Adraki Paneer

Adraki Paneer as the name says, its a paneer with nice flavour of adrak / ginger. Bites of some ginger taste really great in between. Though its adraki but the flavour is not too strong but moderate which we can enjoy. Compared to the normal paneer dish this recipe needs slightly more effort but its worth it. I have marinated the paneer but before marination, I have tried a variation which gave it great flavor. Try it out - I am sure you will enjoy it.

Ingredients :

• 1 packet paneer
• 8 tomatoes chopped
• 1 medium size onion chopped
• 1 fresh garlic chopped into juliennes
• Few juliennes for garnishing and to add in the gravy
• 1 tsp ginger - garlic paste
• Fresh corriender leaves for garnishing
• 2 tbsp hunts tomato paste
• 4 whole black peppers
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 5 green cardamom
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp mace powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 kasoori methi
• 1/2 honey
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter

For Marination :

• 2 tbsp curd 
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp tandoori masala

Method :

1. Cut the paneer into slices, not too thin nor too thick. As shown in the below pictures.

Step 1.

2. Once you slice it open them. For eg. the way you make sandwich. Now lets do the pre-preparation. It looks time consuming or difficult but let me tell you it just took 20 mins and its simple too. So smile :)

Step 2.

3. Chop few juliennes as shown in the below picture.

4. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds, let them crackle.
5. Add the ginger juliennes and saute for a minute. Do not burn. Just toss them. Keep aside.

5. Now lets make marination.
6. In a bowl add all the ingredients listed under marination and mix well. Keep aside.
7. Now lets turn towards paneer which we chopped into slices. 
8. Now on 1 slice keep the few tossed ginger juliennes and on slice 2. apply marination like a spread. Check the below picture.

9. Its just like you make sandwich :).
10. Now just like sandwich place the one slice on another. Below the ginger slice and on top the marination slice. Press them gently. 

11. Now in a flat base container spread the the marination and place all the paneer cubes. An with a spoons coat the paneer with marination from all the sides.

12. Keep the marination at least for 6 hour or more in the refrigerator.

13. Before cooking For bring the marinated paneer in room temperature.

For Gravy :

14. In a pan heat oil add cumin seeds let them crackle. Add whole black peppers, cinnamon stick and green cardamom. Saute.

15. Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped onions. Saute onions till translucent.

16. Add the both the chilli powder. Add the tomato paste and mix well.

17. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cover the pan.

18. Let them cook completely till the tomatoes are mushy. Add mace powder mix well. Let it cool slightly and grind this mixture to a smooth paste.

19. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil and butter. Add the grind onion tomato paste to it. 

20. Sprinkle some garam masala and add few ginger juliennes to it.Add crushed kasoori methi and honey mix well.  Let the gravy boil for 5 mins.

21. By this time our marinated paneer has come to room temperature.

22. In a nonstick pan heat 1/2 tsp oil. Spread the oil and place the paneer cubes and cook from both the sides till light golden brown. 

23. If some curd marination is left you can add it to the gravy and boil it for few minutes. Place these cooked paneer cubes in serving bowl and pour hot gravy on them.

24. Serve hot with naan or roti.

25. Enjoy!