Kadai paneer is one of the easiest paneer recipes I make. Learn how to make the easiest kadai paneer, with simple method. Full video, stepwise pictures post.
I usually make it as side dish for roti, but goes well with simple pulaos very well. I say it is easy recipe because it has no grinding part! Cool right? So here is the simple way I make but turns out really delicious. The coriander seeds and capsicum are the highlights of this recipe. Using butter really enhances flavour, just like we get in restaurants.
Use best quality paneer, preferably fresh paneer, as it gives you delicious kadai paneer, as well as paneer stays soft even after cooling down.
Kadai paneer recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Paneer measured thawed
- 2 Onion cubed
- 3 Tomatoes chopped
- 1 Capsicum cubed
- 1 tbsp Ginger finely chopped or julienne
- 2 Green chillies slit
- 1.5 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt - As needed
- ½ tsp Kasoori methi
- 3 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
To Temper
- 2 tbsp Oil or butter
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds crushed roughly
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan/kadai and temper with the coriander seeds. You can crush it roughly or add whole too.
- Follow by adding ginger and give a quick fry.
- Add chopped onion, green chillies slit and fry till onion turns transparent.
- In goes chopped tomatoes followed by salt.
- Add all the powders- chilli, coriander seeds, garam masala and turmeric.
- Fry till tomatoes turn gooey. Continue frying till oil oozes out and then add the cubed capsicum and fry for 1 minute.
- The crunchiness and colour should not change.
- Add the paneer cubes (paneer cubes should be kept immersed in hot water till use) and crush the kasoori methi within you palms and add it to it.
- Add ½ cup water and mix well. Cook till the masala coats paneer well and the gravy is thick almost dry. Not too dry too.
- Add the chopped coriander leaves lastly and transfer to the serving dish.
Video
Notes
- Keep paneer immersed in hot water until before you cook.
- Cook capsicum without changing its crunchiness.
- You can add ginger garlic paste in place of ginger.Use one tsp.
- Cook whole process in high flame except while cooking tomatoes.
- Use fresh paneer for best results instead of frozen.
Kadai paneer Step by step method
-
- Heat oil in a pan/kadai and season with the coriander seeds. You can crush it roughly too before seasoning. But I added as such. Follow by adding ginger and give a quick fry.Add chopped onion, green chillies slit and fry till onion turns transparent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and add salt,add all the powders-chilli,dhaniya,garam masala and turmeric.Fry till tomatoes turn gooey.
- Continue frying till oil oozes out and then add the cubed capsicum and fry for 1 or 2 minutes. The crunchiness and colour should not change.
- Add the paneer cubes (paneer cubes should be kept immersed in hot water till use) and crush the kasoori methi within you palms to powder it and add it to it. Add ½ cup water and mix well.
- Cook till the masala coats paneer well and the gravy is thick almost dry. Not too dry too. Add the chopped coriander leaves lastly and transfer to the serving dish.
- Heat oil in a pan/kadai and season with the coriander seeds. You can crush it roughly too before seasoning. But I added as such. Follow by adding ginger and give a quick fry.Add chopped onion, green chillies slit and fry till onion turns transparent.
We had it with simple dal tadka and steamed basmati rice,its my kiddo’s favorite,mine too. Just love the flavourful capsicum and the spicy dish goes well with the bland dal and its very comforting too!
What a wonderful combo for this rain. Don't mind to finish this if sent to me. Nicely captutered
wow…
looks spicy and delicious raji 🙂
nice clicks…..
A lovely and perfect combo……..
Ohh they r for me… only.. perfect for rotis.. i loveee it..good clicks..
My fav with rotis….looks totally yum. I luv ur no grind version easy and quick. Just need rotis to finish of that 🙂
My fav restaurant dish…your version sound superb..always love your selection of props.
Simply superb. I love capsicum paneer combo very much.
Just love kadai panner over anything else.Perfect with rotis.
So simple and yummy!! I make it so elaborate!! Love this version 🙂
Famished !!! 🙂
Super inviting kadai paneer, love it anytime..soo tempting..
Love kadai paneer-soft paneer and crunchy capsicum in a tomato based gravy.perfect with roti and pulao!
looks divine.. very beautiful clicks.. truly pro style ..
one of my fav side dishes..looks yumm n perfect
They look so delicious and lovely Raji …If I was staying near ur house I would have def come over to have coffee with u 🙂
looks very colourful mouthwatering kadai paneer…nice clicks..
Raji, you are always rocking, lovely click, kadai paneer in a lovely tiny kadai!
one of my fav in paneer recipes…Sure Coriander seeds will give nice flavour in tempering,will try this version next time…clicks are amazing as usual…
NIce clicks. never tried this. must try for raksha 🙂
Lip smacking Side dish for rotis. …luv it. .
Kadai Paneer is one of my fav paneer recipe. The pics are crystal clear !
colourful dish…perfect for rotis….adding coriander seeds sounds gud n give nice flavour..lovely click!
We sure have telepathy …I did same too 🙂 …love this…yours looks fab.. nice pics
Looks awesome…nice recipe
Fav Fav …. Quite Authentic…
looks awesome…perfect with roti n pulao!!
Wowo that paneer dish looks so so super yummy.
isn't this quite easy yet totally restaurant style dish .. Nice snaps as usual 🙂
Superb kadai paneer raks…Perfect with naan…
Very nice recipe and a beautiful click as always :):)
i have it in my draft… soon will post…. pictures are awesome….
thats the easiest and yummiest paneer dish. exotic enough to serve even to a party crowd. beautiful step by step presentation.
that is totally delicious..
Nice tip on using paneer…Luv this combo of dal tadka,rice and kadai paneer..yummm
Looks delicious!!! nice combo
Easiest paneer preparation and yet so deliciously addictive & tasty!!
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
That looks mouth watering and super tempting.
I love to have them with roties. Looks very coclourful and I like the last picture.
Cheers,
Uma
My Kitchen Experiments
so glad to be back to my fave blogs 🙂
looks yummy!….I will take a paneer curry over any other dish!
What a color man!!!! feel like grabbing that bowl direct from the picture!!!!
I NEED this in my life! Holy yum!
beautiful pics! i love that one where you have the dal in.. 🙂
mouth watering…I guess Paneer means Tofu? look so yummy….
One of my favorites too….looks delectable…love the way u presented it….very tempting….
Tastiest Paneer recipe with tasteful clicks.Yumm .. Luv it.
Yummy combo,…:) it's been so long since I had this,..
yummy and tempting dish…Perfect for dal and rice…
very tempting kadai paneer,looks so delicious.
A universal favourite…must try..and thank you for the kind words.
This one is a keeper :). Tried it this morning & came out perfectly. Goes down to my recipe book..
Perfect restaurant style,looks gorgeous..
SUper yummy :)Very bright and tempting 🙂
Fab picture. Love the kadai and ofcourse the kadai paneer.
Not a fan of paneer but I can go on ogling your pictures. At that's what I did on Foodgawker too. Totally love your shots!
Wonderful! Ooh that pic of kadai paneer makes me drool. Stunning click! Kadai Paneer is one of my fav.
Thank you all 🙂 MalaThanks for the immediate feed back!!
Super-a irukku Raji! I love the capsicums in this recipe more than paneer! yummmmm! :P:P
I tried this recipe just now.. Came out yummy.. ur blog is simply superb.
looks absolutely yum, perfect with rotis..
Awesome…
I tried ur recipe for tonights dinner n it turned out awesome…. My hubby is so happy eating a full bowl with roti….
thank you for dis wonderful reciepi.i am definately going to cook dis today..thank you so much.
thank you for dis delecious reciepi.i am definately going to cook dis today.
We tried this recipe today. It came out so well Raks! Thanks a bunch. I have a question, when we bite the paneer, there is no juicyness inside the paneer. We kept it in kadai longer and followed all your tips on the recipe, but the inside of the paneer was a simple white. Is this how the paneer will look like? Tips pls.
infact the color and everything were exact copy of yours. But the paneer… it came out something like a paneer bhurji 🙁 ;(
Hi RK,
The recipe came out well. But my paneer broke very badly. I need a tip from you on how to keep the paneer without breaking. Help pls.
Sara,
Did you used home made paneer? Because homemade panner have crumbly texture. Another reason could be you had immersed in boiling water or you must have boiled paneer in water for long time.
Goddess,
For paneer to be soft, keep immersed in hot water until you use.(DO not boil util use but,just keep immersed in hot water) at the time you need to add paneer, just drain and put. If you drain from water and keep then it can become hard.
One more thing, sauteeing in pan for long time without water also can turn so.
Select a good quality paneer. Kohinoor is very soft and good, try using that. Also one more tip is, after the paneer gets soft in water, you can try cutting it into small tiny pieces. So that you may not feel the paneer to be so bland. Hope I helped you a bit.
Raks. What a detailed reply! You are literally teaching us all cooking :). Like it so much. Kohinoor paneer-will remember this and also your tips!
Thanks Raks! yes i soaked the paneer in boiled water 😀
Looking yum…..am trying it out…
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe….
Happy Cooking
Kavi
Hi!
I tried this recipe for dinner today and it came out very well. The idea of keeping paneer immersed in hot water made the paneer really soft, but the paneer got a bit crumbly after I started mixing it with the gravy(I probably cubed them very small).
I like your blog very much (have bookmarked many recipes from your blog) and the way your recipes are written along with stepwise pictures are truly an inspiration for so many of us who want to learn traditional recipes. Thank you so much for this beautiful blog and Keep up the good work!!
Hi!
Today is the second time I am trying this recipe. It came out very well. paneer immersed in hot water made the paneer very soft and like that served in hotels. excellent recipe. the frying smell of crushed dhaniya + ginger garlic paste is just irresistible.
hello Raks,
I am going to try thid recipe today….
just wanted to know the importance of kasoori methi in this recipe… is it ok if i avoid this?? or is there any substitute for it???
Pooja
Pooja, kasoori methi gives nice flavour and taste. Its nothing but dried fenugreek leaves, you can add roasted fenugreek/methi/vendhayam seeds powder, two three pinches or just add chopped coriander leaves!
Hi I tried this receipe today but didnt looked the same. Actually after putting half cup water as told in step 4 and mixing it well the masala didnt get dry at all. I waited for the masala to get dry bt it didnt happen. So please give me a tip on how the masala becomes semi dry. Thanx in advance.
Tried it and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing the simple recipe!
Hi Rajeswari,
I like your blog and this kadhai paneer recipe is looking scrumptious and kasoori methi gives a special aroma. Today i sent request to be your follower. My name is Sanoli Ghosh. I am very new comer in blogging. My blog is on indian cuisine, the url is http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.com. If you visit and like/follow my newly born blog, I will be oblised. Enjoy your blogging!!!
Hi Rajeswari,
I like your blog and this kadhai paneer recipe is looking scrumptious and kasoori methi gives a special aroma. Today i sent request to be your follower. My name is Sanoli Ghosh. I am very new comer in blogging. My blog is on indian cuisine, the url is http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.com. If you visit and like/follow my newly born blog, I will be oblised. Enjoy your blogging!!!
Hi Raks! I was looking for a recipe for paneer other than the paneer mutter one. And, while browsing online, I chanced upon your website. Since, the recipe was simple and did not require me running to the grocery store, I took it down and made it the same day. 😀 And, I am happy to announce that it came out beautiful. So, thank you! Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I did some improvisation. I sauted and browned the paneer in a bit of oil before adding it to the mixture. It was YUM! Keep up the good work. – Rashmi Menon
So tasty so .yummy
So tasty so .yummy
This is yummy every time I make it !
can we use the same recipe to prepare chicken kadayi?? if any1 is having a good recipe, please share
Hi Raks,
I tried this Kadaai paneer recipe, after seeing the yummy pictures on your blog…
It came out very well.
You have inspired me to cook one new dish every week. 🙂
Thanks a lot.
Hi
I'm Watching ur blog for past 2 months.
After seeing the pic i tried this and came out very well.
Ur pics so good. It tempting to try the dish.
It turn out to be awesome
http://www.mixandcook.com/recipe/43
I'm glad I chanced by your blog. Diwali was good fanfare – made yumm Kadai Paneer & Rasgullas thanks to you!
Hi, Just wanted to know if Tofu can be substituted for paneer. Pls let me know.
Yes you can try that…
this is the best kadai paneer recipe ever!! my baby gal loved it too:) thank u 🙂
Hi
Raji.. I tried it was awesome..
Hi
Raji.. I tried it was awesome..
looks very spicy and delicious..
thanks Raks.. to share this dilicious recipe.
Hi Raks,
I tried Kadai paneer and it came out well. Thanks for the recipe,detailed explanation and pictures.
I even tried Palak paneer and it was awesome.
Amazing work done by you and please continue!
Hi Raks,
I tried this Paneer Recipe and it turned out really well. My Husband loved this dish except for the coriander seed that i used during Tempering. I am planning to use Powdered Coriander next time. Any other Suggestions???
Btw Your Blog is one soul reason to start my Cooking Journey. Thanks a lot for all your Recipes. Hope to see lot of recipes in future in oyu Blog. My Hearty wishes for you. God Bless! 🙂
Yes you can dry roast the coriander seeds and powder it coarsely to add it. I know some may not like the whole seeds coming while eating. I like it, but even my hubby doesnot 🙂
This recipe is using your Kadai paneer photograph…check it out raji
http://andhrakitchenforu.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/kadai-paneer.html
Hi Rak's,
Tried this recipee n it was yummy n i even tried panneer mutter masala… thanks for uploading…. good job dear…….
Hi Raks,
U always inspire me 2 cuk.. thak u 4 sharing ur wonderful recipes.. i have tried many of ur recipes.. waiting 4 more posts from u.. god bless..
Hi Raks,
u always inspire me 2 cuk… thank u 4 sharing ur recipes… hope 2 c more n more posts from u.. god bless u…
Thanks raks. Made your recipe exactly the same way. Came out super. Did not use coriander powder while putting masala powders. I crushed and put coriander seeds in step 1. I am picking randomly your recipes and going to cook for my wife and son
Omg this actually worked! I tried so many different Indian recipes and all failed except this one! It's looks so good and is sooooo delicious. Will be coming back to your blog for many recipes. Thank you so much =)
Omg this actually worked! I tried so many different Indian recipes and all failed except this one! It's looks so good and is sooooo delicious. Will be coming back to your blog for many recipes. Thank you so much =)
Hi..Tried ur Kadai paneer recipe…it turned out yummy 🙂
Hi Raks,
I tried this recipe yesterday it tasted good but it came out different from the one shown in your blog or what I used to have outside. I did all of the steps mentioned but it turned out that the paneers cubs immersed in boiled water became soggy and when added to the main gravy oozed water and also when I mixed it broke it small pieces and finally ended up making Paneer Bhurji 🙁 when I served my friends one of them said I should have just roasted the paneer instead of immersing in boiled water. Look forward for your thoughts and advice. Thankfully the taste was good so all my friends liked it 🙂
Hi I tried your dish its very tasty my son also very like it.
i would suggest to add ingredients by this order… "onions > capsicums > masala > tomatoes > salt"
Tried this recipe today and it came out great. Thanks
Hi…..a very precise and a simple way of making this dish. I keep seeing and following many of your other recipie's too though this my first comment. Thanks a ton and keep it all coming;)
Thank you 🙂
I tried this Shahi Paneer Recipe And it comes out delicious 🙂
Hi Raks, since from 2013 I'm following your blog and tried many recipes which turns to a massive hit ���� specifically this kadai panner recipe tastes yum yum similar to restaurant Style ���� got appreciation from everyone.. keeping posting and thanks much for all your recipes ����
Hi Raks, I tried this recipe today it tasted good.My husband loved it.Thanks for ur recipe
hi raks,your dishes are always awesome..correct proportion…. i have tried several dishes..i tried kadai paneer today..it came out really well….thanks raks for the wonderful pics and methods..
Thanks a lot for all your feedbacks