Paneer Masala Recipe (Dhaba Style Paneer Curry)

Paneer Masala recipe (Dhaba Style Paneer Curry) with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Quick and easy paneer recipe made with paneer, onion, tomato, and yogurt. This paneer gravy is flavored with simple Indian spices. You can make it within 30 minutes. Serve it with Roti/Naan.

This Paneer masala recipe is a popular choice for a flavorful and filling vegetarian curry, often enjoyed at roadside eateries known as Dhabas. Dhaba-style recipes are well known for their heavy use of oil, butter, spices, and rustic flavors. Earlier only truck drivers used to visit it. These Dhaba remained open for 24 hours and provided home-cooked meals for them.

Paneer masala is a quintessential Indian dish that's irresistible when cooked at a roadside dhaba. We love to stop by roadside dhabas or restaurants while traveling on long-distance road trips on highways. Dhabas are well known for their spicy and flavorful dishes like Paneer Masala, Dhaba Style Egg Curry, Paneer Butter Masala, and Mushroom Masala. These are our family favorites and we love to have them with Naan and Jeera rice.

About this recipe

In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make Paneer Masala Recipe. This paneer curry is cooked in Dhaba style. It is easy to make and tastes awesome.

Dhaba-style paneer gravy is a thick and spicy Indian dish with rustic flavors. You can customize the spice level to your preference by adjusting the amount of chili powder that goes in it. This paneer masala recipe offers a moderate heat, making it suitable for all ages, including children.

It is made with paneer cooked in onion-tomato-yogurt-based sauce. The addition of yogurt makes it creamy. The sauce is flavored with basic Indian spices. You can serve it with Roti/Naan.

Though preparing Dhaba style dish is a time-consuming task. Cooking each ingredient until the masala starts to leave oil from the sides takes some time. But all the hard work is paid off when your paneer masala recipe receives appreciation from family and friends.

You can make this paneer curry in advance. Let it cool down completely, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.

You may also like these other popular Dhaba-style recipes from this website

• Mushroom Masala
• Paneer Butter Masala
• Dhaba Style Egg Curry
• Shahi Paneer

Watch how to make it

How to make Paneer Masala Recipe with Step-by-Step Photos

Preparations

1) Marinate the paneer: In a mixing bowl, combine paneer with Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and turmeric. Toss gently to coat the paneer in the masala and set aside.

2) Dry roast the Kasuri methi until aromatic and crisp. Set it aside. In the same pan, dry roast gram flour (besan). Roast until aromatic and lightly golden. Chop onion, ginger, and garlic. Set it aside.

Making Paneer Masala Recipe Dhaba Style

1) Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of ghee in a deep bottom pan over medium-low heat. Fry the paneer until lightly golden on the sides. Immediately transfer it to a bowl filled with 1 cup of warm water. It will keep the paneer soft, preventing it from being dry and rubbery.

2) In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and oil. Add the whole spices and saute it for a minute. Add onions and sauté on medium heat until onions are golden.

3) Add ginger and garlic and cook it for a minute or until you see oil separating from the sides.

4) Next, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and roasted gram flour (besan). Sauté until the oil starts to separate from the masala.

5) Add tomatoes and salt. Combine and cook it for 5 minutes or until oil separates from the masala.

6) Reduce heat and add curd/yogurt. Stir continuously and cook until it combines well with the masala and oil starts to release from the sides.

7) Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes. The oil will start to float on the top. This is an indication that the masala is cooked well.

8) Add paneer, garam masala powder, green chili (optional), and Kasuri methi. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Paneer Masala is ready to serve. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Roti/Naan.

Tips to make Best Paneer Masala

• Use fresh curd or yogurt. Do not use the yogurt taken out straight from the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature, whisk it, and then use it.
• Roast the gram flour and then add it to the curry. Raw gram flour can spoil the curry.
• Cook each ingredient until it starts to leave oil from the sides. This ensures that the masala is cooked well and enhances the flavor.
• Ghee enhances the flavor of the curry. Do not skip it.
• Do not cut down the quantity of oil or ghee in the recipe. Dhaba-style curries have a lot of oil.

Serving Suggestions

Paneer masala pairs well with:

• Roti (Indian flatbread) or Naan.
• Or pair it up with Jeera rice or Pulao.

Paneer Curry Variations

• You can make it with Mushrooms. Substitute paneer with Mushroom.
• Add some stir-fried bell peppers to the gravy. Add it while adding paneer to the gravy.
• If you are a non-vegetarian, substitute paneer with chicken.

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5 from 3 votes

Paneer Masala Recipe (Dhaba Style Paneer Curry)

Paneer Masala recipe (Dhaba Style Paneer Curry) with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Quick and easy paneer recipe made with paneer, onion, tomato and yogurt. This paneer gravy is flavored with simple Indian spices. You can make it within 30 minutes. Serve it with Roti/Naan.

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 223kcal

Author Preeti Nayak

Equipment

• Heavy botttom pan

Ingredients

To marinate paneer

• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 300 gram paneer

Whole spices

• 1 bay leaf
• 2 inch cinnamon
• 4 green cardamoms
• 5 cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin

To make the curry

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• 3 onions finely chopped
• 1- inch ginger finely chopped
• 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon gram flour besan
• 4 tomatoes grated (or use pureed fresh tomato)
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoon yogurt (or curd)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 green chili, cut into i-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
• Coriander leaves (Cilantro) to garnish.

Instructions

Preparations

• Marinate the paneer: In a mixing bowl, combine paneer with Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and turmeric. Toss gently to coat the paneer in the masala and set aside.
• Chop onion, ginger and garlic. Set it aside.
• Dry roast the Kasuri methi until aromatic and crisp. Set it aside.
• In the same pan, dry roast gram flour (besan). Roast until aromatic and light golden.

Making Dhaba Style Paneer Masala

• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of ghee in a deep bottom pan over medium-low heat.
• Fry the paneer until light golden on the sides. Immediately transfer it to a bowl filled with 1 cup of warm water. It will keep the paneer soft, preventing it from being dry and rubbery.
• In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and oil. Add the whole spices and saute it for a minute.
• Add onions and sauté on medium heat until onions are golden.
• Add ginger and garlic and cook it for a minute or until you see oil separating from the sides.
• Next, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and roasted gram flour (besan). Sauté until oil starts to separate from the masala.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Combine and cook it for 5 minutes or until oil separates from the masala.
• Reduce heat and add curd/yogurt. Stir continuously and cook until it combines well with the masala and oil starts to release from sides.
• Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes.
• The oil will start to float on the top. This is an indication that the masala is cooked well.
• Add paneer, garam masala powder, green chili (optional) and Kasuri methi. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Paneer Masala is ready to serve.
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Roti/Naan.

Video

Notes

• Do not fry the Paneer cubes in oil for a long time. Just one minute on each side and immediately take it out in a bowl filled with warm water. If fried for a long time the Paneer cubes will turn rubbery and hard.
• Use fresh curd or yogurt. Do not use the yogurt taken out straight from the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and then use it.
• Roast the gram flour and then add it to the curry. Raw gram flour can spoil the curry.
• Cook each ingredient until it starts to leave oil from the sides. This ensures that the masala is cooked well and enhances the flavor.
• Ghee enhances the flavor of the curry. Do not skip it.
• Do not cut down the quantity of oil or ghee in the recipe. Dhaba-style curries have a lot of oil.
• Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
• Storage:
  • • Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking them.
    • Let the curry cool down completely. Transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
    • You can freeze it for a longer shelf life. Stays good for a month.