Paneer te Kali Mirch recipe

Heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee in a a heavy pan or kadai. Add 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 2 cloves and 1 or 2 single mace strands. Sauté for a few seconds till the spices crackle. Then add ½ cup chopped onion.Let this onion mixture become warm or cool down. Then add the onion mixture in a grinder jar and grind it to fine paste.

Now in the same pan in which the onions were fried, heat 2 tablespoon oil or ghee. Add 1 tej patta and ½ teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds). Sauté for a few seconds till the shah jeera crackles and becomes fragrant.

Now add the onion paste. Mix very well and on a low flame sauté the onion paste on a low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Sauté onion paste till you see the oil or ghee separating from the sides of the paste. Then add the crushed black pepper. Mix very well and sauté for 1 minute.

When the onions become light golden, then add ½ teaspoon chopped ginger, ½ teaspoon chopped garlic, 1 green chili (chopped), turmeric, salt, and 10 to 12 cashews. Mix and stirring often sauté till the onions turn golden. Let this onion mixture become warm or cool down.

Add the Spice powders - ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Mix very well and sauté again for a minute. Switch off the flame. Keep the pan down and then add the beaten curd. Add coriander, mint leaves.

Now light the stove-top. Keep the flame to a low and then keep the pan on it. Bring the kali mirch gravy to a simmer.

Then add paneer cubes. Mix well and switch off the flame

Serve with rotis or parathas.