Makhane and Paneer Curry
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup puffed lotus seeds (makhaanas)
1 cup  paneer – cut into 1” flat pieces and sprinkled with 1 tbsp of any fasting flour
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1” piece ginger – grated
1 green chilli – chopped
½ tsp pepper powder
1½ cups milk
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
4-5 cashews – split into two
GRIND TO A PASTE WITH A LITTLE WATER
1 tbsp melon seeds (magaz)
3 tbsp green pistachios – blanched and peeled
seeds of 2 green cardamoms (elaichi)
1 green chilli
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

Method
* Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add puffed lotus seeds. Stir fry till golden.

* In the same pan, roast cashews on medium heat till golden. Keep aside for garnish.

* Keeping aside two pieces of paneer, pan fry the rest of paneer to a rich golden color.

* Heat 2 tbsp oil in the kadhai. Add cumin seeds. Let it turn golden. Add grated ginger and green chilli. Stir till ginger turns brown.

* Add the green paste and stir for 2 minutes on low heat till dry and oil separates. Add milk, stirring continuously. Boil. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat. Add fried paneer. Add the makhanas to the gravy. Crumble 2 pieces of paneer and mix in the gravy. Add fresh coriander leaves. Cook on low heat till the desired consistency is reached. Serve garnished with fried cashews and green chillies.

Adapted from Nina Mehta cooking

|