Kadai Paneer recipe with step by step pictures. Kadai paneer happens to be popular Punjabi side dish that is usually served with chapathis or rotis. It is also an easy paneer recipe made using freshly ground spice powder to make this dish more fragrant.
It also happens to be a hot favorite with my kids to order when they head to a Restaurant. Making restaurant style kadai paneer at home is not very difficult at all.
In fact, kadai paneer is one of the easiest paneer recipe that you can make at home. It is spicy, hot and fragrant.
It can either be made as a dry subzi or a semi gravy dish according to your preferences. The masala needs to coat the paneer cubes well and the juices should have been absorbed well by the paneer to taste right.
You can serve kadai paneer both with chapathis and also with any pulao rice varieties. It is easily packed for lunch boxes too.
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Stepwise Procedure:
1. Heat a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, red chilies and dry roast for 2 mins over low flame till the aroma arises. Take care not to burn them. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
2. Transfer the spices to a mixie jar. Powder it fine and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan with either oil or ghee or a combination of both. Add cumin seeds and when it sizzles, add bay leaf, onions, ginger garlic paste and sauté over low flame will the onions turn pink.
4. Now add tomato, a pinch of salt and sauté for 3-4 mins till the tomato turns mushy.
5. Add capsicum, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, 1/4 cup water and mix well. Close the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. By now the capsicum would have softened and the raw smell of the chili powder would be gone.
7. Add the sliced or cubed paneer, coriander leaves, ground spice powder, mix well.
8. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup water, if the curry is thick. Close the pan with a lid, leaving a small gap and let it cook for 5-7 minutes over low flame.
9. Switch off flame and add crushed methi leaves. Mix well and keep the pan closed with a lid till serving.
10. Kadai Paneer is ready. Serve as an accompaniment with hot chapathis/rotis, phulkas or Naan. It goes well with pulaos too.
Looking for more paneer recipes, then check out,
Kadai paneer recipe details below:
Kadai Paneer Recipe
Ingredients
- Paneer - 200 gms
- Onion - 2
- Tomato - 3
- Capsicum - 1
- Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
- Bay leaf – 1
- Red chili powder – 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
- Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
- Kasuri methi - 2 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
To roast & powder:
- Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
- Cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 2
- Whole dry red chilies – 2
- Whole coriander seeds – 2 tsp
Instructions
Preparation:
- Chop the capsicum into big cubes and keep it ready. Chop the onion and tomatoes and keep it ready.
- Cube the paneer & set aside.
For the powder:
- Heat a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, red chilies and dry roast for 2 mins over low flame till the aroma arises.
- Take care not to burn them. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
- Transfer the spices to a mixie jar. Powder finely and keep aside.
To make Kadai Paneer:
- Heat a pan with either oil or ghee or a combination of both.
- Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle.
- Add bay leaf, onions, ginger garlic paste and sauté over low flame will the onions turn pink.
- Now add tomato, a pinch of salt and sauté for 3-4 mins till the tomato turns mushy
- Now add capsicum, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, 1/4 cup water and mix well.
- Close the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- By now the capsicum would have softened and the raw smell of the chili powder would be gone.
- Now add the sliced or cubed paneer, coriander leaves, ground spice powder, mix well.
- Sprinkle about 1/4 cup water, if the curry is thick.
- Close the pan with a lid, leaving a small gap and let it cook for 5-7 minutes over low flame.
- Switch off flame and add crushed methi leaves.
- Mix well and keep the pan closed with a lid till serving.
- Kadai Paneer is ready.
- Serve with hot chapathis/rotis, phulkas or Naan.
Delicious kadai paneer. Beautiful clicks. So tempting.
Thanks for sharing.
looks yumm Radhika! love the cute shape you cut the paneer
looks wonderful and delicious flavours
Kadai Paneer is one of my favourite veg recipe. Must have tasted wonderfully well.
Deepa
its truely tempting and like to give a try soon…
Looks really yummy and delicious!
Paneer looks cute… store bought or home made? very appealing picture.
Delicious! since we are now vegan I’m sure it will work great with tofu too.
dear radhika,
we recently went to subway, and i ate their delicious sandwich as well as salad. I immediately remembered you and thought that if you could taste them, you would make them immediately. if subway chain is there at your place, could you try it out?
Prerna, Just 2 days ago, a new outlet was opened near my place. Its just 5-7 mins walking distance from my home. Upon seeing the brand new new outlet, I remembered you. I shall definitely try out some recipes from there.
looks delicious and very tempting 🙂
Looks absolutely perfect.. yummy!!
i like the triangle shape idea! color looks yumm
Very nice recipe thanks for sharing
Thank you radhika mam for sharing such a simple and nice dish…infact i tried it also and it became perfect.
Thank you very much for the positive feedback Eva. I’m so glad that you liked it.
Hello I’am 12yr old. And I tried it for my father’s birthday he liked it .so thanks for this recipe
That’s so sweet of you to make this for your dad’s birthday and so happy to hear that he liked it very much as well. convey my belated birthday wishes to him.
Hello Radhika,
When should we add the spices that are powdered??
Please refer step no.6. That is when we add the powdered spices.
Hi,
is it okay to use home made paneer? Please let me know soon.
Yes Teena. Homemade is even better as its fresh. Do let me know how it turns out for you.
Hi radhika, I tried ur version of kadai paneer yesterday and my hubby liked it very much. Thank you so much for sharing it with us…
Thank you very much for the feedback Shweta. I feel very happy that your hubby like it. Keep visiting.:)
Hi radhika, I tried ur version of kadai paneer yesterday and my hubby liked it very much. Thank you so much for sharing it with us…
hi radhika. i tried ur kadhai paneer recipe, it was very nice. my 6 yrs old daughter loved it. thanks a lot…
Thank you radhika mam for sharing such a simple and nice dish…infact i tried it also and it became perfect –
I just tried your kadai paneer recipe. loved the recipe for its simple.. the Aroma and taste were tooo good 🙂
Thank you very much for trying out. Glad you liked it.
Hello..radhika mam, today i am gng to try your recipe for my daddy. he loves paneer specially when i cook. hope he likes it.
As a 16 yrs old male do I need to know anything extra to make this 😛 Planning to surprise my mom..
PS – I have only made Maggi in my life 😛
No. just follow the steps and you are good to go. just make sure you add salt wisely as an excess may ruin the entire dish.
Hi Radhika, came across your recipe and decided to try it last night. It was fabulous. So just wanted to let you know. The best part was that it was really simple and easy to cook. Thanks again! 🙂
Thank you for the feedback Swagata. Happy to hear that you liked it.
Awesome recipe … I am going to try right away.
Tried this and came out superbly!!! All liked it.. especially my Baby..:) Do visit my space and leave your comments!!!
Tried this and came out superbly!!! All liked it.. especially my Baby..:) Do visit my space and leave your comments!!!
wow awesome recipe thanks for sharing