This Dhaba style Paneer Curry is delicious, flavorsome and easy to make. Serve it with roti, paratha, naan or plain rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 200 to 250 grams Paneer ((cubed, 12 to 16 pieces))
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi ((1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves))
  • 2 tablespoons oil ((+ 1 tablespoon ghee - optional))
  • 1 teaspoon ghee ((to fry paneer))
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ((Jeera))
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon (piece)
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 dried red chilies
  • 1 cup onions ((fine chopped or ¾ cup minced or grated onions, read notes))
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (grated or crushed or minced)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (grated or crushed or minced)
  • 1¼ cup tomatoes (deseeded & chopped or grated)
  • 1 to 1½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
  • 1½ tablespoon roasted besan ((roasted gram flour, or use nut butter, read notes))
  • 3 tablespoons curd ((yogurt or malai or cultured cream, read notes))
  • 1½ cups water
  • ¾ teaspoon salt ((¼ tsp more to adjust))
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((to garnish))

Method

Preparation

  1. Mix together salt & spices (mentioned under marinade) in a bowl. Place the paneer pieces and coat them gently with the spices. If it is too dry, add a splash of water. Keep aside until needed later.
  2. Fine chop onions or mince in a FP. Begin to cook while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices - bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamoms, dried red chillies, cumin, cinnamon & cloves.
  4. Once they begin to sizzle, add the onions and stir fry on a medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Later reduce the heat and cook on a medium to low heat until the onions begin to caramelize & turn light brown but not burnt.
  6. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the ginger garlic. Saute for a minute until the raw flavor is gone.
  7. Stir in the dry spices, roasted besan and salt. Stir well and fry for a minute or 2 until the mixture turns aromatic. If you want you may add ghee at this stage.
  8. Add the chopped or grated tomatoes and mix well. Cook until the onion tomato masala blends well and turns thick.
  9. Take 1 tablespoon of this onion masala and mix it well into the whisked yogurt or cultured cream. Pour this into the pan and cook until you see traces of oil being separated from the masala.

How to make Dhaba Paneer Curry

  1. Pour 1½ cups water to the same pan and bring it to a boil on a high heat. Reduce the heat and cook covered until you see traces of oil on top of the curry. Taste test and adjust salt & garam masala if you want.
  2. While that cooks, in another non-stick pan heat a teaspoon ghee. Place the paneer pieces in the hot pan and coat them with ghee. Fry on a medium heat to bring out the flavors of the spices. Take a spoon and stir them. Do not over fry, it just takes a few minutes.
  3. Add this paneer along with the ghee to the cooked curry. Make sure your curry isn't too thick. It has to be slightly flowy so the extra moisture liquid goes into the paneer keeping it soft.
  4. Give a gentle stir and cook covered on a low heat for 2 mins. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice, roti, paratha, naan or with jeera rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.