Paneer in White Sauce Gravy

Hi All, due to constraints in ingredients, had to come up with something with no tomatoes or garlic and surprisingly this one came out really well. Even though it did not have the usual "Masala" ingredients to make a typical Paneer Side, this was refreshingly mild and different. My kids absolutely loved it so, here it goes

Paneer in White Sauce Gravy

INGREDIENTS

Paneer: 1 Cup diced into medium cubes

Green Chillies: 2 slit

Onions: 1 medium chopped

Dhania seeds: 1 Tsp

Black Cardamom: 1

Star Anise: 1

Bay leaf: 1 medium

Cinnamon Stick: 1 small

Cashews: 10-15 soaked in 1/2 cup Milk

Milk: 1/2 cup or full fat 1/4th cup

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp crushed

Garam Masala: 1 Tsp

Butter and salt as required

Water: 1/4 cup

Black Pepper: Crushed 1/2 Tsp ( if needed)

Paneer in white Sauce Gravy

MAKING

Heat Butter in a kadai or pan. Once heated, add the Dhania seeds, Green chilli's, Star Anise, Cinnamon stick, Bay leaf and Black Cardamom. Once this mix turns aromatic, add in the chopped onions. Keep sauteing, until the onions turn translucent and the raw smell is gone. Switch off the gas, remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, star anise, and black cardamom and grind the rest into a fine paste using a blender.

Now heat the same pan/kadai again, add butter. Once heated, add in the onion gravy paste and saute it for a couple of minutes in low flame. 

Meanwhile, grind the cashews in milk such that the cashews has been ground fine with milk and is now a semi-liquid cashew milk. 

Once the onion gravy has been sauteed, add in the paneer cubes, cashew milk and required salt. Allow this to cook for at least 5-10 minutes in low flame with 1/4th cup water. This allows the gravy to cook into a thicker consistency. 

Finally, add 1 tsp of Garam Masala and mix it well. Switch off the gas, add in the crushed Kasoori Methi and Crushed Black Pepper (if needed).

That's t, delicious Paneer in white sauce gravy is ready. Serve it hot with Naan's or Rotis. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Adding Black Pepper is optional.

You could make it without onions as well. 

Fresh Cream will make it more tasty and the right consistency

I used 2% milk and it came out well

SHAKKAR PARA( Sugar Diamond Biscuit)

Hi all, it's been a while. It was great to celebrate Diwali after a year of Covid and lockdowns. The feeling of wishing family and friends, to be able to greet neighbors, to be able to spend quality time as a family was priceless. Decided to make some sweets and savories. This one snack came out really well and it was my favorite from the lot. Something easy, tasty, and simple to make. So, here it goes

SHAKKAR PARA ( Diamond-cut Sugar Biscuit)

INGREDIENTS

All-Purpose Flour( Maida): 1 Cup

Sugar: 1/2 Cup

Cardamom powder: 1-2 Pinch

Salt: A pinch

Baking Powder: 1/4th Tsp

Rice Flour: 1-2 Tbsp ( If needed)

Oil for Frying

Water to make the dough

Shakkar Para ( Diamond-Cut Sugar Biscuit)

MAKING

Mix all the above dry ingredients and mix well. Then slowly add water as needed to make a semi-thick dough. The dough consistency should be like the dough to make Rotis. If in case, your dough sticks to your hand, then add the rice flour to the dough. This adds crispiness to the biscuit and also helps in getting the right consistency to the dough.

Now, heat oil in a Kadai. while the oil, is heating, make a ball out of the dough and roll them out using a rolling pin like you do for Rotis. Use a knife to cut diagonal strips lengthwise and also horizontally to get a diamond shape.

Once the oil is heated up, drop in the diamond cut dough and dry them until the biscuits turn golden brown. Take them out and place them in a paper towel to drain out any oil left from frying.

while the biscuits are frying. You can make other diamond cuts ready from the dough.

Delicious, crispy diamond-cut Shakkar Para are ready to eat. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You can add more sugar if you need more sweetness to the para

You can also add besan if needed

The dough consistency is very important to get it right

Cardamom powder gives a delightful flavor

Baking powder puffs up the biscuits.