Paneer Reshmi Handi
Recipe by: Mariam Sodawater, published on: Recipe 52
A passionate home chef dedicated to sharing authentic South Asian taste with simple recipes and easy-to-find ingredients.
Paneer Reshmi Chicken Handi is a dairy-based Pakistan white boneless chicken curry that is serve with naan. In this dish, cheddar cheese is used instead of paneer (cottage cheese) while cheddar cheese is never used in traditional South Asian cooking.
The gravy is also inspired by Italian alfredo sauce. This Handi has very few spices, unlike other South Asian curries, and is made without tomatoes, unlike traditional red chicken handi.
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Servings:
2
yield(s)
Prep Time:
7
mins
Cook Time:
25
mins
Total Time:
32
mins
Ingredients
For gravy
-
.5
cup
oil
-
2
onion
(chopped)
-
3-4
tbsp
green chilli paste
(less or more to taste)
-
1
tbsp
Ginger Paste
-
1
tbsp
Garlic Paste
-
1
cup
Yogurt
For Fry chicken
-
800
g
chicken
(boneless & in cubes)
-
1
tsp
Salt
-
4
tbsp
Butter
-
1
tsp
Cumin powder
-
2
small capsicum
(chopped in larger cubes)
-
2
small onions
(chopped in larger cubes)
Finishing
-
1
cup
shredded Cheese
-
1
cup
Heavy Cream
-
4
tbsp
Butter
-
6
medium chillies
(for garnishing)
-
0.5-1
tsp
white pepper
-
Salt
(to taste)
Instructions
For Gravy
-
Step1: In a wok, take onion ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste. Mix well. Cover the pot and fry for 5 minutes on medium heat until onions are soft. Remove from heat.
Step 2: When onions are soft add yogurt, this yogurt will also cool the gravy so we can process it easily.
Step 3: Transfer onion-yogurt gravy to a food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes until silky smooth. Set this gravy aside until needed.
Step 4: In a bowl mix cornflour, salt, and chicken. Mix well. ( This cornflour coating will keep chicken juicy and soft.)
-
Step 5: In the same pot, stir-fry chicken in little butter.
Step 6: When chicken changes its color and turns slightly golden add onion and capsicum.Saute for 3-4 minutes until soft. Also, add cumin powder.
Step 7: Mix and add onion-yogurt gravy. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes on medium flame.
Step 8: Finally add cream and cheese. Simmer on low heat for another 2 minutes until cheese melts. (Do not cook on high flame after adding cream.)
Garnishing
-
Add slices chilles. Cut butter in cubes and place all over the surface of gravy. Cover for 1 minutes until butter melt. Remove from heat and serve Paneer reshmi chicken handi with garlic naan.
Recipe Notes
Special Instruction:
- A lot of flavor of this chicken reshmi handi is derived from dairy ingredients that is yogurt cheese and cream (or malai).
- Fewer spices let the cheesy creamy flavor shine. Do not get tempted to add coriander powder or garam masala. The handi will taste like white karahi. NO!
- Do not make white sauce or flour base, it will be even worst. The flour-free handi with cheese and cream is light a fluffy gravy.
- The gravy is blended until smooth which makes the handi texture reshmi that is silky smooth.
- Avoid too much cooking after adding cream as the gravy can curdle. You can also use malai instead of cream in this recipe. Thta's why it is also called malai handi.
- The coating of cornflour on chicken and stir frying makes the chicken velvety soft.
- One pot food: All the cooking takes place in just one pot which reduces cooking time and effort.
- A handi is a clay cooking pot and handi should be made in clay pot. To keep the recipe simple, I'm using a wok to make this handi. You can use a clay pot as well.