If you’re looking for a delicious vegetarian recipe with a short preparation time of 20-25 minutes, you should definitely try making a paneer recipe. Cooked in a wok full of quality cottage cheese and a tangy tomato sauce, these traditional Indian meals will have you scraping your plate. And when it comes to Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer there are no bad options!
What Are Kadai Paneer and Saag Paneer?
Kadai Paneer is a simple but amazingly flavorful paneer recipe. It is made by cooking paneer and bell peppers with fresh spices and vegetables.
Saag Paneer is a delicious paneer recipe that uses a collection of green vegetables to make a healthy dish.
Why is Kadai Paneer called Kadai paneer?
This dish is called kadai paneer because it is cooked in a special Indian Wok (Kadai). But it’s also possible to cook the dish in a pan.
What Is The Difference Between Spinach and Saag?
‘Saag’ means ‘Leafy Vegetable’ in Hindi. So it can refer to Spinach, Coriander, Fenugreek/Methi, etc.
Is Kadai Paneer sweet or spicy?
Sizzlingly hot and spicy Kadai Paneer may bring tears to your eyes if you’re not used to Indian cuisine.
What Are The Similarities Between Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer?
Nutrition
Both these dishes are extremely healthy as paneer (Indian cheese) is high in protein and calcium, as well as, low in carbohydrates. While some recipes include ingredients like cooking cream, those are entirely optional, and you can alter your recipe to fit your nutritional requirements.
Kadai Paneer is made with cheese, onion, garlic, ginger, capsicum, and a number of spices offering a significant amount of Vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, and manganese.
With a wide variety of leafy green veggies forming the base for this dish Saag Paneer ranks high in terms of nutrition. The health benefits of saag paneer are endless. This dish will fulfill your nutritional requirements for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Folic, Potassium, B-complex vitamins, and fiber.
When it comes to Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer you’re guaranteed to get a nutritious meal! If you want to load up on vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc, you can even check out the differences between Kadai Paneer vs Matar Paneer.
History
A traditional Indian dish, kadai paneer is considered one of the oldest types of paneer, dating back to the 16th century. It originated in the Punjab Haryana region of Northern India and is still one of the most popular dishes in the region.
Saag paneer was a later variation of this same paneer style of cooking, although the spinach was only added to Indian recipes after the British entered the Indian subcontinent. You may be surprised to know that while mustard green was local to the Indian region, spinach was actually an English import!
Smell
The heady smell of Indian spices is one of the things both these dishes have in common. Always use fresh spices to get outstanding results with Indian cooking. It may seem a little daunting at first, but once you get into the process of grinding spices on a regular basis, you’ll begin to understand the heart of Indian cuisine.
Methods of Preparation
Once you learn how to make 1 paneer dish, you can make them all. While the ingredients and spices differ, the method of preparation remains the same. Start off by adding a few tablespoons of oil or butter to your wok and setting it on medium heat.
Then saute your chopped onion until it turns golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree, and green chilies to the mix and keep stirring. Follow this up with your ground spices and whatever mix of vegetables you’re using in your recipe. You can use cubed paneer or cottage cheese, depending on your preferences.
Here is a short video showing the ingredients and method of preparation of kadai paneer:
But if you don’t feel like grinding spices why not check out the differences between Kadai Paneer vs Tikka Masala.
What Are The Differences Between Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer?
Taste and Texture
When it comes to Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer, taste and texture are the two main factors that set these dishes apart. Saag paneer has an earthy taste and creamy texture, with light spices adding to the complex flavor of the paneer.
While the texture for Saag Paneer is velvety and smooth, Kadai Paneer is thick and chunk. The restaurant-style version doesn’t have a lot of gravy and only uses dry spices to create a bold flavor.
Ingredients
Kadai Paneer is a spicy Indian curry with bell peppers, red onions, and red chillis that give it a hot and sizzling taste. A chef will use their full range of spices to give this dish its robust and bold flavor.
Garam masala, chili powder, and roasted spices cooked in a tomato puree and ginger garlic paste give this dish its mouthwatering aroma and spicy kick. Kadai Paneer is often confused with Paneer Butter Masala, which has a cashew nut, cream, and butter gravy.
On the other hand, the saag paneer recipe is an earthy green dish that is made using a number of leafy vegetables. You can use frozen spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek, coriander leaves, and radish greens to get that perfect balance of flavor.
Add a few drops of lemon juice to this traditional Indian classic, and you have the perfect lunchtime meal.
If you don’t feel like going through the effort of making saag paneer, you can always try your hand at a delicious palak paneer. This dish is similar in taste but only uses baby spinach as the main vegetable base, and the cooking process is a lot simpler.
For people who want to add some meat to their dish check out the differences between Saag Paneer vs Saag Chicken.
While the main ingredients in both these dishes are quite different, any recipe should include common spices like cumin seeds, coriander seeds, garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, cinnamon, and black pepper.
Calories
One positive thing in the Kadai Paneer vs Saag Paneer debate is definitely the fact that both these meals are low in carbs, with a single serving for each dish adding up to less than 300 calories.
So if you’re looking for a healthy, low-calorie Indian meal, definitely try a paneer option. You can pair them with basmati rice or any type of Indian bread. Naan and Kulcha are two of the most popular options.
