Paneer Angara (Smoked Cottage Cheese Curry)

Usually when we travel by road in India we come across many Dhabas (Family run restaurants on Interstates) and the food that we enjoy there is extremely tasty and lasts in our memory forever. One such dish that I tried during one such vacations was "Paneer Angara". This dish is somewhat similar to "Paneer Kadai" due to the addition of Bell Peppers and Onion, but what makes it different is the smoke effect that is given at the end of the dish. So ideally if you prepare the dish without smoke effect then it will be similar to "Paneer Kadai". I tried this dish and did my own tweaks like adding Kashmiri Chili Paste instead of whole red chilies and ginger garlic paste instead of whole ginger and garlic. Its completely your choice but I prefer the paste than the whole Kashmiri chilies.

For those who would use Kashmiri Chili Paste, it is prepared by soaking 5-6 Kashmir Chilies in warm water for 4-5 hours and then grinding it to fine paste by adding just a pinch of salt and lime. This acts as a preservative and will keep the paste for longer time in refrigerator. I always have the paste ready to go and use it in my recipes as and when required.

Let's have a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup Paneer

1 sliced Onions (Big Onion, if you use medium then 2 should be good and if smaller in size then 4 should be good)

3 sliced Tomatoes

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 Green Cardamom

1 inch Cinnamon Stick

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (I add green chili to it as well hence the green color)

2 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chili Paste (You can use whole Red Kashmiri Chili too approximately 4-5)

1 Green Chili

10 Cashews (Soaked in water for 4 hours)

2 tbsp Red Chili Powder (Kashmiri Chili Powder preferred)

1 tsp Turmeric POwder

1 tbsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Kasuri Methi

2 tbsp Heavy Cream

1/2 Bell Pepper (square cuts)

1/2 Onion (square cuts)

Oil/Ghee/Butter for cooking

Salt to taste

Ingredients for Smoking Paneer:

1 coal

1 tbsp Ghee

Method: 

In a pot add 2 tbsp Oil and add Cumin Seeds to it and wait until they splutter on medium flame.

Add Green Cardamom, Cinnamon Stick and mix the ingredients. 

Once the spices release aroma, add sliced onions to it. Cook until they are golden brown.

Add 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and mix well.

Wait until the raw smell of the paste eliminates. Add Kashmiri Chili Paste to the pot and give it a good mix. 

Add cashews to the pot and mix all ingredients well and let it cook on low flame for 5 mins.

Add sliced tomatoes and give all a good mix. 

Cook until tomatoes soften and make sure the flame is low or medium.

Turn off the flame and let it cool down. Once the mixture has cooled down grind it to fine paste.

In the same pot add 2 tbsp Ghee and add 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste.

Mix it well and let it cook for 5 mins on low flame.

Add grinded mixture using a strainer, that way we will get more smoother mixture.

Keep the flame on low all this while, as the ingredients of mixture are already cooked.

Add Coriander powder, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Salt to the mixture and mix well.

Cover the pot and let it cook for 5 min on low flame.

Add roughly cut onion and bell peppers to the mixture. 

Add Paneer to the pot and mix it carefully. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10 mins on low flame.

Remove the lid from the pot and add Garam Masala and Kasuri Methi and give it a delicate mix.

After 5 mins add Heavy Cream and mix the curry to assimilate all ingredients.

Meanwhile heat coal on a flame and add a small bowl in the curry at center and add heated coal.

Add 1 tbsp of Ghee on the heated coal and cover the pot until the smoke settles.

Once you notice all smoke has settled down, remove the bowl with coal and serve the curry hot with Rotis or Naan.