Paneer Makhani

low sodium 3 servings

1 can Rotel Original No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1/2 cup diced onions

1 bay leaf

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

2 tsp garlic

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp fenugreek

1/2 cup frozen pea or other veggies

1/4-1/2 cup cream/coconut milk

salt and sugar to taste

1. Blend tomatoes and chilis and bake tofu.

2. Sauté onions, bay leaf, then garlic and then spices in oil and or butter

3. Add tomato/chili mixture and simmer for ~10 mins

4. Add frozen veggies, then coconut milk, then tofu.

Notes: canned tomatoes and green chilis worked well.  Blend both together.

200 grams Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

250 grams tomatoes or 4 to 5 medium-sized 

2 to 3 tablespoons light cream (low fat 25%) or whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste or ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 small garlic crushed to paste in a mortar

½ teaspoon red chilli powder or kashmiri red chilli powder or cayenne pepper or paprika

1 to 2 green chillies slit or sliced

¼ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder or tandoori masala powder

½ to 1 teaspoon sugar – add as required* check notes

½ to 1 inch ginger – julienned

½ teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves – kasuri methi, crushed

salt as required

1. First rinse and chop the tomatoes. Use the tomatoes that are ripe with a sweet tangy taste and not overly sour.

2. In a blender or grinder make a smooth puree of the chopped tomatoes. No need to add any water while blending the tomatoes.

3. Keep the tomato puree aside.

4. Melt butter in a pan. First add the tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and saute for a few seconds till aromatic.

5. Then add the crushed ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.

6. Add the tomato puree and stir well.

7. Now add the red chili powder and saute this mixture till the fat begins to leave the side of the tomato paste. Takes about 14 to 15 on a low heat. Keep on stirring often.

8. When you see the tomato mixture clumping together and the fat leaving the sides, then add water.

9. Stir and simmer till the gravy or sauce thickens a bit. Takes about 7 to 8 minutes on a low flame.

10. Then add the slit green chilies and ginger julienne. Stir and simmer for a minute.

11. Add sugar, salt as required and crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves).

12. Stir and then add the paneer cubes. 

13. Mix gently and switch off the heat. No need to cook the paneer as then they can get hard or chewy and won't taste good.

14. Lastly add cream and gently stir. Switch off the flame and then sprinkle with garam masala. Give a gentle stir again.

15. Serve the paneer makhani with roti, naan, paratha or jeera rice or saffron rice or biryani rice or plain steamed basmati rice.

Notes

* Addition of sugar depends upon your taste as well as the tanginess present in the tomatoes. Add more if required.

The recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Use tomatoes that are not sour. The tomatoes should be fresh, ripe and with a slightly sweet taste.

You can use whipping cream or heavy cream in place of light cream. But add as needed according to your taste preferences.

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/paneer-makhani-recipe-paneer-recipes