PANEER BIRBALI

Recipe by : Sify food
Ingredients:
1 kg - paneer, block
1 cup - oil
2/3 tsp - green cardamoms
2 - bayleaves
2/3 tsp - cumin seeds
3 - cinnamon sticks
2 1/2 tbsp - ginger paste
2 1/2 tbsp - garlic paste
2 tsp - red chilli powder
1/2 cup - onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups - tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp - mace powder
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp - cream
3/4 cup - gram flour or maize flour
3 1/2 tbsp - milk
3 tsp - green coriander, chopped
1 1/2 tsp - ginger, julienned, long, thin strips
1/2 cup - cashewnuts

Method
Heat 1/3 cup oil in a pan.
Add cardamoms, Bayleaves, cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks, saute over medium heat for 30 seconds.
Add the ginger and garlic pastes, red chilli powder and onions. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Uncover, stir and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the oil separates from the gravy.
Add mace, salt and three fourths of the cream.
Strain the gravy and keep aside.
Mix the gram flour in milk to make a thick batter. Beat the batter for 3 minutes.
Coat the paneer block with the batter.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and shallow fry until light brown.
Slice the paneer lengthwise.
Place on a platter and pour the hot sauce over it.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ginger juliennes.
Sprinkle with crushed cashewnuts.