Kadai paneer is a popular North Indian dish. It is basically paneer (cottage cheese) stir fried and added into a sauce. It can be paired up with traditional Indian breads like naan, chapati or roti.
Paneer is one of the staple ingredients in my fridge. My family loves paneer so I always stock up some paneer cubes in my freezer so that I can make a paneer dish any moment.
India, a wok is called a Kadai. In this recipe, paneer cubes are stir-fried in a wok and then added into a tomato and onion sauce. That explains its name.
KADAI SAUCE
You can also prepare the sauce the previous day and store it in an air tight container in the fridge. So the next day you just need to fry the paneer and add it into the gravy. This will be helpful during the busy weekdays.
To prepare the kadai sauce, first I have sauteed finely cut onion,tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Then I have added a freshly ground spice mixture of coriander seeds and red chili. After adding the coriander and chili mixture add garam masala into it and sautee it until all the ingredients are well cooked and it releases oil.
CORIANDER AND CHILI SPICE MIXTURE
To prepare the coriander and chili spice mixture, dry roast the coriander seeds and whole red chilies and coarsely grind it. You can use a mixer jar or a spice blender to grind them.
KADAI PANEER RECIPE
Easy and tasty kadai paneer that can be easily prepared at home…
PREPARATION TIME : 15 TO 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME : 35 TO 40 MINUTES
CAN BE SERVED TO FOUR TO FIVE PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 medium sized onions finely chopped
- 2 big tomatoes cut into small pieces
- 2 or 3 green chilies split and cut into medium pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
- 7 whole red chilies
- 2 table spoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- required amount of salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee(clarified butter)
- 2 tablespoon of kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
FOR THE PANEER STIR FRY
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes
- 1 medium onion cut into medium sized pieces
- 1/2 kg paneer cubes
- 2 tablespoon of freshly chopped coriander leaves
- 1 medium sized red or green bell pepper seeded and cut into medium pieces
METHOD
TO PREPARE THE SPICE MIXTURE
Over a medium flame, heat a thick bottomed pan and add the coriander seeds and saute it for around 3 minutes. Transfer it to a dry container. In the same pan add the red chilies and saute for another two minutes. Transfer to the same container where the coriander seeds are kept. Let it cool down and come to normal temperature and then grind it in a spice blender. The powder need not be too fine it can be little coarse. Keep it aside.
TO PREPARE THE SAUCE
STEP 1: In a thick bottomed pan, over a medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil or ghee. Add finely chopped onion pieces into it and saute it until transparent. Add the tomato pieces and saute for few minutes.
STEP 2: Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell of them are gone completely.
STEP 3: Add the prepared masala of coriander seeds and red chili and mix well.
STEP 4: Add the garam masala and mix. Saute the mixture well for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add one cup of water (250 ml cup) and bring it to boil. Add the required amount of salt and mix. Add the sugar and mix.
STEP 5: Let it simmer of another 5 minutes. Add the kasuri methi and mix well. Switch off the stove and keep the sauce aside.
TO STIR FRY THE PANEER
STEP 1: Over a low temperature, heat two tablespoons of oil or ghee in a pan and add the red chili flakes.
STEP 2: Add the onion pieces and chopped bell pepper into it and saute them for two to three minutes in high temperature.
STEP 3: Add the paneer cubes and stir them gently. Add little salt.
STEP 4: Let it cook in medium heat for five minutes. Add freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix.
TO MAKE KADAI PANEER
STEP1: Keep the sauce back on the stove and add the stir fried paneer cubes into it. Mix it well. Check salt add if needed.
STEP 2: Let it cook in medium flame for another 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Switch off the stove and serve it with your favorite bread.
NOTE:
You can use ghee or vegetable oil in this recipe. You can use oils like corn oil or sunflower oil.
You can also add juliennes of fresh ginger on top of the dish when you serve. This gives more aroma to the dish.
STEP BY STEP PICTURES
Dry roast the coriander seeds and red chilies and powder them.
Saute the onion and tomato pieces.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute and then add the green chili pieces and saute.
Add the prepared coriander and chili powder and saute.
Add the garam masala and saute.
Add one cup of water, bring it to boil. Add the required salt and mix. Then add the sugar and mix and then add the kasuri methi. Remove it from the heat and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan in low flame and add the red chili flakes.
Add the onion pieces.
Add the bell pepper pieces and saute for 2 to 3 minutes in high flame.
Add the paneer cubes and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame.
Add the sauteed paneer and vegetables into the gravy, mix gently so that the gravy is coated well on all the paneer cubes. Cook it for another 5 minutes. Serve it warm.
