Name: Kadhai Paneer
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 125 g Paneer, cut into cubes; ½ Green Bell Pepper, cut into square petals; 1 Onion, 0.5 finely chopped, 0.5 cut into square petals; 1½ Tomato, pureed or finely chopped; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ¾ tbsp Kadai Paneer Masala, freshly roasted and crushed; ½ tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves, crushed; 1 tbsp Fresh Cream, optional, for richness; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; 1½ tbsp Cooking Oil, divided

50 mintotal

40 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

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Method

Heat a little of the oil in a pan and sauté the paneer cubes until lightly golden outside. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, lightly flash-fry the onion petals and capsicum cubes on high heat for 2 minutes to sear them while retaining their firm crunch. Set aside.
2 min
Heat the remaining oil in a heavy kadhai. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté patiently until they reach a deep golden brown.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell has gone.
1 min
Stir in the tomato puree, Kashmiri red chilli powder and turmeric. Cook the base down until the fat separates from the masala.
Add the freshly ground Kadai Masala and season with salt. Mix thoroughly and toast the spices in the pan for 2 minutes.
2 min
Pour in enough warm water to establish a thick gravy consistency. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes to unify the flavors.
3–4 min
Toss the sautéed paneer, capsicum, and onion petals into the bubbling pan. Fold gently to ensure the thick masala heavily coats all the components.
Finish the dish by crushing the kasuri methi over the top and folding in the fresh cream. Turn off the heat and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

A semi-dry, clinging, intensely spiced tomato-based gravy heavily coating soft paneer and distinctively crunchy bell peppers.

Getting it right

Tip

The vegetables must retain a firm, structural crunch. Pan-searing them separately on high heat prevents them from boiling and turning soggy in the gravy.

What to serve it with

Serve straight from the kadhai, accompanied by Butter Garlic Naan or crisp Tandoori Roti.

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