Paneer Kohlapuri

• Paneer (Indian cottage cheese – 250 gms, cubes)
• Vegetable oil – to deep fry

To grind to paste

• Ginger – ½” piece (peeled)
• Garlic – 4 to 6 cloves
• Black peppercorns - 3 to 4
• Cloves – 2
• Seeds of 2 green cardamoms
• Cumin seeds (jeera – 1.5 tsp)
• Coriander seeds (dhania – 1.5 tbsp)
• Cinnamon – ½” stick
• Fennel seeds (saunf – 1 tsp)
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp or to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Juice of ½ to 1 lime

For coating

• Gram flour (besan – 4 to 5 tbsp)
• Thick curd – 2 tbsp
• Cilantro – 1 tbsp (chopped)
• Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves – 2 tsp)
• Oma/ ajwain/ carom seeds – a pinch
• Salt – ¼ tsp or to taste
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp or to taste

To garnish

• fresh chopped coriander leaves

To serve

• onion rings/laccha onions (lime wedges, mint chutney)