Ingredients

1. Oil – 2 tbsp
2. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
3. Paneer – 175 to 200 gms

Sauce

4. Oil – 1 to 2 tbsp
5. Garlic cloves (big, chopped) – 2
6. Onion (small, chopped) – 1
7. Green chilli (sliced or chopped) – 1
8. Chilli powder – 1 tsp
9. Tomato puree (thick double concentrated) – 1 tbsp
10. Tomato sauce – 3 tbsp
11. Sugar – 1 tsp
12. Water – 180 to 200 ml
13. Chilli garlic sauce – 2 tbsp
14. Salt - as per taste
15. Onion (small, cut in chunks) – 1
16. Green capsicum (cut in chunks) – 1/2
17. Red capsicum (chunks) – 1/2

Method

1. Chop garlic and onion finely, keep aside.
2. Cut onion, green and red pepper into chunks, square cut.
3. Cut panner into thin triangle shapes or as you need it.
4. Soak paneer pieces in warm water, strain and dry it with kitchen paper, keep it aside.
5. Preheat the pan with oil, when hot add cumin seeds, it starts spluttering, add paneer pieces, sauté for few mints, till light golden colour. (In the picture it looks more dark brown).
6. The paneer (cottage cheese) pieces will be flavoured with cumin seeds and few cumin seeds will get attached to the paneer pieces and gives a good taste and texture, remove the paneer (cottage cheese) pieces only to a separate plate, keep it ready.
7. Take the same pan for sauce, with remaining oil and few cumin seeds, add oil if needed, when hot add onions, garlic and green chillies sauté for few min till transparent and light colour comes on it.
8. Add chilli powder, tomato puree, sauté for few sec, add water ½ cups, mix well and cook till the water is absorbed on medium heat.
9. Add tomato ketchup, sugar and chilli garlic sauce, sauté for 30sec add water again 80ml for the sauce.
10. Cook for 1 to 2min, till it becomes like a sauce consistency, keep stirring.
11. Add capsium and paneer (cottage cheese) pieces, salt mix well, cook till the sauce is well coated with paneer and capsicum pieces.
12. Cook for 2min on medium heat or low flame for 5min, keep stirring, and switch it off.
13. Serve as a starter or as a side dish.

Notes

1. You can reduce chilli as per your taste.
2. Add vegetables and paneer pieces as per the sauce consistency and the quantity.
3. You can add white pepper or black pepper, chilli flakes for additional taste.
4. You can add sugar when adding chilli powder and tomato puri(readymade, double concentrated).
5. If paneer (cottage cheese) bought from the shop, then I always soak it in hot water to make it soft for sometime, then drain the water and keep it side, while adding to the gravy.
6. Even you can sprinkle corn flour on paneer and mix it or coat with it and shallow fry or deep fry it. Just fry till it becomes light brown or colour changes, as it will become crispy and very soft, keep it aside.
7. Instead of chopped onion, you can use spring onion in the beginning and for garnishing also.