Thick Cream Paneer Soup

Ingredients

• 300 g paneer, cubed (பன்னீர்)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• half a tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• half a tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp fresh cream (பிரஷ் க்ரீம்)
• as needed coriander leaves
• as needed rock salt
• 3 tsp coconut oil
• quarter inch cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf (பிரியாணி இலை)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• half a tsp poppy seeds (for paste) (கசகசா)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (for paste)
• 2 green chillies (for paste)
• 1-inch piece ginger (for paste)
• 5 cloves garlic (for paste)

Method

1. Grind the poppy seeds, fennel, green chillies, ginger and garlic with a little water to a paste.
2. Lightly fry the paneer cubes in a little oil until golden and set aside.
3. In a wide pan, temper cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf, brown the onion and then soften the tomato.
4. Add the ground paste, a cup of water and the turmeric, chilli and garam masala, and boil about 15 minutes until oil separates.
5. Stir in the coconut milk and cream and simmer 2 minutes, then add the paneer and salt and cook 1 more minute; garnish with coriander.

Adapted from பேலியோ ஆரோக்கிய சமையல் (Paleo Arokkiya Samaiyal) by Rtn Kannan Azhagirisamy, page 63. Method rewritten in our own words; ingredient quantities follow the book, with gram weights estimated for the nutrition figures. The book thanks the Arokkiya Unavugal (Healthy Foods) Facebook group and tamilpaleorecipes.com.