Paneer Handi
Paneer handi recipe with step by step photos. Handi paneer is a delicious and creamy gravy cooked in a handi. A handi is a type of a pot used in Indian cooking which has a shallow depth and a wide bottom. If you do not have a handi, then you can still make paneer handi in a pan or a kadai (wok).
The gravy in this handi paneer recipe is made with a base of cashews, onions and tomatoes. I have also used some milk powder to add faint sweet notes in the gravy. You can also use cream instead of milk powder.
Paneer handi recipe is very simple and easy to make. I make this recipe similar to the recipe of Veg handi which I have posted earlier.
There are many Indian recipes made in both handi and kadai and are named after the kind of pan used.
This handi paneer is best served hot or warm with tandoori rotis or plain naan or butter naan or parathas or rotis or cumin rice or biryani rice. It can also be had with plain steamed rice.
How to make Paneer Handi
Making cashew paste
1. Soak 3 tablespoons cashews in ⅓ cup hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water and add cashews to a small grinder or blender jar. Also, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water.
3. Grind or blend cashews to a smooth and fine paste. Keep cashew paste aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a handi or pan or kadai. Keep the heat to a low.
Instead of ghee you can also use a neutral flavored oil.
5. Then add 1 small tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and 2 single strands of mace.
6. Fry the spices on low heat for some seconds till they become aromatic.
7. Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions.
8. Mix and begin to saute onions on a low to medium heat stirring often.
9. First the onions will turn translucent. Continue to saute them. For quick cooking of onions add a pinch of salt.
10. Saute till the onions turn golden stirring often.
11. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 green chili (slit) and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
12. Then add ½ cup of finely chopped tomatoes.
13. Mix the tomatoes and begin to saute them on a low to medium heat.
14. Saute till the tomatoes turn pulpy and mushy. The tomatoes have to be cooked very well and oil should release from the sauteed onion-tomato mixture.
15. Lower the heat and add the following ground spices:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
16. Mix the spice powders and saute for half a minute.
Making paneer handi gravy
17. Add the prepared cashew paste.
18. Stir and mix well.
19. Stirring often saute the masala till you see oil releasing from the sides.
20. Then add 2 teaspoons milk powder. Since I have not used cream, I have added milk powder. This is an optional step. If you have cream, then you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of it once the gravy is done.
21. Stir and mix again very well.
22. Now add 1 cup of water.
23. Stir and mix again to a smooth curry.
24. Season with salt as per taste and mix again.
25. Simmer the gravy for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat. When the gravy is done you will see oil specks on the top.
26. Then add 200 grams paneer cubes and stir to mix. Turn off the heat.
Make sure the paneer is fresh and not tasting sour. Best is to use homemade paneer.
27. Then add ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugeek leaves) which have been crushed. At this step you can also add 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg.
28. Stir to gently mix.
29. Lastly add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix again gently.
30 Serve paneer handi hot or warm with naan or chapati or plain paratha or butter naan or cumin rice or saffron rice.
More Paneer recipes then do check:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for cashew paste
- 3 tablespoons cashews
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water for grinding cashews
other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 1 small tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 single strands of mace
- ⅓ cup chopped onions or 1 medium sized finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger + 3 to 4 medium sized garlic, crushed in a mortar or pestle to a paste.
- 1 green chilli – slit
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes or 1 medium sized finely chopped tomato
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 teaspoons milk powder – optional
- 1 cup water
- salt as required
- 200 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi – crushed (dried fenugeek leaves)
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
preparation
- Soak 3 tablespoons cashews in ⅓ cup hot water for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, drain all the water and add the cashews in a grinder or blender jar. Also add 3 to 4 tablespoons water.
- Grind cashews to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
making paneer handi
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a heavy handi or pan or kadai. Keep the heat to a low.
- Then add 1 small tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and 2 single strands of mace.
- Fry the spices for some seconds till they become aromatic.
- Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions. Mix and begin to saute onions on a low to medium heat stirring often.
- First the onions will turn translucent. Continue to saute them. For quick cooking of onions add a pinch of salt. saute till the onions turn golden.
- Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1 green chilli (slit) and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
- Then add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes. Mix the tomatoes and begin to saute them on a low to medium flame.
- Saute till the tomatoes turn pulpy and mushy. The tomatoes have to be cooked very well and oil should release from the sauteed onion-tomato mixture.
- Now add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
- Mix the spice powders and saute for half a minute. Then add the cashew paste. mix well.
- Stirring often saute the masala till you see oil releasing from the sides.
- Then add 2 teaspoons milk powder. mix again very well. Then add 1 cup water.
- Stir and mix again to a smooth curry. Season with salt as per taste and mix again.
- Simmer the gravy for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat. When the gravy is done you will see oil specks on the top.
- Add 200 grams of paneer cubes and stir to mix. Turn off the heat.
- Then add ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) which have been crushed. At this step, you can also add 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg.
- Stir to gently mix. Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Stir and mix again gently.
- Serve paneer handi hot or warm with naan or tandoori roti or khasta roti or phulka or plain paratha or lachha paratha or pudina paratha or malabar paratha or butter naan or saffron rice or jeera rice.
Notes
- This recipe can be scaled as per your requirements.
- Use fresh paneer.
- You can also use any neutral flavored oil instead of ghee.
Nutrition
This Paneer Handi Post from the blog archives, first published in December 2017 has been republished and updated on December 2022.
Going to make this for the third time now. It’s so delicious! Such a satisfying curry.
thank you ????
Made this recipe today. Came out well, I used coconut milk powder instead of milk powder. It still has come out lovely. Thank you for the detailed pictorial instructions.
Kind Regards,
Madhavi
This was, hands down, the best paneer recipe I’ve ever made. It took me a lot longer than the estimated half hour, but I doubled the recipe and cooked it in a large, plain stainless steel frying pan since I don’t have a handi. I’m sure that had something to do with it. I’ll be making this again for certain. Thank you, Dassana, for yet another delicious recipe!
thank you so much lauchlen. the timing will be more if the recipe is doubled as then double the amount of ingredients need to be sauteed. the type of pan does not matter much. i am glad that you liked and enjoyed the paneer handi recipe. happy cooking.
cooked this today and served with jeera rice. Was very tasty !
thanks mary. nice to know this.