Khoya Paneer

Thickened milk goes into the gravy as well as the cheese, and it is meant to be hot.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (ghee), dairy (milk), dairy (paneer), dairy (yoghurt).

Ingredients

• 300 g Paneer, as on its own page, in cubes
• 150 g khoya, thickened milk
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 400 g tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground red chilli
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 3 tablespoons ghee
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 250 ml water

Method

1. THICKENED MILK GOES INTO THE GRAVY AS WELL AS THE CHEESE, AND IT IS MEANT TO BE HOT. Its article is short and gives both: made with paneer, KHOYA, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and spices, and it USUALLY TASTES SPICY. Two dairy things in one gravy is the whole character -- the khoya dissolves and gives a sweet, slightly grainy richness that cream does not, and it is there to be fought by the chilli rather than to soften it. Made mild it tastes merely milky.
2. THE KHOYA IS CRUMBLED IN AND STIRRED UNTIL IT MELTS. A hundred and fifty grams into the hot tomato base, worked until it has gone. Dropped in late and in lumps it stays as lumps.
3. IT IS NOT CREAM AND IT DOES NOT BEHAVE LIKE CREAM. Khoya is milk cooked down to a solid, so it thickens as well as enriching and the gravy will tighten noticeably. Have the water ready.
4. THE CHILLI IS DOUBLE WHAT THE OTHER GRAVIES HERE CARRY. Two teaspoons of ground chilli and two green chillies besides, against one teaspoon elsewhere, because its article says the dish is spicy and the khoya absorbs a great deal of heat.
5. THE ONIONS GO TO A DEEP BROWN, NOT GOLDEN. Ten or twelve minutes. A sweeter base stands up better to the khoya.
6. THE TOMATOES ARE COOKED OUT COMPLETELY FIRST. Before the khoya goes anywhere near. Raw tomato acid and khoya together can curdle.
7. THE PANEER IS ADDED AT THE END AND LEFT ALONE. Four minutes at a bare simmer.
8. THE GARAM MASALA IS LAST, OFF THE HEAT. As with the other gravies here.
9. ITS ARTICLE SAYS WHAT IT IS EATEN WITH. Indian breads like roti and naan, or rice.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes