Rustic Kadhai Paneer ( Mumbai style)

Ingredients:

Paneer - 200 gms

Onions - 2 medium ( 1.5 sliced thin, 0.5 cut into large cubes 1.5" to 2")

Tomatoes - 2 medium sliced thin

Bell peppers - 1 medium cut into large cubes (1.5" - 2")

Cilantro - handful chopped finely

Chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Peanut oil - for deep frying paneer

Sweet cream unsalted butter - 2 tsp

Dry Masala:

Cinnamon sticks - flat - 2" long

Green cardamom - 5

Black cardamom - 1 large

Coriander seeds - 1 Tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp

1 whole dry red chili 

Dry roast all these spices and grind them into fine powder.

Recipe:

Heat oil in a kadhai ( cast iron wok) for deep frying paneer cubes with oil  2" - 3" high in kadhai.

Deep fry paneer until golden. Remove paneer cubes into a plate. 

Transfer oil to another bowl.

Heat kadhai again and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add onion slices.

Cook onions until golden brown. Add sliced tomatoes. 

Keep stirring and cook tomatoes well. Let it cool a little.

Transfer onion-tomatoes to a blender and puree into fine paste.

Heat kadhai again and add 2 Tbsp butter. Add bell pepper cubes.

Keep stirring until bell pepper cubes are cooked more than half way.

Add tomato-onion puree, and fried paneer cubes.

Add salt to taste, chili powder and ground dry masala and mix well.

Add 1/4 cup water, cover kadhai with a lid and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Uncover kadhai and add cubed onions and mix well.

Let it cook again for a couple of minutes until the gravy thickens.

Transfer it to a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve with Indian bread.

Notes:

1) You can add (1tsp ginger + 1 tsp garlic) paste after you add tomato puree as a variation.