Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai paneer is a popular dish that belongs to the North-Indian cuisine. It is a spicy, flavourful and aromatic dish mostly served with butter naan, chapati, rice and pulao. The kadhai masala is the main ingredient that adds the main flavour to the dish, it is made by grinding spices together. This vegetarian delight is a celebration of flavours, bringing together paneer, bell pepper and spices, all cook to perfection in the iconic kadhai. You can check out my unique step by step restaurant style recipe down below.

How to make Kadhai Paneer?

INGREDIENTS

For Kadhai masala

• 1-2 tablespoon pepper powder
• 2 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 dried red chilli
• 2 tablespoon fennels
• 2-3 cloves

For Gravy

• 1 ½ tablespoon oil / Ghee
• 2 cube sized chopped onion
• 3 tomato medium sized sliced
• 4–5-piece cashew nuts
• ½  tablespoon salt
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 inch garlic
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
• 1 tablespoon kadhai masala
• ½ tablespoon Kashmiri powder
• ½ garam masala powder
• 2 tablespoon cream (optional)

For stir frying

• 200-gram cube cut paneer
• Onion
• Capsicum
• 1 tablespoon oil/ghee
  
  

RECIPE

1. To prepare the kadhai masala, in a pan add 1-2 tablespoon pepper powder, 2 tablespoon cumin, 2 dried red chilli, 2 tablespoon funnel, 2-3 cloves and 2 tablespoon coriander seed, dry roast them in medium flame.
   
2. Add all the ingredients in a mixer and grind it in semi fine powder. Set the powder aside.
   
3. Take a pan add ½ tablespoon oil/ghee, add 1 cup of cube cut onion, 1 cup cube cut onion, 4-5 cashew nuts and roast them on medium flame.
   
4. Set it aside cool down completely.
   
5. Add all the ingredients in the mixture add a little water and blend it to a smooth puree.
   
6. Now, on the same pan, add 1 tablespoon oil/ghee on high flame and let the pan heat up.
   
7. Add capsicum and onion in the pan and roast it on medium flame until half cooked, make sure to keep sautéing to prevent burning.
   
8. Now add paneer and stir fry on high flame until the vegetables turn crunchy.
   
9. Set the vegetables aside.
   
10. Now to make the kadhai paneer add 1 tablespoon oil/ghee in a pan and saute ginger and garlic paste. Above it add 1 tablespoon kadhai masala and saute it well on low flame until it turns aromatic.
    
11. Add the puree in the pan and saute it for 2 mins. You can now add ½ table spoon garam masala and  ½ kahmiri powder.
    
12. Now, again saute for 2 mins. Don’t overcook the masala.
    
13. Add 1 ½ cup of water and ½ tablespoon salt. Mix the well and cook the gravy well until the consistency becomes thick and aromatic.
    
14. Add kasuri meethi on top.
    
15. Now add the sauteed onion, capsicum and paneer and mix it well.
    
16. You can now add cream on top of the sabzi if you wish.
    
17. Cover the dish to keep it warm and serve it with chapati/naan/rice/pulao etc.

.

Bon appetite!