Kadhai paneer
This khadai paneer is a recipe that I have followed from Sihi Kahi Chandru’s BhojanaPriya. I had tried several versions of Veg khadhai recipes from various blogs and videos but nothing came close to this, when it had to match the restaurant taste. If you are from Karnataka, you would know who Sihi Kahi Chandru is and would have definitely watched him in one of his many of his cookery shows :)
A little bit of preparation is needed for this recipe, but it’s totally worth the time and efforts you have invested. Add veggies like capsicum, beans, onions or mushrooms to this recipe to make a veg khadhai. The beans may need a little bit of boiling in water but rest of the vegetables can be added after step 3.
What you'll need :
For tomato puree
3 medium sized tomatoes
2 green chillies
For cashew nut puree
7-8 cashew nuts soaked overnight
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Whole spices
2 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
Spice powder - 1
1 tsp coriander cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
Spice powder - 2
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp fennel powder
A pinch of nutmeg powder
Other ingredients
1 large onion grated
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup cubed paneer
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt as per taste
How to:
1. Cut each tomato into 4 pieces. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan and sauté the sliced tomatoes and chillies together for 2 minutes. Once the mixture cools, puree it in a blender. Keep aside.
2. Blend the cashew nuts, yogurt and sesame seeds together with a tbsp of water until it turns into a smooth paste.
3. Heat a non stick pan on medium flame and add a tbsp of oil. Add the whole spices and sauté until it releases the aroma. If you don’t like to bite the whole spices in the gravy, finely powder it in a mortar and pestle. Add the ginger garlic paste, salt, onion and salute until the raw smell goes off.
4. Add the tomato puree and cook for at least 5 minutes with closed lid. Once it starts releasing oil, add the cashewnut puree and spice powder 1 to this mixture. Sauté for another 5 minutes on low flame. Make sure that the flame is on low while adding the cashewnut yogurt puree. If the flame is on high, the mixture may curdle.
5. Add the cubed paneer to this mixture. You can also shallow fry the paneer before adding to the gravy if you like it that way.
6. Add spice powder 2 and cook for another 2 minutes without stirring the mixture frequently. The paneer cubes are delicate and may dissolve in the gravy if cooked for a long time. Add water if you feel that the gravy is thick. Check the taste and add salt if needed.
Allow the gravy to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with coriander and mint leaves before serving.
