TOTAL TIME 55 min
CUISINE Indian
SERVINGS 6
– In a pan, dry roast coriander seeds, sesame seeds, cumin and red chili. Once it cools down a bit, transfer it to a blender jar and add the rest of the ingredients mentioned under ‘To Grind’ and grind it to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed. – Cube the paneer into ½ inch pieces and pan fry them until light brown in about 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove the paneer from the pan and keep it aside. I sometimes also keep the fried paneer soaked in warm water to keep it soft.
– In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the cubed onion and bell pepper. Make sure that they still have a crunch in them. Remove from the pan and keep it aside. – Again, in the same pan, heat the remaining oil and add the ground paste. Cook the ground paste in low medium flame until the raw smell disappears and it turns aromatic. Also, the paste would thicken and the oil will start leaving the sides of the pan. This will take about 10-12 minutes, but cooking it patiently in low flame ensures a very flavorful subzi.
– Now add the pureed tomato and the masala powders (red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala) and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to combine and then add the salt. Do not add salt in the beginning as it will cause the gravy to splatter all over. – Add the sautéed onions, bell pepper and paneer pieces. Mix gently and simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
– Serve the Hyderabadi Paneer hot with rice or chapatti. Enjoy!