Where does Kadai Paneer come from?

Kadai Paneer — country of origin: India.

What is Kadai Paneer made of?

Paneer, green bell pepper, onion, tomato, garam masala.

How do you pronounce Kadai Paneer?

कड़ाही पनीर (Hindi) is pronounced /kəɽɑːɦiː pəniːr/.

Kadai Paneer

कड़ाही पनीरPronunciation (IPA) /kəɽɑːɦiː pəniːr/

Paneer and bell pepper tossed through a coarse, freshly ground tomato-onion masala, cooked hard and fast in a kadai — a quick North Indian favourite.

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Kadai paneer is paneer and bell pepper tossed through a coarse, freshly ground tomato-onion masala, cooked hard and fast in a kadai. It takes its name from that wide, deep wok-like pan, and the dish itself is built around fast, high heat rather than a long simmer.

What it really is

Coriander seed and dried red chilli are dry-roasted and coarsely ground just before cooking — the freshness of that spice grind, not a pre-made powder, is what gives kadai paneer its distinct, slightly smoky background flavour. Cubed paneer and chunks of bell pepper are tossed through a quick tomato-onion masala built with that fresh spice mix, cooked over high heat just long enough for the pepper to soften slightly while staying firm, not long enough to turn it fully soft.

The dish is meant to move fast in the pan. A kadai paneer cooked too slowly loses the point of the technique — the pepper turns soft throughout instead of keeping a little bite, and the fresh-ground spice flavour dulls the longer it sits on heat.

How it is served

Straight from the kadai, sometimes brought to the table still in the pan.
With naan or roti for scooping.
With coriander leaves scattered over just before it leaves the kitchen.

Flag the dairy from the paneer.
It is naturally vegetarian; note if a vegan paneer substitute is available.
Say if the spice mix is ground fresh in-house, since that's the genuine point of difference from a version made with pre-ground masala.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Kadai Paneer?: Paneer and bell pepper tossed through a coarse, freshly ground tomato-onion masala, cooked hard and fast in a kadai — a quick North Indian favourite.
Where does Kadai Paneer come from?: Kadai Paneer — country of origin: India.
What is Kadai Paneer made of?: Paneer, green bell pepper, onion, tomato, garam masala.
Which allergens does Kadai Paneer contain?: Contains milk and milk products (including lactose).
How do you pronounce Kadai Paneer?: कड़ाही पनीर (Hindi) is pronounced /kəɽɑːɦiː pəniːr/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.