Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer

Recipe Details

If making the paneer from scratch, allow additional time for boiling and curdling the milk and about 30 minutes for pressing the paneer.

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Ingredients

For Kadai Paneer

• Paneer – 15–20 cubes
• Onions – 2 large
• Capsicum / Bell pepper – 1
• Dried red chilies – 5
• Green chilies – 4
• Tomatoes – 5
• Ginger – 1 small piece
• Garlic – 7 cloves
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Butter – 4 tbsp, divided
• Salt – to taste

For Homemade Paneer

• Milk – 1 liter
• Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp, plus a little more only if needed to curdle the milk completely
• Curd / Plain yogurt – 2 tbsp, as an alternative to lemon juice
• Oil – 5 tbsp, for shallow-frying the paneer

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Preparation

To Prepare Homemade Paneer

1. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat and add the lemon juice or curd. Stir gently.
3. The milk should begin separating into white curds and pale whey. If using lemon juice and the milk does not separate completely, add a little more lemon juice gradually until it does.
4. Once the milk has fully curdled, remove the pan from the heat.
5. Line a strainer with a clean cheesecloth or thin kitchen cloth and strain the curdled milk.
6. Gather the cloth around the curds and gently press out the excess whey. Avoid squeezing excessively, which can make the paneer dry.
7. Shape the paneer into a rectangular block about 1/2–1 inch thick.
8. Cover it with the cloth, place a flat plate or board on top, and add a moderate weight.
9. Press for about 30 minutes, or until the paneer is firm enough to cut.
10. Cut the paneer into small cubes.
11. Heat the oil in a pan and shallow-fry the paneer cubes briefly until lightly golden. Do not over-fry them, as the paneer should remain soft.
12. Remove and keep aside.

For the Gravy

1. Cut the onions and bell pepper into medium-sized pieces.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies, dried red chilies, and tomatoes to a blender.
3. Grind into a smooth paste and keep aside.

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Cooking Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a wide pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onions and bell pepper.
3. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and lightly golden while the bell pepper still retains some texture.
4. Add the coriander powder and garam masala.
5. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring so the spices do not burn.
6. Transfer the onion and bell pepper mixture to a plate and keep aside.
7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan.
8. Add the ground tomato, ginger, garlic, and chili paste.
9. Add salt and sugar.
10. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the tomato mixture is well cooked and the butter begins to separate around the edges.
11. Add the fried paneer cubes and the sautéed onion and bell pepper mixture.
12. Mix gently so the paneer is evenly coated with the masala without breaking the cubes.
13. Cook over low heat for about 3–5 minutes so the flavors combine.
14. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, then remove from the heat.

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Tips

Store-Bought Paneer: Store-bought paneer can be used instead of making it from scratch. Cut it into cubes and use it directly, or lightly fry it if you prefer.

Keep Paneer Soft: Do not fry paneer for too long. Over-frying can make it firm and chewy.

Bell Pepper: Avoid overcooking the capsicum. A little bite and freshness work well in Kadai Paneer.

Tomato Masala: Cook the ground tomato mixture thoroughly before adding the paneer. This removes the raw tomato flavor and gives the gravy a richer taste.

Spice Level: The original recipe uses 5 dried red chilies and 4 green chilies, so it can be quite spicy. Reduce the chilies according to your preference.

Using Paneer Whey: The whey drained while making paneer can be used instead of plain water when kneading chapati or paratha dough. If not using it immediately, refrigerate it promptly in a clean covered container.

Serving Suggestion

Serve Kadai Paneer hot with naan, paratha, roti, chapati, or jeera rice.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mallika Badrinath’s book.