Paneer pasanda recipe with step by step photos. Paneer pasanda is a rich and delicious recipe of shallow fried stuffed paneer sandwiches in a smooth, creamy onion-tomato based gravy. This is a restaurant-style paneer pasanda recipe.
For a long time making paneer pasanda was on my list. I was just not making it as the recipe has an extensive preparation. But finally made it and took pics also.
So Paneer pasanda is not for your everyday cooking. yes it does take quite an amount of time, if you are making this dish all alone. If you have help at home then the time is considerably reduced. So I suggest making it for special occasions or when you have guests at your home or for festive occasions.
Stuffed paneer sandwiches are made and this takes half of the time. For a quicker version, you can simply fry the paneer slices in oil instead of stuffing and frying them. The gravy is a modification of Makhani gravy with the addition of fried onion paste. Putting together the gravy is easy like Paneer butter masala. you can also use ready store brought fried onions to make the onion paste. However, the taste and flavors with fresh ingredients are always better.
The recipe is a restaurant style version of paneer pasanda. for a more of the restaurant style flavors, you can do the dhungar or smoking method as shown in this Restaurant-style palak paneer Post. Do the dhungar method once the whole dish is ready.
Serve paneer pasanda with naan, rotis, tandoori roti or parathas or roomali roti. This creamy rich gravy paneer dish also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.
How to make paneer pasanda
Gravy preparations:
1. In a frying pan or kadai take 1.75 cups roughly chopped tomatoes, 10 to 12 cashews, halved or roughly chopped, ½ inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 2 single thin strands of mace (optional), 2 cloves and 1 cup water.
2. On a low to medium flame, stir and simmer this mixture till the tomatoes soften.
3. When the tomatoes soften, switch off the flame. Some stock will be left in the pan and we will use it while grinding the tomatoes. Let this mixture become warm or cool down completely before you grind.
4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 cup heaped chopped onions.
5. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame. Add a pinch of salt for the onions to brown faster.
6. Once the onions turn to light golden, switch off the flame. Let the onions cool. don’t brown the onions too much as then the gravy might become bitter.
7. Now in a grinder jar, take the fried onions. Add 4 to 5 tbsp water.
8. Then grind the fried onions to a smooth paste. Keep this paste aside.
9. In the same grinder, add the cooked tomatoes-cashews-spices mixture along with the stock. No need to add any extra water while grinding.
10. Grind to a smooth paste. There should be no cashew chunks or pieces in the paste. Keep this paste aside.
Paneer stuffing preparations for paneer pasanda
11. In a bowl or plate, take 2 to 2.5 tbsp finely crumbled or grated paneer (you can substitute grated cheese instead of paneer), 1 tbsp raisins (chopped), 6 to 8 cashews (finely chopped) or 2 tbsp finely chopped cashews, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped) or about 1 tsp chopped green chilies, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and ½ tbsp chopped mint leaves.
12. Now add ¼ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder and ¼ tsp salt or add as required.
13. Mix everything and keep aside. Check the taste and add more of the spices and salt if required. You can make this stuffing more spicy if you want, by increasing the amount of green chilies or red chili powder. If you want to have a tangy taste in the stuffing add a few drops of lemon juice or amchur powder/dry mango powder.
14. I used homemade paneer for the pasanda. I sliced the paneer as shown in the pic below to get triangles. Use your own mathematics while slicing paneer in triangles. You can also slice them in squares or rectangles. For more neat looking shapes, use a cookie cutter.
15. Separate them carefully. Add the crumbles and bits you get when slicing paneer, to the stuffing.
16. Now slice each triangle into two halves gently.
17. Slice all triangles this way.
18. Now place some of the stuffing on the paneer triangle.
19. Cover it with its top triangular slice gently. Don’t press. One paneer sandwich is ready.
20. Make all paneer sandwiches stuffed with the filling this way.
Frying paneer sandwiches for paneer pasanda
21. In a bowl, make a paste of ½ cup corn starch (known as corn flour in India) with 4 tbsp water. For a healthier version, I suggest to use yellow colored maize flour (makki ka atta) or gram flour (besan). Though note that the sandwiches will be yellow colored and the taste will be different. You might have to adjust the quantity of water if using these flours. Make a medium consistency paste with them.
22. Dip the paneer sandwich slice in the batter.
23. Turn over and coat from all sides. You can also use a spoon or small tongs to coat the slices. If you cannot turn the paneer sandwich in the batter, then with a spoon, pour the batter from the sides on the paneer sandwich and see that the batter coats the sandwich from all over.
24. Place the paneer slices in a medium hot oil (4 tbsp oil) for shallow frying.
25. Repeating the above steps nos 22 and 23, place more paneer triangles in the hot oil. Do stir the corn starch paste before you coat the paneer triangles, as the corn starch settles down.
26. When the base gets some golden specks or edges, then turn over and continue to shallow fry. You can also deep fry these paneer triangles.
27. I fried from all sides so that the corn starch gets cooked. Meaning I had to make the paneer triangles stand with a spatula for frying from all sides. If you don’t want to do this, then just add some more oil while frying.
28. Now drain the fried paneer sandwiches on kitchen paper towels. Keep aside.
Making paneer pasanda gravy
29. In the same pan, in which we cooked the tomatoes, add 1 to 1.5 tbsp fresh oil or the same oil in which the paneer sandwiches were fried. Add 1 tej patta and ½ tsp shahjeera (caraway seeds). Saute till the shahjeera crackles. Substitute cumin/jeera if shahjeera is not there.
30. Add 1 to 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste.
31. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
32. Now add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.
33. Stir and then add the fried onion paste.
34. Stir very well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.
35. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch. Stir very well.
36. Then add 1 cup water.
37. Stir again very well.
38. Simmer paneer pasanda gravy on a low flame. if the gravy splutters a lot, then cover the pan with a lid.
39. Simmer or saute the gravy till you see some oil specks on the top. The gravy will also thicken. About 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame. Then add salt as required.
40. Add ¼ to ½ tsp sugar or as required.
41. Stir and then add ¼ tsp garam masala powder, 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed and 2 tbsp low fat cream (i used amul cream). If you don’t have cream then skip adding. The gravy will still taste good.
42. Stir till the cream is mixed evenly with the rest of the gravy. Switch off the flame. Check the taste and add more of the salt or sugar if required as per your taste.
43. Now you can place the paneer triangles or pasanda in the gravy. Or else you can place them in a serving tray or plate and pour the gravy from top as shown in the final pics.
44. Coat the paneer pasanda in the gravy.
Serve paneer pasanda hot garnished with some coriander leaves. Best accompaniments with paneer pasanda are naan, tandoori roti, chapati, paratha, jeera rice or veg pulao.
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Paneer Pasanda
Ingredients
for paneer sandwiches
- 250 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
- 2 to 2.5 tablespoon crumbled or grated paneer, can substitute grated cheese instead of paneer
- 1 tablespoon raisins - chopped
- 6 to 8 cashews - finely chopped or 2 tablespoon finely chopped cashews
- 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped, or about 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
(cilantro leaves)
- ½ tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required
- 4 tablespoon oil for frying
for corn starch paste
- ½ cup corn starch
- 4 tablespoon water
onion paste
- 2 medium to large onions or 150 grams onions or 1 cup heaped chopped onions
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 4 to 5 tablespoon water to grind the fried onions. add more if required
tomato paste for paneer pasanda
- 3 medium to large tomatoes or 250 grams tomatoes or 1.75 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
- 10 to 12 cashews - halved or roughly chopped
- ½ inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 single thin strands of mace
- 2 cloves
- 1 cup water for cooking tomatoes
for making paneer pasanda gravy
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoon of the fried oil or fresh oil
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahjeera) - substitute cumin (jeera) if shahjeera is not there
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle or 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (adrak lahsun ka paste)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
(ground coriander)
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or as per taste
- 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon low fat cream, 25% to 35% fat
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish
(cilantro leaves)
- salt as required
Instructions
making tomato paste
- In a frying pan or kadai take 1.75 cups roughly chopped tomatoes, 10 to 12 cashews, halved or roughly chopped, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 2 single thin strands of mace, 2 cloves and 1 cup water.
- On a low to medium flame, stir and simmer this mixture till the tomatoes soften.
- When the tomatoes soften, switch off the flame. Some stock will be left in the pan and we will use it while grinding the tomatoes. Let this mixture become warm or cool down completely before you grind.
- Add the cooked tomatoes-cashews-spices mixture along with the stock. No need to add any extra water while grinding.
- Grind to a smooth paste. There should be no cashew chunks or pieces in the paste. Keep this paste aside.
making onion paste
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 cup heaped chopped onions.
- Stir and saute the onions on a low flame. Add a pinch of salt for the onions to brown faster.
- Once the onions turn to light golden, switch off the flame. Let the onions cool.
- Now in a grinder jar, take the fried onions. Add 4 to 5 tbsp water.
- Then grind the fried onions to a smooth paste. Keep this paste aside.
assembling and stuffing paneer sandwiches
- In a bowl or plate, take 2 to 2.5 tbsp crumbled or grated paneer (can substitute grated cheese instead of paneer), 1 tbsp raisins, chopped, 6 to 8 cashews, finely chopped or 2 tbsp finely chopped cashews, 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped, about 1 tsp chopped green chilies, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and 1/2 tbsp chopped mint leaves.
- Now add 1/4 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder and 1/4 tsp salt or add as required.
- Mix everything and keep aside.
- Slice the paneer in triangles. Now slice each triangle into two halves gently.
- Slice all triangles this way.
- Now place some of the stuffing on the paneer triangle.
- Cover it with its top slice gently. Don't press. One paneer sandwich is ready.
- Make all paneer sandwiches stuffed with the filling this way.
frying paneer sandwiches for paneer pasanda
- In a bowl, make a paste of 1/2 cup corn starch with 4 tbsp water.
- Dip the paneer sandwich slice in the batter.
- Turn over and coat from all sides. You can also use a spoon or small tongs to coat the slices.
- Place the paneer slices in a medium hot oil for shallow frying.
- Dip eacn triangle this way and then place more paneer triangles in the hot oil. Do stir the corn starch paste before you coat the paneer triangles with it as the corn starch settles down.
- When the base is golden, turn over and continue to shallow fry. You can also deep fry these paneer triangles.
- Now drain the fried paneer sandwiches on paper towels. Keep aside.
making paneer pasanda gravy
- In the same pan, in which we cooked the tomatoes, add oil. Add 1 tej patta and 1/2 tsp shahjeera. Saute till the shahjeera crackles. Substitute cumin/jeera if shahjeera is not there.
- Add 1 to 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste.
- Stir and saute till raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Now add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- Stir and then add the fried onion paste. Stir very well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch. Stir very well.
- Then add 1 cup water. Stir again very well.
- Simmer paneer pasanda gravy on a low flame.
- If the gravy splutters a lot, then cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer or saute the paneer pasanda gravy till you see some oil specks on the top. The gravy will also thicken. About 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- Then add salt as required.
- Add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sugar as required.
- Stir and then add 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed and 2 tbsp low fat cream.
- Stir till the cream is mixed evenly with the rest of the paneer pasanda gravy.
- Now you can place the paneer triangles or pasanda in the gravy. Or else you can place them in a serving tray or plate and pour the gravy from top as shown in the final pics below.
- Coat the paneer pasanda in the gravy.
- Serve paneer pasanda hot garnished with some coriander leaves. Best accompaniments with paneer pasanda are naan, tandoori roti, chapati, lachcha paratha, malabar paratha and jeera rice or veg pulao.
Notes
- Skip cream if you do not have it.
- For a vegan option substitute paneer with tofu and skip the cream. You can also use coconut cream instead.
Literally laborious task…but the result was yummyluscious….hats off to you…thanks for such amazing recipe….
yes, making paneer pasanda does take time, but the end result is too good. thanks for sharing the feedback.
I tried this recipe for a luch get together everyone liked and appreciate it .it turns out really wonderful.
thank you for this lovely feedback on paneer pasanda. glad to know. happy cooking.
Best
Awesome recipe. It really tasted great. Everyone relished it
thanks for the feedback on paneer pasanda recipe. glad to know.
Tried this yesterday… It was really very tasty
U explain each step by giving pictures… It’s truly helpful..TYSM ????
Welcome Chaitra. Glad to know that you like recipe presentation.