Kadai Paneer Recipe - How To Make Kadai Paneer
Kadai Paneer recipe is made of cottage cheese steeped in onion tomato based gravy that is spruced up with aromatic spice powder.
kadai paneer recipe originated from the Indian subcontinent and it is one of the amazing dishes that North Indian cuisine has to offer. Kadai paneer is one of the popular accompaniment for all types of roti and rice. The bell pepper, onion and tomatoes give a unique flavour to the dish and it is usually relished for lunch and as well as dinner in the North.
Paneer based foods are always an attraction in North India, not only for its deliciousness but also for its versatility. You have quite a lot of exotic dishes that are paneer based, and no wonder that this `kadai paneer` also surprises you with its richness and breath taking flavour. Certainly, it is one of the chosen items listed in the top of the menu card in any restaurant in India. Interestingly, this dish got its name by the vessel in which it has been prepared. The word kadai is a Hindi word which means 'a frying pan made of a metal like brass, copper, iron or stainless steel'.
Kadai paneer recipe can be prepared in two ways. Either it can be made as a full gravy type or it can be made as a semi-gravy, depending upon our choice and preferences. Here I have given you the method of full gravy type. Anyone would love to cook this exclusive recipe in the `dhaba style` and therefore I have given the method of cooking this irresistible dish in that way.
Its uniqueness :
Though kadai paneer seems similar to that of Shahi paneer and paneer butter masala, each one differs from each other in flavour and ingredients. Paneer butter masala is spicy with a buttery flavour and Shahi paneer is rich with nuts and it is also creamy. But this kadai paneer recipe is spicier than the other two dishes as it has an exclusive `masala` prepared for this using aromatic Indian condiments like coriander seeds, red chillies , pepper and an array of other common spices.
Here is the method to make this North Indian delight kadai paneer recipe easy and hassle free.
Ingredients Required To Make Kadai Paneer Recipe
How To Make Kadai Paneer Recipe
To make kadai paneer recipe, Place a `kadai` in the stove and turn up the heat in medium flame. When it is heated, splash a few drops of cooking oil in it and after a minute add two diced onions along with two green chillies in it and stir well.
When it gets golden brown switch off the stove and let it cool.
Meantime, boil two tomatoes in a bowl of water and after 5 minutes take it out from the stove
When it gets cooled, just peel off the skin and transfer it to a blender.
Now add in the fried onion and green chillies into the blender along with the soaked cucumber seeds and blend well.
Make a smooth paste out of it and keep it aside.
Again heat the `kadai` in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
After a second or two just tip in the measured quantity of red chilli and stir well.
Then scatter the coriander seeds and keep stirring till it gets roasted.
Finally add the black pepper and cumin seeds and stir till they turn aromatic.
Lower the flame if necessary.
When the entire mixture gets roasted, just take it out from the stove and let it cool for some time.
Turn off the stove.
When it cools down, transfer it to a blender and make a dry masala powder out of it.
Place a `kadai` in the stove and add the measured quantities of cooking oil and butter together in it.
When it gets heated, just drop a bay leaf in it.
When it turns brown, tip in a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste to it and stir well.
When you get a nice aroma out of it, add the clove and cinnamon to it and give a stir.
Here, you add a finely chopped onion and fry till golden brown.
Then add the diced capsicum and keep stirring.
At this stage, add the dry masala powder prepared earlier and mix well.
After a minute, add the fine paste prepared with a little amount of water.
Subsequently, sprinkle in a pinch of turmeric with the required salt.
Adjust the flame to simmer mode if you find it too high
Now, you add the measured quantities of red chilli powder and garam masala along with a pinch of kasuri methi and keep stirring.
Keep adding water little by little, until you get the desired consistency.
Let the gravy get cooked for 5- 7 minutes in high mode.
When the oil and butter starts oozing out from the sides, just drop the paneer cubes one by one into the kadai and mix gently.
Pop the lid on and allow it to cook for ten minutes approximately.
After some time when you open the lid you will see the paneer being cooked up completely in the gravy.
Garnish with a dollop of fresh cream and sprinkle some fresh chopped coriander leaves over it.
Now the delicious `kadai paneer` is ready to eat.
Serve it hot with any type of roti like fulka, butter naan, kulcha , basmathi or jeera rice with a papad along with a glass of chilled mint lime juice or Jaljira.
Ingredients
Directions
To make kadai paneer recipe, Place a `kadai` in the stove and turn up the heat in medium flame. When it is heated, splash a few drops of cooking oil in it and after a minute add two diced onions along with two green chillies in it and stir well.
When it gets golden brown switch off the stove and let it cool.
Meantime, boil two tomatoes in a bowl of water and after 5 minutes take it out from the stove
When it gets cooled, just peel off the skin and transfer it to a blender.
Now add in the fried onion and green chillies into the blender along with the soaked cucumber seeds and blend well.
Make a smooth paste out of it and keep it aside.
Again heat the `kadai` in the stove and keep it in medium flame.
After a second or two just tip in the measured quantity of red chilli and stir well.
Then scatter the coriander seeds and keep stirring till it gets roasted.
Finally add the black pepper and cumin seeds and stir till they turn aromatic.
Lower the flame if necessary.
When the entire mixture gets roasted, just take it out from the stove and let it cool for some time.
Turn off the stove.
When it cools down, transfer it to a blender and make a dry masala powder out of it.
Place a `kadai` in the stove and add the measured quantities of cooking oil and butter together in it.
When it gets heated, just drop a bay leaf in it.
When it turns brown, tip in a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste to it and stir well.
When you get a nice aroma out of it, add the clove and cinnamon to it and give a stir.
Here, you add a finely chopped onion and fry till golden brown.
Then add the diced capsicum and keep stirring.
At this stage, add the dry masala powder prepared earlier and mix well.
After a minute, add the fine paste prepared with a little amount of water.
Subsequently, sprinkle in a pinch of turmeric with the required salt.
Adjust the flame to simmer mode if you find it too high
Now, you add the measured quantities of red chilli powder and garam masala along with a pinch of kasuri methi and keep stirring.
Keep adding water little by little, until you get the desired consistency.
Let the gravy get cooked for 5- 7 minutes in high mode.
When the oil and butter starts oozing out from the sides, just drop the paneer cubes one by one into the kadai and mix gently.
Pop the lid on and allow it to cook for ten minutes approximately.
After some time when you open the lid you will see the paneer being cooked up completely in the gravy.
Garnish with a dollop of fresh cream and sprinkle some fresh chopped coriander leaves over it.
Now the delicious `kadai paneer` is ready to eat.
Serve it hot with any type of roti like fulka, butter naan, kulcha , basmathi or jeera rice with a papad along with a glass of chilled mint lime juice or Jaljira.
