Restaurant Style Kadhai Paneer Recipe

Kadhai Paneer, cooking Paneer (Cottage Cheese) with Bell Peppers (Capsicum/Shimla Mirch) and Onions(Pyaaz) in a thick gravy consisting of tomatoes, cream and Indian Spices. 
Paneer can take any Indian gravy to another level, agree?
When I was a kid, kadhai paneer used to be one of everyone's favorite dish(vegetarian) to order at restaurants, and was relished mainly on special occasions. With this easy recipe that I am going to share Today, you can cook it from scratch at home itself.

You will need the below ingredients to get started:

Ingredients

For Masala

Coriander Seeds 2 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds 1 Tsp
Black Pepper 1 Tsp

Dried Red Chilli 2

For Gravy

Oil 4 Tbsp
Ginger 1½ Inches (Approx.)
Garlic 8-9 cloves

Chopped Onions 1 Cup (Chopped)

Chopped Tomatoes ½ Cup

Cashews 1 Tbsp                                      

Butter 1 Tbsp 
Bay Leaf 1-2
Slit Green Chilli 1-2
Dried Kasturi Methi 1 Tsp

Onion 2 (Cut in squares)

Bell Pepper/ Capsicum 2 (Cut in squares)

Turmeric Powder 1 Tsp
Salt To Taste
Water 1 Cup
Cream 2 Tbsp

Paneer/ Cottage Cheese

Red Chilli Powder ½ Tsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves To Garnish

Serving Size: 5

Instructions

1. Heat a pan on low-medium heat, add coriander seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds and dried red chilli. Roast the spices for a minute or until you smell the aroma.
2. Grind the roasted spices to powder and transfer to a small bowl.
3. Heat the same pan/wok, add oil.
4. Add ginger and garlic, stir and cook for 1 min.
5. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and cashews and cook until tomatoes are cooked or turn soft.
7. Transfer it to a blender and once it cools down, purée it.
8. Heat the same wok/pan/kadhai again, add butter.
9. Add bay leaves, green chili (chopped/slit), kasturi methi. Keep stirring for half a minute.
10. Add onions and bell pepper. Combine everything well.
11. Add turmeric powder, mix and cook until onions and bell pepper has slightly changed it's color. If you wish to add red chili powder, add it now.
12. Add the prepared purée. Combine everything very well.
13. Add the masala powder prepared earlier. Mix well and cover cook for 2-3 minutes.
14. Add salt, mix and cover cook for another 2-3 minutes.
15. Add water, mix and let it boil.
16. Add cream and paneer cubes. Mix everything and let sit for 5 minutes.
17. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with garlic naan or any bread of your choice. It tastes awesome with garlic naan.

Step By Step Recipe With Pictures

1. Heat a pan on low-medium heat, add coriander seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds and dried red chilli. Roast the spices for a minute or until you smell the aroma.
2. Grind the roasted spices to powder and transfer to a small bowl.
3. Heat the same pan/wok, add oil.
4. Add ginger and garlic, stir and cook for 1 min.
5. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and cashews and cook until tomatoes are cooked or turn soft.
   
   
   
7. Transfer it to a blender and once it cools down, purée it.
8. Heat the same wok/pan/kadhai again, add butter.
9. Add bay leaves, green chili (chopped/slit), kasturi methi. Keep stirring for half a minute.
   
   
10. Add onions and bell pepper. Combine everything well.
11. Add turmeric powder, mix and cook until onions and bell pepper has slightly changed it's color. If you wish to add red chilli powder, add it now.
12. Add the prepared purée. Combine everything very well.
13. Add the masala powder prepared earlier. Mix well and cover cook for 2-3 minutes.
14. Add salt, mix and cover cook for another 2-3 minutes.
15. Add water, mix and let it boil.
16. Add cream and paneer cubes. Mix everything and let sit for 5 minutes.
    
    
    
17. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with garlic naan or any bread of your choice. It tastes awesome with garlic naan.

Tips:

• Grind the roasted spices only after it cools down, to avoid any accidents or burns.
• Blend the onion-tomato to purée, only after it completely cools down, else steam can create pressure which eventually can blow off the lid and may cause burns.
• Whenever you use butter in cooking, don't wait for the butter to melt completely in pan before you add other ingredients. Butter alone in hot pan can result in butter browning/burning.

Do try this recipe and let me know in the comments how you liked it. Also let me know if you like some specific recipes, I will love to share. Please subscribe to my youtube channel to be the first one to get any new recipes that I upload.

Video Recipe Here:

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