Next on my ‘To Cook’ list was Paneer in tomato sauce. My mother had wanted to make it, did not end up finding the time to make it, so I took on the challenge.  It was based on a positive recommendation from my Grandma, who avidly requested the recipe in the fall.

mmmm. I cannot get enough of Indian dishes that have sauce, especially with a tomato base. It infuses the dish with such wonderful combination of flavours. It is great to eat alone with roti or with rice. The only downside is perhaps the long list of ingredients you have to go hunting through your kitchen cupboards for  and the mess you have to clean up afterwards. See below.

However, there is no doubt in my mind, that Indian food is 100% worth the mess.

Taken from Everyday Indian by Bal Arneson

• Oil
• Large onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp each: chopped Garlic, ginger, tomato paste, cumin seeds, methi leaves, garam masala, paprika
• 1tsp each: sugar, turmeric, salt
• 1 cup: crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup each: water, yogurt
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups cubed paneer

1. Put oil in frying pan/wok under medium high heat. When heated, add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until onions go limp – 5-6 minutes
2. Add tomato paste & cumin seeds.
3. After 1 minute, add the rest of the dry ingredients
4. After 2 minutes of stirring occasionally, add the wet ingredients except the paneer, reduce heat
5. After 10 minutes or so, gently mix in paneer. Turn off heat and cover for flavours to infuse

My rating: 9/10.  Not as spicy as I would like. Next time, green chili’s are being added to the mix!