Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients

• 250 gms Paneer (cottage cheese), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons Dry Coriander Seeds
• 2 Dry Red Kashmiri Chillies
• 1 small piece of Cinnamon
• 1 Green Cardamom
• 2 medium Capsicums, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 3 medium Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Puree
• 2 teaspoons Dry Fenugreek Leaves (kasuri methi)
• 3 tablespoons Cooking Oil or Ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Cream, optional
• 1/3 cup Water
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped, for garnishing

Method

• Dry roast coriander seeds, kashmiri red chilli, cinnamon and green cardamom until nice aroma releases, for around 1-minute over low flame. Turn off flame and grind them in a grinder or mortar and pastel until little bit coarse texture and keep aside until required.
• If you are using frozen paneer, then defrost it before cooking. Place cubes in hot water until needed to keep them soft. When called for use, drain and add them in curry.
• Heat oil or ghee in a non-stick pan over medium flame. Add chopped onion and sauté until it turns translucent.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and red chilli powder; sauté for 1-2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and mix well.
• Cook until they turn tender and oil starts to separate or for around 4-5 minutes. Add crushed spices powder (prepared in step-1), mix well and cook for 2-minutes. Add tomato puree and mix.
• Add chopped capsicum and salt, cook for 3-minutes.
• Crush dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) using your hand and add in the curry.
• Add 1/3 cup water and cook for 3-minutes.
• Add paneer cubes.
• Mix and cook for 3-minutes. Add fresh cream.
• Mix well and turn off flame. Do not cook for longer after adding fresh cream otherwise it may curdle.
• Transfer prepared curry to a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.