Paalkatti Chettinad Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 250 grams Paneer (Homemade Cottage Cheese) , cubed
• 1/2 cup Pearl onions (Sambar Onions) , quartered
• 1 Tomato , chopped
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
• 1 tablespoon Red Chilli powder
• Salt , to taste
• Oil , for cooking
• 2 sprig Curry leaves
• 2 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
• 3 Cloves (Laung)
• 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
• 1 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
• 2 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
• 3 Kalpasi leaves
• 2 Star anise
• 6 Dry Red Chilli
• 1 teaspoon Poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup Fresh coconut , grated
• 2 Green Chillies , slit
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , a small bunch finely chopped

Directions

1. To begin making Paalkatti Chettinad Curry Recipe (Chettinad Style Paneer Kurma Recipe) by roast the ingredients listed under Chettinad paste.
2. In a Preheated pan add all the ingredients, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom ,peppercorn, kalpasi leaves, star anise, poppy seeds dry red chillies and grated coconut. 
3. Saute and roast them until the coconut turns golden brown. Cool it down and blend it using a grinder to a nice smooth paste by adding a little water.
4. The next step is to heat a nonstick shallow pan and add oil, once it is heated up add mustard seeds and asafoetida (hing), let it splutter for few seconds.
5. Then add garlic, onions saute till it is nice and brown. Add in the chopped tomatoes and fry till the raw smell goes away, you can add a little salt to make it cook faster.
6. Once done add the paneer along with the paste and give it a stir. Add water and cover the pan cook it for some time, like for about 3 minutes.
7. Open the lid and add the chopped coriander to Paalkatti Chettinad Curry and give it a stir.
8. Serve your spicy Paalkatti Chettinad Curry Recipe along with Tawa Paratha and Carrot Cucumber Tomato Salad with Lemon and Coriander  for a weekday dinner.