Nasuha Blog

Karahi or kadai paneer is a very famous Indian Cottage cheese recipe and is one of the most common dishes ordered in a restaurant. I too love the dish and used to make it a lot in my kitchen but there use to be something missing in my home made version.I realised that it is the smoky flavor which is there in the restaurant style kadai paneer that is lacking in my home made recipe. So this time, I smoked my kadai paneer with some flavorful smoke and the result was superb. The dry roasting and then grinding of coriander seeds and dry red chilies gives this recipe a unique flavor too. Here is how I made  it.




All you need is

Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
Dry red chili - 5
Oil - 3 tbsp
Cloves - 2-3
Black cardamom - 2
Black peppercorns - 5-6
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Onion - 1\2 cup ( finely chopped )
Green chili - 2 ( slit into half )
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1\2 cup ( finely chopped )
Salt to taste
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Green capsicum - 2 ( cut into cubes )
Paneer - 250 g
Ghee - 1 tbsp



Method of preparation

Dry roast coriander seeds and 2-3 dry red chilies till slightly browned and a nice aroma starts to come.
Grind to make a slightly coarse powder.
Heat oil in a pan.
When the oil is hot, add the remaining dry red chilies, cloves, black cardamom, black peppercorns and cinnamon stick.
Fry for 20 seconds.
Add onion and fry till translucent.
Add green chilies.
Add ginger and garlic paste.
Fry till golden brown.
Add tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground coriander powder, salt, kashmiri red chili powder and garama masala powder.
Add half cup water and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add capsicum and paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Heat a piece of coal for 5-6 minutes on flame till it is red hot.
Keep a piece of aluminum foil over the curry and keep the piece of coal over it.
Pour 1 tbsp ghee on the hot coal and immediately close the lid for 15-20 minutes.
Reheat before serving.
Serve hot with phulke, naan or laccha paratha.