
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 4 green chillies (use a lesser number if you are using the smaller green chillies as they tend to be spicier)
• 10 pieces of cashew nuts soaked in warm milk for 20 mins and then blended to a smooth paste
• 1 small cup of beaten yoghurt
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper (to garnish)
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the onions and on fry them on a medium to low flame. We need to brown the onions, but not burn it, so you need to keep stirring. When nice and brown, cool it, blend into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies to a fine paste and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil and fry the dry whole spices – cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and let them fry till the oil becomes fragrant.
• Now add the browned onion paste and let it fry for around 5 minutes till the oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• At this point, add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute for a few minutes.
• After this, add the cashew paste and let it cook for a few minutes.
• Next, add the beaten yoghurt and the dry spices – turmeric powder, chilli powder, pepper powder and garam masala and let it cook.
• Add some water to bring it to the consistency you want and let it come to a rolling boil.
• Add the paneer/cottage cheese and salt and any extra water should you need.
• Now you need to cook it in dum. What it means is that you cook it in its own juice with no steam being able to escape. You seal the pan with aluminium foil and then cover it with the lid of the pan and let it cook on a low flame for 5-10 minutes.
• Remove the foil, garnish with coriander seeds and cracked pepper and serve hot with any rice dish or even Indian flatbreads. I served this with a simple pulao.

Simply delicious!!