Pet Pooja: Restaurant Style Kadhai Paneer without cream

Every north Indian like Paneer recipes in one form or the other. But most of the recipes are cooked with too much of oil and in cream, that you feel guilty after eating it. Here is my version of Kadai Panner with less calories, where I have replaced cream / malai with milk and use very less oil or butter. I normally also go light on spices. So, if you like more spicy food, you can adjust it accordingly.

Ingredients

1 big Capsicum (take green or red) cut in blocks
3 big onion cut in big pieces
2-3 cloves garlic
block of ginger
2 green chilies
3-4 big tomatoes (cut in big pieces)
100 gms paneer
6-7 cashews (optional)
salt to taste
2 tbsp. coriander and turmeric powder
1 tbsp. red chili powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, garam masala
pinch of black pepper
dried kasturi methi leaves
coriander leaves
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp. Oil

Procedure

Cut capsicum and 1 big onion in big blocks as shown in pic below and saute it till capsicum is little golden brown. I have used yellow but better is to use either red or green capsicum as yellow one is not very visible in the gravy at the end. Once done take it out in tissue paper.

Cut paneer in shape of your choice like rectangular, cube or triangle. Saute it in same oil till it is golden brown and take it out in tissue paper.

For gravy, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add ginger, garlic and 1 green chili. Add onion and saute till it is golden brown.

Add tomatoes and saute till it is little soft. Add little salt to speed up the cooking process. Optionally you can also add cashews here.

Now let the mixture cool down and grind it in the grinder.

You can also strain the mixture if you want

Heat butter or oil in a pan and add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add the mixture prepared above.

Cook it for 4-5 minutes in medium flame

Add spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, black pepper, cinnamon powder and garam masala and let it cook again for another 5-6 minutes with lid on