Paneer Korma – A Royal & Flavorful Delight!
There’s something truly magical about a rich and creamy paneer dish that melts in your mouth. Paneer Korma is one such recipe—a royal, indulgent, and aromatic dish that brings the perfect blend of spices, nuts, and yogurt to create a luscious gravy. Whether you are cooking for a festive occasion, a family gathering, or simply craving a restaurant-style meal at home, this Paneer Korma recipe will never fail to impress!
What Makes Paneer Korma Special?
Paneer Korma is not just any paneer curry; it is a dish that carries the richness of Mughlai and North Indian flavors. The base of the korma is made with cashew nuts, fried onions, and yogurt, which gives it a silky smooth texture. Unlike heavy cream-based curries, this dish gets its creaminess naturally from nuts and dairy, making it both flavorful and wholesome.
One of the best things about this Paneer Korma recipe is that it strikes the perfect balance of spices, richness, and subtle sweetness. The addition of whole spices like cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom infuses deep, earthy flavors, while Kashmiri red chili powder adds a beautiful color without making it too spicy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
Authentic Restaurant-Style Taste at Home – No need to go out when you can make a delicious, hotel-style paneer korma in your own kitchen! Rich, Creamy, and Fragrant – The combination of cashew paste, fried onions, and yogurt makes this dish irresistibly creamy. Easy to Prepare – Though it sounds fancy, making Paneer Korma at home is incredibly simple with the right step-by-step method. Pairs Well with Everything – Serve it with naan, roti, or even steamed rice, and enjoy a fulfilling meal.
Paneer Korma is a royal treat that originated from Mughlai kitchens and later became a staple in Indian households. The beauty of this dish lies in its smooth, mildly spiced, and aromatic gravy that perfectly coats the soft paneer cubes. Each bite is a burst of creamy, nutty, and subtly spiced goodness that will leave you craving more.
Now that we know how special this dish is, let’s move on to the ingredients and step-by-step process to make the perfect Paneer Korma at home!
Ingredients -
For the paste:
- Cashews (soaked for 30 minutes) – 1/4 cup
- Fried onions – 2
- Curd – ½ cup
For cooking:
- Oil – 2 tablespoons
- Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
- Cloves – 3
- Cinnamon – small piece
- Black cardamom – 1
- Green cardamom – 1
- Black peppercorns – 5-6
- Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
- Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) – ½ teaspoon
- Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
- Paneer (cut into pieces) – 1 cup
- Hot water – 1 cup
- Salt – to taste
- Green chili (sliced) – 1
- Fresh coriander leaves (chopped) – as needed
Method –
Firstly. take a blender jar and add ¼ cup soaked cashews, 2 fried onions, and ½ cup yogurt. Blend everything into a smooth paste. This rich and creamy paste will enhance the taste of the gravy.
Now heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 cloves, a small piece of cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 1 green cardamom, and 5-6 black peppercorns. Sauté them until aromatic.
- Now, add the prepared cashew-onion-yogurt paste to the pan and mix well. Then, add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Cook this mixture until oil starts to separate from the gravy. Cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, lets check the gravy—it will have a rich and creamy texture with a slight tanginess from the yogurt and deep flavors from the fried onions.
Now, add ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) and ½ teaspoon garam masala.
- Then, add 1 cup of paneer cubes and ½ cup of hot water. Season with salt as per taste and mix gently. Cover the pan and let it cook for 5-7 minutes so the paneer absorbs all the flavors.
- Finally, garnish the paneer korma with 1 slit green chili and finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice and enjoy the rich, restaurant-style taste at home!
Tips
If the gravy is too thick, add a little more hot water to adjust the consistency. For an extra creamy texture, you can add 2 tablespoons of fresh cream at the end. To give it a smoky restaurant-style flavor, place a hot piece of charcoal in a bowl inside the curry, drizzle a little ghee over it, cover the lid, and let it infuse for a minute.
This restaurant-style Paneer Korma is super easy to make at home! Try it once, and I promise it will become a family favorite. See you soon with another delicious recipe. Until then, enjoy home-cooked food and take care! 
