AMMAMMA'S EZ PANEER MASALA

My daughter did not like paneer in any form or curry. My mom made this dish for dinner, and she instantly liked this paneer masala. That's Ammamma's magic. Of all the paneer recipes, this is the easiest one I have ever made.

INGREDIENTS

1. 400 gms paneer, cubed
2.  onion , thinly sliced(300 gms)
3.  tomatoes(300 gms)
4. 2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
5. 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped into cubes(optional)
6. 1/4 cup onion chopped into cubes(optional)
7. 4 Tbsp. oil plus 1 Tbsp. butter(butter is optional but accentuates the taste)
8. 2  tsp cumin powder 
9. 1 tsp garam masala
10. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
11. Chili powder as per taste
12. 2-3 dates, pitted as per required sweetness
13. 10 cashews/almonds
14. 2 Tbsp kasuri methi
15. lemon juice as per taste
16. salt as required(2 -1/2 tsp)

METHOD

• Heat a pan on medium-high heat. When the pan is warm, add 4 Tbsp oil and butter. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions. Saute the onions until light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and saute on low heat until the raw smell disappears. 
• After the ginger-garlic paste is cooked well, add the spice powders and saute. Then add the tomatoes and saute well. Add water to aid cooking and prevent the masala from getting burnt. 
• Turn off the stove and let it cool.

• Puree the onion-tomato masala. Add this to a wok and bring to a rolling boil. Add the cubed paneer and slow-cook until the paneer is soft. Add salt and cook till done. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bring the curry to a boil. Then add kasuri methi. Cover and simmer for a few minutes. Check for salt. If necessary, add lemon juice for more sourness. In the interim, paste the nuts and dates and add them to the curry. 
• Turn off the stove and sprinkle with the onion and bell pepper chunks. This is optional.

NOTES

• The bell pepper gives out a nice flavor. 
• You can use peas with the paneer to make 400 gms. 
• When I use the hand-held blender instead of pureeing it, the consistency is perfect, as in it's not pureed to a fine paste; instead, it comes out as a semi-fine paste, which is better. 
• I don't boil the paneer before adding it to the curry. Slow cooking keeps the paneer soft. 
• The paneer is soft when the curry is warm, but it hardens as soon as it is cold. I have tried pressure cooking the paneer, sauteeing it in butter, and then adding it to hot water, but to no avail. Homemade paneer stays soft even when cold, but not store-bought. 
• Crumbly paneer is hard to come by. Store-bought paneer is like chicken breast; no matter what we do, it stays hard. 
• The nuts and dates can be soaked ahead to soften.