Shahi Paneer

Indian Cottage Cheese in a mild creamy gravy of milk and nuts.

Ingredients:
Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese Cubes - 250 gms
Onion - 1 big (about 1 1/2 cups sliced onions)
Green Chillies - 3
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 4 big cloves
Cashews - 1/4 cup
Almonds - 1/4 cup
Milk Cream/Malai or Milk - 1 cup
Coriander Seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
Black Peppercorns/Miri - 4
Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 2 pods
Bay Leaf - 1
Brown Sugar or Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method:
1. Soak cashews and almonds in water for 20 - 30 minutes.  I have used almonds with skin.  After soaking the skin comes off easily.  Discard the skin if you want to.
2. Grind coriander seeds, black peppercorns, (peeled) green cardamom to a fine powder.  (You can use store bought powders as well.)
3. Grind roughly chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste/puree using little water.
4. Grind soaked cashews, almonds and milk cream to a fine paste.
5. Heat 1 - 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add bay leaf.  After few seconds, add the ground onion paste and the ground powder as well.  (Be careful while adding the onion paste as it will splutter.) Saute at low flame till moisture is lost, about 5 minutes.
6. Now add the cashew milk cream paste.  Cook it covered at low flame for 5 - 10 minutes or till it starts boiling.
7. Add paneer cubes, salt, brown sugar and cook it covered for 5 more minutes.  (You can add 1/4 tsp garam masala as well, I didnt.)
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with naan or roti or jeera rice.

Note: If you want the gravy to be orange coloured, substitute green chillies and black peppercorns with dry red chillies or red chilli powder.  Also, add 2 cups tomato puree along with onions.