Go Back
Print Recipe

Paneer Pasanda

Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Priyanka

Ingredients

For Onion Paste

  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp oil to fry onions
  • 2-3 tbsp water to grind onions

For Tomato Paste

  • 3 medium tomatoes chopped
  • 10-12 cashews
  • 1 green chili whole
  • 1/2 cup water to boil tomatoes

For Paneer Sandwiches or Pasandas

  • Paneer cut into triangle and 1/2 inch width
  • 1/4 cup green chili-mint chutney or 2 tbsp each of coriander and mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup grated paneer or processed cheese
  • 1 green chili chopped
  • 2 tbsp cashews chopped
  • 2 tbsp raisins chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • Oil for shallow frying

For Paneer Pasanda Gravy

  • 2-3 tbsp oil or ghee
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp kasoori methi leaves
  • 1/4 cup cream or half&half
  • 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

For Onion Paste

  • In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and cook sliced onions till they turn golden brown.
  • To speed the process, add salt to it and keep stirring occasionally so onions brown evenly.
  • Add ginger and garlic paste to it and cook it for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool.
  • In a blender, puree the mixture adding water just enough to get smooth paste.

For Tomato Paste

  • In a sauce pan, combine tomatoes, green chili, cashews and water. 
  • Bring everything to boil and cook until tomatoes are soften. Let it cool.
  • In a blender, puree the mixture to smooth paste. Do not add any water.

For Paneer Sandwiches or Pasandas

  • In a small bowl, mix together grated paneer or grated processed cheese, green chutney(alternatively can use chopped coriander and mint leaves), cashews, raisins, chopped green chili and salt to taste.
  • Cut Paneer into triangles and 1/2 inch width. Horizontally cut each paneer pieces in half and stuff them forming a sandwich.
  • Make corn starch slurry or batter by mixing water and corn starch together. 
  • Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat for shallow frying paneer sandwiches.
  • Dip each paneer piece in corn starch slurry and carefully place it in hot oil. Note: stir the slurry before using as corn starch settles below.
  • Fry until they turn light golden in color flipping them in between. This takes less then a minute on each side. Do not over cook as that makes paneer hard.
  • Take them out on an absorbent paper.

For Paneer Pasanda Gravy

  • Heat oil or ghee in a skillet and add bay leaf, black cardamom and cinnamon stick to it.
  • Add onion paste to it and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add tomato-cashew paste to it and let it cook until the mixture is dry. This step takes sometime but it is very important to let the mixture dry out completely.
  • Once you see some oil or ghee separating, mix in red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. 
  • To form gravy, add some water adjusting the consistency and bring it to boil. Add salt to taste.
  • Add sugar, cardamom powder and kasoori methi to it. Turn off the flame and put cream or half&half to it. Mix well and turn off the heat.
  • You can add the paneer pasandas in the gravy or you can take the gravy out in a platter or bowl and place paneer sandwiches on top. 

Notes

  • If tomatoes have too many seeds and the puree is not smooth, pass it through a sieve.