Dhaba Style Paneer Masala (No Onion No Garlic)
This Paneer curry has delicious rustic flavors and brings back all the memories of travel and food.
Video
Ingredients
Seasoning The Paneer:
- 300g Paneer cut in cubes
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon water
For Dry Masala:
- 1- inch cinnamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
- 3 green cardamoms
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
For Dhaba Style Paneer Masala:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 whole dry red chilis
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 Green chili slitted
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida / Hing ((Hing))
- Prepared dry masala
- 3 large tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon chickpea flour or Besan
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves ((Kasoori Methi))
- ¼ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- ½ cup water or as needed
- Seasoned Paneer cubes
- 2 tablespoon whisked yogurt or cream
Instructions
Seasoning The Paneer
- Take Paneer cubes in a bowl, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Garam Masala powder, salt, and water. Toss well, so spices coat the Paneer cubes. Set aside.
Making Dry Masala
- Grind cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns, and fennel seeds into a coarse powder. I ground them with mortar and pestle to keep the spices coarse. But you can also grind it in the mixer, but do not make the fine powder. Keep the masala coarsely ground. Set aside.
Making Dhaba Style Paneer Masala
- Chop the tomatoes finely and set them aside. Instead of chopping, we can also blend the tomatoes. But do not make the fine puree; instead, keep the puree with small tomato chunks.
- Heat oil and Ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and whole dry red chilis.
- After cumin seeds start sizzling, add asafoetida, ginger paste, and slitted green chili. Saute for few seconds.
- Add the dry ground masala and saute for a minute or until spices are aromatic. Keep stirring continuously to prevent the spices from sticking to the pan. Do not cook the masala for long; otherwise, it will start burning.
- Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook chopped tomatoes for a couple of minutes.
- Then add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and Garam masala powder. Mix well.
- Continue cooking the tomato mixture until tomatoes are soft, pulpy, and almost like a thick gravy.
- Add salt, chickpea flour, coriander leaves, and dried fenugreek leaves. Mix immediately to prevent lumps from chickpea flour.
- Then add water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the gravy on low to medium flame for 8-10 minutes or until it thickens and oil separates; keep stirring in intervals.
- I have added ½ cup of water, but if you want Paneer Masala more liquidy, add more water as needed.
- Add seasoned Paneer cubes and mix well. Cover the lid and cook Paneer in the gravy on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Covering the lid and cooking Paneer into the gravy, make Paneer very soft and melt in the mouth.
- Remove the lid and add whisked yogurt or cream. Mix well, turn off the heat and serve hot with Roti, Paratha, or Naan. It goes well with steamed rice as well.
Notes
- Use fresh and soft Paneer for the best flavors and taste.
- I like to add low-fat yogurt to this curry to keep it healthy and low-fat. But instead of yogurt, you can add cream if you want.
- I have added homemade Garam Masala to this Paneer Masala. But you can add this Kitchen King Masala instead of Garam Masala.
- Instead of chopping tomatoes, you can also coarsely grind them.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 332kcalCarbohydrates : 10gProtein : 13gFat : 27gSaturated Fat : 14gPolyunsaturated Fat : 1gMonounsaturated Fat : 4gTrans Fat : 1gCholesterol : 60mgSodium : 624mgPotassium : 247mgFiber : 3gSugar : 2gVitamin A : 633IUVitamin C : 8mgCalcium : 425mgIron : 2mg
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