Paneer Do Pyaza is a tasty dish of soft succulent cottage cheese cubes in a creamy semi-dry gravy with double the amount of onions. The recipe also has onions added twice during the cooking process.
Peel and rinse the onions. Rinse the tomatoes. Halve or quarter the onions.
You can also use pearl or button onions instead of regular onions
Blanch halved or quartered onions and tomatoes in hot water. For this method, first boil water in a pan till the water begins to boil.
Add the onions and tomatoes and let them cook for a minute or two. Then switch off the flame.
Cover the pan and let the onions and tomatoes blanch in the hot water for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Drain and once the onions are cooled, separate each onion layers and set aside. If the onion layers are large, then chop them in halves.
Sautéing blanched onions
Heat butter in a pan.
Add the onion layers and sauté until they are lightly browned from the edges. Set aside.
Chopping fresh onions and blanched tomatoes
Peel the skin from the blanched tomatoes and chop them finely.
Also peel, rinse and finely chop two small to medium onions. You will need ½ to ⅔ cup of finely chopped onions.
Sautéing spices and onions
Heat oil in the same pan. Lower the heat and add all the whole spices - cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace, bay leaf and dry red chilies. Mix and sauté the spices for some seconds until aromatic. Take care not to burn them.
Add the chopped onions. Stir and sauté the onions until they become golden.
Sautéing tomatoes
Add the blanched and finely chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
Then add ginger-garlic paste. Mix and stir the masala mixture very well and sauté on a low to medium-low heat until the oil begins to release from the sides.
The tomatoes should soften and be completely cooked.
Keep heat to a low and add ground spices - coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, nutmeg powder and garam masala powder.
You can also add red chili powder if you prefer. Add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red chili powder depending on your taste.
Stir and mix the ground spices very well on low heat.
Making paneer do pyaza
Then add the blanched and sautéed onion layers. Mix and sauté for 2 minutes on low heat.
Add the paneer cubes.
Season with salt and stir everything well.
Add the light cream or low-fat cream. Mix gently and cook for about thirty seconds to a minute. If you have whipped cream, then add 2 tablespoons of it.
You can also add kasuri methi at this step. Add about ½ teaspoon of crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves).
Garnish with coriander leaves, ginger julienne or grated paneer.
Serve paneer do pyaza hot or warm with Indian flatbreads like chapati, roti or naan.