by maria 12 Comments
Malai Paneer Recipe (cottage cheese) – is the quickest and easiest paneer dishmade in less than twenty five mins. You could serve this dish with roti, naan or just eat them as a starter. It would also be a great idea to use this dish as astuffing in burger or sandwiches. I have adapted and slightly modified malai paneer recipe from Dassana’s blog here is the link to her recipe.
You could use home-made paneer or store bought paneer for this dish. We hadmalai paneer with some salad and raita along with rice and rotis. The reason I tried this recipe was simply it’s so quick and could me made easily when you have guests at home or lack of time.
I have added added capsicum and roasted cumin powder which the original recipe doesn’t call for. So adding capsicum is optional. Also I have roasted the kasuri methi before adding to the dish which gives great flavor to the dish.
The best part of thismalai paneer recipe is it doesn’t call for tandoor, oven or any other equipment’s. This could be made by anyone with basic ingredients found in your kitchen. Hence I was tempted to try this dish. This is semi dry dish but if you like it more gravy then add more cream. If you like the dish dry then add less cream.
If you love paneer with malai (cream) then check paneer tikka masala, paneer tikka, malai paneer curryand methi malai paneer recipe.
How to make step by step Malai Paneer Recipe:
1. Take a pan add oil / butter place on medium heat. Once oil is hot add onion.
2. Saute onion until it’s pale brown in color. Please don’t make the onion too brown.
3. Add the crushed ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 20-30 secs or until the raw smell disappears from them.
4. Time to add the chopped capsicum if using. Stir and saute fora minute on medium heat.
5. Now add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and roasted cumin powder.
6. Stir the spices nicely, add the paneer cubes and salt. Gently mix and ensure the masala coats the paneer from all sides.
7. Add the cream, coriander leaves and stir gently.
8. Once the cream is absorbed and after 2-3 mins the mixture would start getting dry. At this point switch off the gas or add little more cream if you like to have some gravy. Finally add the roasted kasuri methi over the top.
9. Switch off the gas and serve malai paneer hot with salad, roti or rice.
Check more paneer recipes on blog like paneer toast sandwich, palak paneer, indian paneer recipe, paneer pasanda, paneer gulab jamun, paneer kolhapuri, paneer tikka pizza, kadai paneer, chilli paneer and aloo matar paneer.
Malai Paneer recipe card below:
Malai Paneer Recipe
Recipe Type: Snack, Side, Vegetarian
Cuisine: North Indian
Author: Maria@flavorsofmumbai.com
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3
Malai Paneer recipe is a restaurant style dish which could be easily prepared at home. Malai Paneer could be served as a starter or accompanied with roti, naan and rice.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil or butter
- 200 to 250 gms fresh paneer (cottage cheese) chopped into cubes or squares
- 1/2 cup cream or low fat cream
- 1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or 1/3 rd tsp of any red chili powder
- 1/4th tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/2 t/s roasted cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 1 medium sized onion chopped finely
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (crushed and pestle them with a mortar)
- 1/8th tsp garam masala powder
- 1/4th tsp kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi slightly roasted on a pan over low heat for a minute then crushed with palm)
- 1/2 capsicum chopped finely[b] (optional)[/b]
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves [b](optional)[/b]
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Take a pan add oil / butter place on medium heat. Once oil is hot saute onion until it’s pale brown in color. Please don’t make the onion too brown.
- Add the crushed ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 20-30 secs or until the raw smell disappears from them.
- Time to add the chopped capsicum if using. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Now add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and roasted cumin powder.
- Stir the spices nicely, add the paneer cubes, coriander leaves and salt. Gently mix and ensure the masala coats the paneer from all sides.
- Add the cream and stir gently. Once the cream is absorbed and after 2-3 mins the mixture would start getting dry. At this point switch off the gas or add little more cream if you like to have some gravy.
- Finally add the roasted kasuri methi over the top.
- Switch off the gas and serve malai paneer hot with salad, roti or rice.
Notes
1. You could make this dish dry or semi gravy as per your choice. Just add a dash of cream towards the end to make more gravy.[br]2. If you aren’t fond of paneer then add mushrooms instead.[br]3. If kasuri methi isn’t available then just add a pinch of fenugreek powder instead.
