Chennai
After finishing studies from Ethiraj, the youngster decided to try her luck in acting, modelling, and everything associated with fashion and glamour. Her hard work and persistence paid off and without any godfather, she made it into the world of entertainment. Her goal was to climb the ladder of success one step at a time. Rishmitha managed a prestigious role in a TV serial titled Nee Thane Enthan Ponvasantham. While growing up, the kitchen was the meeting place for her sibling and cousins as their mothers used to make some of the most delicious meals. Her grandmother used to mix pappu podi, ghee and rice in a big silver bowl, accompanied by gongura chutney and serve to her grandchildren. Rishmitha tells me that she still remembers the taste of that aromatic rice.
Being an Andhraite, Rishmitha tastes tend towards spicy and chilly hot. Right from her childhood, she followed her mother into the kitchen to learn cooking. Soon, she became an expert at rustling up a whole meal and would often cook delicious meals for all. The actor loved the festivities the most and one of her favourite festivals is Deepavali. Her cousins, aunts, and uncles come together and make ladoo, jangri, Mysore pak and rava ladoo. Rishmitha tells me that she used to go for picnics with her friends from school and college to different parks and other hangout spots in and around Chennai. Each would bring a dish and her favourite dishes were aloo parathas and paneer dishes. The daily fare at her home varied and some of the dishes were an exotic version of tamarind rice called chitrannam, chepa pulusu, gongura pickle ambadi, pesarattu, Andhra style chicken biryani, gutti vankaya kura, dal bondas, pappu podi and curd rice.
Rishmitha’s most favourite dish is paneer pasanda. Modern paneer is traced back to the Persian and Afghan rulers who introduced it in the 16th century, primarily in North India, where it was made with either goat or sheep rennet. The term ‘paneer’ comes from the word ‘peynir’ which means cheese in the Turkish and Persian languages. Paneer first became popular in Punjab then later in Bengal where it was used extensively for almost all sweet dishes. In the south, paneer dishes became popular when a lot of North Indian migrants and businessmen settled here opened exclusive north Indian eateries and giving the locals a taste of the aromatic tandoori and paneer dishes. Paneer is a great source of protein and calcium for vegetarians. Today, I am sharing Rishmitha’s paneer pasanda recipe.
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes
PANEER PASANDA RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
Coriander seeds: 2 tbsp | Dried red chillies: 2 red chillies | Green cardamom: 4 | Fennel seeds: 1 tsp | Cloves: 3 | Butter, unsalted: 1 tbsp | Sesame oil: 1 tbsp | Onion: 1 cup finely chopped | Green chili: 1 sliced | Ginger garlic paste: 2 tsp | Tomatoes: 4 finely chopped | Tomato paste: 1 tbsp | Garam masala: 1/4 tsp | Kashmiri red chili powder: 3/4 tbs | Ginger julienned: 1 inch piece | Water: 1/2 cup | Heavy cream: 1tbsp | Cashewnut: ¼ cup paste | Salt: to taste | Brown sugar: 1 tsp | Green bell pepper: 1, cut into strips | Paneer: 2 cups cubes. Soak it in warm water for 20-25 minutes before using | Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp | Coriander: to garnish
METHOD
Place a small kadai or a pan on gas and dry roast the spices for kadai masala for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add more red chillies for a spicier masala
Remove kadai from heat and transfer the roasted spices to a grinder and grind to a fine powder
Place a large kadai on the gas. Add butter and half the oil
Add chopped onion and saute for 3 minutes until softened. Then add sliced green chilli and ginger garlic paste and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes
Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix and cook for around 5 minutes until tomatoes are soft
Add the rest of the oil and add kadai masala which was prepared
Also add garam masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder Add half of the ginger julienne. Stir the spices and cook for 30 seconds Add 1/2 cup water and stir
Add the cashew nut paste, salt, brown sugar and cook for 2 mins
Add paneer cubes and bell peppers and mix well.
Cover for 5 mins and cook on medium to low flame
Open the lid and add crushed kasuri methi
Garnish with remaining ginger julienne and cilantro
Serve paneer pasanda with naan or paratha
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