Paneer Yakhni – Home Cooking

Step 1: Roast Spices for Masala Powder

Add Kashmiri red chillies, whole peppercorns, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and coriander seeds to a heated pan. Roast on medium-high heat for about 1 minute until a nice aroma is released. Do not over-roast. Turn off the stove and transfer to a plate to cool.

Step 2: Grind Masala Powder

Once the roasted spices have cooled, transfer them to a mixer jar. Grind to a nice, slightly coarse powder. This aromatic masala powder can be stored for later use.

Step 3: Prepare Ground Paste

In a mixer jar, add 1 cup of curd, 5 cubes of paneer (from 400g total), and 25 soaked cashew nuts. Grind these ingredients to a nice, smooth, and creamy paste.

Step 4: Roast Paneer Cubes

Heat 2 teaspoons of ghee in a pan on medium flame. Add the remaining paneer cubes (from 400g total). Roast the paneer pieces on one side until they turn a rich golden-brown color, then flip and roast the other side. Once golden brown on two sides, remove from the pan and keep aside.

Step 5: Roast Vegetables

In the same pan, add the wedges of 1 large onion, 1 small green capsicum, and 1 small red capsicum. Roast the vegetables for just about 2 minutes until slightly cooked but still crunchy. Do not overcook. Turn off the stove, remove the vegetables, and keep them aside with the roasted paneer.

Step 6: Prepare the Gravy Base

In a wide pan or kadai, add 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of ghee. Maintain the flame on low. Add 1 bay leaf and 0.5 teaspoon of shahi jeera. Once fragrant, add the finely ground paste (curd, paneer, cashew). Cook this paste for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until the raw smell of the curd goes away. Slightly increase the flame to medium.

Step 7: Add Spices and Water

After 2-3 minutes, add 0.5 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste. Mix well and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes. Then add 1.5 teaspoons of the freshly ground masala powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything well. Add 1 cup of water and cook the masala for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate and the masala comes together nicely.

Step 8: Combine Paneer and Vegetables

Once the oil has separated and the masala is well cooked, add the roasted paneer and vegetables to the gravy. Gently mix everything together.

Step 9: Simmer and Finish

Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for about 5 minutes on medium flame. After 5 minutes, open the lid; you will see the oil has separated beautifully, and the paneer pieces are plump and moist. Finally, add a little crushed Kasuri Methi leaves. Give it a quick mix, turn off the stove, and serve hot.

• Do not over-roast the whole spices for the masala powder; just roast until fragrant.

• When cooking the curd-paneer paste, keep the flame low initially to prevent curdling.

• You can use regular cumin seeds if shahi jeera is not available.

• Serve with roti, naan, or a subtle pulao of your choice.

• Adjust the spice level by modifying the amount of Kashmiri red chilies.