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Paneer  Recipe

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Paneer Recipe (Dhaba Style)

Treat yourself to this delicious Paneer Recipe made in Dhaba style. This comforting North Indian dish is a treat to all the  dhaba food lovers! It’s frlavorsome, simple to make & come together under 45 min. this paneer Recipe goes well with plain steamed rice,any flavoredrice dishes like jeera rice. ghee rice & with flatbreads like bNaan, Tandoori Roti, chapati or partatha. A few papads on the side with a kachumber salad & lassi or chaas would be great.

Treat yourself to this delicious Paneer recipe made in Dhaba style. This comforting North Indian dish is a treat to all the dhaba food lovers! It’s frlavorsome, simple to make & come together under 45 min. this paneer curry goes well with plain steamed rice,any flavoredrice dishes like jeera rice. ghee rice & with flatbreads like bNaan, Tandoori Roti, chapati or partatha. A few papads on the side with a kachumber salad & lassi or chaas would be great.

Dhaba food is prepared in the most basic but unique way & without the use of ingredients like cashews, cream etc. These actually taste Paneer Recipe like the real traditional indian foods and are so much diffrents from the creamy and rich mordern resturant dishes.

Contents [ hide ]

1 About Paneer Curry
2 How to make Paneer Curry (Stepwise Photos)
3 Variations
4 Pro Tips
5 Recipe card
6 Watch Paneer Curry Video

This Paneer Recipe is one such dish you will always find on dhaba menus named as paneer masala. The curry/masala has a texture to it and is not smooth since none of the ingredients are pureed.

the base is actually made vwith grated or minced onions and tomatoes which give the characteristic texture & flavor to this dhaba curry. However you can also make it with fine chopped stuff like the way I do. Read my pro tips section below to know more.

This Peneer recipe will help you make Dhaba Style Paneer but without all the excess oil and spice/heat. to make the dish spicy, add more red chilli powder or some green chillies which I left out due to personal prefernce.

How to make Paneer Recipe (stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1. To make the curry, you will need the following ingredients to be chopped. Once you are done with the onions chopping. you can start cooking the dish right away while you prepare the rest.
This save some time.
1 cup fine choppped onions (or 3/4 cup minced or grated onions, 1 large onions
1 1/4 cup ripe tomatoes (deseeded & chopped or grated, 3 medium , if needed peeled)
1 teaspoon grated ginger or crused or minced (3/4 to 1 inch)
1 teaspoon grated garlic or crushed or minced (3 cloves)

⦁ 2. Here are the whole and ground spices reqired.
⦁ 1 Indian bay leaf
⦁ 2 dried red chilies
⦁ 1 inch Ceylon cinnamon piece
⦁ 2 green cardamoms
⦁ black cardamoms
⦁ 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
⦁ 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
⦁ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
⦁ 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
⦁ 3/4 to 1 teaspoon garm masala
⦁ 1 1/2 tablespoon roasted besan (roasted gram flour)

To make the roasted gram flour you will roast 2 tablespoon besan in a small pan on a low to medium heat until aromatic and nutty. It should noyt taste raw. Cool it completely. You will use only 1 1/2 from this.

3. To another bowl, add
1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon gram masala
1/4 teraspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves)

Mix them well. Add 200 to 250 gram paneer cubes (12 to 16 pieces).

4. Coat the paneer Recipe with the ground spices. keep aside to marinate until needed.

5. If you don’t want to use yougurt, you may leave out but it adds some richness ande flavor to the Pane curry.You will use either 3 tavblespoon Dahi/yogurt (or homemade malai or cultured cream).cultured cream is the same you get over the full fat dahi made from non-homegenized milk.make sure it is not sour. You will add that to a bowl and whisk well a fork.

Make the Paneer Recipe

6. Pour 2 tablespoons oil to a pan and heat it. Add the whole spices and left them sizzle.

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7. Add the chopped onioons and saute on a medium to high heat for 4 to 5 mins. After that reduce the flame and cook on a low herat until light brown and to caramelize.

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8. Reduce the heat to lowest. Add the ginger garlic and saute for a minute.

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9. Add all the ground spices and the besan.

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10. Stir and fry without burning for a minute or 2. At this stage youy will see the pan being too dry. If you nwant you may add 1 tablespoon ghee. I use it.

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11. stir in the tomatoes and increase the heat. Cook until the tomatoes vreak down and thicken.

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12. Take a spoon of this onion tomato base and stir into the whisked yogurt or cream.

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13. Pour that into mthe pan.

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14. Mix well and cook on a low to medium heat until the masala turns aromatic. You will see treaces of oil grtting separated from the curry, meaning it is cooked well.

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15. pour water and bring it to a rolling boil. you will need 1 to 1/2 cups water depending on the kind of onions and tomatoes. I use 1 1/2 cups.

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16. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the onions are completely soft and you see traces of oil on top. As it cooks if needed pour more hot water.

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17. meanwhile, pour 1 teaspoon ghee to a non-stick pan and heat it. place the paneer cubs and fry them on a medium heat turning the pieces to the nother side. Do not fry, they just need a few minutes. Turn off when the masala dries up a bit.

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18. When the curry is done, you will see traces of oil on top. Before you add the paneer make Sure the curry is a bit Flowy or runny (Check video). If it is to thick paneer won’t absorb the flavors. Taste test the curry and add more salt and garam masala if requried. Then add the paneer along with the ghee.

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19. Mix well. Cover and cook just for 2 mins. Turn off the heat.

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20. Garnish Paneer Recipe with Coriander leaves. this is the consistency of th curry after it cools down slightly.

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serve Paneer Curry with plain rice. you can also serve with jeera rice or ghee rice. Butter Naan, chapati, Tandoori Roti, paratha also go well.

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Variations
⦁ Here are some variations I have tried with and worked wonderfully. You don’t need to alter anything for the gravy.
⦁  paneer Recipe .You can add 3/4 cup frozen peas or boiled peas to make matar paneer.
⦁ kadai Paneer: To make kadai paneer, use kadai masala from this kadai Paneer Recipe. Use half cup bell peppers and 200 gram paneer.
⦁ you can also use tofu or mixed vegetables in place of paneer.