Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Veg Kurma Recipe | Vegetable Korma (Stovetop and Instant Pot)
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/hotel-style-veg-kurma-recipe/
Vegetable kurma is a delicious spiced curry from the Indian Cuisine. Kurma is also called as korma. There are many variations in making korma. I am sharing 2 South Indian style kurma recipes made with mixed veggies, coconut and spices.- Hotel Style Vegetable Kurma made in a pressure cooker on the stovetop. You can also make it in pan.
- Mix Veggie Korma made in an Instant Pot (Vegan).
Both the vegetarian korma recipes are with step by step photos and taste good. You can make either of them as per the cooking gadgets you want to use.
About Korma or Kurma
Korma is a curry dish that is popular in India as well as in Central Asia. The base of the curry can be coconut paste or coconut milk, yogurt, cream, onion or tomato paste or nuts & seeds paste or a combination.
In the North Indian and Mughlai cuisine generally, milk, yogurt (curd) and cream are added. Whereas in the South Indian versions, coconut is used along with some nuts and seeds.
There are many many variations of making a korma. The taste and the flavor vary with the cooking technique and the ingredients that are used in the korma.
Few such popular veg kurma variations
I have tried and tested a lot of vegetarian korma recipes before and most of them I felt lacked flavor, depth and taste. Now after making so many korma recipes, I have become an expert in preparing korma.
About this Hotel Style Vegetable Kurma
This veg kurma tastes awesome. It is not a sweet-tasting korma but has spiced and complex flavors. Green chillies are added to bring some heat in the dish. Though you can also use dry red chilies.
I have also added both coconut and yogurt in this south indian korma variation. The whole recipe has been made in a stovetop pressure cooker. If you have time then you can also cook the korma in a pan.
The vegetables can be of your choice (cauliflower, carrots, corn, baby corn, brinjal, peas, beans, potatoes). You can also add paneer (cottage cheese) or mushrooms or tofu to the korma. To make a vegan korma recipe, substitute dairy yogurt with vegan yogurt or skip adding yogurt.
This mix vegetable kurma recipe has some prepping work to be done and once you have everything ready, then you need to saute some ingredients and pressure cook.
Pressure cooking saves time. So I use a pressure cooker often. Though you can make the kurma in a pan too. Just add water as required.
This hotel style vegetable kurma is a weekend lunch on occasions. We like mixed veg curries a lot, so no wonder I make them also often. They are easy, healthy and nutritious. Serve with some soft chapatis and you have a satisfying meal.
You can also serve with poori or neer dosa or poha dosa or set dosa. Even plain soft dosa goes very well with mix veg kurma. Sometimes I also serve with steamed rice or appam or lachedar paratha or Kerala paratha.
How to make vegetable kurma
1. Soak 12 to 15 cashews in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain and keep aside.
2. Rinse and soak 1 to 1.25 cups mediums sized cauliflower florets in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This step is optional and only to get rid of any insects or worms in the cauliflower. After blanching the cauliflower, drain them and keep aside.
3. Rinse, peel and chop the rest of the veggies – 1 medium potato, 7 to 8 french beans and 1 medium carrot. Also chop 1 medium sized onion finely and 1 medium sized tomato. Keep the chopped veggies aside.
Making paste for veg kurma
4. These are some of the spices and ingredients that will be ground to a paste for the kurma –
- 5 tbsp desiccated coconut or fresh coconut
- 2 tsp poppy seeds (optional) (khus khus)
- ½ tbsp roasted chana dal
- ½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 cloves + 2 green cardamoms + 4 to 5 black peppercorns
- 1 marathi moggu (optional) + small tiny piece of stone flower (optional)
5. Take all the above ingredients in a wet grinder jar.
6. Add the cashews, 2 green chilies (chopped), 3 to 4 medium sized garlic (chopped) and ¾ inch ginger (chopped).
7. Add ½ cup water and grind to a smooth fine paste. Keep aside.
Making veg kurma
8. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-litre pressure cooker. Add the chopped onions.
9. Stir and saute till the onions turn translucent or a light brown. Add 7 to 8 curry leaves and stir.
10. Next add the chopped tomatoes.
11. Then add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp red chili powder. stir well and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
12. Add the ground paste.
13. Stir and mix.
14. Saute stirring often for 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
15. Then add 2 tablespoons fresh curd (yogurt). If you want, you can skip yogurt too.
16. Mix the curd very well with the rest of the masala.
17. Add the chopped mix veggies.
18. Mix the veggies with the rest of the masala and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
19. Then add 1.25 cups of water. For slightly thin gravy you can add 1.5 cups water. If cooking in a pan, then add 1.5 to 2 cups of water. Stir well.
20. Add salt as per taste.
Pressure cooking veg kurma
21. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. If you find the gravy to be thin, then you can simmer for some more minutes. If the gravy looks thick, then add some water and simmer for a few more minutes. The consistency of veg kurma should be medium – neither thin nor thick.
22. Add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Stir.
23. Serve veg kurma with pooris or chapatis or appam or plain paratha.
More Veggie curry recipes
This recipe post is from the archives (Dec 2015) and has been republished and updated on 6th June 2020.
Veg Kurma (Hotel Style)
Delicious South Indian style vegetarian kurma recipe made with mixed veggies, coconut, green chillies, spices and herbs.
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
preparation
- Soak 12 to 15 cashews in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain and keep aside.
- Rinse and soak 1 to 1.25 cups mediums sized cauliflower florets in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. This step is optional and only to get rid of any insects or worms in the cauliflower. After blanching the cauliflower, drain them and keep aside.
- Rinse, peel and chop the rest of the veggies.
- Add the the ingredients mentioned under ‘for ground paste’ in a in a wet grinder jar.
- Pour ½ cup water and grind to a smooth fine paste. Keep aside.
making veg kurma
- Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add the chopped onions.
- Stir and saute till the onions turn translucent or a light brown. Add 7 to 8 curry leaves and stir.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp red chili powder. Stir and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground paste. Stir and mix well. Saute stirring often for 4 to 5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- Then add 2 tbsp fresh curd/yogurt. If you want, you can skip yogurt too.
- Mix the curd very well with the rest of the masala.
- Add the chopped mix veggies. Stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Then add 1.25 cups water. For slightly thin gravy you can add 1.5 cups water. If cooking in a pan, then add 1.5 to 2 cups of water. Stir well.
- Season with salt as per taste.
cooking veg kurma
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. If you find the gravy to be thin, then you can simmer for some more minutes.
- If the gravy looks thick, then add some water and simmer for a few more minutes. The consistency should be medium – neither thin nor thick.
- Add 2 to 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Stir.
- Serve vegetable kurma with poori or roti or naan bread or steamed rice.
- You can increase or decrease the amount of spices as per your taste.
- You can alter the consistency of the gravy by adding less or more water.
Substitutions
- Dairy yogurt can be replaced with vegan yogurt to make vegan korma. Or you can skip adding yogurt entirely.
- Almonds can be used instead of cashews.
- Roasted chana dal can be skipped.
- In place of poppy seeds you can use melon seeds or poppy seeds can be skipped entirely.
- Adding stone flower is optional and can be skipped.
- Curry leaves can be replaced with 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf).
About this Instant Pot Vegetable Korma
This Vegetable Korma made in the Instant Pot is an aromatic, delicious and lightly spiced red curry. It is made with mixed vegetables, coconut, cashews, dry red chillies, herbs and spices.
Making korma in the instant pot saves cooking time and gets done quickly. This red korma recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
Why this veg korma recipe works
- Cooking in IP: when cooking thick gravy recipes like korma, it is important to add enough amount of water so that you do not get the burn sign. The amount of water added in this recipe works very well and you do not get the burn sign when pressure cooking.
- Taste & flavor: This recipe of korma has a complex taste and flavor. It is not an overly sweet version but a spiced one. Dry Kashmiri red chillies impart a lovely red color to the korma. The addition of coconut also gives a nice subtle sweetness that gets balanced with the pungency and heat of the spices.
- One pot cooking: the entire recipe has been cooked in the instant pot. If you have time then you can also cook the korma in a pan.
- Vegetables: Can be of your choice (cauliflower, broccoli, corn, carrots, eggplant, green peas, baby corn, beans, potatoes). You can also add paneer (Indian cottage cheese) or tofu or white button mushrooms. I personally love the taste and texture of mushrooms in korma gravies.
This veg korma is best served with Indian breads like roti, chapati, Kerala parotta, paratha, naan and poori.
The next good option is to serve this red korma is with steamed rice, cumin rice or Kashmiri pulao. You can also have this curry with bread or dinner rolls.
How to make Instant Pot vegetable korma
Preparation
1. Take all the following ingredients for making the spice paste or masala paste in a grinder jar.
- Nuts and seeds: 6 tablespoons grated fresh coconut or desiccated coconut, 6 whole cashews, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds.
- Spices: 1-inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 3 to 4 Kashmiri red chillies and a tiny piece of stone flower (optional).
- Herbs: 3 to 4 medium-sized garlic (chopped) and 1-inch ginger (chopped).
- Lentils: 1 tablespoon roasted chana dal (roasted split and husked chickpeas).
2. Add ½ cup of water and grind to a smooth paste. You can add more water if required while grinding.
3. Rinse, peel and dice all the veggies. I added carrots, french beans, potatoes, cauliflower, peas and some white button mushrooms (optional).
Sauteing
4. Switch on the instant pot. Press the sauté button on less mode or normal mode for 10 to 15 minutes. When the instant pot displays hot, add 3 tablespoons oil. Add ⅓ cup chopped onions and 8 to 10 curry leaves. You can also add 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf) instead of curry leaves.
5. Sauté onions till they soften and turn translucent. No need to brown the onions.
6. Add ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
7. Mix very well and sauté tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add the ground coconut & spices paste.
9. Mix very well.
10. sauté masala paste for 8 to 9 minutes on the Low mode of the sauté option. keep on stirring often so that the masala paste does not stick at the bottom of the steel insert pan. The masala paste will thicken and look glossy.
11. Add the diced vegetables. You can also add 2 tablespoons curd (yogurt) at this step. You can use either dairy yogurt or almond yogurt or cashew yogurt.
12. Stir and mix very well. Deglaze after adding vegetables. Stir very well and scrape any ingredient stuck at the bottom of the steel insert pot. The moisture from the veggies will help in deglazing.
13. Press the cancel button. Add 1.5 cups water in the grinder or blender jar. Close lid and swirl and shake the jar. So the masala stuck beneath the blades and the sides get mixed with the water. Keep aside.
14. Add this masala mixed water to the veggies. Mix very well and deglaze if required.
Pressure cooking
15. Cover IP with its lid. Turn the valve to its sealing position. Use the pressure cook or manual mode and set the timer to 5 minutes on high pressure.
16. Wait for 3 minutes once you hear the beep after the pressure cooking is done. Then give a quick pressure release (QPR). Open the lid.
17. Give a stir. Check taste and add more salt if required.
18. Serve this vegan korma garnished with some coriander leaves. Drizzle some lemon juice on top of the red korma before having it with Indian breads like roti, parathas or pooris or rumali roti. It also taste delicious with naan bread or cumin rice or steamed rice.
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Instant Pot Vegetable Korma Recipe
This veg korma is an aromatic, delicious and lightly spiced red curry made with mix vegetables, coconut, cashews, dry red kashmiri chillies, herbs and spices.
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
preparation
- Take all the ingredients mentioned under the list “spice paste” in a grinder.
- Add ½ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. if required you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons more water while grinding.
- Keep the ground paste aside.
- Rinse, peel and dice all the veggies.
sautéing
- Switch on the instant pot. Press the sauté button on less or normal mode for 10 to 15 minutes. When the instant pot displays hot, add 3 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped onions and curry leaves. You can also add 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf) instead of curry leaves.
- Sauté onions till they soften and turn translucent. No need to brown the onions.
- Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder. Mix very well and sauté tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground coconut & spices paste. Mix very well.
- Sauté masala paste for 8 to 9 minutes on the Low mode of sauté option. keep on stirring often so that the masala paste does not stick at the bottom of the steel insert pan. The masala paste will thicken and look glossy after it gets cooked well.
- Add the diced vegetables. At this step you can also add 2 tablespoons curd (yogurt). You can use either dairy yogurt or almond yogurt or cashew yogurt.
- Stir and mix very well. Deglaze after adding vegetables. Stir very well and scrape any ingredient stuck at the bottom of the steel insert pot. The moisture from the veggies will help in deglazing.
- Press the cancel button. Add 1.5 cups water in the grinder or blender jar. Close lid and swirl and shake the jar. So the masala stuck beneath the blades and the sides of the jar gets mixed with the water. Keep aside.
- Add this masala mixed water. Mix very well and deglaze if required.
pressure cooking vegetable korma
- Cover ip with its lid. Position the valve to its sealing position. Use the pressure cook or manual mode and set the timer to 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Wait for 3 minutes once you hear the beep after the pressure cooking is done. Then give a quick pressure release. Open the lid.
- Give a stir. Check the taste and add more salt if required. If the consistency of red korma looks very thick, then add some hot water. Mix well.
- Serve this mix vegetable korma garnished with some coriander leaves with roti, paratha or poori or rumali roti or steamed rice. Also serve some lemon wedges.
- Consistency: you can make a thick or medium consistency gravy by adding less or more water.
- Burn sign: while pressure cooking if you get burn sign on the display, then lift the valve and release all the pressure. Remove the lid. Add ½ cup water. Mix very well and pressure cook for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- 2 tablespoons of fresh curd or yogurt can also be added with the raw vegetables. You can even use vegan yogurt like almond yogurt or cashew yogurt.
- Consistency: if the korma gravy has a very thick consistency after pressure cooking, then add some hot water. Mix very well.
- Instant pot 6 quart: The recipe is made in a 6 quart instant pot. You can easily make it in a 3 quart instant pot. For making in a 8 quart instant pot, you will need to add more water.
Substitutions
- Almonds can be used instead of cashews.
- Roasted chana dal can be skipped.
- In place of poppy seeds you can use melon seeds or poppy seeds can be skipped entirely.
- Adding stone flower is optional and can be skipped.
- Curry leaves can be replaced with 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf).
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Vegetable Korma Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 197 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 499mg22%
Potassium 501mg14%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 2537IU51%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 20mg100%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 63mg76%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 12µg11%
Calcium 81mg8%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 228µg57%
Iron 3mg17%
Magnesium 41mg10%
Phosphorus 104mg10%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.
About This Recipe
You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.
Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.
They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.
This Paneer Tikka Masala
- is super creamy, smooth.
- goes well with naan, paratha.
- makes a comforting meal.
- leftovers are great as well!
Ingredients
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.
Paneer Tikka
Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.
Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.
Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.
The Masala/Curry
Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.
Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.
Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!
Step by Step Instructions
1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).
4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.
6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.
7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:
- 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.
16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:
- Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
- Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
- Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
- Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:
- use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
- marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
- replace butter with vegan butter.
- replace heavy cream with coconut milk.
Tips & Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.
Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.
They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.
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Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1/2 lime juice of
- 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
- 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
- 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
Curry
- 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
- 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
- 1 cup water or more as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
-
We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
-
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.
Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
-
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper
Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
-
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
-
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
-
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
-
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
-
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
-
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
-
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
-
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Video
Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
- Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.
Nutrition
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