This is a well known and well published dish known as Paneer Kaju Pasanda. It is a rich paneer dish with cashews , cream , coconut and lots of spices . I have turned this into a lower fat dish omitting the cream and replacing it with lowfat plain Greek yoghurt . The recipes I have come across all call for frying the cashews , I omitted this step by dry roasting the nuts , again lowering the calories . Finally I did away with the coconut , it really did not affect the taste at all .
Serves 4
Photograph by Rahul Mahtani
1 lb store bought or home made paneer , cut into cubes and pan fried
20 roasted cashews
1 large onion
1 inch piece fresh ginger , grated
2 cloves garlic , grated
a few sprigs of fresh coriander , washed
6 dry red chilis
1 tsp each , ground cumin and coriander
a 1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and cloves
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 cup puree of tomatoes ( I really like Pomi pureed tomatoes )
Salt to taste
about 1 tsp or less sugar
1/2 cup beaten plain Greek yoghurt
a few tablespoons oil
Grind onion , garlic , fresh coriander and all the dry spices , including the dry red chilis and cashews together .Heat some oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan . Add the paste and fry for 7 to 10 minutes , stirring on medium heat .
Stir in the tomatoes , sugar and salt to taste . Stir for 5 more minutes . Add water 1/2 cup to 1 cup to form a semi thick sauce . Bring to a boil , stir , lower heat and allow to simmer about 15 minutes .
Stir in the fried paneer . Cover and cook on low heat for another 3 minutes . Off the heat
Stir in the Greek yoghurt , gently so as not to break the paneer pieces . Turn on lowest heat and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve hot , garnished with fresh cilantro.
Filed under: Indian, Vegetarian | Tagged: Indian Paneer dish, Lowfat Paneer Kaju Pasanda, Paneer in Cashew tomato sauce, Paneer kaju pasanda, rich and spicy paneer | Leave a Comment »
