Dum Paneer(Tofu) Kalimirch

A yummy tofu dish I found the recipe of in Young Times!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 400  g  creamy cottage cheese (malai paneer)
• 1  inch ginger
• 4 -5  cloves garlic
• 2 -3  green chilies
• 2  onions
• 2  tablespoons  oil (Butter or pure ghee can be substituted with oil.)
• 1⁄2 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1⁄4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons  pure ghee
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  inch cinnamon
• 3 -4  green cardamoms
• 3 -4  cloves
• 1  cup low-fat plain yogurt (Light cream can be substituted with plain yogurt.)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon peppercorn, crushed
• 2  tablespoons coriander powder
• 1⁄4 cup  light cream
• 1  teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1  tablespoon cumin powder

Directions

1. Cut cottage cheese into one inch cubes.
2. Peel ginger and garlic.
3. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste alongwith the green chillies.
4. Wash and finely chop the fresh corriander leaves and mint leaves.
5. Whisk yogurt to a smooth consistency.
6. Peel and finely slice onions.
7. Heat oil in a pan.
8. Deep fry the sliced onions till golden brown.
9. Drain on an absorbent paper and cool.
10. Grind the fried onions with two tbsps.
11. of water to a smooth paste.
12. Heat butter in a narrow mouthed pan (traditionally called a'handi').
13. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
14. Stir-fry briefly.
15. Add ginger, garlic, chilli paste and saute on high heat for half a minute.
16. Add the brown onion paste, whisked yogurt, corriander powder, cumin powder and salt to taste.
17. Stir well.
18. Add one cup water and cook on high heat, stirring frequently, till the gravy starts boiling.
19. Add cottage cheese pieces and mix in the chopped corriander leaves and mint leaves.
20. Stir in the cream and crushed black pepper.
21. Sprinkle garam masala powder.
22. Cover the handi with a tight-fitting lid and seal the handi using kneaded wholemeal flour (chapati dough) or alternatively, seal tightly with aluminium foil.
23. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
24. Place the sealed handi in the preheated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes.
25. Open the handi just before serving.
26. Serve immediately with hot butter naan/plain naan or rotis. In case if a person does not want to make this on "dum" like I did this afternoon, he/she can omit steps 22,23 and 24. In that case, right after step 21, mix everything and cover the pan(handi). Allow to cook on very low flame for 10 minutes.Uncover and serve this tasty paneer hot.