HOW TO MAKE THE BEST KADAI PANEER AT HOME

Kadai Paneer – the name that we all drool on!  Soft paneer cooked with bell peppers, onion, tomato and freshly ground homemade kadhai masala. This restaurant style kadai paneer recipe is delicious, spicy and pairs best with naan and parathas.

Paneer is one of the most common ingredient that goes in most Indian recipes. And to me, it’s best companion is capsicum and then green peas.

Now, you can imagine how frequent I am in cooking paneer with both of them. ????

How To Make Kadai Paneer Recipe – Step By Step Photos

To Make Kadai Masala

In a pan, add coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks and dried red chilies. Dry roast until it slight brown and releases nice aroma. Do not burn. Photo 1 and 2 

Transfer the dry roasted spices into mixer jar and grind it to a coarse powder. Set it aside. Photo 3 and 4

To begin with, an a kadai or pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add onion cubes, tomato cubes, capsicum cubes and fry on high for 1 minute only.

Then, transfer them onto a plate. Set it aside.

Making The Gravy

Now, heat oil and butter or ghee together.

Add cumin seeds and then fry for 20-30 seconds.

Add ginger garlic paste and ginger juliennes. Fy for few seconds until raw smell goes off.

Then, add the ground or grated tomato and mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat.

Now, add Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, karahi masala powder and tomato puree. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Add water, and salt. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Or until it starts releasing oil.

Then, add cream and mix, cook for 1-2 minutes.

Now, add the roasted vegetable cubes and paneer cubes, mix.

Add little sugar or honey and cook for 1 minute only.

To Give Charcoal Smoke (Dhungar)

Place small steel bowl or a piece of foil over the gravy. Put hot charcoal in the bowl. Photo 1

Pour a teaspoonful of ghee or oil over the hot coal. Photo 2

Immediately cover the kadai with tight fitting lid and let it rest for 4-5 minutes. This will help in infusing the lovely smoky aroma to the gravy. Photo 3

Finally, open the lid, discard the coal and sprinkle some more ginger juliennes. Photo 4

Dish out and serve kadai paneer with hot naan, phulkas or parathas.