From milk to magic: How to make paneer (and three ways to use it)
Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a kadai (a deep, round, flat-bottomed Indian cooking pan), stable cast-iron wok or heavy-based saucepan large enough that the oil comes up no more than halfway. Prepare a bowl of cold water while the oil is heating and keep it beside your stovetop. This is where you'll put the chaaman after frying – floating it in water straight from deep-frying removes excess oil. It also keeps the fried chaaman soft.
Once the oil is hot, add the turmeric powder and salt. (A pinch each of turmeric and salt when deep-frying anything will magically prevent it from sticking to the pan.) Working in batches so the oil stays hot, gently fry the paneer until it is just browned, then transfer from the oil to the bowl of water using a slotted spoon.
Once you've browned all the chaaman, drain it and transfer it to a large frying pan. Place on the stovetop with the heat off and add 1 cup of water – the chaaman should be almost completely covered, with just the top visible above the waterline; I call it the iceberg effect. Add more water if needed to achieve this.
Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Keep simmering until the water level has reduced by half. You shouldn't need to stir the paneer at this point – just check that it's not sticking to the pan. Once the water has reduced by half, add the masala and stir through gently. Reduce the heat to bring the water to a slow simmer. (The idea is that the heat is tempered to match the evaporation intensity of the water. When these two elements are in balance, you won't have to stir the pan, and so will avoid breaking up the delicate chunks of chaaman.)
Keep simmering gently until the water has almost evaporated, about 20 minutes – don't panic if it's longer. There should be just enough liquid to produce a thin gravy and prevent the chaaman sticking.
In a separate pan over medium heat, melt the ghee (see note) and add the cracked cardamom pods and cloves until the ghee is sizzling and the spices are fragrant. Add the ghee and cracked spices to the chaaman. Allow 2-3 more minutes of simmering before serving.
Serves 4 as part of a shared meal
NOTE
Boiling the paneer is the start of building a particular type of structure, creating a certain tension that strings the paneer proteins 'tight' and prepares them for communicating a steelier view of masala. Using structural spices such as cardamom and cloves to finish further reinforces the square and strong iteration of turmeric powder in this chaaman. The ghee is a nod to softness, and reiterates the dairy base of the dish.
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