Kadai Paneer
Paneer and crunchy bell peppers tossed in a bold, tangy tomato gravy flavoured with freshly roasted and crushed coriander seeds and dried red chilies — the signature 'kadai masala'.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the spice mix
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds, dried red chilies and cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan often. Let them cool, then crush roughly in a mortar; this crushed mix is your for the rest of the recipe.
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 3 dried
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
✅ Done when: fragrant and slightly darker in color
Fry the vegetables
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the red onion petals and pepper squares for about 2 minutes, then remove them from the pan; they should still be crunchy.
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 red onion, in petals
- 1 green bell pepper, in squares
✅ Done when: edges are lightly browned but vegetables stay crisp
Build the gravy
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Toss together
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Make the spice mix
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds, dried red chilies and cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan often. Let them cool, then crush roughly in a mortar; this crushed mix is your for the rest of the recipe.
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 3 dried
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
✅ Done when: fragrant and slightly darker in color
Fry the vegetables
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the red onion petals and pepper squares for about 2 minutes, then remove them from the pan; they should still be crunchy.
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 red onion, in petals
- 1 green bell pepper, in squares
✅ Done when: edges are lightly browned but vegetables stay crisp
Build the gravy
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Toss together
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
A kadai is the deep, round-bottomed iron pan used across India — similar to a wok. 'Kadai' dishes are cooked fast over high heat with a freshly crushed spice mix of coriander and red chili.
The style comes from Punjabi roadside dhabas, where cooks toss dishes to order in blazing-hot kadais.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Bold, slightly smoky and full of texture, kadai paneer is the punchier cousin of creamy paneer curries.
💡 Fun Fact
Cooking in an iron kadai adds a little iron to the food — one reason many Indian grandmothers still swear by them.
Punjab & North-West Frontier
31.63°N, 74.87°E
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