Cottage Cheese also known as Paneer (or Chhanna in Bengali) bought from the dairy farm, diced and tossed in a freshly made creamy sauce, flavored with ground black pepper is what makes this dish so uniquely delicious. I’m very sure, we all love Paneer, and surely we have tried making Paneer with many different recipes but, what makes this dish so uniquely different than other is the presence of Kalimirch that marks in a very subtle yet in a very prominent way without overpowering the gravy with its pungency. You do get subtle hints of black Pepper in the gravy when having it with a roti or paratha but it won’t bother with your taste buds in fact you will be tempted to lick your fingers clean after having this simple yet scrumptious recipe of Paneer Kalimirch.
Firstly, the onions are finely chopped and tossed in the pan with some whole spices and later grounded with green chilies, cashew nuts and brown raisins to a smooth paste which makes the perfect sweet, spicy and creamy onion-curd based gravy for this delicious Paneer recipe.
Ingredients:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Paneer | 500 gm |
| Black Peppercorns | 8-9 |
| Cinnamon | 1 inch |
| Green Cardamom | 2 |
| Cloves | 4-5 |
| Bay leaf | 2 medium size |
| Whole Cumin Seeds | 1 tsp |
| Curd | 1 teacup |
| Fresh Cream | 8-9 tbsp |
| Cashew Nuts | 14-15 broken pieces |
| Brown Raisins | 6-7 |
| Onions finely chopped | 2 large |
| Ginger Shreds | 1 tbsp |
| Garlic Shreds | 1 tbsp |
| Green Chilies | 2 |
| Cumin Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Coriander Powder | 1 tbsp |
| Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi) | 1 tbsp |
| Garam Masala Powder | 1 tsp |
| Salt | As Per Taste |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp |
| Ghee | 1 tbsp |
| Vegetable Oil | To Cook |
| Crushed Black Pepper | For Garnish |
| Cilantro | For Garnish |
How to Cook:
- Step 1: Heat oil in a non-stick pan/wok, add whole cumin seeds, sauté till seeds change color, add black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms, mix and sauté for a minute. Add finely chopped onions, mix and sauté till it turns translucent and fried perfectly brown over a high flame.
- Step 2: Transfer the (fried onions) mixture in a blender jar, add cashew nuts, brown raisins, curd, green chilies and 1 tsp garam masala powder, blend to a smooth paste.
- Step 3: Heat oil, add 1 tbsp ghee in the same non-stick pan/wok, add whole cumin seeds, sauté till seeds changes color, add ginger shreds, garlic shreds and bay leaf, cook till its raw aroma goes away over a medium flame.
- Step 4: Add the grounded/prepared paste to the ingredients, add kasoori methi, cumin powder, coriander powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala powder(optional), salt (as per taste) and 1 tbsp sugar, mix, cook over a medium flame.
- Step 5: Add 1 large cup water, mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes and bring it to a boil, add freshly diced Paneer to the gravy/sauce and mix till the Paneer is well coated.
- Step 6: Add cream and 1 tbsp ghee, mix well and cover the pan properly. Simmer for 7-8 minutes straight, stir in between over a medium flame till its properly cooked and its delicious aroma reaches your nose.
- Step 7: Sprinkle some crushed peppercorns, drizzle some cream (optional), garnish with coriander sprig and serve hot.
This recipe is best served hot with Parathas and Rotis. A very easy and unique recipe to enjoy on week days when you just don’t want to cook grande items in the kitchen yet enjoy some delicious and mouth watering recipe for lunch or dinner.
So go ahead, and try making this recipe for your loved ones and leave your views in the comment section below. For more such easy and authentic recipes, do follow and subscribe to my blog.
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