Kadai Paneer Recipe

Kadai paneer is a restaurant style delicious spicy paneer recipe made with fresh ground kadai masala, paneer, onions, tomatoes & bell peppers. It's full of flavors and one of the best paneer gravy recipes you can make at home. It is best served with plain basmati rice, flavored rice, roti, naan or any flatbread.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Servings: people

Author: Swasthi

Ingredients

For Kadai Masala

2 tablespoons coriander seeds (daniya)
1 to 2 Kashmiri dried red chilies (deseeded, less spicy variety, leave out for kids)
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
2 cloves
¼ inch cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon and not cassia)

To saute & puree

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup (125 grams) onions (sliced or diced, 1 large)
1½ to 2 cups (300 grams) tomatoes (chopped, 2 large or 3 medium)
6 cashew nuts (can substitute with 3 tbsp cream)

Other ingredients

1 to 1½ tablespoon oil or ghee (divided ½ + ½)
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or crushed
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1½ to 2 cups water for gravy
1 onion Optional (medium, cubed, layers separated)
½ cup capsicum (bell peppers cubed)
200 to 250 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
½ to 1 teaspoon ginger julienne
2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro chopped finely)

Instructions

Preparation

To a small grinder jar, add red chilies, cardamoms, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cloves & cinnamon. If you add more cinnamon it can ruin the dish. Make a fine powder and keep aside.
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 to 2 Kashmiri dried red chilies, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 2 cloves, ¼ inch cinnamon
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions & cashew nuts. Saute them on a medium high flame until the onions turn transparent or pink.
1 tablespoon oil, 1 cup (125 grams) onions, 6 cashew nuts
Add tomatoes and saute until completely mushy.
1½ to 2 cups (300 grams) tomatoes
Cool this completely and add to a blender jar. Blend to a smooth paste or puree. Set this aside.
To the same pan, add oil and heat it.
1 to 1½ tablespoon oil
Saute onion and capsicum on the highest flame until half done. They must be slightly tender yet crunchy.
1 onion, ½ cup capsicum
Add paneer and toss for 1 to 2 mins. Set all these aside. Do not over fry these.
200 to 250 grams paneer

How to Make Kadai Paneer

Heat the rest of the oil and saute ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Next transfer the ground kadai masala and saute on a low to medium heat for 2 to 3 mins until it turns fragrant. Do not burn.
Add the ground onion tomato paste and saute for 2 mins.
Next add garam masala and red chili powder. Saute for another 2 mins until the masala turns fragrant.
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala
Pour 1 cup water and salt. If you feel the gravy is too thick, pour ¼ to ½ cup more water. Allow it to boil until the gravy thickens and traces of oil appear on top.
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
Then crush and add kasuri methi. Stir well again. Taste the gravy and add more salt or garam masala as needed.
1 teaspoon kasuri methi
Add the sauteed paneer, capsicum and onion.
Stir well & finally add ginger juliennes and coriander leaves.
½ to 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
Cover and rest for 2 mins. Transfer to a serving bowl and rest for at least 15 mins for the paneer to absorb the flavors.
Enjoy kadai paneer gravy with roti, butter naan, paratha or jeera rice.

Video

Video for recipe 2 - kadai paneer dry. You can find the written instructions for this recipe as well in this post.

Nutrition