Paneer Angara is a recipe which has an exotic smokey flavour.It is a regular paneer makhani gravy which is given a smokey flavour .
Smoking a dish or as said in Hindi – dhungar, dhua karna, dhoni dena, is a very ancient technique of enhancing the flavor of a dish by infusing the flavor of smoke from burnt charcoal and spices.
Smoking food at home, using hot charcoal is a super easy method to achieve the tandoori effect right in your own kitchen. This method lends that smoky flavour usually obtained by cooking in a tandoor, with as little as a piece of coal. Using this technique of coal smoking, you will get the taste and aroma that the food has just come out of the barbecue grill or a tandoor, without the hassle of firing up a tandoor or barbecue at home. You can do this right on your stove top..
Paneer Angara is a special recipe which has an exotic smokey flavour.
Paneer Angara (Smoked cottage Cheese curry) is a delicious dish with smoky flavor. … Not only does smoke impart a rich flavor to almost anything from vegetables, curries, dals, meats, salads and even beverages b
Take out the curry in a serving bowl. Be ready with its lid. Place a bowl at the centre on the curry. Put live charcoals in the bowl. Put asafoetida on the charcoal, pour ghee over it and cover the bowl right away. Keep it undisturbed for 10 min atleast so that the smokey flavour blends with the curry well.
Paneer angara recipe
INGREDIENTS
Paneer – 250 gms [ cubed ]
Onion – 1 large chopped
Tomato – 2 or 3 [not sour ]
Chilly powder – 1 1/2 tsp [ as per taste]
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
turmeric pwdr – ¼ tspn
Cashew – 8 – 10 nos
Butter – 2 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder [kitchen king masala] – 1 tsp
Amul fresh cream – 2 or 3 tbsp
Tomato ketchup – 1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Kasoori methi pwdr – 1 tsp
PREPARATION FOR GRAVY
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , onion and fry till translucent.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell leaves.
Then add tomatoes + salt and fry till soft .
Add chilli pwdr + turmeric pwdr + coriander pwdr + kitchen king masala .
Add cashew and fry for few seconds.
Add ketchup + sugar .
Add 2 ½ cup water and mix . [water as per the consistency]
Cover it and cook for 10 mins on medium low flame till the tomatoes become soft .
Remove from flame and allow it to completely cool.
Grind or blend it into a fine paste . [here for restaurant kind colour, add tandoori food colour ]
Strain it to get a nice sauce. Makhani gravy is ready .
****this gravy can be used in preparations of veg and non veg gravies – chicken ,mushroom ,makhana ,mixed veges ,koftas etc .
METHOD
In another pan butter + 1 tsp oil. [oil so that butter doesn’t burn ]
Pour the sauce , stir and cook it for 1 or 2 minutes.
Now add paneer cubes .
Simmer on low flame for a min .
Add cream and mix well. Cook for few seconds and off the flame .
GIVING SMOKEY [ ANGARA ] FLAVOUR
After cooking the curry, place a mini bowl along with burned coal over the curry.
drizzle ghee / butter over the burning coal. Cover and keep aside 10 minutes or more .
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and give a mix .
Paneer angara is ready to serve .
Serve with tandoori naan, onion rings, lemon and green chillies. Enjoy !
NOTES
Don’t use very sour tomatoes .[You can use upto 4 tomatoes ]
Garnish it with coriander leaves or butter or drizzle few drops of fresh cream.
You can also garnish with grated paneer.
We can also cook the gravy in cooker upto 2 whistles.
Gravy has to be thick ,so add water accordingly while boiling the gravy itself .
The gravy thickens on cooling because of cashew .
Instead of food colour use kashmiri red chilli paste or pwdr .
Straining of gravy is must to get smooth paste.
Makhani gravy is the red gravy mostly prepared in Restaurants . [NorthIndian dishes ]
This gravy is creamy /rich /smooth and silky in texture .
Fresh cream is used to balance the flavour of tomato.
You can make the gravy paste in advance and store in fridge upto a week .[ no cream to be added ]
Paneer angara recipe
How to Smoke Food Using Charcoal [ charcoal , you can ask in any restaurants or hotels for a small piece ]
Take a piece of coal (about 3 inches big) and hold it over a gas flame with the help of tongs.
The coal will begin to turn red hot and grey in about 5 minutes. This shows that the coal is ready to be used for smoking.
Make a well in the centre of the pan with any dish you have cooked , by pushing a glass or steel cup into it. Place the hot coal inside the cup. Pour a spoon of ghee on the coal.
It will begin to smoke , immediately cover the pan and reduce the heat to low and allow it to rest for about few minutes. Open the lid and remove the coal cup. the food absorbs the smoked tandoori flavor.
