Paneer Malai Korma | Paneer Korma

Ingredients

• 3 largeonions, roughly chopped
• 2green chillies
• 1 tspginger-garlic paste
• 2dried bay leaves
• 1black cardamom pod
• 2green cardamom pods
• ½ tspblack peppercorns
• 1 tspshahi jeera
• 8–10whole cashews
• ½ cup (120 ml)thick fresh curd
• ½ cup (120 ml)water
• 200 gpaneer, cut into cubes
• 3 tspghee
• 1green chilli, slit
• ½ cup (120 ml)milk, boiled and cooled
• ⅛ tspnutmeg powder
• ⅛ tspcardamom powder
• as neededsalt
• as neededwater
• as neededfreshly cracked black pepper
• ¼ tspKashmiri red chilli powder
• a large pinchsalt
• 3 tspoil

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften the onions

   Add ½ cup (120 ml) water to a pan with the chopped onions, shahi jeera, black peppercorns, ginger-garlic paste, 2 slit green chillies, black and green cardamom pods, bay leaves and cashews.

2. 2

   Cook the mixture

   Cover and cook over low heat for 6–8 minutes, checking occasionally and adding a little water as needed. Once the onions are soft and the water has evaporated, remove the pan from the heat and discard the black cardamom and green chillies.

3. 3

   Blend the base

   Let the mixture cool, then blend it with the thick curd until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Set the purée aside.

4. 4

   Heat the gravy

   Heat 3 tsp ghee in a pan and add the prepared gravy base.

5. 5

   Thicken gently

   Stir constantly for a couple of minutes as the gravy thickens quickly, adding water if needed.

6. 6

   Season the gravy

   Add salt as needed.

7. 7

   Add the chilli

   Stir in 1 slit green chilli, or add more if you want a spicier gravy.

8. 8

   Simmer covered

   Cover and cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes, taking care as the gravy may splutter.

9. 9

   Pour in the milk

   Add ⅓ to ½ cup (80–120 ml) milk, depending on how thick the gravy is.

10. 10

    Add the spices

    Cook for a couple of minutes, then mix in ⅛ tsp each of cardamom powder and nutmeg powder.

11. 11

    Cook the paneer

    Add the paneer cubes and cook the gravy over low heat for 3–5 minutes.

12. 12

    Finish the gravy

    Once the gravy has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.

13. 13

    Mix the chilli oil

    Mix ¼ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder with a large pinch of salt. Meanwhile, heat 3 tsp oil over low heat for a minute.

14. 14

    Make the rogan

    Pour the oil over the chilli powder and mix well. Use the orangish-red oil from the top to garnish and drizzle over the korma.

15. 15

    Crack over pepper

    Crack fresh black pepper over the korma.

16. 16

    Drizzle the rogan

    Add a few drops of the prepared rogan on top.

17. 17

    Serve immediately

    Serve straight away with any Indian flatbread.

What is paneer malai korma?

Korma is a family of South Asian curries known for a rich, gently spiced sauce. This North Indian-style version pairs paneer with a smooth onion, cashew and curd base, finished with milk and warm spices.

The result is creamy without relying on cream, while the chilli oil adds a bright, lightly spicy contrast. Serve it with flatbread to scoop up the thick gravy.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 290 calories, 11g protein, 14g carbs, 23g fat.

The paneer, ghee, oil, cashews and milk contribute most of the fat, while paneer supplies much of the protein. Onions, cashews and milk contribute carbohydrates; serve a moderate amount of flatbread alongside the korma and add a vegetable side to round out the plate.

Building the gravy base

Onions and cashews: Cooking them together until soft makes them easier to blend into a smooth, full-bodied sauce. Keep the heat low and add water as needed so the mixture softens rather than catches.

Curd: Blend it into the cooled onion mixture for tang and a silky texture. Cooling the mixture first helps keep the curd from splitting when it is blended.

Keeping the sauce smooth

Gentle heat: The purée thickens quickly once it hits the ghee, so keep stirring and loosen it with a little water if it becomes too thick. Cover it for the simmer, as the method notes that it can splutter.

Milk and spices: Add the milk according to the consistency of the gravy, then stir in the cardamom and nutmeg. A low simmer gives the flavours time to come together without boiling the dairy hard.

Getting the paneer right

Paneer: Add the cubes near the end and cook them gently for 3–5 minutes. This warms them through while helping them keep their shape.

Doneness: Take the pan off the heat once the gravy has thickened. If it seems too dense, loosen it with a small splash of water before serving.

Making the rogan

Chilli powder: Mix the Kashmiri chilli powder with the pinch of salt before adding the hot oil. Heating the oil gently for a minute is the method's simple way to make the finishing drizzle.

Finishing oil: Use the orangish-red oil from the top to garnish, rather than stirring all of it into the curry. Add just a few drops at first, then adjust to taste.

Serving and timing

Flatbread: Serve the korma immediately with Indian flatbread, such as naan or roti, to scoop up the sauce. The fresh cracked pepper and rogan go on just before serving.

Plan on about 40 minutes in total, including the time to soften and cool the onion mixture before blending. The recipe serves four; keep the gravy warm gently if you need a little time before bringing it to the table.

Recipe notes & tips

• Add water a little at a time while cooking the onions so the mixture softens without becoming watery.
• Let the onion mixture cool before blending it with the curd.
• Stir the gravy continuously for the first couple of minutes because it thickens quickly.
• Use the milk amount that suits the gravy's thickness, within the stated ⅓–½ cup range.
• Keep the heat low after adding the paneer so the cubes stay intact.
• Add the chilli oil and cracked pepper just before serving.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: Add more slit green chilli for a spicier gravy.
• Change the consistency: Use the lower or higher end of the milk range to suit how thick you like the sauce.
• Make it milder: Use fewer green chillies and drizzle on less rogan.
• Boost the pepper: Crack extra fresh black pepper over each serving.
• Serve with a side: Pair the korma with a simple vegetable dish alongside the flatbread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Letting the onions catch: Keep the heat low and add a little water as needed.
• Blending the mixture hot: Cool it first before adding the curd and blending.
• Leaving the gravy unstirred: Stir constantly for the first couple of minutes so it does not stick as it thickens.
• Boiling the covered gravy hard: Keep the heat low and watch for spluttering.
• Cooking the paneer for too long: Limit its final cook to 3–5 minutes over low heat.
• Adding too much water at once: Loosen the gravy gradually so it does not become thin.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan, stirring carefully and adding a splash of water if the gravy has thickened; add fresh pepper and rogan after reheating.

Frequently asked questions