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Afghani Paneer.Creamy, Aromatic, and delicious. This paneer curry is quite different from other paneer dishes. Soft paneer chunks are marinated in a cashew nut and melon seeds-based marination and later cooked with the same mixture. I have simplified the process, and the result is heavenly. Suitable for parties or special occasions.Goes well with any Indian bread or rice.
Everyone loves paneer. A great source of protein for vegetarians, paneer dishes are healthy, too, if you are avoiding too much oil and spices.
My kids look forward to all the excellent paneer dishes I make each week at least two to three times. However, sometimes it's challenging to cook something new, exciting for them, and, most importantly, easy and not very time-consuming.
You may want to check my popular paneer recipes,
While cooking, I thought about making a creamy, easy, and delicious dish that doesn't use too many spices. This recipe was a super hit, and when my critics approve anything, I should share that with guys, right?
What is Afghani Paneer?
The sweet and savory flavors of Afghanistan inspire this dish. Afghani dishes use lots of dry fruits and are rich in flavor. They do not use paneer in the recipe, but for Indian vegetarians, Paneer is the ultimate food. Hence this recipe.
What Ingredients are used in the recipe?
Paneer-Home made or store-bought.
Cashew Nuts, Melon Seeds-Soak them in hot water for 30 minutes and grind them to make a fine paste.
Onion, ginger garlic, and green chilies-- For making the curry flavorful.
Fresh cilantro and mint leaves for Creating a depth of flavor.
Heavy cream /Fresh cream and a bit of butter for the richness.
Salt, crushed black pepper, and cooking oil.
Bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and green cardamom.
Kasoori Methi And raisin for a lovely sweet aromatic kick.
What if I do not have Melon Seeds?
You can use soaked poppy seeds in that case. Make a super smooth paste, and then only use it.
What if I cannot use cashew Nuts?
Many people are allergic to cashew nuts. You can use Almonds instead of cashew nuts. Make sure to use unsalted raw almonds . Salted snack ones will not work here.
How to Serve?
Any Indian bread like roti, naan, or paratha besides rice dishes will be great t serve along.
Any Ideas to make this Vegan?
Yes. Use tofu instead of paneer. Thick Coconut milk will work in place of heavy cream
Can we make this without onion and garlic?
Absolutely. Ensure you are using all the other ingredients after skipping onion and garlic. Cashew melon paste will make the curry quite creamy and delicious.
Can I freeze it?
I don't advise freezing recipes with dairy and milk products. Besides making the texture very sloppy, they are a health hazard too. You can store the cooked curry for one day in a fridge. Cooking and eating fresh is essential for this curry.
New Recipes
Afghani Paneer
Ingredients
- 15 Cubes Paneer
- 10 Piece Cashew Nut
- ¼ Cup Melon Seeds
- 1 Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Crushed Black Pepper
- 2 Pieces Green chili pepper
- ½ Cup Cilantro Leaves
- ¼ Cup Mint Leaves
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream /Fresh Cream
- 1 Small Chopped Onion
- 1 2 Inch Ginger
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Kasoori Methi
- 2 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- ½ Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Bay Leaves
- ½ Inch Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Green Cardamom
- ¼ Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- ¼ Cup Golden Raisins
- 1 Cup Water
Instructions
- Soak cashew nuts and melon seeds in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove them from the water and grind them to make a fine paste.
- Cut paneer into your desired shape and size. Keep it aside.
- Take a pan.Heat with one tbsp of oil. Add onion ,ginger and garlic and saute them Furthermore add cilantro ,
- Take a blender /Grinder and make a paste of cooked onion ,ginger,garlic ,cilantro leaves,mint leaves,and green chili.Grind to make a paste.
- Take a big bowl.Combine cashew and melon paste with spice paste.Add raisin to this mixture.
- Whisk them to make a smooth paste.Coat all the paneer pieces with the paste and marinate them in the mixture for 15 minutes.
- Take a pan .Heat the pan with one tbsp butter and one tbsp oil.
- Add all the whole spices and let them crackle.
- Add paneer marinade to the pan and cook it for 5-7 minutes on low /medium flame or till it looks cooked.
- Add cream and water at this time.Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Crush some kasoori methi between your palms and mix with paneer curry.
- Taste the curry now if you think the salt needs to be adjusted do it now.
- I have kept the gravy a little thick however you can always make it a little thinner as per your choice.
- Take the dish out in a serving bowl and enjoy with roti or paratha.
- Enjoy.
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