A lip-smacking recipe for kadai paneer

A lip-smacking recipe for kadai paneer

Kadai paneer is an all-season dish that is savored across the sub-continent. Made using Indian cottage cheese(paneer) it combines the succulence of its key ingredient with sharp spiciness. It is prepared using the kadai pan- a curved utensil that has been a part of South Asian culinary culture for centuries. Two different types of kadai paneer are prepared in households across India- the dry and gravy variants. The recipe given here is for dry kadai paneer. 

Ingredients: 

Paneer cubes(250 grams), coriander seeds(one and a half tablespoons), red chilies (6 nos), cooking oil(3 tablespoons), chopped onions(half a cup), ginger-garlic paste(one teaspoon), chopped tomatoes(3 to 5 cups. For better taste, use ripe tomatoes), capsicum(thinly sliced, one cup), green chillies(2 nos), ginger(thin slices from a 1 inch ginger), coriander leaves( two tablespoons) 

Steps: 

• Grind the coriander seeds and red chillies together until you get a fine mix. Keep this mix aside- this is the kadai masala that you can use later. 
• Heat oil in the kadai, and then add the chopped onions. Then, sauté the onion pieces on medium flame till they turn semi-transparent. 
• Mix a teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste in the sautéed pieces. 
• Saute the mix until the smell of the ginger garlic paste fades. 
• Mix chopped tomatoes into it, and sauté the tomato pieces for four minutes on medium flame. 
• Now, add the kadai masala. Continue sautéing the tomato pieces until the entire mix becomes paste-like. You will notice the masala also turning thicker in the process. 
• Add capsicum and sauté the pieces for four minutes on medium flame. 
• Add green chilies and half a cup of water. Mix the ingredients well and then sauté the capsicum pieces until they turn soft. To bring a crunchiness to the dish, you may leave the capsicum pieces a little raw. 
• Add salt as needed. You can also add some garam masala powder for extra flavour if you want. 
• Add the paneer cubes and mix well. Add ginger and coriander leaves. Then, mixing everything together, turn off the stove. The kadai paneer is now ready to serve. 

The kadai paneer is just one of the many mouthwatering dishes that you can prepare using a kadai. But the flavors of kadai dishes are more authentic if you prepare them with kadai made of clay. You can buy authentic clay kadai pots from Mudkart, made by artisans the old-fashioned way- without any chemicals added. 

Authur: Dhinoj Dings

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