Kush Rang Paneer

During our last visit home our tickets were booked such that we land New Delhi in transit and then fly home. We planned that on the return, we spend a few days there. With the itinerary fixed and bookings made, we had a great end of holiday time in Delhi and Agra. To top it, we were chosen the Guest of the Day by the management of The Gateway Hotel, Agra. It was a pleasant surprise to have some added services.
One such was to dine at their gourmet restaurant where a thematic menu was being featured. It was a good experience to be guided by their executive chef Mr. Sanjay Agarwal on the choices. We were fed until we truly could take no more. Upon request they obliged to share a few recipes which they printed out for me. I have tried them at home. Though with substitution of certain ingredients the ethnic flavours could not be felt, the dishes do taste good, very nearly as they serve.

 

I have not been very successful making paneer with the UHT processed milk at home. I was suggested to use milk powder to get better results. However, to my delightful surprise one of the Indian stores here had stocked up few crates of  homogenised milk, that I picked up. I made the paneer following a video from Sanjeev Kapoor's website. The resultant product was soft yet firm paneer that did not crumble.
The recipe here is adapted from the Awadhi Kitchens of The Gateway Hotel, Agra. I have only increased the vegetable quantity and cut them in larger cubes than juliennes. I oven roasted the onions for the brown onions. This is a rich and creamy gravy dish that was paired with a slice of flaky tawa paratta. I cut down that part of fat and we had it with normal phulkas.

Ingredients:
Serves 4 sumptuous portions

600 grams home made paneer cut in cubes
(or batons if you choose to)

2 large bell peppers (I have used one yellow and one red for colours)
1 small tomato
2 large red onions chopped finely
2 teaspoons shahi jeera (black cumin)
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 &1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons cashew nuts roasted dry
2 medium green chillis
1" piece ginger
1 large onion sliced and pan/ oven roasted until browned (add a teaspoon oil and roast in the oven)
1/3 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup cream
3 tablespoons ghee
salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander for garnish ( I did not have any on hand)

 

Method:
Wash and cut the colour peppers.
Chop onions. Reserve some as juliennes for garnish.
If you are pan roasting the one onion for brown onion, heat a little oil and sauté the sliced onion stirring to evenly brown them. Alternately, you may choose to fry them in oil, drain and use. I rub a teaspoon of oil in them and spread on a plate. I allow them to sit in a moderate oven for 8 - 12 minutes. Though they do not caramelise or brown so much as deep frying, they are sufficiently done to be ground in a paste.
Grind the brown onions, roasted cashews, red chilli powder, curry powder and the white pepper powder to a fine paste. Keep aside. Rinse the adhering paste and add the water to the tomato puree.
Peel and chop the ginger. Deseed and chop the green chillis.
Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the shahi jeera (black cumin), then the chopped onion. Sauté the onions until they start browning.
Add the turmeric powder, ginger and green chillis. After about two minutes, add the bell peppers. Cook them a bit before adding the paste and salt.
Allow them to blend while stirring to avoid charring the paste.
Add the tomato puree and sufficient water. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Finally add the paneer cubes and allow the gravy to thicken on a low heat. add the cream and take off the heat.
In a separate pan, sauté the onion juliennes in a little fat.
Adjust the seasonings according to taste.
Transfer the gravy in a serving dish.
Garnish with a little cream, sautéed onions and the chopped coriander.
Serve hot with soft phulkas.