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Paneer pasanda
Stuffed paneer in cashew gravy
पनीर पसंदा: nut-stuffed paneer sandwiches, fried crisp and set on a velvety tomato-cashew gravy for a party table
IndianPasanda once meant flattened slices of the best meat, cooked for the Mughal court; the vegetarian version swaps the meat for paneer, cut into thin squares and sandwiched with a filling of grated paneer, cashews, pistachios, raisins and coriander. The sandwiches are dipped in a light batter and shallow-fried until crisp, then served on a smooth, gently spiced tomato and cashew gravy that is orange-red from Kashmiri chilli rather than hot. Across Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh it is a wedding and anniversary dish, the one that makes a vegetarian menu look special, and it goes best with butter naan, kulcha or saffron pulao. The paneer is made with lemon or vinegar, so it is fine for vegetarians. Common mistake: simmering the stuffed paneer in the gravy; the batter turns soggy and the sandwiches open up. Pour the gravy onto the plate and set the pasanda on top just before serving. Chef's tip: chill the block of paneer for an hour before cutting, so the thin slices do not crack.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the paneer sandwiches
- 14 oz paneera firm block, chilled
- 2 ⅛ oz paneergrated (or use the trimmings)
- ½ oz cashewsfinely chopped
- ⅓ oz pistachiosfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp raisinschopped
- 1 tbsp fresh corianderfinely chopped
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
- ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ¼ cup cold water
- 4 tbsp sunflower oilfor shallow frying
For the gravy
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 4 ripe tomatoesroughly chopped
- 1 ⅜ oz cashewssoaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)crushed
- ¼ cup single cream
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 3 green cardamom pods and let them sizzle for a few seconds, then add 1 onion and fry for 5 minutes until soft and light gold.
6 minStep 2: Stir in 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then add 4 ripe tomatoes, the drained 1 ⅜ oz cashews, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook for 8–10 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft.
10 minStep 3: Cool slightly, pick out the cardamom pods and blend to a smooth purée. Press it through a sieve back into the pan for a velvety finish.
5 minStep 4: Add ¾ cup water and 1 tsp sugar and simmer on a low heat for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until it coats the spoon and butter glistens on the surface. Stir in ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and ¼ cup single cream and keep warm.
9 minStep 5: While the gravy simmers, cut the chilled 14 oz paneer into 8 squares about 6 cm across and 1.5 cm thick, then slice each square through the middle to give 16 thin squares.
Step 6: Mix 2 ⅛ oz paneer, ½ oz cashews, ⅓ oz pistachios, 1 tbsp raisins, 1 tbsp fresh coriander, 1 green chilli and ¼ tsp salt. Spread a spoonful over 8 squares, press the other squares on top and squeeze gently so they hold.
5 minStep 7: Whisk 3 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp plain flour (maida), ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ¼ cup cold water to a smooth batter like thin cream.
Step 8: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Dip each sandwich in the batter, letting the excess drip off, and fry for 1–2 minutes a side, including the edges, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
6 minStep 9: Spoon the hot gravy onto plates or a serving dish, set the paneer sandwiches on top, cut in half on the diagonal if you like, and serve at once. Common mistake: simmering them in the gravy, which turns the coating soggy.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does paneer pasanda take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 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.
- What can I use instead of paneer?
- Firm tofu, pressed and cubed (vegan; season it well).
- What can I use instead of paneer?
- Firm tofu, pressed and cubed (vegan; season it well).
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