Kadhai Paneer

Kitchen is a place where exotic dishes are turned out and mostly named after places or people. Here is a whole style of cooking that has been named after the vessel in which it is prepared. Kadhai cooking for one, turns out really thick and richly delicious dishes. Named after the indian wok called the 'Kadhai', the cooking uses little or no water and lets food cook in it's own natural juices. The Indian wok is different from its chinese cousin in being more deeper and narrower.

For starters, Kadhai cooking is not the only cuisine in India named after the vessel it is cooked in. There is also the Handi Cuisine and Tawa Cuisine. Kadhai cooking originated in Punjab nearabout Peshawar and made popular by the migrants.What set this cooking apart was the fact that it was quick cooking unless Meat was used and the dish could be transported to the dining table in the Kadhai ready to eat. The dishes are all tomato based thick gravies nicely spiced up with vegetables and/or meat. It is therefore spicy and has chillies. Incase you want to substitute lamb for paneer in the recipe below, cook the lamb till it's 3/4th done and then use it for Kadhai.

We are finally in Delhi and missing good ol' Hyderabad. The rushed life of the city is something we'll take time to adjust to. Just shifted into our new house and setting up stuff there. It will easily take time as we decided to take a duplex penthouse (something my better half always wanted) and the whole place needs a lot of work to be done since no one has lived there ever. Looking forward to a lot of cooking and grilling in the new house :)

Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients:

Paneer, Cut into Cubes - 250gm (Some even cut them into fingers)
Green Bell Peppers,Cut into dices - 3 (Again some prefer cutting into fingers)
Tomatoes -4 (make a paste out of 3, and cut 1 into dices)
Onions, finely chopped- 4
Ginger paste - 1 Tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander Seed powder - 1 Tsp

Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chillies, slit and deseeded - 2

Corriander Leaves - A few for garnish

Ghee - 1 Tblsp

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai. Add in the onions and saute till they start turning golden brown.

2. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add in the red chilli powder, corriander seed powder, black peper powder,cumin powder, garam masala powder and turmeric. Stir fry till they are cooked.

4. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy is done.

5. Add in the Paneer cubes/fingers and bell peppers. Cook till they are done.

6. Add in the diced tomatoes and green chillies. Cook for 2 minutes.

7. Add in kasoori methi leaves just before finishing the dish and mix well. The gravy should have dried up by now and should be just enough to coat the paneer, bell peppers and tomatoes.

8. Serve hot garnished with corriander leaves.

Posted in: Indian Cooking,Kadhai,North Indian Cuisine,Paneer,Punjabi Cuisine