Malai Paneer – Home Cooking
Recipe Summary
- This recipe guides you through making a rich, creamy, and delicious Malai Paneer. The dish features soft paneer cubes cooked in a luscious gravy made with fresh cream (malai), onions, tomatoes, cashews, and aromatic spices. It's perfect to serve with roti, naan, or jeera rice.
All Ingredients - To Make Malai Cream
- Full Fat Milk 2 Litre
All Ingredients - To Make Ground Paste
- Oil 3 tsp
- Onion 2 nos
- Green Chilli 2 nos
- A Piece of Ginger 1
- Cashew Nuts 10 nos
- Tomato 2 nos
- Water as needed
All Ingredients - To Make Malai Paneer
- Paneer 400 gms
- Ghee 2 tsp
- Oil 2 tsp
- Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
- Chilli Powder 2 tsp
- Cumin Powder 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder 1 tsp
- Garam Masala 1 1/2 tsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Sugar 1/2 tsp
- Water 1/4 cup
- Kasuri Methi some
- Fresh Malai Cream 1 cup
Tools You'll Need
- Pot
- Pan
- Spatula
- Bowl
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
No Milk?
- Unsweetened almond / soy / oat milk (1:1)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water (per 1 cup)
No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Paneer?
- Extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed — Pan-fry first for closer texture.
- Halloumi — Saltier; reduce added salt.
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
No Garam masala?
- 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp cardamom
⚠ Contains Allergens
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Malai Cream
Pour 2 litres of full-fat milk into a pot and bring it to a boil on low flame. As the milk simmers, a thick layer of cream (malai) will form on top. Gently scoop out this cream using a spoon or spatula and transfer it to a bowl. Continue this process until you have about 1 cup of malai. Transfer the collected malai to a mixer jar and pulse it a few times until it becomes smooth and creamy. Pour the fresh malai cream into a separate bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare Ground Paste
To a pan, add 3 teaspoons of oil. Add 2 medium-sized thinly sliced onions, 2 green chilies (cut), a piece of chopped ginger, and 10 cashew nuts. Sauté these ingredients until the onions turn golden brown. Once the onions are golden, add 2 large sliced tomatoes and sauté for until they soften. Turn off the stove and allow the mixture to cool completely. Transfer the cooled, sautéed mixture to a mixer jar and grind it to a fine paste. Add a little water to the mixer jar to wash out any remaining paste and pour it into the ground paste, mixing well.
Step 3: Cook the Gravy Base
To the same pan, add 2 teaspoons of ghee and 2 teaspoons of oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the spice powders for a few seconds until fragrant. Keeping the flame on low, add the prepared ground paste to the pan and mix everything well. Let this mixture simmer for about with the lid on, until the oil begins to separate.
Step 4: Add Cream and Paneer
After , remove the lid. Add the fresh malai cream that was prepared earlier to the simmering gravy and mix it in thoroughly. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavors and mix again. Dilute the gravy slightly by adding 1/4 cup of water and stir well. Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for another .
Step 5: Final Cooking and Serving
While the gravy is simmering, cut 400 grams of fresh paneer into nice large cubes. After the gravy has simmered for , remove the lid. Add the paneer cubes to the gravy and mix gently to coat them evenly. Add some crushed kasuri methi on top and mix everything well. Close the pan again and simmer for another . After , the Malai Paneer curry is done, with the paneer cooked beautifully and a wonderful aroma. Serve this rich, creamy, and delicious Malai Paneer hot with chapati, roti, or naan.
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