Recipe - Try Paneer Afghani With Its Aromatic Gravy

Paneer Afghani is known for its aromatic gravy that’s special in every way indeed. Afghani flavor is characteristically sweet and spicy at the same time. While it takes time to perfect that characteristic taste and flavor, the typical Afghani flavor for your own paneer Afghani can be achieved using the foods and ingredients available in your home. Think of the Afghani spices and dry fruits! The cashew nuts, melon seeds, spices, milk, and cream all combine to yield something truly extraordinary.

Ingredients

450 g Cottage cheese (paneer)
1 medium onion — thinly sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup cashew nuts (kaju) — ground to a paste
1/2 cup Melon (kharbooja) seeds — ground to a paste
1 cup full cream milk (warm)
2 tbsp cream
1 large tomato - diced
3 cloves (laung)
1 small cardamom (elaichi)
1 medium basil leaf (tejpatta)
5 kishmish (dried grape)
salt, sugar, pepper, red chili powder

Method

* Cut the cottage cheese into small cubes and lightly deep fry in hydrogenated oil. Do not over-fry the cottage cheese cubes, just sieve them out of oil when they lose that raw look.

* Pour 1 tbsp of fresh olive oil into a pan. If you don’t have olive oil, then you may also use fresh sunflower oil.

* Heat the oil till it attains a temperature high enough for frying and add the onions and sauté in low-mid flame till golden brown.

* Add ginger garlic paste, tomato, 1/2 tsp sugar, salt and ½ tsp pepper and cook till tomato turns pulpy.

* Add the cashew nut and melon seed paste and stir well. Let the mixture cool and blend in mixer with milk and cream.

* Pour the blended mixture in a pan and add the cottage cheese cubes and kishmish and boil/simmer for two minutes, check for saltiness (also for sweetness), and turn off the burner.

* Heat one teaspoon of butter in a small frying pan, add cloves, cardamoms, and basil leaf with crackling sound and pour the spices with butter into the paneer mixture.