Paneer lababdar with purti kachi ghani mustard oil

Paneer Lababdar is an easy-to-prepare, restaurant-style curry of paneer (cottage cheese cubes) in a creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet gravy. This vegetarian Paneer Lababdar recipe is also naturally gluten-free.

 

Ingredients:

 

For Soaking & Cooking:

• – 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes (ripe and red)
• – 10 to 12 cashews
• – 1 inch ginger – chopped
• – 2 to 3 garlic (medium-sized) – chopped
• – ½ cup water
• – 1 green cardamom & 2 cloves
• – 2 tablespoons purti kachi ghani oil
• – 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• – ½ cup finely chopped onions – 100 grams
• – ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• – ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
• – ½ teaspoon red chili powder or kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne pepper
• – 1 or 1.25 cups water or add as required
• – 1 or 2 green chilies or serrano peppers – slit & salt as required
• – ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
• – 200 grams Paneer
• – 2 tablespoon grated paneer
• – ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
• – 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – crushed
• – ¼ cup low-fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• – 1 tablespoon Butter added later

 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

 

Preparing Tomato-Cashew Paste :

Step 1: Take chopped tomatoes, cashews, chopped ginger and garlic, green cardamom, cloves and water in a small pan. Use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.

Step 2: Switch on the flame and simmer this mixture on a low flame.

Step 3: Cook until the tomatoes are softened. If the water dries up and the tomatoes are not softened, then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons water and continue to cook.

Step 4: Allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely and add to a grinder or blender jar.

Step 5: Grind to a smooth paste without any cahsews or tomato chunks or pieces. You may add some water if required while grinding. Keep this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.

 

Sautéing Onions And Tomato-Cashew Paste:

Step 1: Heat purti kachi ghani oil in pan or kadai or wok. Add the tej patta and sauté for a couple of seconds. Add finely chopped onions.

Step 2: Then continue to saute as well as stir and cook till the onions become light golden or golden.

Step 3: Then add the tomato-cashew-spices paste. The mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful. Stir very well.

Step 4: Add cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder. Stir and saute this masala. You will see the masala clumping and gathering around itself.

Step 5: Saute till you see fat leaving the sides of the masala paste.

 

Making Paneer Lababdar :

Step 1: Then add water. Mix very well & Add the slit green chilies.

Step 2: Stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer. Then season with salt and sugar.

Step 3: Add paneer cubes and grated paneer.

Step 4: Then sprinkle kasuri methi which has been crushed with the garam masala powder. Stir very well again.

Step 5: Lastly add the low-fat cream or heavy whipping cream. Switch off the heat & combine very well. You can also add 1 tablespoon butter at this step. This is optional.

Step 6: Garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. Serve with chapati, tandoori roti or naan. It also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.