Kadai Paneer Recipe with Homemade Kadai Masala | Easy Kadai Paneer Recipe

Kadai Paneer easy and flavourful North Indian Style Paneer Curry. Kadai Paneer is one of the most popular recipes from the menu of Indian Restaurants and Dhabas. Kadai Paneer gets cooked using Kadai, which is well known for most cooking in India. 

Kadai Paneer Recipe with Homemade Kadai Masala | Easy Kadai Paneer Recipe

What makes Kadai Paneer so delicious? – Gravy cooked in an iron wok with desi ghee, freshly roasted Kadai masala, melt in mouth malai paneer with crunchy capsicum. So basically, this recipe is divided into three parts. Preparation of onion-tomato gravy, grinding of Kadai masala, and preparation of fresh paneer or use store-bought paneer. Prepare the Kadai masala and Paneer a day before. So this weekend, do try this Easy Kadai Paneer Recipe with my whole wheat kulcha or whole wheat naan. 

Cooking is a concept. There are different ways of Kadai paneer procedure that have been mentioned over the years. I tried multiple preparations over the year, and this version of Kadai Paneer is loved the most. So this is the trial-and-tested recipe of the Kadai Paneer from my kitchen!

Kadai Masala

What is Kadai Masala? Kadai Masala is coarsely pounded masala made with basic roasted Indian spices. I have used red chilies, black pepper, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. Slowly roasted them in an iron pan until releasing the aroma. Later on, I coarsely ground them. If you can hand pound the spices, then that will be the authentic way !! You can make it in bulk and store it well for further use. Increase and decrease the quantity of the spices based on your liking. There isn’t any hard and fast rule! Transform the recipes into your taste. 

I always make the paneer at home from the full-cream cow milk. Prepare the homemade paneer a day before and use it in this Kadai Paneer Recipe. Click here for How to make paneer at home. In this recipe, I have mentioned all the tips and tricks in detail. 

The preparation of gravy is the heart of any Indian-style paneer curry recipe. To prepare the delicious onion-tomato gravy follow these steps. Take heavy bottom Kadai- iron Kadai is preferable. Roast onion and tomatoes on the slow flame. Add hand-pounded ginger-garlic paste based on the liking into the gravy. Once the oil starts to separate, add all spices and roast them nicely. Finish the gravy preparation with a spoon of fresh cream and aromatic Kasuri methi. Before serving, add lightly roasted onion cubes, capsicum, tomatoes, and paneer. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve warm.

Kadai Paneer Recipe with Homemade Kadai Masala | Easy Kadai Paneer Recipe

Things to keep in mind while preparing Kadai Paneer at home : 

  • Always add onion when oil is hot, else the onion won’t release the oil.
  • Chopped onion gives nice thick and crunchy gravy. If you like silky smooth gravy make a paste of cooked onion and then add tomato paste.
  • Always add ginger and garlic once the onion turns brown perfectly. Because there are chances of sticking ginger and garlic at the bottom if added before. 
  • You can add finely chopped tomatoes too. Add salt along with tomato paste. Salt will help to cook tomatoes.
  • Add a splash of water while cooking masalas in gravy to prevent sticking at the bottom.
  • At each step, wait until the oil separates, and then add the next ingredient.
  • If using iron Kadai, as soon as you turn off the flame, transfer it to the serving pot. 
  • Increase or decrease the vegetables as per your liking. You can cook the paneer and vegetables directly into gravy too.
  • Do not overcook the vegetables, else lose the crunch. 

Here is the video recipe of the Kadai Paneer Recipe : 

 

Serve warm Kadai Paneer with : 

You may also like to try more Indian Curry Recipe : 

Do try this Kadai Paneer recipe, and let me know how it turned out in the comments section. If you like this Easy Kadai Paneer Recipe, then share it with your friends and family and rate the recipe card. Don’t forget to follow me on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to catch my latest updates. Stay healthy and Safe. Happy Cooking!!!

Here is the Recipe Card of the Kadai Paneer Recipe : 

Kadai Paneer Recipe with Homemade Kadai Masala
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Kadai Paneer easy and flavourful North Indian Style Paneer Curry.
Author:
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 2 - 4
Ingredients
  • Onion - 2, finely chopped
  • Tomatoes - 2, paste
  • Ginger - 1 inch
  • Garlic - 6-8 cloves
  • Green chili - 1, optional
  • Coriander seeds - ½ tsp, broken into half
  • Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
  • Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp
  • Red chili powder - 1 tsp, as per taste
  • Coriander powder - 1 tsp
  • Homemade Kadai Masala - 2 tsp, or as per taste
  • Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
  • Fresh cream - 2-3 tsp
  • Salt - 1 - 1 ½ tsp, as per taste
  • Oil - 2 tbsp or more as per need
  • Ghee - 2 tbsp
  • Homemade Paneer - 200 gm/paneer from 1-liter milk
  • Onion - 1 small, chopped in cubes
  • Tomato - 1 small, seeds removed and chopped in cubes
  • Capsicum - 1 small, chopped in cubes
Ingredients for Homemade Kadai Masala :
  • Dry red chilies - 2-4, as per the taste of chili
  • Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
  • Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
  • Fennel Seeds - ½ tsp
  • Black Pepper - 1 tsp or more
Instructions ( 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml)
Preparation of Kadai Masala :
  1. In an iron Kadai, skillet, or tawa, add all the whole spices.
  2. Above mentioned quantity is for medium-hot and spicy food.
  3. If you prefer extra hot and spicy food, increase black pepper and red chilies in masala.
  4. Dry roast them until they start to release the fragrance.
  5. Roast until they turn brown. Do not burn them.
  6. Turn off the flame. Transfer to the dry bowl.
  7. Let them cool down.
  8. Hand Pound them or grind them in a grinder into a coarse powder.
  9. Store it in an air-tight container for further use.
Preparation of Paneer Kadai :
  1. In a Kadai, add 2 tbsp of ghee and 1-2 tbsp of oil.
  2. Add crushed coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
  3. Saute them for a while.
  4. Add chopped onion.
  5. Mix well. Let it cook until the onion turns brown.
  6. Stir at regular intervals.
  7. When the onion is cooked and turned brown, it will release oil.
  8. Now add sliced green chili and ginger garlic paste.
  9. Saute for 2-3 min until raw aroma goes away.
  10. Add tomato paste.
  11. Add salt as per taste.
  12. Mix well.
  13. Cover and cook until done.
  14. Tomatoes will release oil when cooked.
  15. Add all dry spices. Give a nice mix.
  16. Cook for another 3-4 min.
  17. When oil is released, add water and adjust the consistency of gravy.
  18. Add cubed vegetables and paneer directly into the gravy and cook them.
  19. Or toss them separately and add them into the gravy.
  20. Lastly, add Kasuri methi and cream.
  21. Gently fold and turn off the flame.
  22. Do not overmix.
  23. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve warm Kadai Paneer with whole wheat naan, whole wheat kulcha, paratha, phulka, lachha paratha, etc.
Notes
Always add onion when oil is hot, else the onion won't release the oil.
Chopped onion gives nice thick and crunchy gravy. If you like silky smooth gravy make a paste of cooked onion and then add tomato paste.
Always add ginger and garlic once the onion turns brown perfectly. Because there are chances of sticking ginger and garlic at the bottom if added before. 
You can add finely chopped tomatoes too. Add salt along with tomato paste. Salt will help to cook tomatoes.
Add a splash of water while cooking masalas in gravy to prevent sticking at the bottom.
At each step, wait until the oil separates, and then add the next ingredient.
If using iron Kadai, as soon as you turn off the flame, transfer it to the serving pot. 
Increase or decrease the vegetables as per your liking. You can cook the paneer and vegetables directly into gravy too.
Do not overcook the vegetables, else lose the crunch.