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Tag: Paneer

  • Matar Paneer

    Matar paneer is the paneer curry Punjabi families actually cook on a Tuesday. It is less rich than the restaurant makhani dishes and relies on a well-browned onion-tomato masala, sweet winter peas and soft paneer. When fresh peas flood the markets in December and January, it appears on dining tables several times a week.

    The gravy is medium-thick and gently spiced, with cumin, coriander, turmeric and a finish of garam masala. Peas add sweetness and pop, the paneer soaks up the masala, and a little kasuri methi or fresh coriander lifts it at the end. It should taste homely and balanced rather than creamy.

    Most households serve it with hot phulkas or plain parathas, sometimes alongside dal and rice for a full thali. It also packs well into lunch boxes and reheats without the paneer going rubbery if it was not overcooked the first time. Out of season, frozen peas work well and need only a couple of minutes in the gravy. A spoon of ghee on top of each serving is the Punjabi way to finish it.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / green peas / onion / tomato

    Ingredients

    • 250 g paneer, cut into cubes
    • 1 1/2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
    • 3 tbsp oil or ghee
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 green chilli, chopped
    • 3 medium tomatoes, pureed
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. If using fresh peas, boil them in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes until tender and drain. Frozen peas only need a quick rinse.
    2. Heat oil in a pan on medium. Add cumin and bay leaf; when the cumin crackles, add onions and cook 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
    3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilli and saute for a minute until fragrant.
    4. Add the tomato puree with turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and salt. Cook on medium-low for 8 minutes, stirring, until the masala is thick and oil separates at the sides.
    5. Pour in the water, bring to a boil and add the peas. Cover and simmer 5 minutes so the peas absorb the flavour.
    6. Add paneer cubes, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer uncovered 3 minutes, until the gravy reaches the consistency you like.
    7. Garnish with coriander and rest 5 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Grate the onions instead of chopping for a smoother gravy without blending.
    • Lightly frying the paneer cubes in a teaspoon of ghee gives them a golden crust that holds up in the gravy.
    • A pinch of sugar balances very sour tomatoes.

    Serve with

    Hot phulkas, plain parathas or steamed rice with dal.

  • Paneer Butter Masala

    Paneer butter masala is what Punjabi restaurants offered vegetarian guests when butter chicken became the dish everyone ordered. It borrows the same makhani gravy, swapping chicken for fresh paneer, and over the decades it has become the default party dish of vegetarian homes across North India. Many home cooks keep a batch of the gravy in the freezer for quick dinners.

    The gravy is smooth, orange-red and gently sweet, made from tomatoes and cashews cooked down with whole spices and blended fine. Butter gives it richness, Kashmiri chilli adds colour more than heat, and kasuri methi brings the slightly bitter, savoury aroma that marks it as Punjabi. The paneer should be soft and milky, never rubbery.

    It is served at birthday dinners, kitty parties and wedding buffets, usually with naan or laccha paratha. Children who find other curries too spicy tend to love it, so it is also a family weeknight favourite. It also reheats well, so it is a sensible choice when cooking ahead for a crowd. A plain cucumber raita and a bowl of sliced onions are all the sides it needs.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / tomato / cashew / butter / cream

    Ingredients

    • 300 g fresh paneer, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 bay leaf, 2 green cardamom, 3 cloves
    • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
    • 12 cashews
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi
    • 3 tbsp fresh cream
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Soak the paneer cubes in hot salted water for 10 minutes while you make the gravy – this keeps them soft.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and the oil in a pan on medium. Add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until translucent, not brown.
    3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute 1 minute. Add tomatoes, cashews and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook 10 minutes on medium-low until the tomatoes are mushy.
    4. Cool for a few minutes and blend to a very smooth paste with 1/4 cup water.
    5. In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tbsp butter on medium. Add bay leaf, cardamom and cloves, then pour in the puree carefully, as it splutters.
    6. Add chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Simmer on low 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the gravy thickens and butter shines on top. Add up to 1/2 cup hot water for a pouring consistency.
    7. Stir in sugar, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Drain the paneer and fold it into the gravy. Simmer 2 minutes only.
    8. Switch off the heat, stir in the cream and serve with a little more cream drizzled over.

    Tips

    • Overcooking paneer in the gravy makes it chewy – add it at the very end.
    • Use a mix of ripe and slightly sour tomatoes for balance, and adjust sugar to taste.
    • Malai or homemade paneer gives the softest result.

    Serve with

    Butter naan, laccha paratha or jeera rice.

  • Palak Paneer

    Spinach has long been cooked with fresh cheese in the Punjab plains, where winter brings tender palak and every household makes paneer from surplus milk. Palak paneer as served today, a smooth bright green gravy dotted with white cubes, became a fixture of North Indian restaurants in the second half of the twentieth century.

    The ideal is a vivid green colour and a fresh, slightly grassy spinach flavour, lifted by garlic, ginger and a little green chilli. Blanching the leaves briefly and shocking them in cold water keeps the colour, while a light onion-tomato base and a touch of cream round it out without hiding the greens.

    It is a weeknight family meal as much as a dinner-party dish, and a good way to get greens into children. Eat it with phulkas or butter naan, or with jeera rice and a bowl of curd. The spinach puree can be made a few hours ahead and kept chilled, which makes it a practical weeknight choice. Finish the curry only when you are ready to eat.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsspinach / paneer / onion / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the spinach puree

    • 500 g palak (about 2 large bunches), stems trimmed
    • 2 green chillies
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger

    For the curry

    • 250 g paneer, cubed
    • 2 tbsp ghee or oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • 2 tbsp fresh cream
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    Method

    1. Wash the spinach thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the spinach and blanch for 2 minutes until wilted and bright green.
    2. Immediately lift the spinach into a bowl of ice-cold water. Leave 2 minutes, then squeeze lightly.
    3. Blend the spinach with green chillies, garlic and ginger to a smooth puree, adding 2 to 3 tbsp cold water only if needed.
    4. Heat ghee in a pan on medium. Add cumin; when it crackles, add onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until light golden.
    5. Add tomato, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down completely.
    6. Add the spinach puree and 1/4 cup water. Simmer on low for 4 to 5 minutes only – longer cooking turns it olive green.
    7. Add paneer cubes, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer 2 minutes, then stir in cream and lemon juice and switch off the heat.

    Tips

    • Do not cover the pan once the spinach goes in; trapped steam dulls the colour.
    • Lightly pan-fried paneer adds texture; soak it in warm water afterwards to keep it soft.
    • For a deeper flavour, finish with a tadka of ghee, sliced garlic and a pinch of chilli powder.

    Serve with

    Phulkas, butter naan or jeera rice with a bowl of curd.

  • Kadai Paneer

    Kadai paneer takes its name from the heavy iron wok used in North Indian kitchens, and its character from the kadai masala: coriander seeds and whole dried red chillies dry-roasted and coarsely crushed just before cooking. Dhabas across Punjab and Haryana cook it over fierce flame, which gives the vegetables a slight char.

    Unlike creamy paneer curries, this one is semi-dry and assertive. The gravy is thick and tomato-based, flecked with crushed spice, and coats chunky squares of capsicum and onion that should still have some crunch. Fresh coriander seed brings a citrusy aroma, and the red chillies give a warm, building heat.

    It is a popular choice for dinner parties and restaurant-style meals at home, eaten with tandoori roti, laccha paratha or naan. Leftovers make an excellent filling for wraps the next day. The kadai masala can be pounded in larger batches and kept for a week, and the same base works well with mushrooms or chicken. Keep the vegetables crunchy and the paneer soft, and the dish comes together in about forty minutes.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / capsicum / onion / tomato / coriander seeds

    Ingredients

    For the kadai masala

    • 1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 4 dried Kashmiri red chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

    For the curry

    • 300 g paneer, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
    • 1 large capsicum, cut into squares
    • 1 large onion: half finely chopped, half cut into petals
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 3 tomatoes, pureed
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1 inch ginger, julienned
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Dry-roast coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin and peppercorns in a pan on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and the coriander darkens slightly. Cool and pound coarsely in a mortar or pulse once or twice in a grinder.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai on high. Toss the capsicum and onion petals for 2 minutes until lightly charred but still crisp. Remove.
    3. Add the remaining oil and lower to medium. Fry the chopped onion 5 minutes until golden, then add ginger-garlic paste for a minute.
    4. Add tomato puree, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until thick and oil separates.
    5. Stir in 2 tbsp of the kadai masala and cook 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water to loosen the masala.
    6. Add paneer, the charred vegetables, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Toss on medium heat for 2 minutes so everything is coated.
    7. Finish with ginger julienne, coriander and a final sprinkle of the remaining kadai masala.

    Tips

    • Pound the masala fresh each time; pre-ground coriander has none of the aroma.
    • Keep the vegetables crisp – they should contrast with the soft paneer.
    • Remove seeds from the dried chillies for a milder version.

    Serve with

    Tandoori roti, laccha paratha or butter naan.