Paneeer Lababdar

INGREDIENTS
for the tomato-cashew paste
250 grams ripe red tomatoes - chopped or 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes
10 to 12 cashews
½ inch ginger - chopped
2 to 3 garlic - chopped
½ cup water
1 green cardamom
2 cloves
remaining ingredients for paneer lababdar
200 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
2 tablespoon grated paneer
100 grams onion Or ½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
1 or 2 green chilies - slit
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
½ teaspoon red chili powder or deghi mirch or kashmiri red chili powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
¼ cup low fat cream - 25% to 35% fat
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - crushed
2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon butter to be added later (optional)
¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
1 or 1.25 cups water
salt as required

for garnish:
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
½ inch ginger - julienne

INSTRUCTIONS
preparing paste for paneer lababdar
take 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes, 10 to 12 cashews, 1/2 inch chopped ginger, 2 to 3 garlic (chopped), 1 green cardamom, 2 cloves and 1/2 cup water in a small pan. use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.
switch on the flame and simmer this mixture on a low flame.
cook till the tomatoes are softened. if the water dries up and the tomatoes are not softened, then add about 2 to 3 tbsp water and continue to cook.
allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely and add to a grinder or blender jar.
grind to a smooth paste without any cahsews or tomato chunks or pieces. you may add some water if required while grinding. keep this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.
making paneer lababdar
heat 2 tbsp butter in pan or kadai/wok. add 1 tej patta and saute for a couple of seconds.
add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions. stir well.
then continue to saute as well as stir and cook till the onions become light golden or golden.
then add the tomato-cashew-spices paste. the mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful. stir very well.
add 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp red chili powder.
stir and saute this masala. you will see the masala clumping and gathering around itself.
saute till you see fat leaving the sides of the masala paste.
then add 1 cup water. stir very well.
add 1 or 2 slit green chilies.
stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer. then season with salt and sugar.
add 200 grams paneer which have been cubed. also add 2 tbsp grated paneer.
stir and simmer the gravy for about a minute.
then sprinkle 1 tsp kasuri methi which has been crushed along with 1/4 tsp garam masala. stir very well again and simmer for a minute
lastly add the low fat cream. switch off the flame & stir very well. you can also add 1 tbsp butter at this step. this is optional.
garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. serve with chapatis, tandoori rotis or naan. it also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.
Pic Courtesy: Google
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