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Shilpa

Restaurant Style Paneer Curry - Easy Paneer

This quick and delicious Restaurant Style Paneer Curry - Easy Paneer is the weeknight dinner you've been looking for. This is the gateway recipe that finally solidified my kid’s welcoming of paneer – so it’s a big deal!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp oil of choice (plus 1 tsp for sauteing the paneer)
  • 12.6 oz paneer (360 grams) (Haldiram brand or brand of choice)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds    (jeera)
  • 1 dried bay leaf     (tej patta)
  • 1 onion, large (1 cup minced)
  • 2 serrano peppers, small (hari mirch)
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
  • 3/4 tsp ground turmeric      (haldi) (divided)
  • 2 and 1/2 tsp ground coriander    (dhaniya powder)
  • 2 and 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder (divided)
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 and 3/4 tsp salt (divided)
  • 2 tomatoes (medium) (1 cup pureed)
  • 2 tbsp roasted chickpea (besan)
  • 2 tbsp yogurt, plain
  • 1 and 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp cashew nuts (roasted and salted)
  • 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves  (kasoori methi)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves  (to garnish)
  • 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Method
 

Prep
  1. Dice the paneer to 2 to 3 -inch cubes. Second using a fork make holes in each piece of paneer. Make about 8 to 9 holes in each piece of paneer. In a mixing bowl add in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, and 1/4 tsp ground turmeric. In a pan add 1 tsp oil and saute the paneer until it turns golden brown. Flip once in between. Once it turns brown add 2 tbsp water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Rinse and mince the onions, or chop them super finely. Rinse and puree the tomatoes and rinse and chop the cilantro finely. Further rinse and slit the serrano peppers keeping them still intact.
  3. Dry roast the chickpea flour on medium heat for a few minutes until it turn golden. Watch it or else it can burn quickly. Transfer and set aside.
     
Cook
  1. Place a pan on medium-heat, and add 4 tbsp oil to it. Add in cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Furthermore when the cumin seeds splutter add in minced onions.  
  2. Sauté them until they turn golden-brown. Keep stirring and make sure they don’t burn.
  3. Next add in ginger garlic paste and serrano peppers and stir. Let it saute for 30 seconds. Further add in ground coriander, ground turmeric, 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala and 1 and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well.
  4. Further add in 1 cup pureed tomatoes and mix well. Then on low flame cook the tomatoes for 6 minutes covered with a lid.
  5. Next open the lid add in roasted chickpea flour and plain yogurt and mix well.
  6. Furthermore add in 1 and 1/4 cup water and paneer. Let it cook on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes and in kasuri methi, roasted cashews, heavy whipping cream, and cilantro. Mix well turn the heat off and serve with rice or roti.

Notes

I used planters roasted cashews. You can use raw cashews as well. Just dry roast them on a pan and add a pinch of salt before adding them on the pan.
You can add or reduce the amount of water depending on how thick or watery you want the gravy.