paneer korma recipe with step by step pics – creamy, royal and delicately flavored delicious paneer shahi korma with a white gravy.
white korma with paneer or veggies is a childhood favorite. dad would get us this white gravy with naan or rotis from a few mughlai restaurants in mumbai. i have really good memories of food with dad getting really good food or taking us out to dine in restaurants.
those were the days when there were no pizza huts, mc donalds’s or fast food chains. the only pizza we would occasionally have was from the udupi restaurants. a largely indianised version with tomato ketchup as the base sauce and amul cheese as the cheese topping, with the usual onions, capsicum and tomatoes as the veggies. a favorite till today.
this mughlai white korma has a faintly sweet taste with a touch of sourness. the sweetness in the gravy comes from the almonds and onion paste and sour hints coming from yogurt. the gravy is mild and thus goes well with kids. for a bit of heat, i have added one green chili, but you can skip it too.
there is prep work required like making almond paste and onion paste. after preparing these pastes, the recipe is easy. to the same gravy, you can also add steamed veggies or make a curry with both veggies and paneer.
serve this paneer kurma with naan, tandoori rotis, chapatis or parathas. it also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.
how to make paneer korma
preparation
1. first rinse & then blanch the almonds in hot water. soak 20 to 22 almonds in ½ cup of bubbling hot water for 30 to 40 minutes. cover and keep aside. you can heat the water in an electric heater or microwave or in a small pan. if you have time, you can keep the almonds also for an hour.
2. in a pan, take ¾ cup roughly chopped onions and add ¼ cup water.
3. on a low to medium flame, heat the onion and water together stirring at intervals. if in case the water dries up while cooking onions, then add some more water.
4. simmer till the onions soften.
5. after 30 to 40 minutes, peel the almonds and keep aside.
6. add the blanched and peeled almonds and ¼ cup of the soaking water to a grinder or small blender.
7. make a smooth paste from the almonds without any tiny bits or pieces. remove and keep the almond paste aside.
8. to the same blender, add the cooked onions along with the remaining stock.
9. grind or blend to a smooth paste.
10. take 6 tbsp full fat fresh curd/yogurt in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk well till smooth. the curd should be fresh and preferably homemade. if using store brought curd/yogurt, then do check the taste. the curd should not be sour or khatta as we call in hindi.
making paneer korma
11. heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan.
12. add the whole spices – ½ tsp shah jeera (caraway seeds), 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 2 to 3 single strands of mace and 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf). saute the spices for some seconds till aromatic.
13. now add the ground onion paste and stir very well. be careful as the mixture splutters.
14. add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. stir again.
15. saute the onion paste till you see some fat releasing from the sides and the paste thickens. we don’t need to brown this paste as we are preparing a white gravy.
16. now add the ground almond paste.
17. stir continuously and saute for two minutes on a low flame.
18. then add 1 slit green chili, ¼ tsp black pepper or white pepper and ½ tsp coriander powder.
19. stir again.
20. saute for a minute on a low flame.
21. now just add 1 to 1.5 tbsp of the beaten curd/yogurt on a low flame.
22. briskly stir and incorporate the curd with the rest of the mixture.
23. then add again 1 to 1.5 tbsp of the curd.
24. stir quickly again. adding yogurt in small amounts like this does not allow it to get curdled in the gravy.
25. finish off all the curd/yogurt this way and keep on stirring.
26. here’s the white gravy after all the yogurt has been added.
27. then add ¾ to 1 cup water.
28. stir very well so that the whole gravy has a uniform consistency.
29. add salt as required.
30. bring the gravy to a gentle simmer on a low flame. about 4 to 5 minutes.
31. then add the paneer cubes. 200 grams paneer which has been chopped into cubes and stir gently.
32. simmer paneer kurma gravy for a minute on a low flame.
33. then add 3 tbsp low-fat cream.
34. stir well and switch off the flame.
35. lastly, add 1 tsp of rose water or kewra water (pandanus water) or half-half of both. stir the gravy gently.
serve paneer korma garnished with crushed saffron or saffron powder. the paneer kurma goes very well with naans, tandoori roti, chapatis or parathas or rumali roti. this white paneer korma also goes well with jeera rice or veg pulao.
more delicious paneer recipes
Paneer Korma
INGREDIENTS
for almond paste
- 20 to 22 almonds
- ¼ cup water for soaking almonds
- 4 tablespoon water or the almond soaked water for grinding almonds
for onion paste
- 150 grams onions Or about 2 medium onions Or ¾ cup roughly chopped onions
- ¼ cup water for cooking onions
remaining ingredients
- 200 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
- ½ teaspoon shah jeera (caraway seeds)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder Or white pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 2 to 3 single strands of mace
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste Or 5 to 6 garlic + ½ inch ginger - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- 1 green chili, slit (optional)
- 6 tablespoon full fat fresh curd (yogurt) or 100 grams curd
- 3 tablespoon low fat cream - 25% to 35% low fat
- 1 teaspoon rose water Or 1 teaspoon kewra water (pandanus water) Or half-half of both
- ¾ to 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
- a few pinches of crushed or powdered saffron for garnish
- salt as required
INSTRUCTIONS
preparation
- first blanch the almonds in hot water. soak 20 to 22 almonds in 1/2 cup of bubbling hot water for 30 to 40 minutes. cover and keep aside.
- in a pan, take 3/4 cup roughly chopped onions and add 1/4 cup water.
- heat the chopped onion and water together stirring at intervals. if in case the water dries up while cooking onions, then add some more water.
- simmer till the onions soften.
- after 30 minutes, peel the almonds and keep aside.
- add the blanched and peeled almonds and 1/4 cup of the soaking water to a grinder or small blender.
- make a smooth paste from the almonds without any tiny bits or pieces. remove and keep the almond paste aside.
- to the same blender, add the cooked onions along with the remaining stock. grind to a smooth paste.
- take 6 tbsp full fat fresh curd/yogurt in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk well till smooth.
making paneer korma
- heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan.
- add the whole spices - 1/2 tsp shah jeera (caraway seeds), 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 2 to 3 single strands of mace and 1 small to medium tej patta/indian bay leaf. saute the spices for some seconds till aromatic.
- now add the ground onion paste and stir very well.
- add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. stir again.
- saute the onion paste till you see some fat releasing from the sides and the paste thickens. we don't need to brown this paste as we are preparing a white gravy.
- now add the ground almond paste.
- stir continuously and saute for two minutes on a low flame.
- then add 1 or 2 slit green chilies, 1/4 tsp black pepper or white pepper and 1/2 tsp coriander powder. stir again.
- saute for a minute on a low flame.
- now just add 1 to 1.5 tbsp of the beaten curd (yogurt or dahi) on a low flame.
- briskly stir and incorporate the curd with the rest of the mixture.
- then add again 1 to 1.5 tbsp of the curd.
- stir quickly again. adding yogurt in small amounts like this does not allow it to curdle in the gravy.
- finish off all the curd/yogurt this way and keep on stirring.
- then add 3/4 to 1 cup water.
- stir very well so that the whole gravy has a uniform consistency. add salt as required.
- bring the gravy to a gentle simmer on a low flame. about 4 to 5 minutes.
- then add the paneer cubes. 200 grams paneer which have been chopped in cubes and stir gently. simmer for a minute.
- then add 3 tbsp low fat cream. stir well and switch off the flame.
- lastly, add 1 tsp of rosewater or kewra (pandanus) water or half-half of both. stir the gravy gently.
- serve paneer korma garnished with crushed saffron or saffron powder.
- this paneer kurma goes very well with naans, tandoori roti, chapatis or parathas. it also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.
This is my favorite website.I tried so many recipes from this site. All are amazing and well narrated. I liked the way you post step by step recipe with pictures. I tried this recipe today and it came out so well.
Thank you so much for all the recipes.
Welcome Shalini. Glad to know that you like step wise presentation of recipes. Thanks for giving positive review on recipes you tried.
Very nice recipe mam.Thank u for the recipe.I made it today.Everyone liked it.
Welcome Mangu. Glad to know that everyone liked paneer korma recipe.
Is there any way to know that tomatoes are sour or not while we are purchasing them ?
Megha, i am not aware of any such way. usually larger tomatoes are on the sweeter side. smaller tomatoes can be very sour. always buy red color tomatoes as they are usually sweet.
Will it give a kacha taste in case if we are not browning the paste
Megha, no it won’t.
Thank you learning a lot from you even my husband’s colleagues appreciate a lot over lunch and have even made garam masala powder and ginger garlic paste at home which I would have never thought of.
Thanks di
Welcome Megha. Glad to know this.
Mughlai word and photographs looks yummmm
Thanks Megha
Kaju khoyà curry,sookhe gobhi aloo,carrot alu n cabbage alu jeera aloo all instant hit.hmmmm loving it
Thanks
Welcome Megha. Thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
Hi Dàssana,
Shah jeera and jeera like what is the main difference. Does that adds any difference in flavour or taste ?
Thanks
Megha
Welcome Megha. Both are different in terms of flavor and aroma. yes it makes a difference.
Dear Dassana,
Thank you for brief notes. A like lovely and lifesaver blog. My mother asked me to share the recipe of aloo-paneer kofta she is herself a great cook and she asking me surprised me. She loved it and father too does not stops appreciating me along with my husband.
Thank you Dassana you are like little Annapurna
Welcome Megha. Thanks for your kind words. Glad to know that everyone liked the kofta recipe.
You wonderful woman!
Your recipes are some of the best available online. I cooked this one for my wife’s birthday and it was an instant hit. I have actually been following your recipes for the past couple of years and have learnt most of my cooking from this site.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
thanks a lot ravi for sharing this. glad to know that everyone liked the recipe. happy cooking.
can we use jeera instead of shahjeera?
padmaja
padmaja, you can use jeera.
thanks so much will be trying this dish today
welcome padmaja
Are there any substitutes of rosewater in this recipe? Thank you in advance.
you can add some dried rose petals, if you have. another option is to add kewra water. you can also dissolve some saffron (kesar) in warm water and milk and then add. this will give a gravy a light yellow color. if you don’t have either, then skip everything.
Thanks alot … I am fan of u… everyday I must visit this website for new recipes… thanks God Bless….
thank you megha 🙂
your efforts are incredible 🙂
thank you ramona.
Thank u so much Ma’m for posting such awesome recipes. Ur website is very helpful for a learner like me. Extremely delicious & easy to make recipes. I have tried many recipes of urs. & it proved successful everytime. Thanks once again. :-))
we are quite pleased to know this thankyou so much for your kind words 🙂 and you are welcome.
one of my favorite recipe… i think your ingredients kinda different.. i will surely try this out..
Dear Dassana,
Your recipes are incredible and thanks to you we have cooked some of the best curries! What an excellent effort and achievement this website is 🙂 5 stars for all your recipes – they’d put any restaurants to shame!
Extremely well done and keep up the incredible effort.
Sharmin & Ed.
Thanks a lot Sharmin & Ed for your positive feedback and giving 5 star rating.
just loved this recipe…
Dear Dassana,
I love this blog, the recipes are easy to follow, super delicious and healthy. The advice from this website has helped me become a better cook for my family, so thanks a lot!
welcome chelsea. glad to know that recipes has helped you in cooking.
Hi!
I was wondering of we could do this recipe with cashews instead of almonds? thank you!
love your website and the pictures of the recipe’s steps! 🙂
welcome marie. yes you can use cashews. thanks for your kind words.
Hi ,there..
Today my son’ birthday party,n m trying ur recipes..of korma..and Hyd biryani..thank u.the way u show ur recipes..thank You..
welcome vandana.
Super OSM Recipe
Just Loved It
Super Creamy And Silky
Thumps Up to You #dassana_amit
welcome devansh. thanks for your positive feedback.
Tried it today..its really very yummy.. 🙂 I hv tried many recipes from ur blog..must say all recipes r just delicious…(Y)
thanks saima for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
Tried this along with blackforest cake and rabri for Dad’s birthday…awesome it was n everybody loved it….I have a request…could u please do a post on how to make stuffed malpuas…
Thanks
welcome richa. glad to know this. thanks for sharing this sweet feedback. i will be posting a malpua recipe soon.
Hello Dassana. I totally love your blog and read it regularly. I have tried out a few recipes and they turned out to be really good. The style of writing and the beautiful pictures inspire even an occasional cook like me 🙂 Please keep up ur excellent work…Thanks…
welcome amruta. glad to know that you liked the blog and recipes presentation. thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
tried it today.Excellent dish! Love the way u narrate the steps.
thanks deepa
What can replace onions? Thanks.
Rina
in this recipe onions are required. so i am afraid there is no substitute for onions in this recipe.