wellhealthorganic.com Malai Paneer: Indulge in the rich flavors of Malai Paneer, a luscious semi-dry dish that boasts creamy textures and delicate spices. Crafted from tender paneer cubes, onions, light cream, and a blend of aromatic spices and herbs, this recipe promises to deliver a restaurant-style experience with minimal effort.
Malai Paneer
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: North Indian
Course: Side Dish
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level: Easy
Also Read: Varan Bhat
Ingredients:
- 250 grams Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- ½ cup light cream or 25% to 30% fat cream
- ¾ or 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or Deggi mirch or ⅓ teaspoon of any red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 tablespoons oil – any neutral oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or ½ inch ginger + 2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves crushed to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle
- ⅛ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ⅛ or ¼ teaspoon crushed dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- Salt as required
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Instructions:
Preparation:
- Begin by chopping the paneer into cubes and set aside.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Peel and crush the ginger-garlic to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle.
Also Read: Unni Appam
Making Malai Paneer:
- Heat up some oil in a frying pan, then toss in the onions. Stir continuously to ensure even browning.
- Sauté until the onions turn golden on low to medium-low heat.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw aroma dissipates (approximately 15 to 20 seconds).
- Over low heat, add the coriander powder, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Stir and sauté the spice powders briefly, being cautious not to burn them.
- Incorporate the paneer cubes, gently mixing and sautéing for about a minute until they are evenly coated with the masala. Avoid overcooking the paneer at this stage.
- Pour in the cream and continue to gently stir until the paneer cubes are well-coated.
- Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes after adding the cream, seasoning with salt and stirring to combine.
- Sprinkle crushed fenugreek leaves and garam masala, gently stirring to mix.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve the Malai Paneer hot as a delectable starter or alongside naan, roti, chapati, or bread.