So kadhai paneer and palak paneer are probably my fav recipes for cooking paneer. Plus, one thing with recepies is that you could use the exact same recipe pre much for kadhai chicken as well!

[Prep time:30 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes | Serves:4]

Ingredients

For the Kadhai masala:
2 tbsp black pepper corns
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
5 dried red chilies
2 pieces of mace*
1 tbsp kasoori methi*

For the Kadai Paneer:
250g Paneer (cottage cheese)
1 tsp Ghee
1 tsp Oil
1 Medium onion, sliced
1 Capsicum, sliced
1 Tomato, sliced
Salt to taste
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp kadhai masala

The gravy:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 inch Ginger, chopped
2 large Onion, chopped
3-4 Green Chillies
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Degi/Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 large Tomatoes, puree
1 tbsp cream*
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Dry roast all the spices till they are fragrant and you get a nutty aroma. When they are lightly coloured and in the end add the kasoori methi. Let it cool for a few mins before grinding it all to a coarse powder.
2. Cut the paneer into cubes
3. Leave the paneer in warm water until we add it into the gravy. This step is if you like the paneer soft. Another option instead of this is you can shallow fry the paneer at step 14 instead too if you like a lil crispiness.
4. Cut 1 capsicums into squares/triangles and deseed them. Then cut the onion into quarters like this. Similarly cut a tomato into dices and deseed (see ref image below)
5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the cumin, finely chopped ginger and sauté well for 2 mins
6. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or till light golden in colour.
7. Add the chopped green chilies (as per your spiciness level), ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minute.
8. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Sauté for a few seconds.
9. Add tomato puree and cook till the oil surfaces.
10. Add ½ cup water and bring to a boil.
11. Take a pan, add oil/ ghee.
12. Add sliced onion first, then after a minute the sliced capcium, and at last the sliced tomato and then salt and saute for a minute.
13. Add paneer cubes to it and saute well.
14. Add kashmiri chilli powder and prepared 1tbsp kadai masala to it and saute well.
15. Add the prepared gravy to the pan and simmer covered for 4-5 minutes. Cook till the oil surfaces.
16. Add 1 tbsp cream and mix well.
17. Garnish it with coriander and potentially serve hot with naan or misi roti.

* = (optional)