PANEER KURMA | PANEER GRAVY

Paneer Kurma is done using variety of vegetables along with Paneer. The spices are soaked along with coconut and badam  and added to vegetables to give a rich taste. Also, Paneer is roasted on dosa tawa and added to the kurma. This gravy is ideal North Indian dish which can be a perfect side dish for Idiyappam , Chappathi, and Naan. This is Semi- thick gravy and can be served with Fried rice and Pulav varieties.

The entire recipe is done in Pressure cooker, so less oil/ghee is used. Vegetables like carrot, capsicum,chow chow/chayote, green peas, tomato have been used. Even Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, potato can also be used. This recipe can be done in quick time if all the ingredients and masala paste is ready. Iam happy to share the first full Video recipe of this blog. 

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Video recipe of Paneer Kurma

Recipe for Paneer Kurma

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 200g

Onion - 1

Capsicum - 1/2

Carrot - 2

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Chayote/ Chow chow - 1/2

Kasuri methi - 2 tsp

Rice flour - 1 tsp

Oil - 3 tsp

Salt 

To grind

Badam - 10

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Fennel - 1/2 tsp

Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon - 1

Cloves - 2

Ginger - 1/2 inch stick

Garlic - 4

Sambhar powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves - handful

METHOD:

• Soak Green peas overnight or for 6 hours.
• Soak Badam for an hour and add all the ingredients given to grind  along with badam and prepare a smooth paste.
• Chop the vegetables and keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker/pan, add oil and place the onions.
• Then add soaked green peas and all other vegetables.
• Add the grind paste over the vegetables and add 1/2 cup of water and required salt.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on high flame.
• Let the pressure subside by itself.
• Meanwhile, heat a dosa pan, place the cubed paneer and roast for a while.
• Roast till it starts to change to brown and keep aside.
• When the pressure reduces, open the lid and place on flame.
• Gently mix the gravy and add slightly roasted paneer.
• If the gravy is watery, add little water to the rice flour, mix well and add to the gravy.
• Taste for salt and add little if required.
• Add Kasuri Methi and mix well and switch off the flame.
• Tasty and flavourful PANEER KURMA is ready.

Step wise recipe with photos:

1. In a pressure cooker/pan, add oil and place the onions.

2. Then add soaked green peas and all other vegetables.

3. Add the grind paste over the vegetables and add 1/2 cup of water and required salt.

4. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on high flame.

5. Let the pressure subside by itself.

6. Meanwhile, heat a dosa pan, place the cubed paneer and roast for a while.

7. Roast till it starts to change to brown and keep aside.

8. When the pressure reduces, open the lid and place on flame.

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9. Gently mix the gravy and add slightly roasted paneer.

10. If the gravy is watery, add little water to the rice flour, mix well and add to the gravy.

11.Taste for salt and add little if required.

12. Add Kasuri Methi and mix well and switch off the flame.

13. Tasty and flavourful PANEER KURMA is ready.

ALOO-PANEER-PEAS GRAVY, using Pressure Cooker (Restaurant Style)

ALOO PANEER PEAS GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:-

Potato - 100 gms, cut into cubes
Paneer - 100 gms, cut into cubes
Fresh Peas - 100 gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green Chilly - 1
Garlic cloves - 7
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Sambhar powder/All purpose powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Cashews - 7
Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


METHOD:-

1. In a mixer jar add cahews, and powder it. Now add little water and make a fine paste. Remove and restore it in a bowl. Heat 1 tsp of oil in dosa tawa or non-stick tawa, add the paneer cubes, roast it. Flip the panner cubes carefully, so that all sides gets slightly roasted.
2. In a medium sized mixer jar add  add roughly chopped onions, tomato, green chilly, ginger and garlic, grind it to make a coarse paste. Sprinkle water for grinding.
3. Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter. Now add the Onion-tomato grinded past,  add little water to wash the jar and pour it in.Now saute for while till there is no moisture contents. Add cubed Potatoes and mix well
4. Add sambhar powder, 1 tsp garam masala, asafoetida and required salt. Mix it well and saute till the raw smell goes.  Add 1 cup of water,  cover it with lid, cook it in low flame, for 10 minutes.
5. Uncover the lid, add fresh peas, check for salt and spice. Add the remaining 1tsp garam masala. Cook for 3 whitles high and 5 minutes in sim mode. Allow the pressure to release.
6.  Finally, add the roasted paneer cubes, cashew paste and kasuri methi, gently mix, so that the paneer cubes doesn't break. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes in sim.
7.  Aromatic Restaurant style Aloo Paneer Peas Gravy is ready....
8. Tastes well with Chola Poori, Poori, Chappati, Naan etc.

PANEER GRAVY using khoya

This is a  mild gravy with sweetishness, using less spices and with rich taste. This is done using Paneer and instant unsweetened khoya/pal kova. It differs in taste and preparation is also different compared to other paneer side dishes  and less time consuming. Khoya can be prepared in home or else can be bought outside. This dish goes well with chappathi, roti, naan and dosa. Children will surely enjoy this dish since it is less spicy and tastes awesome.

•  Paneer recipes

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 200g

Milk powder - 50g

Onion - 2

Tomato - 3

Milk - 1/2 cup 

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly/Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch stick

Garlic pods - 4

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1

Cardamom - 1

Kasuri methi - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - little 

Ghee - 3 tsp

Salt 

METHOD: 

1. To prepare instant kova, add milk powder and little ghee in a bowl.

 2. Heat 1/4 cup of milk and add to the milk powder, mix well and keep aside.

3. In a dosa tawa, cut paneer into cubes and roast on all sides for a while. No need to add ghee.

4. Chop tomato into pieces and grind to a paste along with ginger and garlic.

5. In a tawa, heat a tsp of ghee, add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a while.

6. Add finely chopped onions and cook well till the onion changes translucent.

7. Add all the powders, stir for a minute and add the tomato paste.

8. Mix well and cook it covered till the raw smell goes off and till it comes together. Add little ghee if needed.

9. Add instant kova and mix well. Add remaining milk and adjust the gravy consistency.

10. Add the roasted paneer cubes, mix well and cook it covered for few minutes. Add little water if the gravy is thick.

11. Add kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.

12. Tasty, aromatic and mild Paneer gravy is ready to be served.

Note:

• If store bought kova, see to that it is unsweetened.
• Ghee can be replaced by oil.
• Tomatoes can be chopped finely and added instead of grinding. 
• Ginger and garlic can be crushed and used.

 

KALAKAND / MILK CAKE

This is one of the popular milk based soft dessert done using Paneer/ cottage cheese and condensed milk. . Authentic way of preparing Kalkand is by evaporating milk, curdling it and adding sugar and once it comes together, cutting into desired shape. It takes nearly an hour and time consuming. This is an instant version done using condensed milk and can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. No need to add sugar since it is already present in condensed milk. To get good results, Paneer should be soft and fresh.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

Paneer - 200g
Condensed milk - 400g
Milk powder-  3 tsp
Cardamom powder-  1/2  tsp
Pistachios-  10 ( chopped)
Ghee - 1 tsp for greasing

METHOD:
1. Dry roast pistachios and chop into pieces and keep aside.
2. Crumble paneer without any lumps. Grease a tray/plate with ghee and keep aside.
3. In a thick bottomed kadai/tawa, add paneer along with condensed milk and cook on low flame.

4. Condensed milk will turn little watery and starts sputtering. Keep stirring on low flame.

5. Add milk powder and mix well. it gives a good texture to the recipe.
6. The mixture will start to thicken. Add cardamom powder.

7. Mix well so that it doesn't get burnt.
8. It starts to leave the side of the pan, and will come together.

9. Transfer it to greased plate, level it and garnish with chopped pistachios.

10. Allow it to cool completely or refrigerate it after it cools down a bit, for an hour.
11. Cut into desired shape.
12. Tasty, soft and delicious Instant Kalakand is ready.

METHI MALAI PANEER GRAVY

This is a very rich, creamy and slightly sweet gravy done using Paneer, Cream/thickened milk, fenugreek leaves. It is done using fresh fenugreek/methi leaves. Here, I have done using Dried Fenugreek leaves/ Kasuri Methi. Usually due to the bitter taste of methi, children refuse to eat it. When cooked along with malai and Paneer the bitterness is reduced and tastes awesome. Fresh methi can also be used to prepare this recipe. This can be served with Naan, chappathi, roti, fried rice, Jeera rice or ghee rice. 

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer  - 200g

Crumbled Paneer - 3 tbs

Thickened milk - 1/4 cup

Kasuri Methi/ Dried Fenugreek leaves - 2 to 3 tbs

Onion - 2

Tomato - 1

Ginger - 1 inch stick

Garlic - 4

Cashews - 10

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Green chilly - 2

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt

METHOD:

1. In a tawa, heat oil, add chopped onions and saute for few minutes.

2. Add chopped tomatoes, green chilly, ginger, garlic and cashews and stir for few minutes until the tomatoes turn juicy, switch off the flame.

3. After it cools down, grind to paste.

4. In the same tawa, add a tsp of ghee, and transfer the paste.

5. Stir well for few minutes on low flame. Cover it with a lid, so that it doesn't splutter out.

6. Stir in intervals so that the masala gets cooked well. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder.

7. When the raw smell goes off, add the cubed Paneer and required salt and cook on low flame.

8. Add kasuri methi and required water and cook with lid closed for few minutes.

9. Add sugar, thick milk, crumbled Paneer, a tsp of ghee and mix well.

10. Tasty and aromatic Methi Malai Paneer is ready.

Note:

• Instead of thick milk, 2 to 3 tsp of fresh cream can be used.
• If fresh methi leaves are used, mix little salt to the washed and cleaned leaves, allow for 5 minutes, squeeze out the water. This reduces the bitterness of methi leaves and can be used instead of kasuri methi. 
• Also saute fresh methi leaves in ghee/oil for a while before adding the paste.

PANEER MASALA DOSAI

Masala dosai is one of the popular South Indian breakfast recipe. Masala stuffing is usually prepared using potato. Here, I have done using Paneer, which is simple and easy to prepare. If we have paneer in our house, this recipe can be done in quick time. We always serve dosa with either chutney varieties or sambhar. For a change, this Paneer stuffing can be tried once in a while. This recipe is somewhat similar to Paneer Bhurji which has been already posted in this blog.

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer (crumbled) - 200g

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 2

Onion - 2

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Crushed Ginger and garlic - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - a handful

Salt

Oil - 3 tsp 

METHOD: 

PREPARING PANEER STUFFING:

1. In a tawa, heat oil and add cumin. 

2. Add chopped onion and cook for a while, add crushed ginger and garlic, cook well until raw smell goes off and add finely chopped tomato.

3. Stir well until the tomato turns juicy.

4. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, required salt and for a few minutes.

5. Sprinkle little water so that the raw smell goes off and becomes thick together.

6. At this stage, add crumbled paneer, chopped coriander leaves and stir for a minute and switch off the flame.

7. Paneer stuffing is ready now. 

 

PREPARING PANEER MASALA DOSAI:

1. Heat a dosa tawa, smear little oil.

2. If using idly batter, add little water and mix well so that the dosa can be easily spread.

3. Spread the dosa thin so that there is no need to turn to other side to get cooked.

4. Close with a lid and cook on medium flame.

5. Sprinkle some oil and wait until the dosa is well cooked with browning.

6. Spread the paneer and fold the dosa.

7. Paneer can be either spread in the centre and folded on both sides or spread at one side and folded with the other side as shown. 

8. Tasty and delicious Paneer Masala dosai is ready.

Note:

• Paneer should be brought to room temperature before cooking so that crumbling will be easy.
• Home made paneer will suit very well for this recipe since we don't need to crumble. Paneer can be prepared a day before and stored in fridge.
• Over cooking of paneer will result in rubbery texture. So, switch off the flame immediately after adding paneer.

PANEER PARATHA

We usually prepare chappathi/paratha without any stuffing. This paneer stuffing is very easy and simple than other stuffings. It tastes awesome. This stuffed paratha is apt for a beginner since other stuffings might come out easily while preparing the paratha. This stuffing is dry and can easily be stuffed. 

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Grated paneer - 100 gms
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped 
Sesame/Gingelly oil - 2 tsp
Oil/ ghee - for roasting parathas
Salt

METHOD:
1. In a bowl, add the whole wheat flour, gingelly oil, required salt and mix well.
2. In a pan, heat  half cup of water and add to the flour little by little mixing well with a spoon/spatula.
3. After it cool well, use hand and knead to a soft dough. Add little ordinary water if needed and mix well and make a soft dough and keep aside.
4. In a small bowl add the grated paneer, red chilly powder, chat masala, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander leaves and a little salt and mix well and make small doughs.
5. Make slightly larger dough for the outer covering using the wheat dough  and keep aside.
6. Using a rolling pin make small paratha using a dough and place the paneer stuffing and close on all sides and roll them using palm to make them even.

7. Similarly prepare  the stuffed doughs.
8.Sprinkle some flour and roll the dough one by one using rolling pin carefully so that the stuffing is evenly spread inside the paratha.
9. Heat a tawa and place the paratha and cook well on both sides. Sprinkle some oil and cook until brown spots appear on it.
10. Prepare all the parathas the same way.
11. Tasty and delicious Paneer paratha is ready to be served with any gravy or curd.

Paneer paratha with Capsicum gravy

See for Paneer gravy recipies in this blog

Note:

• Bring panner to room temperature before crumbling to pieces.
• Instead of red chilly powder, chopped green chillies can be used.

KADAI PANEER GRAVY

This recipe is done using a Special Masala, made using Indian spices which is freshly prepared and cooked in onion tomato gravy. The dish is very flavorful and delicious and tastes much different from other Paneer gravy dishes.

INGREDIENTS:
Paneer - 200 g
Onion - 2
Tomato - 3
Capsicum - 1/2
Ginger garlic - 1 tsp (crushed)
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cashew  - 6
Kasuri methi/Dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp
Thickened milk/Milk cream - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp


For Kadai Masala
Coriander Seeds - 3 tsp
Red chilly - 2
Pepper corn - 4
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 1
Cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 1

METHOD:
1. Dry roast all the ingredients given under Kadai Masala until nice aroma comes out. Grind to powder after it cools down and keep aside.

Tomato puree

Kadai Masala

 2. In a mixer, add the tomatoes and cashew and make a paste and keep aside.
3. In a Kadai, add oil and saute the chopped onion until it gets well cooked. Add crushed ginger garlic and cook until raw smell goes off.
4. Add the pureed tomato, stir in intervals until it is well cooked. Close with a lid for  few minutes.

5. Add the prepared masala powder, mix well, and chopped caspicum, required salt and close the lid for a while.
6. When the gravy thickens a bit, add chopped Paneer cubes and stir well. 
7. Add red chilly powder and ghee and mix well for few minutes.
8. Taste for salt and spice, add if needed.
9. Finally add kasuri methi, thickened milk/milk cream and mix well. 

10. Tasty and aromatic Kadai Panner gravy is ready.

 

PANEER KHEER/ PAYASAM

A Bengali Dessert that is done on Special Occassions. It tastes somewhat like Rasmalai, but here we use crumbled Paneer/Cottage cheese directly once the milk thickens a bit.

INGREDIENTS:
Paneer - 200g
Milk - 500 ml
Sugar - 7 to 8 tsp
Saffron - 6 strands
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew - 5
Badam - 5

METHOD:
1. Soak Badam and cashew for 10 to 15 minutes and keep aside.
2. In a thick bottomed tawa, heat milk and keep on stirring in continuous intervals, till it starts to boil.
3. Add chopped badam, cashew and saffron to the boiling milk and lower the flame.
4. In about 10 minutes the milk would have thickened a bit, add sugar and continue to cook for another 5 minutes in low flame.
5. Add crumbled paneer to the boiling milk, cook for a minute or two till the paneer gets cooked  and switch off the flame.
6. Taste for Sugar. If needed add accordingly.
7. Add cardamom powder and close the lid of the tawa for few minutes.
8. It can be served hot/warm/ chilled in refrigerator.
9. Tasty Paneer Kheer/ Payasam is ready.

 See for Rasmalai, Rasgulla in this blog

PANEER BHURJI

This is a simple, easy North Indian dish, done using crumbled Paneer/Cottage cheese. It can be done in few minutes with minimal ingredients. A less spicy dish and apt for children.

INGREDIENTS: 
Crumbled Paneer - 1 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Capsicum/Peas - 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 1
Crushed Ginger garlic - 1 tsp
Red chilly - Powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 handful
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Salt

METHOD:
1. In a thick bottomed tawa, heat oil and ghee, add cumin and allow it to sizzle.
2. Add finely chopped onions, slit green chilly and stir well until the onion turns transparent.

3. Add finely chopped tomatoes, capsicum and crushed ginger garlic and saute well for few minutes in medium flame till the tomatoes turn mushy.
4. Add little salt and cover the lid of the tawa to fasten the cooking.
5. Add red chilly powder, garam masala, required salt and stir well. Sprinkle some water, cook on medium flame until the raw smell goes off.

6. Add  crumbled paneer, coriander leaves, little water stir, for a minute and switch off the flame. Taste for salt and spice.
7. Tasty Paneer bhurji is ready to be served with roti, naan, bread etc.,
8. Paneer Masal Dosa, popular in restaurants now,  can be done by stuffing Paneer bhurji in dosa.