People who have been following my blog would have been aware of my weakness for the paneer. As Arun also happens to love it very much I have promised him that I would make a new paneer dish for him every week to accompany the chappatis. Hope I keep up my word on that. So here is yet another paneer dish with the goodness of dal thrown in...
You'll need:
- Yellow moong dal – ½ cup
- Paneer – 200 gms
- Onion, big – 1
- Tomatoes, big – 1
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Garlic – 4 pods
- Green chili - 1
- Red chili powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Asafoetida – 2 pinch
- Kasuri methi – ¼ tsp
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 1 ½ tbsp
- Ghee – 1 ½ tbsp
Pressure cook the dal with 1 cup of water along with turmeric powder and asafetida for two whistles and mash them well. Cut the paneer into cubes and shallow fry in a little oil to a golden brown.
Chop the onion and tomatoes and green chilli. Grate the ginger and garlic. In a kadai, heat the oil and the ghee, add grated ginger and garlic and fry them well. Now add the onions and sauté till go pink. Now add the tomatoes and cook till it goes mushy.
Now add the chilli, coriander and garam masala powder and a little water and cook till the oil leave the sides.
Add the cooked dal, salt and water as required for the consistency and bring to a boil. Now add the paneer cubes and the kasuri methi and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve this hot dal paneer masala with rotis.
You can avoid the ghee and replace with oil also but the ginger and garlic roasting in the ghee gives an aromatic smell which adds a new flavor to the dish itself.
This dal paneer which also happens to be my favorite is off to curry mela hosted by Srivalli.