Kadhai paneer

Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai paneer is an awesome dish cooked with paneer and colorful capsicums and onions. These vegetables and paneer not only give a nice color to the dish but they are very pleasing to eyes and taste wonderful.

Paneer and vegetables first sautéed then simmered in to spicy gravy and kasoori methi is added to flavor the dish. Kadhai is a wok and Paneer is an Indian cheese and kadhai paneer means paneer cooked in the wok. This dish not only popular in North India but these days it is one of the most common dishes served in Indian restaurants around the globe.

Kadhi paneer is a great main dish for any special occasion. It can be enjoyed with the many varieties of Indian breads. There are several versions of kadhai paneer and everyone is delicious.

Ingredients :

10  Oz bar of paneer
1    Medium green bell pepper (Capsicum, shimla mirch)
1    Medium red bell pepper (Capsicum, shimla mirch)
1    Medium onion

Bell peppers (Capsicums) and Onion

Paneer Bar

Ingredients for gravy:

2    Medium onions
2    Medium ripe tomatoes - chopped
2    Teaspoons minced garlic
1    Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1    Medium green chili – chopped (remove the seeds and membrane of
the chili to reduce the heat)
1   Teaspoon cumin seeds
1    Pinch of asafetida (Hing)
2    Teaspoons coriander powder
½   Teaspoon turmeric powder
½   Teaspoon red chili powder
½   Teaspoon Garam Masala or to your taste
2    Tablespoons plain yogurt
½    Cup of whole milk
2    Teaspoons dry Kasoori methi Fenugreek leaves)- optional
5    Tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ Teaspoon salt or to your taste
1   Teaspoon Sugar

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Tomatoes, Onions, Ginger, Garlic & Green chili

Coriander powder

Cumin seeds

Yogurt

Milk

Oil

Red chili powder

Hing (Asafetida)

Kasoori Methi

Ginger- grated

Sugar

Turmeric Powder

Garam Masala

Salt

Green chilies-chopped

Directions:

Paneer could be used as it is or prepared by sautéing it or deep frying.

1. Before slicing the Paneer soak in hot water for 5 minutes, that will make Paneer
soft and easy to slice.

Soak Paneer in hot water

2. Slice the paneer in 1” wide and ¼” thick cubes or to desired size.

Slice Paneer cubes

Paneer cubes

3. . In non stick wide frying pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Spread the paneer pieces
in the pan and sauté them, 1 minute each side.

4. Once paneer pieces sautéed take them out of the pan and place them on a plate
over paper towel so that extra oil is absorbed. Once all the paneer sautéed keep
it aside.

Spread the Paneer slices in the pan

Paneer slice are sautéed

Place Paneer on paper towel

Sautéed Paneer cubes

Direction to prepare Kadhi Paneer curry:

1. Chop the red and green bell peppers and one onion into ½ “square pieces.

Chop Onion and Bell peppers

Chopped onion and Bell peppers

2. In the same frying pan on medium high heat add 1 tablespoon of oil and
chopped red and green bell peppers, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Add chopped onions and sauté 3 to 4 minutes with peppers, while constantly
stirring.

Add oil in the pan and heat

Add chopped Bell peppers

4. Once onions become translucent and peppers become little tender, turn the heat
off and transfer them on a plate. Do not overcook the peppers and onions, keep
them crisp.

Sauté Chopped Bell Peppers

Add chopped Onions

Sauté Bell peppers and onions

Vegetables are sautéed

Sautéed Bell peppers and onion

5. Chop onions and garlic.

Chop Onions

Slice Garlic

6. In a chopper add chopped onions and Garlic.

7.Mince onion and garlic.

In a chopper add onion and garlic

Mince Onion an Garlic

8. On medium heat add 3 tablespoons oil  in the same frying pan, add cumin
      seeds and asafetida and fry them for 2 minutes or until cumin seeds become
      light brown.

In a pan add oil, cumin seeds & Asafetida

Cumin seeds & asafetida are fried

9. Now add minced onions  and garlic and fry them while periodically stirring.

10..  Onions will have a lot of water so for the first 8 to 10 minutes keep the heat
      high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.

Add minced onions & Garlic

Mix onion with oil and fry

11. While onion mixture cooks wash and chop tomatoes.

Wash tomatoes

Chopped tomatoes

12. Add the tomatoes to the same food chopper and puree.

In a chopper add tomatoes

Puree tomates

13. Once the onion water has evaporated turn the heat down to medium and let
the onions fry for 8 to 9 minutes, frequently stir the onions.

14. Once the onions become light brown add coriander powder, red chili powder
and turmeric powder and mix with the fried onions and fry for few seconds.

Onion become light brown

Add Coriander powder, Turmeric powder and Red chili powder

15. Add tomato puree.

Mix spices with fried Onions & fry

Add Tomato puree

16.Mix tomato puree and add Yogurt.

With the tomato puree and add yogurt onion masala become watery turn the heat high for 2 to 3 minutes, so that water
evaporates quickly. Frequently keep stirring the masala, keep the heat down
to medium.

Mix tomato puree well

Add Yogurt

17. Mix Yogurt well.

18.With the tomato puree and add yogurt onion masala become watery turn the
heat high for 2 to 3 minutes, so that water evaporates quickly. Frequently keep
stirring the masala, keep the heat down to medium.

18. In about 5 to 6 minutes tomato puree and onion will blend together.

19. Once all the water has evaporated you will see the oil in pan. That means the
onion masala is done.

Mix Yogurt well with all the ingredients

Onion masala is ready

20. Add 2 cups of water and salt and mix with Onion masala, cover the Pan and
cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until half of the water evaporated.

Add water in onion masala

Add salt and mix

Mix onion masala well with water

Cover the Pan & cook gravy

21. Add ½ cup of whole milk, constantly stir the gravy for a minute so that milk
blend in with the gravy well and cook for 5 minute or until you have the
desired consistency. Kadhi Paneer generally have thick gravy.

Gravy is cooked

Add milk in gravy and mix

Mix Milk well with gravy

Gravy is cooked

22. Once gravy is cooked add chopped green chilies and garam masala, mix and
cook for 5 minutes, if the gravy looks too thick then add little water.

Add Grated Ginger & Green chilies

Add Garam masala & mix

23. Now take the dry Kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) in between your palms
and grind it to make a coarse powder, and add it to the gravy and mix.

Take some Methi in your hand

Add Methi into gravy

24. Add sautéed paneer pieces and mix,

25. Add sugar and mix.

Gravy is ready

Add sauteed paneer

Add sugar and mix

Mix Paneer with the gravy

26. Cover the pan and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Cover the pan and cook

Paneer is cooked

27.. Add sautéed onions, sautéed bell peppers, mix and let it simmer for 3 to 4
      minutes on low medium heat. Turn the stove off. Keep the onions and bell
      pepper crisp.

28. kadhai paneer is ready to be served.

Add sauteed onions & peppers & mix

Mix Vegetables with Gravy & Paneer

Kadhi Paneer is ready

Kadhi Paneer

Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.

Thank you

Geeta Seth

Other recipes:

Muttar paneer (paneer with green peas)                Paneer bhurji

Palak paneer (paneer with spinach)                     Paneer tikka (barbecued)

Paneer curry                                                          Paneer frankie (wrap)

Shahi paneer   Paneer tikka masala