PANEER CHATPATA (DELICIOUS COTTAGE CHEESE GRAVY)

Paneer Chatpata is a mouthwatering Cottage cheese gravy vegetable. Paneer is quite famous in north India. Made from milk, paneer is a very good source of proteins for the vegetarians. It’s creamy taste blends well with any flavour and hence can be easily used to make a variety of dishes from appetisers, gravies to rice dishes.

Paneer is, in short quite a healthy, nutritious and filling food item. In India, one can find loads of gravy dishes made using paneer. Nowadays, it has even been incorporated into the south Indian cuisine by restaurants wanting to attract more people to their food.

Here I am presenting a paneer gravy dish which is chatpata like Paav Bhaaji, the quintessential Indian street food which actually isn’t only a street food any more! Just as paav bhaaji loved by one and all, paneer chatpata is sure to tingle your taste buds equally.

For some more such delicious dishes, do take a look at the following recipes too…

1. Paneer Makhani
2. Kadhai Paneer
3. Paneer Stir Fry Masala
4. Paalak Paneer

Prep Time : 30 min

Cooking Time : 35 min

Serves : 4-5

Cup Used :200 ml

INGREDIENTS :

• 250 gm Paneer (Cottage cheese)
• 3 Small Onions
• 3 Medium Tomatoes
• 1 Small Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper)
• 5 Cashewnuts
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1/2 inch Ginger
• 1/4 tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder …….to be adjusted
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Corriander powder
• 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Paav Bhaaji masala / Garam Masala……. whichever is available or preferable
• 1 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 2 tbs Fresh Coriander leaves
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbs Cream
• 1 tbs Butter
• 2 tbs Oil for tempering
• Salt to taste

METHOD :

1. To make Paneer Chatpata, first start with finely chopping two of the given onions and cutting the third onion into medium sized cubes. Cube the capsicum and keep aside.
2. Grind the ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Grind the cashewnuts with the tomatoes to make a smooth puree.
3. Heat together the oil and butter in a saucepan and add the ajwain and cumin seeds to it. When they crackle add the finely chopped onions and saute till transparent.
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute. Cover and cook for a while.
5. Add the cubed capsicum and onion and mix well. Saute, cover and cook again till they turn soft. Add all the mentioned spice powders except the garam masala and mix.
6. When the onions and capsicum are soft, add the tomato and cashewnuts puree and mix well. Add salt to taste and sugar as well.
7. Cover and cook till gravy thickens. When tomatoes are cooked, add about 1/4 cup of water to the thickened gravy. Bring to a boil.
8. On a medium hot griddle, spread the kasuri methi for a while till it becomes crisp. Crush with fingers and add to above gravy and mix. Add the paav bhaaji masala too and give it a good stir.
9. Cut the paneer into medium sized cubes. Add to the gravy. Check seasoning and add some water too if required to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
10. Add the cream and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
11. Serve hot with Garlic Butter Naan or some Jeera Rice.

NOTE :

Cottage cheese can be made at home or bought from a store. Fresh cottage cheese makes the dish delicious. All spices mentioned above can be adjusted as per one’s preference. To reduce the tartness of the gravy, do try adding a little milk to it instead of much water. Thus less cream would be needed. Suggested variation for this dish is adding carrots and green peas, apart from the capsicum. Can be served with Rotis, naan or pulao too.