This is the popular North Indian dish, made with cottage cheese/paneer in a creamy and rich tomato and onion gravy. It is mainly served with roti or naan and can also be extended to jeera rice. The recipe is similar to paneer butter masala, yet has unique and subtle variations, making it a popular paneer curry.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups paneer cubes
- ¼ cup grated cheese (grate some paneer before cutting into cubes)
- 2 large tomatoes
- 2 medium onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 dried red chilies
- 12-13 cashews
- 3 tbsp Pumpkin seeds or melon seeds
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi
- 3-4 cardamom
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup cubed bell pepper
- Milk cream
- Cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp sugar (optional)
- 1-inch ginger
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
Method:
- In a pan, add oil and heat it
- Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and then ginger, garlic
- Once garlic changes color, add onion pieces
- Cook until onion turns golden and soft
- Add cashew, pumpkin seeds, red chili, kasoori methi and cilantro
- Lastly, add tomato pieces, mix, cover and cook
- Add some hot water and cook the mixture for 8=10 minutes
- Once the mixture cooks well, take out cinnamon pieces and bay leaves and let the mixture cool down
- Once it is cool, grind the mixture to super soft paste
- Strain the paste to get rid of seeds and skin (straining is optional)
- Smooth and silky paste is ready
- Keep it aside
- In a pan, add butter
- Add paneer cubes and cubed bell pepper
- Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder, chili powder
- Saute them for 2 minutes until paneer cubes get nicely coated
- Transfer them to another plate
- In the same pot, add oil and heat it
- Add cumin seeds
- Now add 1 cup of finely chopped onions
- Saute until onions turn golden brown
- Keeping the flame on low, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and coriander powder
- Mix well and saute until the spices turn aromatic
- Add prepared smooth onion-tomato-cashew paste to it
- Cook until the oil separates from the masala paste
- Now, add 1 cup water and mix well adjusting the consistency
- Then add paneer +bell pepper cubes
- After 2 minutes, add cilantro, kasoori methi and grated cheese
- Mix and cook for 2 minutes
- Lastly, add milk cream
- Adjust the salt
- If needed, add sugar to balance the flavors
- Simmer for 5 minutes or until paneer absorbs the flavor
- Turn off the stove
Enjoy paneer lababdar with roti or naan!
Back to Savi’s Kitchen!