Paneer Kali Mirch

What is Paneer Kali mirch

In this term, Paneer Kali Mirch, Paneer translates to “Cottage Cheese” in Indian, and Kali Mirch, on the other hand, means Black pepper.

Therefore, the term Paneer Kali Mirch stands for Indian Cottage Cheese simmered in a black pepper sauce.

The beauty of paneer is its muted flavor!

It has no substantial flavor of its own.

In-fact, paneer has a unique quality of adopting the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with, making it an amazingly versatile and adaptive ingredient to experiment with. 

With flavors ranging from sweet to savory, you can cook anything with paneer. It’s a cook’s canvas!! Just use your imagination and put together a delicious meal. 

Paneer is a staple in my household. Having it on the dinner menu once-a-week is a must, brings an instant smile on everybody’s face.

Besides being a universal favorite, it’s a great way to incorporate healthy protein into your diet.

What’s in this Paneer Kali Mirch Recipe

Paneer Kali Mirch a simple recipe that comes together very quickly and will surely please many eyes and palates on the dinner table.

Let’s see what makes this curry so awesome. 

» Paneer – the star ingredient. 

» Yogurt – A must-have to marinate paneer. So, please choose thick yogurt. 

» Spices required for marination – Black cardamom, Mace, Cloves, Green Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Caraway seeds

» Onion, ginger, garlic and tomato sauce – a staple in every Indian dish

» Green Chilies – to spice things up. 

» Cashew paste – it lends a creamy and velvety texture to the curry.

» Seasonings & Spices – bay leaves, black peppercorns, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and coriander powder – will increase the flavor quotient of this paneer curry.

» Cilantro leaves as a garnish.

How to make Paneer Kali Mirch

Cut paneer in cubes using a crinkle knife. 

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, dry roast the spices. 

2. Allow the spices to cool completely. Coarsely grind the spices. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the yogurt until smooth. Add the above-prepared spices to it. Mix to combine.

4. Add paneer cubes to this marinate and toss to coat. Set it aside for 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, let’s prepare the paneer kali mirch gravy. Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan. Add sliced onions and cook until slightly caramelized. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Take it off the flame and allow it to cool.

6. When comfortable to touch, transfer onion mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. If needed, you can add a teaspoon of water to create a thinner paste. Set aside.

7. In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon ghee to the pan. Add whole spices. As they start to crackle.

8. Pour-in the onion-ginger-garlic paste.

9. Add green chilies and tomato puree. Sauté until the mixture starts to leave oil.

10. Stir in the spices. Cook for a minute or so.

11. Add cashew paste and lemon juice. Mix to combine. Cook until the oil separates.

12. Return the marinated paneer cubes to the cooking curry. Mix gently. 

13. Add garam masala and crushed black pepper.

14. Pour in 3/4 cup of water and bring the paneer kali mirch curry to a boil. Adjust water consistency to liking. Allow the paneer to simmer in the gravy for a few minutes. This way, it will soak up more flavors and become soft.

Serve hot with warm Indian bread and steamed rice.

How can you customize this Paneer Kali Mirch recipe?

» Are you vegan? Simply leave out paneer and yogurt and swap them with pressed tofu and plant-based unflavored yogurt for a vegan option.

» Allergic to Cashews – swap cashew paste with almond paste. 

» The black pepper in this paneer dish has a subtle flavor. But feel free to adjust according to taste. 

» This paneer kali mirch recipe tastes better the very next day and makes a great lunch option. Store the cooled curry in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It reheats well.

» This recipe feeds four but can be scaled up or down to feed a large crowd. Perfect for family dinners, social gatherings, and potlucks. 

» Can you make this black pepper paneer curry without onion and garlic? Absolutely! You can alter this recipe and make paneer kali mirch without onion and garlic. Leave them out and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

» How to soften store-bout paneer? Here is what I do – soak paneer cubes in warm water for 10 minutes. This process will soften up the paneer.

» Can you make this Paneer kali mirch in advance? Yes, you can!

• Prepare the curry and store it in the fridge for two days ahead of time. 
• Marinate paneer a day in advance. 
• Assemble as listed below.

» Can you freeze Paneer kali mirch? Most certainly! You can freeze this paneer curry for up to 3 months in your freezer. 

Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in a microwave until hot throughout. Do not refreeze the leftovers.

Let me know in the comments if you try this Paneer Kali Mirch  recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.

CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY MY OTHER PANEER RECIPES –

• Methi Paneer recipe
• Kadai paneer
• Paneer ke sooley
• Paneer tikka masala
• Paneer croquettes
• Paneer pasanada
• Paneer burfi….. the list is endless!