Pan-fried paneer cooked in a smooth curry flavored with lemongrass and coconut milk. This curry has the perfect balance of flavors and pairs so well with jasmine rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: Not specified
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

For the paste

  • 2 stalks lemongrass (chopped, 25 grams, measured after removing the hard outer parts)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1.5 inch ginger (roughly chopped)
  • 4-5 large garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 tablespoons oil (30 ml, I used avocado oil)
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt (plain whole milk yogurt)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Curry

  • 200 grams paneer
  • 3 tablespoons oil (divided, I used avocado oil)
  • 2 whole dried red chilies
  • 7-8 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 1 medium onion (quartered and petals separated)
  • 1 green chili (sliced)
  • 1 cup water (divided, 8 oz)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1.5 cups coconut milk (12 oz)
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 lime (juice of)

Method

  1. To a blender, add the ingredients for the marinade- lemongrass, cilantro, ginger, garlic, green chili, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend to a smooth paste.
  2. Add paneer cubes to a bowl, now take 1 tablespoon from the prepared marinade and add it to the bowl with paneer. Mix well until all paneer cubes are coated with the marinade. Set the paneer aside for 20 minutes.
  3. After 20 minutes are up, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet on medium heat. Pan fry paneer pieces (in a single layer) until golden brown from both sides, around 3 to 4 mins on each side. Remove fried paneer on a plate and set aside.
  4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil on medium heat in another skillet (or you can use the same skillet in which you had fried the paneer). Once the oil is hot, add dried red chilies and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds and then add the chopped ginger and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add the onion petals, sliced green chili, stir and cook for 3 minutes until the onions soften.
  6. Add the remaining prepared marinade to the pan and mix well. Cook 2 minutes.
  7. Then add 1/2 cup water to the pan and mix. I added the 1/2 cup water to the blender in which I had blended the paste, and gave it a pulse and added that water to the pan. This way all the remaining marinade sticking to the blender would also come out.
  8. Add cumin powder, coriander powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 1 more minute.
  9. Add in the coconut milk and remaining 1/2 cup water. Mix and let the curry come to a low simmer and let it be like that for around 5 minutes.
  10. Then add the pan fried paneer and stir. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
  11. Add cilantro, lime juice and remove pan from heat.
  12. Serve paneer lemongrass coconut curry with a side of 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.