Paneer Korma Recipe

A simple and easy North Indian creamy gravy curry recipe made with a blend of spices with additional toppings of Cashew and almond goodness. Paneer Korma, known as Shahi Paneer kurma, is a Mughlai Cuisine adaptation of Chicken Korma curry. It is prepared mainly during the festival seasons or for auspicious occasions. It goes very well with the different types of flatbreads like naan and roti, but not limited to it. However, it can also be a best side dish to different types of rice for lunch and dinner.

There are many different types of Paneer Korma recipes across India. The major difference is the South vs. North Indian version. In South India, the recipe is prepared with a combination of spices and herbs, with coconut as its base. Whereas in North India, the gravy base is prepared using tomato and onion. In addition, it is also made with a combination of dry fruits to make it more creamy and rich.

Ingredients

For Korma Masala Paste

▢4-6 cloves (laung)
▢1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
▢6-8 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
▢3-4 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
▢2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
▢10-12 cashew nuts
▢1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (khus khus) (optional)
▢1 cup crispy fried onions (birista)
▢2 teaspoons chopped green chilies

For The Curry

▢400 grams paneer (cut into 1-inch cubes)
▢3 tablespoons ghee
▢3 tablespoons oil
▢2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
▢1 cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (whisked with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (maida))
▢1 tablespoon coriander powder
▢2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
▢½ teaspoon turmeric powder
▢½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
▢1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
▢10-12 strands saffron (soaked in 2 tablespoon water)
▢2-3 drops kewra essence

Instructions

Dry Roast The Spices

1. Add cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cashew nuts, and poppy seeds to a pan.
2. Dry roast on medium heat until they turn light brown in color, stirring continuously.
3. Remove the pan from the heat.

Make Korma Masala Paste

1. Add the roasted spices to a blender along with fried onions, green chilies, and ¼ cup of water.
2. Blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.

Fry The Paneer

1. Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add paneer pieces to the hot oil and fry until they are browned. Keep flipping the paneer to ensure that they brown evenly.
3. Transfer the fried paneer to a bowl filled with water and keep them aside.

Make The Curry

1. Add the korma masala paste and ginger garlic paste to the same pan and cook for a minute on medium heat.
2. Now add yogurt, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt, and ½ cup of water, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add saffron and kewra essence and mix well.
4. Take out the fried paneer cubes from the water and add them back to the pan. Mix well.
5. Now add some water if the curry is too thick and cook for some more time.
6. Note – You can use the water in which the paneer was soaked to thin down the curry.
7. Check for salt and add more if required.
8. Garnish the korma with crispy fried onions and serve hot.

Notes

• Add some unsweetened heavy cream at the end of the cooking to make the curry richer and creamer.
• You can also add a little blanched almond paste with cashew nuts paste and yogurt.
• You can also add vegetables like carrots, green peas, green beans, cauliflower, baby corn, etc, with paneer to make mixed veg korma.