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Punjabi · Indian

Kadai paneer

Vegetarian

कड़ाही पनीर · kadai paneer

Paneer and chunky peppers tossed in a thick tomato masala flavoured with freshly crushed coriander seeds and dried red chillies, cooked in a wok-like kadai.

Kadai paneer is a Punjabi curry from India, ready in about 35 minutes and made with ground coriander, green bell pepper and paneer. It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

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Kadai paneer with peppers and coriander in a small karahi, served with naan
Photo: Yummy O Yummy / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-2.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
445

Ingredients

3 servings

Kadai masala

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Dry-toast the coriander, dried chillies and cumin (opens in a new tab) in a kadai or wok (opens in a new tab) until fragrant, then crush coarsely in a mortar.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry the pepper squares and onion (opens in a new tab) petals on high heat for 2 minutes until lightly charred but crisp. Remove.

    • 3 min
    • high heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the rest of the oil and fry the chopped onion (opens in a new tab) until golden. Add ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab), then tomatoes (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab), chilli powder, salt and half the crushed masala; cook until thick.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the water, the paneer (opens in a new tab), peppers and remaining masala. Toss for 2–3 minutes, then finish with kasuri methi (opens in a new tab), garam masala (opens in a new tab) and coriander.

    • 3 min
    • medium-high heat

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedAlso popular in PakistanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Stir-fried, Sautéed
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), smoky, aromatic / warmly spiced, savoury
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Carb-conscious · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pan · Everyday
Cook more with
Ground coriander · Green bell pepper · Paneer · Dried whole chillies · Cumin · Onion
Techniques
Stir-frying · Sautéing · Spice roasting (dry-roasting)

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom paneer

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

445 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 337 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 16%
  • Carbohydrate 16%
  • Fat 68%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy445 kcal132 kcal
Protein18.1 g5.4 g
Carbohydrate18.3 g5.4 g
Net carbohydrate13.4 g4 g
Sugars7.8 g2.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5 g1.5 g
Fat34.8 g10.3 g
Saturated fat11.9 g3.5 g
Trans fat0.7 g0.2 g
Cholesterol58 mg17 mg
Sodium1223 mg363 mg
Salt equivalent3.1 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
665 mg
Calcium
540 mg
Iron
2.3 mg
Magnesium
61 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
272 µg
Vitamin C
54 mg
Vitamin D
2.3 µg
Vitamin B12
1.4 µg
Folate (DFE)
37 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: red bell pepper, coriander leaves.
  • Paneer: Queso fresco (FDC 172223) used as a stand-in: both are fresh, acid-set, unaged cheeses with similar fat and protein.
  • Dried fenugreek leaves: Fenugreek seed (FDC 171324) used as a stand-in for dried leaves; used in pinches.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Freshly crushed coriander seed is what makes this taste distinctly of kadai masala.

Common mistakes

  • Grinding the kadai masala to a fine powder — it should stay coarse so you bite into the coriander seed.

Serve with

  • Serve with naan, roti or paratha.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; the peppers soften.

Reheating

  • Reheat briefly in a pan.

Variations

  • Kadai chicken: Use boneless chicken thigh, browned before the masala, and simmer until cooked through.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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