Kashmiri Paneer Baingan – Instant Pot Paneer Eggplant

Shilpa

This melt-in-your-mouth Kashmiri Paneer Baingan – Instant Pot Paneer Eggplant is sautéed and coated in a delicious-spicy sauce.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Main Course, Side

Cuisine North Indian

Servings 5

Equipment

Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

12.6 oz paneer (haldiram brand or homemade), 360gms
7 indian eggplants (small) (7.6 oz)
4 tbsp oil of choice
1/2 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
1 whole dried red chili peppers
1 serrano pepper, small (hari mirch) (optional)
2 whole black cardamom pod (kali elaichi)
3 whole cloves (laung)
2 whole green cardamom pod (hari elaichi)
1 cinnamon stick 2 inch piece (dalchini)
1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
1 cup water (divided)
1 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
1 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala
3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Prep

Firstly, chop the paneer into mid-size cubes, 4 inch by 4 inch. I made 10 pieces of one paneer block.
Secondly, clean the eggplants by placing them under cold running water and wiping dry with a paper towel. In Kashmiri recipes, you don’t slice off the top of the eggplant. You keep the stem intact. Cut the eggplant body in half lengthwise/vertically, with stems intact.
Slit the serrano pepper lengthwise but still intact.

Cook

Select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. When the pot is hot add oil.
When the oil is hot add in the chopped eggplants and let them sauté for 3 minutes until they brown. Furthermore, add in the paneer and let both paneer and eggplants sauté for another 2 minutes. Turn the paneer gently. The paneer will brown slightly.
After 5 minutes are up, add in asafoetida, whole dried red chili pepper, serrano pepper, whole black cardamom pods, cloves, green cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Stir and let the whole spices sauté for a minute.
Then add in Kashmiri chili powder and ¼ cup water. Stir well.
Then in about 30 seconds to a minute add in ground fennel, ground ginger, ground cumin, garam masala, salt and stir gently without breaking the paneer or the eggplant. Also, add in ¾ cup water. Again, give it a good stir, gently.
Finally, close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes.
When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize. Then, transfer the cooked dish in a serving bowl and serve over steamed rice.

Notes

My method of sautéing the eggplant and paneer is a spin off the authentic Kashmiri method, but it allows me to pull off a beautiful, juicy, flavorful stir-fried eggplant/paneer dish that doesn’t require at least 1/2 cup of oil. Traditionally the paneer and eggplant are supposed to be deep-fried.
You are welcome to deep fry; however, I do feel that sautéing works just as well. Moreover, it is really a personal preference. I am too lazy to deep fry.
Eliminate the serrano pepper if you cant tolerate heat.

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