Our culinary expert, Sarika tells us how to prepare yummy, delicious and healthy Paneer Makhani for your loved ones. Here’s the recipe, in the weekly column, exclusively in Different Truths.
The days are long but the years are short. That’s the gist of parenting!
When I was kid and my neighbour’s, relatives would say, “Wow! You are growing up so fast.” Now, it seems my son grows each time I blink. He is more independent in terms of physical actions. He is more or less a self-reliant child.
He believes it is too much pressure to be on your best behaviour always. My son is picking some filthy words from different sources – story books, internet, and buddies. He also questions, “If these words are not socially acceptable why on earth people use this?”
The other day, he asked, “How to judge what is right and what is wrong?” It reminds me about a letter, which Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to his daughter Priyadarshani Indira from Missouri jail. There he mentioned that never do anything in secret or anything that you would wish to hide. For the desire to hide anything means that you are afraid, a fear is a bad thing and unworthy of you, be brave and all the rest follows!
Parenting is not easy. It is quite challenging with a pre-teen. Last week, my son was elected as a year monitor in the school. He returned home with a big grin. I hugged and congratulated him on his new role. He confessed, “Mummy, I am not an ideal boy. I challenge my teachers.
My friends calls me geek too. However, my teacher told that my management skill is very good so I am being appointed as a class leader.”
To mark his achievement, I prepared his favourite Paneer Makhani with yeast free Naan.
Ingredients
Tomatoes – 4 medium (chopped)
Green Chilli – 2 (roughly chopped)
Red Chilli powder- 2tsp.
Salt to taste
Butter – 2tsp.
Oil – 2tsp.
Ginger Paste – 2tsp.
Garlic Paste – 2tsp.
Coriander Powder – 1.5tsp.
Garam Masala – 1/2tsp.
Sugar – 1/2tsp.
Water – 3/4 th cup
Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) 200gms (cut in cubes)
Dried Fenugreek leaves – 1tsp.
Fresh Cream – 1/4 th cup
Cashew Nuts – 8
Method
Heat 2tsp. butter in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamom and cumin seeds.
Sauté for few seconds. Now, my favourite part, add chopped onion, garlic and cashew nuts.
Sauté for few minutes than add chopped tomato red chilli and salt.
Sauté again few more minutes now add kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek and water.
Cook for some time. Leave the mixture to cool and transfer it to the grinder and prepare perfect paste.
Heat butter in the same pan, add ginger paste and red chilli powder.
Mix well now add the prepared paste.
Stir properly and cook until it release the butter.
Add a cup of water and sugar and mix well.
Cover the lid and cook for some time.
Now add paneer cubes.
Mix add and in this stage add fresh cream.
Garnish with coriander leaves or the way you like.
Ready to serve.
Food styling and photos by author.