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Chaman kaliya
Chaman kaliya: golden fried paneer simmered in a turmeric, fennel and milk gravy from Kashmir
In Kashmir paneer is called chaman, and kaliya is the name for a gravy coloured bright yellow with turmeric rather than red with chilli. Kashmiri Pandit cooks fry thick slabs of paneer, rest them in warm water so they stay spongy, then simmer them in milk with fennel, dry ginger and cardamom. The result is mild, sweet-scented and soothing, a dish that sits beside the fiery ones on a wedding or festival spread and is just as welcome on a weekday with rice. Chef's tip: use a generous spoon of good turmeric; the gravy should glow a deep gold, and the milk mellows any rawness.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan over a high heat until it just smokes, then lower to medium. Fry the 14 oz paneer in one layer for 2 minutes a side, until the edges are pale gold. Don't take it to deep brown or it toughens.
6 minStep 2: Lift the paneer straight into 2 cups warm water and leave it there. Skipping this soak is the usual mistake: fried paneer goes rubbery in the gravy, while soaked paneer turns soft and soaks up flavour.
1 minStep 3: Keep 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan and put it back on a medium heat. Add 3 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 bay leaf and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing).
1 minStep 4: Take the pan off the heat, stir in 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric for 10 seconds, then pour in ¾ cup water at once. Turmeric burns fast in hot oil, so have the water ready.
Step 5: Add 2 tsp ground fennel, 1 tsp ground dry ginger (sonth), 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and boil for 5 minutes, until the liquid smells sweet with fennel and has reduced slightly.
5 minStep 6: Add the paneer with about 100 ml of its soaking water, then pour in 1 ¼ cups whole milk. Simmer over a low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring gently, until the gravy is silky, bright yellow and thin enough to pour over rice.
12 minStep 7: Sprinkle in ¼ tsp ground green cardamom, check the salt and serve hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chaman kaliya take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of paneer?
- Firm tofu, pressed and cubed (vegan; season it well).
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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