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Paneer Kalimirch is a rich, flavoured Indian dish, combining the creamy texture of paneer with the bold spices of black pepper to make the curry unique and truly satisfying. To start, prepare the paste that will be the base for the dish.
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Now process or grind all the above ingredients with 1-2 very thinly sliced onions, 1-inch ginger, 1-2 green chillies as tolerated to spiciness, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and 8-10 unsalted cashew nuts.
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Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and let them saut until the onions become translucent and soft and the cashews light brown. Let it cool down before you mix it into a smooth paste.
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Of the remaining curry ingredients, cut 300 gms of paneer into ¾ inch squares or triangles, whichever you prefer. Set the paneer aside until you can add it to the curry. In another pan, heat 1 tsp ghee or oil over medium.
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Add 1-2 bay leaves, cinnamon stick one inch long, green cardamoms-2-3, and 4-5 cloves.
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Add the smooth paste prepared earlier to the pan and mix with spices. Keep this paste stir-frying for 4-5 minutes, in which a slight separation of oil from the paste is observable, signifying that the flavours have matured well.
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Add more coriander powder-the amount of which you could increase to about 2 Tsps-and cumin seeds powder, about 1 Tsp. Add salt to the taste and keep the mixture cooking for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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It's time to build the dish after the paste is cooked. Add a Tsp of garam masala for a warm, slightly sweet, and aromatic flavoured profile and a Tsp of coarsely crushed black pepper for its characteristic spiciness.
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Stir in 1 cup of plain whisked yoghurt, mixing well for a smooth, creamy curry base. In addition to the seasonings, adding yoghurt will also balance the heat from the spices, making harmonious flavoureds. Finally, add 1 Tsp of finely chopped mint and 1-2 Tsps of finely chopped coriander to bring the fresh herbal flavoured into the dish.
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So, fold in the paneer pieces very gently into the yummy sauce so they are coated with the savoury sauce well.
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Then add 2-3 Tbsps of cream to give the overall creamy texture and coat with a luxurious velvety finish to the dish.
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This recipe of Paneer Kalimirch is best served immediately, garnished with fresh coriander.