Chits Kitchen

Kadai Paneer is one of the most popular Indian and Punjabi cuisines. It is prepared from Paneer, Capsicum, tomatoes, onion and various spices (Kadai Masala). It can be served with Roti, lachha Parantha, Butter Naan or Jeera Rice. The most important part of this recipe is the preparation of Kadai Masala. It is prepared using various traditional spices.

Category: Main Course                                    Total Time: 55 minutes

Cuisine: Indian                                                   Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 3-4 servings                                           Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

For Kadai Masala:

1. Coriander Seeds (Dhania): 2 tablespoon
2. Fennel Seeds (Saunf): 1 teaspoon
3. Cumin Seeds (Jeera): 1 tablespoon
4. Cloves (Laung): 5 pieces
5. Black Pepper Seeds (Kali Mirch): 10 pieces
6. Bay Leaves (Tez Patta): 1 small piece
7. Cinnamon Stick(Dalchini): 2 small piece
8. Dry Red Chilli (Mirch): 2-3 piece
9. Black Cardamom (Elaichi): 2 piece

For Kadai Paneer Gravy:

1. Chopped Onion: 2 medium
2. Chopped Tomatoes: 5 medium
3. Chopped Ginger: 1 small piece
4. Chopped Garlic: 10-12 piece

Other Ingredients:

1. Paneer: 250 Grams
2. Chopped Onion (Square pieces): 1 medium
3. Chopped Capsicum (Shimla Mirch, Square Pieces): 1 medium
4. Turmeric Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
5. Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 2 teaspoon
6. Aamchur Powder: 1 teaspoon
7. Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon (Or as required)
8. Kasuri Methi: 1 teaspoon
9. Fresh Cream: 2 tablespoon
10. Butter: 1 tablespoon
11. Oil or Ghee
12. Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat pan in low heat. Put all the Kadai Masala ingredients in the pan and roast them for 2 minutes. The ingredients will give aromatic smell on roasting.
2. Turn off the stove and allow the ingredients to cool down.
3. When the ingredients cool down, put them into the mixer grinder jar and grind it to smooth powder. Keep it aside.
4. Next we will make paste for Kadai Paneer. Heat 2 tablespoon oil or butter in a pan.
5. Put Garlic and Ginger in it and sauté for a minute.
6. Add Chopped onion and fry in a medium heat till it becomes light brown and translucent.
7. After the onion becomes translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and little salt and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
8. Switch off the stove and allow it to cool.
9. After the mixture cools down, take the mixture in the grinder jar. Add Aamchur powder and grind it into a thick paste. The paste should be a little mushy. Take out from the grinder into a bowl and keep aside.
10. Now heat again 1 tablespoon oil or butter. Put the paneer, Chopped square shaped Onion and Capsicum and fry for 1 minute. This is an optional step. If you want you can skip this step.
11. Take out the fried paneer, onion and capsicum in a bowl.
12. Now in the same oil, add Kashmiri Lal Mirch and Turmeric Powder and mix it for few second. Kashmiri Lal Mirch gives a good texture and colour to the recipe.
13. Add the tomato onion paste and mix it properly. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Since the onion and tomatoes have already been cooked earlier, few minutes is enough for this step.
14. Now add the Kadai Masala prepared earlier to the paste. Mix it and cook for 2 minutes. Here also we cook for few minutes since the Kadai Masala has been cooked earlier also.
15. After 2 minutes, add the fried Paneer, Onion and Capsicum. Mix it and cook for 2 more minutes.
16. Add 2 tablespoon fresh cream and mix it. Fresh Cream is added to give a good colour and taste to it. It is also optional. But I would suggest you to add fresh cream to give a different taste to Kadai Paneer. It also reduces the sourness of tomato.
17. Now add water and salt to the mixture as per your requirement. If you wish to make the curry thick, add less water. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
18. Add Kasuri Methi, chopped coriander and 1 tablespoon butter to it and cook for another few minutes.
19. When the oil starts to leave at the side of the pan walls, switch off the stove.
20. Kadai Paneer is ready to be served. Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh cream. You can also add a slice of butter to it. Serve it with Butter Naan, Roti, Lachha Parantha or Jeera Rice.

Note:

1. Kadai Masala is the most important ingredient since the taste of the Kadai Paneer depends on how good is the masala and what all spices you are using. Kadai Masala is made up of Coriander Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Cloves, Black Pepper Seeds, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon Stick, Dry Red Chilli and Black Cardamom.
2. The Onion and Tomato paste should be grinded such that it should not be completely smooth. It should be grinded for making a mushy paste. Otherwise it will taste similar to Paneer Butter Masala. The mushy look gives a good texture to the Kadai Paneer.
3. Frying of Paneer, Onion and Capsicum is optional. Some people love to have fried paneer in their dishes. They can go through this step.
4. Kashmiri Lal Mirch is added only to give a good colour to the recipe and it does not increase the spiciness.
5. If you are not frying the Paneer, Onion and Capsicum, then you need to add Onion and Capsicum after the Turmeric and Kashmiri Lal Mirch is added into the oil. It is necessary to fry the onion and capsicum for some time. Paneer can be added after the paste is cooked. I would suggest you to follow the initial steps as give in step 10.