Kadhai Paneer
Kadhai Paneer is a dish cooked with paneer with bell peppers and onions. Unlike some of the other dishes its not a very saucy dish. The flavors are different too. Whole spices are toasted and ground up, that’s what gives it unique flavor. Its not very creamy or rich dish.
Kadhai or Karahi is a very famous kitchen tool. It’s just a wok with two handles on each side. Kadhai is my favorite kitchen utensil and actually every Indian household has atleast one. We often use it to make subjis or frying.
Possibly the name came from cooking this dish in Kadhai. It does not matter what you use kadhai or regular pan. It’s going to be delicious.
The four main spices I use for Kadhai Masala are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, black pepper. Roasting the spices is a very important step for this dish. The freshly roasted spices and then griding them into coarse powder is crucial. It makes it apart from other paneer dishes.
My recipe for the masala makes more than we require for this dish. You can store leftover and use it later for in other subjis.
The recipe is divided into 3 parts:
- Roasting the spices – Kadhai Masala
2. Making Sauce/gravy
3. Roasting vegetables and paneer
- It is usually a dry kind of subj. You can adjust the water in the sauce to your liking.
- Toasting the spices and grinding them fresh is a very important step. You can prepare kadhai masala a day in advance.
Kadhai Paneer
Ingredients
Kadhai Masala
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 4 dried red chilies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp Kadhai Masala
- 1 tsp Kasuri methi
- Salt to taste
Vegetables and Paneer
- 1 onion chopped into cubes
- 1 small bell pepper chopped in cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped in cubes
- 200 grams Paneer chopped cubes
- Pinch turmeric
- Pinch red chili powder
- Cilantro
Instructions
Kadhai Masala
- Heat up a small pan, add the whole spices and dry roast them until the spices are fragrant and lightly toasted for 3 minutes. Let it cool down.
- Transfer the spices into a spice grinder and grind it to a powder. Leave it aside.
Sauce
- Add some oil in a pan on medium heat. Add in cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add bay leaf.
- Add chopped onion and saute them for couple of minutes until softened and they look translucent
- Add in the grated ginger and garlic and sauté it, add in the tomato paste. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, kadhai masala, kasuri methi and salt to taste.
- Add ½ cup water. Mix everything well. Let it simmer on slow heat.
Vegetables and Paneer
- In another pan take a tbsp oil and cook bell peppers, onions on high heat. Quick stir fry. I add a pinch of turmeric and red chili powder in this step. It gives it some color.
- Do not overcook the vegetables, they should have a slight crunch. Add paneer too.
- Take them off the heat.
Assembly
- Mix the vegetables and paneer in the sauce. Stir everything.
- Once the sauce coats the vegetables and paneer, you can turn off the heat. You can adjust the thickness of the sauce.
- Garnish it with cilantro and Serve it with naan or roti.
Notes
- It is usually a dry kind of subji. You can adjust the water in the sauce to your liking.
- Toasting the spices and grinding them fresh is a very important step. You can prepare kadhai masala a day in advance.
XO, Devangi