Kashmiri paneer

Ingredients:

225gm paneer
1 tbsp tomato puree
250gm thick plain yogurt (Greek is best)
1 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder
1 black cardamom
1 bay leaf
Half inch ginger
5 skinned almonds
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Finely chop the ginger. Puree the almonds with two tablespoons of the yoghurt and then mix into with the tomato puree and paprika.
2. Cut the paneer into large pieces, like in the picture. Frankly, you can cut it up any way you want. It doesn’t matter. But it does look more special like this.
3. In a large frying pan or medium kadai, bring the oil to heat on high. When it starts sizzling, add the bay leaf and cardamom. When they start spluttering, add the ginger.
4. As the ginger turn golden, lower the flame to and stir in the yoghurt mixture. Leave this to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the masala takes on a rich orange hue and oil starts oozing to its surface.
5. Just stir in the paneer at this stage for five minutes. When it softens, serve and eat straightaway. This was especially lovely the next day when the paneer had a chance to lie around in the masala.