Cauliflower and Paneer Curry - Instant Pot Kashmiri Paneer
This cauliflower and paneer recipe is very easy to make. It doesn't contain onions or tomatoes. Milk and ground fennel coupled with ground turmeric give it a very creamy flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cauliflower head (roughly 3 cups chopped florets)
- 12 oz paneer (340 gms) (store bought)
- 4 tbsp oil of choice
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 4 whole cloves (laung)
- 1 dried bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 whole black cardamom pods (kali elaichi)
- 3/4 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 3.5 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk (either whole or low fat)
- 1/4 tsp caraway seeds (shahi jeera) (optional)
- 3/4 tsp garam masala
- 2 Serrano peppers (small) (hari mirch)
Instructions
Prep
- Chop 1/2 the cauliflower head into large 3 inch florets.
- Chop the paneer into 3 inch cubes.
- Slit the Serrano peppers or pinch them slightly from the center. They still need to be intact.
Cook
- Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Add oil to the pot.
- When the oil is hot, add asafoetida, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, and black cardamom. Stir and let it saute for a few minutes.
- Add ground turmeric, ground ginger, ground fennel, ground cumin, salt and stir.
- Add the chopped cauliflower florets and give it a good stir. Let it saute for about 30 seconds to a minute. Keep stirring.
- Then add water. Stir well so that the spices are well mixed in the water. Add paneer. Stir gently.
- Press cancel. Seal the pot and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize. Open the lid and select sauté, add caraway seeds, milk and garam masala. Add the slit Serrano peppers.
Let it sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until it comes to a boil. This dish is meant to be soupy. You can continue to saute until you reach the consistency you desire. I typically do not saute if for very long. - Transfer in a serving bowl. Discard the bay leaf. Serve over steamed rice.
Notes
The whole spices (cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, can be discarded, they don't need to be consumed).