Ingredients

• 250 g - Cottage cheese (paneer)
• 8-10 - Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/2 lemon-sized ball - Medium Tamarind
• 2 inch piece - Ginger, roughly chopped
• 10-12 cloves - Garlic, crushed
• 6-8 - Whole dry red chillies
• 1 tbsp - Sesame oil (til oil)
• 1 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 20 - Curry leaves
• 3 inch stick - Cinnamon
• 1 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp - Coriander powder
• 1 tsp - Cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup - roasted chana dal (dalia)
• 1/4 cup - coconut milk

How to Make Paneer in Tomato Gravy

• Cut paneer into finger-sized batons.
• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for half an hour, remove the pulp, strain and set aside.
• Heat a pan and add chopped tomatoes along with chopped ginger, crushed garlic and dried red chillies.
• Add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or till it is reduced to half.
• Remove from heat. Cool and pass through a fine mesh or a soup strainer.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds, stir-fry briefly until mustard seeds begin to crackle.
• Add curry leaves, cinnamon, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir-fry briefly.
• Immediately add strained tomato mixture.
• Bring it to a boil and stir in tamarind pulp and salt.
• Add roasted Bengal gram powder and mix thoroughly.
• Reduce heat and stir in coconut milk and add paneer pieces.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and serve hot.