Kadai Paneer Recipe

October 21, 2009 by Mansi

For a simple yet tasty Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) recipe that won’t take hours of preparation, and which you can savor with Rotis/Parathas/Naans or Rice, look no further. Kadhai Paneer is a healthy, nutritious, protein-rich and almost fat-free Indian curry that will leave you satisfied at the end of your meal. Flavored with kasuri-methi, ginger-garlic and a blend of mild Indian spices, Kadhai Paneer can be ready in a jiffy and can be a perfect accompaniment to bread or rice for a fulfilling weeknight dinner!

Ingredients
500g paneer (cut into small cubes)
2 medium onions
1 tbsp ginger-paste
3 garlic cloves – minced
1 green chilli-finely chopped
5 small juicy tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
8 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Shaan tandoori masala
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
3 whole cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 cup water (approx)
fresh cilantro – for garnish

Method
Take the paneer pieces and immerse them in warm water with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Allow them to soak in this for 10 mins. Then remove and drain on tissue paper, and keep aside.

To Make the Gravy
Take a small frying pan, add 2 tbsp oil to it, and add 1 onion (cut into 4 pieces), 3 tomatoes (chopped) 1/2 green pepper(chopped), ginger-paste, 1 garlic clove, green chilli and a little coriander to the pan. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt and 1 cup of warm water. Cover with a lid and let the vegetable get cooked, stirring occasionally.

Gently boil the vegetables until soft (approximately 15-20 mins). Once cooked completely, pour them through a blender to make a thick puree.

Proceed with the Curry
Cut the rest of the onion and green pepper into 1-inch cubes.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil on a frying pan on low heat. Add half of the paste (made above) and add the above onion and green pepper to it; cover and leave to cook for 6-8 mins or until semi-cooked.

Take another large pan, heat 4 tbsp of oil, and add crushed garlic cloves, cardamom and the bay leaves and slowly fry until the garlic is golden.

Add all the dry spices and roast for 1-2 mins. Finally add the remaining chopped tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 mins, then add the blended puree and cook for further 5 mins.

Add the paneer cubes, and the remaining diced onions and bell-peppers with a little warm water and bring to boil on full heat. Then lower the flame to medium-low and let it simmer for another 15-20 mins, letting all the spices mix together.

Once cooked, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with some chopped coriander. Keep the lid covered to retain flavors and aroma.

Serve the delicious Kadai Paneer with some garama-garam Parathas!