Sangita Agrawal's creamy, mildly spiced Falahari Paneer In Dhania Pudina Gravy does not use onions and garlic.
It's great as a fasting recipe and can be enjoyed with steamed rice, rajgira pooris, phulkas.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Sangita Agrawal
Falahari Paneer
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 300 gm paneer or cottage cheese, diced
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp khoya or milk solids
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ cup water
- Chopped green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, to garnish
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp dhania or coriander, chopped fine
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the paste
- 1 cup green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- 6-8 cashews soaked in water
- ½ cup thick dahi or yoghurt
Method
- In a bowl, toss the paneer with salt, pepper, lemon juice, chopped coriander and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a mixer grind all the ingredients for the paste.
Keep aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or kadhai.
Add the paneer and shallow fry for 2-3 minutes until it turns pink.
Drain and set aside.
- Add 1 more tbsp ghee to the same pan.
Add the paste and saute on low to medium heat till it leaves the sides of the pan.
Add the grated khoya and saute till well incorporated.
Add the honey, salt, paneer and toss.
Add ½ cup water and give it a stir.
Cover and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve warm with steamed rice, rajgira pooris, phulkas.
Note: For a vegan version of this dish, use tofu and vegan yoghurt. Skip the khoya and use oil instead of ghee.
Seafood lovers might enjoy this paneer curry with Hitesh Harisinghani's Prawn Pulao.
Sangita Agrawal lives in Mumbai and publishes the food blog Bliss of Cooking.