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Paneer Kurma Recipe (White Paneer Korma)
5 from 34 votes

Paneer Kurma Recipe (White Paneer Korma)

Paneer Kurma is a white paneer korma featuring a creamy almond and onion-based gravy flavored with whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. The almonds are soaked and pureed to create a smooth, nutty base complemented by cooked onions and yogurt. This rich, mildly spiced curry incorporates paneer cubes and finishes with cream and fragrant rose or kewra water and saffron for delicate aroma and flavor. The method focuses on slow cooking and layering of spices.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Soaking Time For Almonds
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 422 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For almond paste
  • 20 to 22 almonds
  • ¼ cup water - hot, for soaking almonds
  • 4 tablespoons water or the almond soaked water for grinding or blending almonds
For onion paste
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) onion roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup water - for cooking onions
Other ingredients
  • 2 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
  • ½ teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 green cardamom
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 to 3 ingle strands of mace
  • 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste or 5 to 6 small to medium garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger, crushed to a paste in a mortar
  • 1 green chili - slit (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper powder, powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 6 tablespoons (100 grams) curd (yogurt) - full fat or made with whole milk
  • ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required
  • salt as required
  • 200 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
  • 3 tablespoons light cream (low fat or cooking cream) or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon rose water or 1 teaspoon kewra water (pandanus water) or ½ teaspoon of each
  • 2 to 3 pinches saffron or ground saffron powder - for garnish, crushed

Instructions

Preparation
    Cup of Yum
  1. First blanch the almonds in hot water. Rinse almonds and soak them in hot water for 30 to 40 minutes. Cover with a lid and set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, take the roughly chopped onions and add water.
  3. On a medium-low to medium heat simmer the chopped onion and water together stirring at intervals. If in case the water dries up while cooking onions, then add some more water.
  4. Simmer till the onions soften.
  5. After 30 minutes, peel the almonds.
  6. Add the blanched, peeled almonds and ¼ cup of the soaking water or fresh water to a grinder or small blender.
  7. Make a fine and smooth paste from the almonds without any tiny bits or chunks. Remove almond paste in a small bowl and set it aside.
  8. To the same blender, add the cooked onions together with the remaining stock. Grind to a smooth and fine paste.
  9. Take the full fat fresh curd (yogurt) in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk well till smooth.
Making White Gravy
  1. Heat ghee in a pan. Keep the heat to low.
  2. Add the whole spices - shahi jeera, cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves, strands of mace and tej patta. Fry the spices for some seconds till they splutter and become fragrant.
  3. Now add the ground onion paste and stir very well with the spices and ghee. Take care as the onion paste will splutter when you add it to the pan.
  4. Add the ginger garlic paste. Mix and stir again.
  5. Sauté the onion paste stirring often on a low to medium-low heat till you see some fat releasing from the sides and the paste thickens. We don't need to brown this paste as we are preparing a white curry. But ensure that the onion paste is cooked.
  6. Now add the ground almond paste.
  7. Stir continuously and saute for two minutes on a low heat.
  8. Then add 1 or 2 slit green chilies, black pepper powder and coriander powder. Stir and mix again.
  9. Saute for a minute on a low heat.
  10. Now first add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of the beaten curd (yogurt or dahi) on a low heat.
  11. Briskly stir and incorporate the curd with the rest of the mixture.
  12. Then add again 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of the curd.
  13. Stir quickly again. Adding yogurt in small amounts like this does not allow it to split or curdle in the gravy.
  14. Finish off all the curd (yogurt) this way and keep on stirring.
  15. Add water.
  16. Mix thoroughly so that the whole gravy has a uniform and even consistency. Add salt as required.
  17. Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer on a low heat - about 4 to 5 minutes.
Making Paneer Kurma
  1. Then add the paneer cubes and stir gently to mix the paneer cubes with the gravy. Switch off the heat
  2. Add light cream. Mix well and switch off the heat.
  3. Lastly, add rosewater or kewra water (pandanus) water. Again mix gently.
  4. Serve paneer korma hot or warm garnished with crushed saffron or saffron powder.
  5. This paneer kurma pairs very well with naan, tandoori roti, chapati or paratha. It also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao or veg biryani.

Notes

  • Use fresh homemade full-fat curd (yogurt) to avoid sourness in the gravy.
  • Skip tomatoes to maintain the dish's mild and creamy character without acidity.
  • Replace almonds with cashews for a different but still rich flavor if desired.
  • Use light cooking cream or 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream for richness as preferred.
  • Enhance aroma by adding 1 teaspoon of rose water or kewra water, or half teaspoon of each.
  • Avoid scaling ingredients excessively to keep the flavor balance intact.
  • Whole spices can be replaced with ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder for convenience.

Nutrition Information

Calories 422kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 20g (100%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 91mg (30%) Sodium 441mg (18%) Potassium 238mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 206IU (4%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin B12 1µg (42%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Vitamin D 1µg (5%) Vitamin E 2mg Vitamin K 2µg Calcium 427mg (43%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 18µg Iron 1mg (6%) Magnesium 38mg (10%) Phosphorus 101mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 422

% Daily Value*

Calories 422kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 91mg 30%
Sodium 441mg 18%
Potassium 238mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 206IU 4%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin B12 1µg 42%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Vitamin D 1µg 5%
Vitamin E 2mg
Vitamin K 2µg
Calcium 427mg 43%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 18µg
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 38mg 10%
Phosphorus 101mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.