Showing posts with label kadai paneer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kadai paneer. Show all posts

Friday, June 8, 2018

Kadaai chukka paneer

Stir fried paneer (Indian cheese) with capsicum and peas.

Most of us wish for something extra special for a Friday dinner and this recipe would definitely fit the bill. This Friday I made my own version of kadaai paneer, which is one of the most favorites for hubby and myself. In my view, this dish should take very less time to prepare, but would give a gorgeous look. 

Kadaai paneer came in to our kitchen, only after we tasted it in a restaurant (Data Udipi hotel) in Chennai after our marriage. As we both are from typical south Tamilnadu, our foods wouldn't have much of garam masala or strong spices. Sambar, dal , chutney, idli, dosa, vada are our specialties along with occasional non veg.  So these kind of flavorful north Indian dishes became more appetizing for us (especially when it comes to vegetarian foods). I started preparing them as close to the restaurant version after that.
Nowadays kadaai paneer takes a more liquid form, while in those days it resembled like a chukka fry (dry curry). So here is my own version of early style kadaai paneer.






Ingredients: (for 2 generous servings)
Paneer - 150 gm (cubed into small pieces)
red onion - 1 small (chopped)
red / green capsicum - half (sliced)
green peas - handful
tomato - 1 (vine tomato / country variety)
peanut oil - 2 tbsp
fennel - 1 tsp
butter 1 tbsp
salt - to taste
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
coriander powder - 1 tbsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
ginger - 1 inch , garlic - cloves (crushed together)
To garnish:
chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp
finely chopped green chili - 2
Special vessel needed :
A thick iron kadaai (or) wok (or) any heavy bottom pan.

Method:
Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel.
Add fennel, after it gets red, add chopped onion.
Stir fry it till it gets soft (not red).
Pound the ginger garlic together in a mixer or hand mortar & pestle.
Add the crushed ginger garlic mixture and stir fry for few seconds to remove raw smell.
Then add finely chopped tomato , pinch of salt.
Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, salt. 
Cook covered in low heat.
Cook this till oil separates.
Microwave and cook the green peas with a tbsp of water.
Then add sliced capsicum, cooked green peas. Saute well. 
Meanwhile heat butter in a tempering wok (kadaai).
Cube the paneer.
Saute the paneer pieces all at once , till they turn soft and golden.
Pour this to the prepared masala. Stir well and bring it to a dry curry consistency.
Switch off , garnish with chopped green chili, cilantro and serve hot.
Kadaai sukka paneer is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as side dish with any kind of roti, chapati, naan.
Also goes well with cumin rice, brinji rice or plain ghee rice.

Calorie calculation:
30 gm paneer (5 big pieces) - 90 cal.
This is a calorie rich dish.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Kadaai paneer with soya chunks

Paneer + capsicum + soya chunks in a curry = yummy ! That's all I should say now, before you try and tell me how you like it:)
Including paneer and soya chunks is my Yoga akka's (my sister) idea  to get best alternatives for non-veg. I really enjoy these ingredients and now started including more vegetarian foods.
'Kadai'  or 'kadaai ' means wok. Kadaai paneer is a semi dry gravy that is served in most of the Indian restaurants. I have added protein rich soya chunks also with that and it is absolutely delicious. Here is my version to get the restaurant flavor at home.
Kadaai paneer with soy chunks

Pan fried capsicum and paneer

Cooking soya chunks

Green capsicum, soya chunks and paneer

Ingredients:
Paneer - 1 cup (chopped)
(I used half of the above shown pack)
green capsicum - 1
Soya chunks - 1/2 cup
olive oil / butter - 1 tbsp

For masala to grind:
oil - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 2
onion - 1 (big)
ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 5 cloves
coriander seed - 1 tbsp
dry red chilly - 4
cinnamon - 1 inch

others:
garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
salt - to taste
cilantro - a handful
cumin - 1 tsp
brown sugar / jaggery - 1 tsp

Method:
Slice the onion lengthwise. Peel garlic and ginger. Heat oil in a wok.
Add a tsp fennel, cinnamon, coriander seed, dry red chilly, onion and fry till it becomes golden brown. Then add ginger garlic and fry for 1 minute. Let everything cool.
Cook tomato with 1 cup water till mushy. (I microwaved it for 3 minutes). Let it cool.
Grind all the above to a fine paste and keep aside.

Chop the paneer into 1 inch size cubes. Fry the chopped paneer till golden brown in the left over oil in the same wok and take out. Chop the capsicum to small cubes and fry for 30 seconds and keep aside.
In the same time cook the soya chunks (Bring 2 cups of water with pinch of salt to a boil , add soya chunks and cook for 5 minutes. Drain water and squeeze to remove all water). Keep aside.

Heat the wok and fry a bay leaf, cumin .

Add the ground paste, turmeric powder,  garam masal powder, salt , sugar and bring it to a boil.  Wait till raw smell vanishes.

Then add the fried capsicum, cooked soya chunks and bring to a boil. Then add fried paneer and cook covered for 3 minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Kadaai paneer with soya is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with chapati or paratha or ghee rice.


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