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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
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Serves
6 to 8
Author Notes
From Chef Floyd Cardoz of New York's Bombay Bread Bar: "The curry itself is very traditional. This makhani was a way to use a very seasonal ingredient with paneer. And my spin is using cauliflower, almost imitating a cauliflower Mornay," referring to the classic French sauce that takes a creamy béchamel base and turns it up a notch with the addition of cheese. In this case, that "cheese" is paneer, and the dairy components are the cream and butter. The Serrano chili, ginger, and cilantro keep the curry from feeling too heavy. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
Featured in: Cauliflower Dances with Paneer in This Spicy, Creamy Makhani Curry —The Editors
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Ingredients
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3 quarts
fresh tomatoes
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1
serrano chilli
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4
cloves garlic
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1 tablespoon
cumin powder
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1 tablespoon
turmeric powder
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1 tablespoon
chili powder (he uses Kashmiri chilies)
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1 tablespoon
freshly ground black pepper
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1/3 cup
honey
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2 cups
water, plus more according to preference
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1 dash
salt, plus more to taste
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1 1/2 cups
heavy cream
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1 cup
(2 sticks) unsalted butter
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1 piece
2-inch ginger knob, cut in 1/2-inch long julienne strips
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1/4 cup
toasted fenugreek leaves, crushed
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4 cups
roasted cauliflower florets
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3 cups
soft paneer, cut into cubes
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2 handfuls
cilantro, to stir in and for garnish
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8
servings steamed long grain basmati rice
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8
servings Indian flatbread like naan
Directions
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In a large blender, puree tomatoes, garlic, and chili. If your blender won't accommodate all the tomatoes at once, work in batches.
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Add the ground spices and honey to the pureed tomato, garlic, and chili mixture.
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Place a large pot on moderate heat. Add the puree, along with the water, and bring up to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
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After an hour, strain the mixture into a pot. Season and add the heavy cream, butter, julienned ginger, and crushed fenugreek. (This sauce can be prepped a couple of days in advance. At this point, store in the refrigerator until ready, or proceed to next steps for serving).
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For serving: Add the cauliflower to sauce and bring the sauce up to a boil. Lower the heat, add the paneer and continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in the cilantro (and garnish on top), and serve with Indian flatbread and/or long grain basmati rice.
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