Panner Tikka Masala

I love Panner..I keep looking for excuses to make panner! most of time, I need no excuses is another story.This time was actually an important birthday and could not have gone wrong with Panner Tikka Masala. Sunny boy was in good spirits that day and I was able to pull off the show with a relative ease!! This indeed is a time consuming dish and it requires at least an hour and half from start to finish. So I cannot make it as often as I would like to. Sunny boy loves the Tikka Masala curry. If I ask him what he would like to eat, the instant answer (at least right now!!!!) would be 'Tikkamasale'. Though he is not much into the Panner part of it. Well I am not complaining! Hopefully he will acquire a taste for Panner later. This dish has become birthday staple!! To think of it, I had it on my birthday, just that it was from a nearby Indian restaurant. But sadly, the resturant version had so much more cubed onions and capsicum than Panner. I hate any of those vegetables in Tikka Masala. They deserve to be limited to Kadai Panner. Only Kadai Panner!!!!
I was wondering if I should make a double batch of the curry and freeze half for another day. I do not know how good it will turn out. Will update if it turns out to be good. 
Till then, it is just one batch of Tikkamasale...

We will need,

Panner 1lb
Yogurt 2 tbsp
Turmeric a generous pinch
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder  a generous pinch
Garam Masala a generous pinch
Salt to taste

For the curry

Onion 1  medium
Oil  to deep fry 
Butter 2tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Ginger paste  1.5 tsp
Garlic paste 1.5 tsp
Chilly powder  1-2 tsp (according  to taste)
Dhania powder 2 tsp
Tomato paste  3 tbsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Kasuri Methi 1/4 cup
Whole milk  1.5 cups
Garam masala a generous pinch
Salt to taste

Method:

• Slice the Panner block  into 5 equal parts, running lengthwise, so as to increase the surface area for the marinade.
• Whisk the yogurt and stir in the ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, garam masala, salt and turmeric. Drop the panner slices into the yogurt mixture. Apply the mixture evenly on all the sides of panner. Cover and marinate for 15-20 minutes.
• For the curry, Heat oil in a wok. Slice onions. Drop the sliced onions into the hot oil and deep fry till brown in colour. Remove and drain on a paper towel. 
• Melt butter in another thick bottomed wide saucepan. Throw in the Jeera. Once it stop spluttering toss in the onions.  Follow it with the ginger and garlic paste. Cook for a few minutes till the raw smell disappears. Throw in the chilly powder, dhania powder, cook for a few seconds  and add the tomato paste. Stir well. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to thin it out a bit. Bring it to a gentle boil and then simmer till the fat separate. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Meantime, turn the broiler on. Arrange the marinated panner on a greased wire rack and place the rack on a drip tray.  Place it in the broiler for about 4-5 minutes, till the Panner is slightly charred on the edges. Keep an eye because there is a big difference between slightly-charred Panner and 'burnt' Panner in terms of taste but not in terms of time!!!
• Remove and turn the Panner over on to the other side and return it to the broiler for another minute or two. Remove and it warm. If desired, the slabs of Panner can be chopped into cubes.
• Once the onion mixture is cool enough, transfer it to a blender and pulse it til very smooth. Add a little water if necessary, the thicker the mixture the better though.
• Pour the ground onion mixture to a saucepan and warm it gently. Once it is simmering, add the milk , Kasuri methi, garam masala, sugar and salt to taste. Simmer till the mixture thickens to the desired consistency. If the curry is too thick, thin it out a bit with some more milk or just water.
• Once the curry is homogenous as thoroughly cooked, smoother in the panner slab/cubes. Heat for a few minutes till the Panner is warm to touch and serve immediately. We liked it with Chapati and rice.