Paneer Tikka Masala – Madras

Description

Panch phoron—where panch means five and phoron refers to tempering of whole spices in fat—is a spice box staple in the eastern states of West Bengal Odisha Assam and Bihar. The aromatic blend consists of five whole seeds — jeera (cumin) methi (fenugreek) kalonji (nigella sativa) saunf (fennel) and radhuni (loosely translated to wild celery). They are typically stored and used together to flavour a plethora of dishes in the cuisines of the region. The blend is used in lentils vegetables pickles and fish curries to name a few.