SERVES 4 TO 6
8 medium tomatoes (1¾ pounds/800 g total), quartered
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
4 green cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 small green chilies, thinly sliced
One 7-ounce (200 g) block paneer, store-bought or homemade, halved lengthwise
1½ teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
Sea salt
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Garam Masala 1
4 dried fenugreek leaves
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
Indian Flatbread, for serving
1. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Transfer to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let bubble gently until it has reduced by one-quarter; this should take 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add the green chilies and sauté for a couple of minutes more.
3. Add the reduced tomato sauce to the sauté pan and let bubble gently while you fry the paneer.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Slide the paneer slices into the pan. Sprinkle with half the chili powder and season with salt to taste and pan-fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip over, season with the remaining chili powder and salt to taste and pan-fry until golden. Take out of the pan and cut into medium cubes.
5. Add the cilantro, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, and honey to the tomato sauce and mix well. Add the paneer cubes to the sauce. Let bubble for a couple more minutes, then stir in the milk. (If not serving the dish immediately, do not stir in the milk until you reheat just before serving.) Let bubble for a few seconds and serve hot with bread.