Kadai Paneer/ Stir Fried Cottage Cheese

Kadai paneer is one of the most famous paneer preparations in Indian cuisine.

Kadhai Paneer is the easiest paneer recipe I make. I usually make it as side dish for roti, but goes well with simple pulaos too. So here is a simple way to make them but they taste really delicious.

Ingredients

250 grams paneer (cottage cheese)

3-4 kashmiri dried red chilies

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp black pepper

3 tbsp oil

5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 .5 inch ginger, half crushed and half juliennes

1 /2 medium onion, cut into cubes

½ medium capsicum cut into cubes

1 tsp garam masala powder

2tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

2-3 green chilies

Salt to taste.

Procedure

 First we need to make kadai powder for the kadai paneer, take 3 red chilies, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 2 tsp corainder seeds, ½ tsp black peppercorns and dry roast them till a nice flavor is there. After this let it cool down and grind it into a coarse powder.

Heat half tsp of oil, add cubed paneer and toast it until it is golden brown. Keep it aside.

In a kadai heat oil and add crushed ginger garlic or ginger garlic paste.

Sauté till the raw smell is gone then add  chopped tomato, sauté tomatoes on a medium flame for  5-6 minutes or till tomatoes are mushy.  

Now add fresh & aromatic kadai powder (coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, and red chilies powder) to the tomatoes.

Mix the spice powder with the tomatoes and sauté everything till the whole mixture becomes a paste. This would take 5-6 minutes. Now add the cubed onions, capsicum,

 and stir for 3- 4 minutes. After that add paneer cubes, kasoori methi, garam masala, and enough salt and gently combine everything. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Lastly add finely chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. Switch of the gas.

Delicious, mouthwatering….Kadai paneer is ready, serve it with rotis/ naan.