Heat a little oil in a heavy based pan. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon of salt. Fry on a very gentle heat for around 20 minutes until starting to colour light brown.
Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and continue to fry gently for a couple of minutes.
Add the peppers and chillies and fry very gently for around 10 minutes.
Turn the heat off and add the coriander stalks to the pan and stir in. As the mixture cools any caramelised juices that have stuck to the pan can be scraped off and stirred in to the mix, it's all flavour you wan to get in there! Leave the mixture to cool before blending well in a food processor.
Once the mixture has been blended add some more oil to a pan (2tbsp). As long as the original pan is reasonably clean you can just use the same one. Once the oil is hot add the onion mixture to the pan. heat through on a medium heat for a couple of minutes.
Add the Kashmiri chilli to the onion mixture and stir through. Add the curry masala to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes. If the mixture is sticking you can add a splash of water to loosen the mixture.
Add the tomato puree to the pan and continue to fry gently for a minute.
Add the tinned tomatoes and water and stir through. Once the sauce begins to splutter and form little craters turn to a low heat.
Add the sugar, tamarind, coconut block, methi and mango chutney. heat gently, stirring until the coconut has melted.
Add the chicken and paneer to the pan and continue to cook gently for twenty minutes.
Add the cream and fresh coriander and cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes.