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Paneer handi is a traditional North Indian dish that features tender paneer cubes that have been deep-fried until they reach a golden hue and cooked in a smooth gravy that contains various spices. The dish combines fresh tomato puree with a rich paste made from golden-fried onions (beresta), creamy yogurt and cashews. The curry undergoes a slow cooking process which uses whole spices that include mace, black cardamom among others and finishes with cream and Kasuri methi leaves. The dish achieves its royal tasting experience through its preparation method which uses an earthen pot. My simple recipe will guide you through all the necessary steps to create paneer handi in your home kitchen.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paneer handi is a typical North Indian comfort food that is a staple on restaurant menus and a favorite for festive home-cooked dinners.
Serve it with buttery tandoori naan, fluffy kulchas, or steamed basmati rice to enjoy the luscious gravy.

Paneer handi has a rich, creamy, and mildly tangy taste with a wonderful depth of flavor from the slow-cooked whole spices.
Other similar recipes are paneer butter masala, matar paneer, and shahi paneer.

The Ingredients:

To fry the paneer cubes:

250 grams paneer (cut into small cubes)
1 tbsp cooking oil

To make the tomato paste:

2 pieces tomatoes (medium size, ripe)

To make the beresta:

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 piece onion (medium size, finely sliced)

To make the beresta-curd-cashew nut paste:

1/3 cup yoghurt
10 pieces cashew nuts

To cook the paneer handi:

4 tbsp cooking oil
2 pieces bay leaves (1 if large)
1 piece cinnamon stick (1 inch in size)
2 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
2 pieces cloves
2 pieces black cardamom (whole pods)
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 piece mace (javitri)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cream
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi, crushed)
1 tsp garam masala powder
Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
3 pieces green chilies (slit in the middle)

I stumbled upon this amazing recipe while I was having a quick lunch at my childhood friend’s place last month. She made such a creamy paneer which had a very distinct earthy fragrance that wasn’t quite familiar to me, that I decided I had to make it for my family. She made me sit in her kitchen while she told me how to use beresta and cashew paste to get that restaurant-style gravy consistency. Since I didn’t have my diary with me, I took an envelope from my bag and wrote down every little thing, even the whole spices and the need for good quality tomatoes for the gravy.

I cooked the dish the day after for our usual Sunday family dinner, and the aroma of mace and cardamom was so strong that it almost traveled through the walls and into the neighbors’ houses. The gravy was extremely smooth and the paneer very soft, just soaking in all the spices. My husband was quite astonished that he asked me if I had bought it from our local dhaba and my two sons were so happy with dipping their roti that they didn’t even stop to breathe! Witnessing their enthusiasm even for a vegetarian meal made me so happy and thankful to my friend for sharing the recipe with me.

How to Make Paneer Handi? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Fry 250 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes) until golden in 1 tbsp of cooking oil.

Step 2: Fry one medium-sized, finely sliced onion in 2 tbsp of cooking oil until golden brown. Remove it onto a plate and spread to cool down.

Step 3: Take 2 pieces of medium size, ripe tomatoes, cut them into small pieces, and blend them into a fine puree.

Step 4: Blend the beresta with 1/3 cup of yogurt.

Step 5: Add 10 pieces of cashew nuts and blend again. Check the consistency.

Step 6: Fry 2 pieces of bay leaves (1 if large), 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1 inch in size), 2 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods), 2 pieces of cloves, 2 pieces of black cardamom (whole pods), ½ tsp of black peppercorns, 1 piece of mace (javitri), and 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste in 4 tbsp of cooking oil in a handi. Mix the tomato puree. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a medium flame, stirring continuously. Add salt to taste.

Step 7: Mix 2 tsp of red chili powder, 2 tsp of coriander seed powder, 1 tsp of cumin seed powder, and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a medium flame.

Step 8: Mix the beresta-curd-cashew nut paste. Add 1 tbsp of cream and water if it is too thick. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.

Step 9: Then, add 1 tsp of crushed, dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) and the fried paneer cubes. Mix and cook over a low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 10: Finally, add 1 tsp of garam masala powder, a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves, and 3 pieces of green chilies (slit in the middle). Mix nicely.