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Malai Paneer Korma is a thick white gravy based paneer recipe. It is a different paneer recipe than the usual ones. If you enjoy cooking and experimenting with new flavors, then you must try out this recipe.
I don’t remember when and where I came across this white gravy based paneer, but I found it so amazing, that I really wanted to try it out at home. May be because it stands out so different from other paneer recipes because of its stark white colored gravy (which by the way I have seen in creamish and pale yellow color also) or its little sour and mildly spiced taste, it was on my ‘to cook list’ since so long. Somehow, when I finally got to cook it at home, it was after almost about 5-6 months of first having it, and I had almost forgotten its taste. But due to the basic taste of creamy onion sauce with a hint of sourness and the spiced aroma in it, I knew the ingredients by heart and tried it out. And wow…I was overwhelmed with the response by my family!! Kids loved it as it is mild on spices and my husband also enjoyed it thoroughly with the masala lachha parantha.
What is Malai Paneer Korma?
Malai Paneer Korma, has a misleading name. It does not have malai (homemade milk cream) in it. Yes, surprising, right?!! Well, malai term here refers to creaminess. So, what is Malai Paneer Korma? Well, it is fresh and soft paneer cubes in mildly flavored, creamy textured white gravy, with a hint of sourness and a little burst of black pepper. This paneer recipe is definitely different from the usual red and yellow colored gravy based paneer recipes. And it has an awesome taste too! It goes very well with some spicy Indian breads or even with the plain ones.
Malai Paneer Korma preparation
It can be made by two different methods. The first method, needs a little preparation before hand. And the second one is all in one go.
First method – In this method, you need to make a few pastes for the gravy of malai paneer korma.
- Onion – Onion is must for malai paneer korma recipe. In this method of making this paneer recipe, you need to make a paste of onions in a mixer. Just peel, wash and cut onions in big pieces and grind in a jar with minimum water, to get the onion paste.
- Cashew nuts – We also need to make a paste of cashew nuts for this paneer recipe. For that you need to soak the cashew nuts for about 2-3 hours, and then using very less water make a thick paste of it. You can also use milk in place of water, if required, for making the cashew nuts paste.
- Making Gravy – For making the white gravy, you need to cook onion paste, cashew nuts paste and other whole spices in ghee. Later, add milk or water to make a gravy. We also add curd (dahi) in it and then cook this gravy to desired consistency. Later on, the whole spices are removed and paneer cubes are added. But this way, the color of the gravy turns dark creamish or very pale yellowish. Hence, I prefer to cook it with the other method.
Second method – When we make malai paneer korma by this method, its gravy remains quite white and gives that unique appearance to this paneer recipe. We don’t have to do any preparations before hand and everything gets cooked in one go only, and hence, I prefer to cook it by this method, which I have explained below, in detail.
Other Good Recipes !!
- Kadai Paneer recipe, Restaurant Style Kadai Paneer, best gravy with secret ingredient
- Paneer Butter Masala. Quick and easy butter paneer masala (Better than restaurant)
- Aloo Paratha Recipe
- Jalebi Recipe
- Pani Puri Recipe
Serving options
As, this Malai Paneer korma is very subtle in taste and has less spices, it is best served with spicy or ‘masaledaar’ Indian breads. How ever, you can equally enjoy its taste with normal or plain Indian breads too. Below I have listed a few breads that you can make with this paneer recipe;
- Naan
- Garlic butter Naan
- Lachha Paratha
- Pudina Lachha paratha
- Chilli Lachha Paratha
- Masala Lachha Paratha
- Butter Naan
- Plain Tawa Roti
Recipe video of Malai Paneer Korma
Ingredients
- Paneer – 200 gm
- Onion – 2 big, diced
- Garlic – 7-8 pieces
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Green chillies – 2-3, slit
- Badi elaichi (Black Cardamom) – 1
- Javitri (mace) – 1 pc
- Kali Mirch (black pepper) – 12-14
- Saunf (fennel seeds) – 1 tsp
- Kaju (cahsew nuts) – 1/2 cup
- Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tbsp
- Dahi (curd) – 1/3 cup, sour
- Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp
- Milk as required
- salt as required
- water as required
Method
1. Take water in a pan.
2. Add diced onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, badi elaichi (black cardamom), Javitri (mace), Kali mirch (black pepper), saunf (fennel seeds) and cashew nuts.
3. Boil them in the water for about 20- 25 min or until the onions become soft.
4. Strain the mixture. Do not use the water of this mixture in this gravy, as it contains the sweetness of onions. For this gravy we do not want the sweetness of the onions.
5. Remove the green chillies, badi elaichi (black cardamom) and javitri (mace) from the mixture. It is important to take them out of it, as when we will make a paste of onion, cashew nuts and spices then these spices and green chillies will give some color to the paste, which we want to avoid totally.
6. Make a paste of boiled onions, cashews and spices. You may use some milk in between for smooth blending. Now, strain it to get a smooth paste.
7. Heat ghee in a pan.
8. Add the onion and cashew paste in it. Mix well.
9. Lower the flame and add dahi (curd). Mix it quickly.
10. Add salt as per taste and cook this paste.
11. Bring it to a boil, cover and cook for about 7-8 min on low flame. Keep stirring in between.
12. When it thickens up and is cooked for about 8 min, check the consistency of the gravy. If you want the gravy little thin, then add water to the gravy.
13. Add the paneer cubes and mix lightly as the paneer pieces are fresh and soft.
14. Cover and cook them in gravy for about 1-2 min so that they get all the flavors of the spices from gravy.
15. Serve and sprinkle the kasuri methi ( dry fenugreek leaves) on top.
I hope you will try this amazing paneer recipe of Malai Paneer Korma. Do write to me in the comments, below this recipe blog about how you liked it. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to check my food stories, “from my palate to yours”.
Oh wow recipe and yummy too. Great keep it up
Thank you so much for appreciating and motivating.
Wowww really nice ,will try it this way for sure.
Thank you so much!!