Kadhai Paneer
Kadhai Paneer. An extremely flavorful, spicy paneer dish that is made using freshly ground masalas. It has a beautiful texture and way better than any restaurant paneer dish. Perfect to be scooped with a nan or paratha.
Ingredients
- 400 gm Paneer
- 2 Medium red onions finely chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Small piece of ginger
- 4-5 Ginger juliennes
- 2 Green chilies
- 4 Large red tomatoes, pureed
- 1 Small red onion cut into an inch size chunks
- 1 Small green capsicum cut into inch size chunks
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala powder
- 1 tbsp Kasuri methi
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 Green cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1-2 tbsp Ghee
- ½ cup Chopped coriander leaves
- Salt (to taste)
For the marinade
- ½ cup Greek/ hung yogurt
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Mustard oil
For the Kadhai Masala
- 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 2-3 Whole red chilies
- 1 tsp Saunf/ fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all the ingredients under the marinade and mix. Add the paneer cubes now and mix everything well. Cover and keep aside for 15 minutes.
- Heat a small pan, and dry roast all the whole spices mentioned under the kadhai masala. Do not burn these; dry roast only until lightly fragnant. Coarsely grind in a mortar and pestle, or in a coffee/ spice grinder.
- Take oil of your choice in a deep wok. Heat and add the bay leaf, cloves, cumin and the cardamom. Mix and add the chopped onions. Sauté these for a couple of minutes and then add the coarse paste of garlic, ginger and green chilies. Keep cooking for another 2-3 minutes after which add the red chili, coriander, turmeric powder followed by 2 to 3 tablespoons of the kadhai masala depending on how strong you want the final dish. Mix and cook this mixture well until all the rawness goes away.
- Add the tomato puree and the ginger juliennes. Mix and continue to cook until the tomatoes cook well and you see fat leaving the sides of the mixture.
- Now add the marinated paneer to the mixture. Increase the flame and gently keep mixing and stirring the paneer with the previously cooked masala. Be careful to not break the paneer. We need to cook this well so that the yogurt cooks very well and doesn't split later.
- Check the consistency at this stage, and add ½ to 1 cup of water as per preference. Mix and cover. Let this cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame.
- While the paneer cooks, take a small pan. Add 1 tsp ghee or oil, add the onion and capsicum chunks along with a tsp of salt, and sauté both on high flame for a few minutes until you see them slightly blistered.
- To the simmering paneer, add the blistered onions and capsicum and mix well. Add Garam Masala, kasuri methi and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Once done, switch off the flame, add a tablespoon of ghee and generously garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Mix and keep covered for about 10 minutes before serving hot with roti, nan or paratha. This is critical for all the juices and flavors to get soaked in and perfects the dish.