Today’s recipe is kadai paneer with slight variations to my southern palate. In kadai paneer dish, the main ingredient is dried methi leaves, which gives good aroma & taste to the dish. Another important ingredient is fresh cream but unfortunately I don’t have it, so I have added malai cream (clotted cream) which can be prepared from boiled milk (Indian style). Also I didn’t use dried methi leaves instead I have added the fresh Cilantro, so if you have dry methi, crushed it with your palm and add finally to the dish.
Kadai paneer:
Ingredients ;
Onions – 3 chopped finely
Tomatoes – 2 chopped finely
Capsicum – 2 med size (chopped into cube)
Onion – 1 (chopped into cube)
Ginger garlic paste – 1tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1tsp
Coriander powder – 2tsp
Garam masala powder – 1tsp
Chasews – 10 nos. Whole (Soaked in water for 30 mins)
Homemade fresh cream – 1/4 cup
Garnish with Cilantro
Salt as required
Water as required
Marinating paneer ;
Paneer – 250gms
Red chilli powder – 1tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Tempering ;
Oil – 2 tbsp
Butter – 2 tbsp
Cinammon – 1 stick
Bay leaves-1
Methods ;
Marinate the paneer with above ingredients given for 15 mins.
Heat a tbsp of butter add onions(which chopped into cubes) fry for 1 min, removed & keep aside.
In same kadai, add a tbsp of oil, add capsicum (chopped into cubes) fry for 2mins, remove & keep aside. In same oil fry the paneer on both sides for a min & keep aside.
Now add another tbsp of oil, temper with cinnamon & bay leaves.
Add finely chopped onions, salt & cook until transparent.
Add finely chopped tomatoes & cook until soft.
Now add ginger garlic paste & saute until raw flavour goes off.
Remove some of the onion tomatoes mixture & allow to cool.
Now add the cooled mixture & soaked Chasews to the mixie jar & grounded into creamy paste.
Add the creamy paste to the kadai, add required amout of water, salt to taste & cook for 15 to 20 mins or until oil floats on top.
Now add the fried paneer, onions, capsicum to the gravy & cook for another 5 to 10 mins.
Finely add fresh cream & garnish with Cilantro.
Serve hot with parottas & Chappathi.
My Southern Flavours 