Kadai Paneer Gravy Recipe / Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer with step by step photo is a very popular sidedish from Punjabi cuisine. For a simple version garam masala powder can be used, but freshly roasted and ground spice powder lends more aroma to the sabzi. It tastes good with soft chapathi, mint pulao and veg pulao.
If interested check out my other paneer and dinner recipes
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Palak Paneer Recipe
- Paneer Fried rice
- Chapati Noodles
- Veg Hakka Noodles

Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer Gravy Recipe | Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Kadai / Pan
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML
- 1 Cup Paneer / Cottage Cheese Link for Homemade Paneer
- 1 Onion
- 1 Green Chilli
- 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste Link for Homemade Ginger - garlic paste
- 2 Large Tomato Pureed
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Salt As Required
- 1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi
- 1/2 tbsp Coriander Leaves
- 1 tbsp Fresh Cream Optional
- 1.5 tbsp Oil / Ghee / Butter
To Roast And Grind
- 1.5 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin Seeds
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 1" Piece Cinnamon
- 10 Pepper Corns
- 8 Cashewnuts Optional
- 3 Red Chilli
Instructions
- Chop onion, green chilli and capsicum. Chop the tomato roughly and puree it in the blender / mixer.
- Also chop the paneer into cubes or triangular. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready.
- To a pan / kadai, add all the ingredients listed in the table 'To roast and grind'. Dry roast till it turns golden colour and nice smell wafts. Let it cool down (Addition of cashews is optional, but it adds more taste and volume to the gravy).
- Transfer the ingredients to a mixer and grind it to a smooth or little coarse powder.
- To a kadai / pan pour oil, add onion, green chilli and ginger - garlic paste. Saute till the onion turns transparent and raw smell in the ginger - garlic paste leaves.
- Now pour the tomato puree and add turmeric powder, sugar and salt.
- Pour 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes till the puree thickens a little. Then add chopped capsicum, don't cook the capsicum too soft as it should retain it's crunchiness.
- Then add the grinded powder, kasuri methi leaves and mix everything well.
- Cook for another 5 minutes in low flame till the oil separates from the gravy. Then and chopped paneer and cook for another 1 minute till the gravy and paneer blend well.
- Garnish with coriander leaves, switch off flame and drizzle with fresh cream.Serve this kadai paneer with chapati / paneer fried rice.
Notes
Tips for Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer
- Adjust chilli/peppercorns as per spice level required.
- Red chilli can be replaced with kashmiri chilli, as it gives bright colour to the Kadai paneer recipe.
- I cubed the onion and capsicum, it can be chopped finely or julienned also.
- To make it simpler, ready-made tomato puree can also be used.
- For vibrant colour, use red and ripe tomato for the puree.
- Freshly ground spice powders add more aroma and taste to the gravy, so this is a must.
- Don't skip kasuri methi leaves, as it lends more flavour to the restaurant-style kadai paneer.
- If preferred paneer can be shallow fried. Keep it warm water till use to avoid the paneer turning rubbery.
- Paneer can be replaced with tofu, as it is low in calorie and vegan.
- After adding paneer, don't cook for a long time, otherwise, the paneer turns dense.
- Addition of cream is optional, but it adds more taste to the gravy.

Kadai Paneer Gravy Recipe
Method for Kadai Paneer Gravy Recipe
1. Chop onion, green chilli and capsicum. Chop the tomato roughly and puree it in the blender/mixer.
2. Also chop the paneer into cubes or triangular. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready.
3. To a pan / kadai, add all the ingredients listed in the table ‘To roast and grind‘. Dry roast till it turns a golden colour and nice smell wafts. Let it cool down. (Addition of cashews is optional, but it adds more taste and volume to the gravy).
4. Transfer the ingredients to a mixer and grind it to a smooth or little coarse powder.
5. To a kadai / pan pour oil, add onion, green chilli and ginger – garlic paste. Saute till the onion turns transparent and raw smell in the ginger – garlic paste leaves.
6. Now pour the tomato puree and add turmeric powder, sugar and salt.
7. Pour 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes till the puree thickens a little. Then add chopped capsicum, don’t cook the capsicum too soft as it should retain it’s crunchiness.
8. Then add the ground powder, kasuri methi leaves and mix everything well.
9. Cook for another 5 minutes in low flame till the oil separates from the gravy. Then and chopped paneer and cook for another 1 minute till the gravy and paneer blend well.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves, switch off flame and drizzle with fresh cream.
Serve this kadai paneer with chapati / paneer fried rice.

Kadai Paneer Gravy Recipe
Leave a Reply