Kadhai Paneer Image

Kadhai Paneer

Paneer or cottage cheese cubes cooked in spiced tomato gravy with the added crunch of onions and capsicum.

One of the most popular North Indian restaurant dish is the Kadhai Paneer or the Kadhai Chicken. The secret in the success of the dish lies in the robust flavours that it packs which are further accentuated with the tangy tomatoes in the sauce. It is called a kadhai Paneer after the pan it is cooked in!

Ingredients:

  • 200g paneer (cottage cheese)
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 medium tomato
  • 1 capsicum
  • 3tbsp tomato puree
  • 1tsp chopped ginger
  • 1tsp ginger garlic paste
  • ½ tsp chopped green chilies
  • Salt to taste
  • 2tbsp oil
  • 2tsp kadhai masala
  • 1tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala powder

For the kadhai masala:

  • 1tsp black pepper corns
  • 2tsp coriander seeds
  • 1tsp jeera
  • 4 dried red chilies
  • 1tsp kasoori methi
  • (Dry roast all the spices till fragrant and lightly coloured. Grind to a coarse powder.)

Method:

  1. Cut the paneer into 1 ½ “ cubes.
  2. Cut the capsicum into dices and deseed.
  3. Cut 1 tomato into dices and dessed. Finely chop the second tomato. Finely chop the onion.
  4. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions and sauté on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or till light golden in colour.
  5. Add the chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
  6. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder and sauté for a few seconds.
  7. Add 2tbsp water and cook till the oil surfaces.
  8. Add the tomato puree and ½ cup water and bring to a boil.
  9. Add the paneer pieces, capsicum chunks and simmer covered for 4-5 minutes.
  10. Add the tomato chunks and kadhai masala and mix well. Cook till the oil surfaces.
  11. Serve hot with naan or misi roti.
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