Paneer Kali Mirch Recipe (2024)

5 from 5 votes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Author: Hina Gujral

• Heavy Bottom Kadhai

• ▢ 250 gram paneer (cottage cheese)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon julienned ginger
• ▢ 1 Cup milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala (see recipe)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 4 tablespoon cooking oil or ghee
• ▢ ¼ Cup Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

Ingredients For Paste:

• ▢ 1 Cup onion, roughly chopped
• ▢ ¼ Cup cashews
• ▢ 1 Cup water

Prep Work For Paneer Kali Mirch:

• Cut paneer into bite size cubes. Soak in lukewarm water. This step will soften the paneer and gives it mouth melting texture.

• Heat 1 ¼ cup of water. Add onion, cashew, and ginger. Boil for 5 – 6 minutes to soften the ingredients. Turn off the heat. Allow to cool down a bit.

• Transfer ingredients to a blender. Grind to a smooth paste. Use boiled water if required.

Make Paneer Gravy:

• To prepare the gravy, heat oil in a saucepan or kadhai over medium flame. Once the oil is hot enough, add sliced ginger. Fry for a minute or till ginger turns light pink in color.

• Add the onion paste made above and fry the paste stirring continuously. We need oil to start separating from the masala. This usually takes 5 – 6 minutes over low – medium heat.

• Once the oil gets separated from the masala add black pepper, garam masala, half of kasuri methi, and stir to combine. Cook for 10 – 20 seconds. Do not add salt at this stage.

• Next, add milk. Stir to combine. Allow the milk to simmer for 3 – 5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. We need a thick, creamy gravy.

• Once the gravy thickens, add paneer cubes, leftover kasuri methi, and salt to taste. Mix nicely. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook paneer kali mirch for 5 – 6 minutes.

• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

• Serve paneer kali mirch warm with paratha or naan.

• Soaking paneer in warm water makes it soft.
• Do not add too much water to grind onion and cashews. We need a thick paste.
• Make sure not to add salt before adding milk. Else, milk will curdle. Add salt at the last stage.
• Add approximately ¼ Cup of water in the gravy if it seems too thick.