Paneer Makhani

I've been really silent on the recipe section, so here I come! Once again a recipe by Sanjeev Kapoor and once again a delicious one! If you love paneer dishes, you must try this. This recipe is slightly modified from the original one depending on the availability of ingredients and fat concerns. Implying that I reduced the amount of butter/oil/cream being used and omitted certain ingredients if I didn't have them. I'll list the recipe just as I made it and hence I'm doing away with the list of ingredients because you would agree with me that when you cook you add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Rarely do you exactly measure the quantities, most of the time it's approximation and what looks good to you. Most importantly, make it a day ahead of when you want to serve it. That gives the spices sufficient time to get absorbed in the curry. At the least prepare it in the morning if you want it in the evening, it's not a rule but you won't be disappointed.

1. I made paneer from 1 liter milk. That should be approx 250 gms paneer I think. Cut it into cubes.
2. Heat 1 tblsp butter in a pan on a medium-low flame.
3. Add 2 bay leafs, 2 cut green cardamoms, pinch of cinnamon powder, sprinkle some black pepper powder and 1 chopped green chilli and stir. The original recipe called for cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns so you can use that if you've that. Stir-fry for 1-2 mins.
4. Add 1 tblsp of ginger garlic paste. Fry well so that the raw smell of garlic goes away. This is very important otherwise your curry will taste "garlick-y" when cooked.
5. Add 1/2 a can (or around 1 cup) of tomato puree and add some water too. Again around a cup of water.
6. Add 1 tsp chilli powder, 1-2 tsp crushed kasuri methi, 1 tsp kitchen king (or use Garam Masala) and half a tsp of sugar.
7. Add salt to taste.
8. Add paneer and cook for 10 mins.
9. Add and half a cup of cream.
10. Cook for 5 minutes.

The original recipe called for 1/4 cup butter in the first step and 1 cup cream in the last step. Also, I used the "tomato sauce" instead of puree. It's not the ketchup; it comes in a can and has a nice texture and color. Hence the nice red color of my curry!