Zafrani Paneer

Zafrani Paneer  has a fragrant and delicate white gravy with pieces of succulent paneer. Its gravy is versatile and can be used for navratan korma (by adding cooked vegetables of your choice) or for making malai koftas(add paneer koftas).The rich white gravy fragrant with cardamom and saffron goes well with all kinds of bread. I like it best with butter naan or roomali roti.

Ingredients

500 gm Paneer/ Cottage Cheese

100 gm or 1 cup Cashew nuts/ Kaju
1 & 1/2 Cup Khoya/ Reduced milk
1" piece of  ginger,roughly chopped
5 small green chillies(stalks removed)
5 green cardamoms/ Elaichi
2 medium sized onions,chopped
100 ml cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoon Ghee/ Clarified butter

For Garnishing
3-4 saffron strands,soaked in 1 teaspoon of water
4 almonds,slivered
1 sheet Silver leaf/Varq

How to make Zafrani Paneer 

• Grind to a smooth paste Cashewnuts,Khoya,ginger, green chillies and 2 cardamoms using little water as required
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Slice paneer into 1" thick cubes.I have cut paneer into small star shapes using a cookie cutter.
• Finely dice onion.
  
• Heat ghee in a pan,crackle cloves and remaining cardamoms
  
• Add chopped onions and saute on medium heat till onions become translucent.Do not brown the onions as it will change the color of the gravy
  
• Add cashew-khoya paste and cook stirring continuously so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan
  
• Add white pepper powder and salt to taste 
  
• Add milk and paneer pieces and cook till one boil
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Turn of the gas,add cream,sugar and mix well
  
• Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with drops of saffron water,slivered almonds and varq.
  

Quick Tips

• Do not cook gravy for long after adding paneer as it will turn paneer hard and chewy
• You can decrease the amount of green chillies to your liking if you don not like your dish spicy
• Do not skip on cardamom as it imparts the lovely fragrance to the dish.