Paneer Kuzhambu/ Indian cottage cheese spicy gravy

Paneer / paal kadambu is a soft indian cottage cheese made by using acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) and does not involve rennet thus making it completely vegetarian and providing one of the sources of protein for vegetarians. Its extensively used in North indian cuisines fom sweets to snacks, curries and even flat breads.
Paneer kara kuzhambu is a lip smacking south indian style spicy gravy. My all time favorite dish, goes well with the combination of hot steamed rice, carrot coconut curry and crispy pappad. 

    Ingredients

• small onions (8-10 shallots) or medium sized onion -1 
• tomato - 1 small sized
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
• garlic - 3-4 cloves
• fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
• curry leaves - few
• oil - 1/4 cup ( taste good with sesame oil)
• turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• chilly powder - 4 tablespoons ( add more or less as per your taste)
• salt

Method:  

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 1/2 cup of water, extract the juice and add  chilly powder, turmeric, salt mix well and set aside. ( Tip: If you make paneer/cottage cheese at home then you can use the leftover whey instead of water to extract the tamarind juice. This will give extra flavor to the gravy.)
2. Heat oil in a deep pan, and add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. 
3. Once the fenugreek seeds turn little brown, add onions and tomatoes then saute till onions translucent.
4. Now add the tamarind mixture and cover and cook for few  minutes and once the sauce starts to boil, add ginger garlic paste. (this is very important,adding ginger garlic paste at this stage will give more flavor than adding it in the beginning ).
5. Now reduce the flame to low medium and allow it cook covered for 15-20 min until the oil oozes out. 
6. at this stage add the cut paneer cubes one by one and let it sit on stove for 5 min covered. ( Tip: Do not cook more than 5 min as the paneer cubes will become too hard. )
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice or hot idlis. :)