Kadai Paneer Recipe
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Kadai paneer recipe is a delicious spicy paneer recipe made with capsicum, onion, tomatoes and freshly ground spices.
It is very different from other paneer recipes. In this post, we will learn the kadai paneer recipe in dhaba style.
About Kadai Paneer
Kadai paneer is a paneer recipe cooked with capsicum, onion, and tomatoes in the kadai masala. The masala of this recipe is specially roasted and semi-fine powder (coarse) made of it.
The spiced masala gives a very different flavour to this dish as compared to shahi paneer, paneer butter masala etc.
The spice masala made this dish so delicious and popular among other paneer dishes.
It is called kadai paneer because this dish is specially cooked in the kadai (an Indian wok). This dish can be made without kadai. You need just a pan to make it.
Then this spice masala is added to the dish. The unique flavour and fragrance of this dish are so amazing that the foodies love this.
This recipe is mainly served with naan, butter naan, garlic naan, tandoori roti, paratha, and roti.
I personally have little rice with it also. I generally take fried rice or jeera rice with it.
Kadai Paneer Ingredients
Paneer: Always take fresh and soft paneer for this dish. If you have homemade paneer. You can use that too in this.
Vegetables: You need onion, tomato, and capsicums mainly in this dish. I have added red and yellow capsicum to this dish for adding different colours. If you do not have these two colours of capsicum then you can avoid it. This colour capsicum has little sweet flavour as compared to the green one.
Spices: In the spices, you need dry red chilli, black pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaves, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, kasuri methi for this. Then you need to dry roast them first. Then semi-fine powder needs to be made of this.
Kadai Paneer Recipe Video
Kadai Paneer Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 gm paneer
- 3 dry red chilli
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 big onion chopped
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tomato chopped
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup tomato puree
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced red capsicum
- 1 cup diced yellow capsicum
- 1 cup diced green capsicum
- ½ cup tomato diced
- ½ cup water
- Pinch of Kasuri methi
- coriander leaves
Instructions
- Take a pan and heat it.
- Now add 3 dry red chillies, and ½ tsp black pepper into it.
- Add 2 tbsp coriander seeds, and 1 tbsp cumin seeds to the pan.
- Dry roast them on the low gas flame for 8-10 minutes. Once the fragrance of masala comes out. It means they are ready.
- Take them out on the plate and let them cool down.
- Make a semi-fine powder (coarsely powder) in the mortar and pestle ( imam dasta/mamdasta). You can make a fine powder of it. But I prefer the semi-fine powder way.
- In a kadhai, add 2 tbsp oil and heat it.
- Now add 2 bay leaves and 1 chopped big onion to it. Cook it on low flame until it turns golden brown.
- Add ½ tsp ginger and ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder to it.
- Add 1 finely chopped tomato to it
- Now add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp coriander powder
- Now add 1 tsp salt or according to your taste.
- Mix them well and cook until the oil is released from the masala.
- Add ½ cup tomato puree and mix it well.
- Take another pan and add 1 tbsp oil. And heat it.
- Add ½ cup diced onion and cook it for 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup diced red capsicum, Add 1 cup diced yellow capsicum, and Add 1 cup diced green capsicum. And saute it for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add 250 gm paneer cut into cubes in it.
- Add 1/2 cup diced tomato to it.
- Add 1-2 pinch of salt to it.
- Add 2 tbsp masala which we prepared earlier. And toss it.
- Now add the sauteed vegetables to the tomato mixture which is cooking simultaneously on another gas burner.
- Add ½ cup of water to it and mix it well.
- Sprinkle some Kasuri methi on it for additional flavour.
- Add chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.
- Classic kadhai paneer is ready. Serve it in serving kadhai.
FAQ
Why it is called Kadhai Paneer?
Kadhai paneer names come because it is cooked in the kadhai (Indian wok). And paneer is the main ingredient of the dish.
Can we freeze Kadai paneer?
No, I should not suggest you freeze it. If you have leftovers then reheat and consume them. Do not freeze food it destroys the nutrients in it.
What is paneer called in English?
Curd cheese or farmer’s cheese is the actual English name of paneer. But most people call it cottage cheese.
What is the difference between the kadhai paneer and Shahi Paneer?
Kadai paneer is a spicy dish as compared to shahi paneer. Shahi paneer is a little sweet in taste. In kadhai paneer freshly ground spices are used for making it. Whereas in shahi paneer cashew paste is added with little spices. The taste of shahi paneer is a little sweet due to the dry fruits where as kadai paneer is the spicy side.
What is the difference between kadai paneer and paneer lababdar?
Kadai paneer is a spicy dish and capsicum is added to the gravy of kadai paneer. Whereas paneer lababdar is the sweet, creamy and rich texture made in the tomatoes gravy.
Is kadai paneer sweet or spicy?
Kadai paneer is a spicy dish. Due to lots of masalas added to it, the flavour of masala makes it a spicy dish. No sweetener is added to this dish.
