Kadai paneer with roti
Paneer and capsicum cooked in a kadai with onion, tomato and a freshly ground kadai masala of roasted coriander seeds and dried red chillies, finished with kasuri methi: a weekend and guest dish, eaten with hot rotis. Jain homes leave out the onion, ginger and garlic and use more tomato and capsicum.
- 1 h 10Time
- 1 h 10Hands-on
- 4Portions
- 30 gprotein per portion
- 720kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 1 ½ tbspCoriander seeds (sabut dhania)
- 4Dried red chillies, Kashmiri or Byadgi
- 400 gPaneer, cubed
- 2Capsicums, in squares
- 1Onion, in petals
- 3 tbspRefined oil
- 3 mlCumin, seeds
- 2Onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbspGinger-garlic paste
- 4Tomatoes, puréed
- 1 mlTurmeric
- 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder
- to tasteSalt
- ≈ 150 mlWater
- 1 tspKasuri methi
- 3 mlGaram masala
- 2 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped
On the side
- 300 gAtta
- ≈ 200 mlWater, for the dough
- 1 tbspGhee, to smear
Method
- Mix the atta with the water, a little at a time, and knead into a soft, smooth roti dough. Cover and let it rest while you make the paneer.
- Cut the paneer into cubes and the capsicum into squares. Separate one onion into petals and finely chop the other two. Purée the tomatoes.
- Dry-roast the coriander seeds and dried red chillies in the kadai on low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let them cool a little and grind them coarsely: this is your kadai masala.
- Heat a third of the oil in the kadai on high heat and toss the capsicum and onion petals for 2–3 minutes, until lightly charred at the edges but still crunchy. Lift them out.
- Add the rest of the oil and the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onions and fry on medium heat until golden, 6–8 minutes.
- Fry the ginger-garlic paste for a minute until the raw smell goes. Add the tomato purée, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, half the kadai masala and salt, and cook, stirring, until the masala thickens and the oil separates, about 8 minutes.
- Pour in the water and add the paneer, the capsicum and onion and the rest of the kadai masala. Simmer for 3–4 minutes.
- Crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the kadai, stir in the garam masala and sprinkle with coriander leaves.
- Divide the roti dough into 12 balls and roll them out thin one at a time, dusting with a little atta. Cook each roti on a hot tawa until small bubbles appear, flip and cook the other side for half a minute, then hold it over the open flame with tongs until it puffs up. Smear with ghee, keep them warm in a casserole and serve with the kadai paneer.
