Soaked almonds raisins was our mandate morning munch. I never liked it but Mom would continue insisting until I picked at least a couple. My brother, on the other hand, loved it and he still follows the same ritual. When Avyan started his solids, I used to add finely powdered nuts to his baby food and now that he is a toddler, he loves to munch on plain nuts. It has made my life so easy. As for me, I am still not a fan of plain nuts but love to add in curry and desserts. It not only adds creaminess and nutrition but also brings out a robust flavor.
Badami Paneer (Almond Cottage Cheese) is a rich curry that takes barely any time to prepare and makes for a great pairing with soft pillow-y naan. I adore the gorgeous orange hue that comes from blending lightly caramelized onions with tomatoes, a common technique I follow quite often with curries.
The skin of almond can taste a little bitter at times and that is why I prefer to take it off before blending. It is not a mandate. I like to leave the paste a little coarse instead of grinding it to a smooth paste, but that’s just my taste buds. I believe that such kind of curries should be prepared without following the recipe exactly. Just follow what your palate prefers more and add the spices accordingly.
