Dhaba Style Paneer Masala recipe | How to make Dhaba Style Paneer Masala

Dhaba Style Paneer Masala recipe with step by step photos and video recipe. This dhaba style paneer masala is spicy and the flavors are awesome.

Dhaba Style Paneer Masala recipe is easy to make at home. You can adjust the spice level as per your liking. The addition of roasted gram flour and Kasuri Methi, add a magic touch to the recipe. Serve dhaba style paneer masala hot with Roti/Naan 🙂

What is Dhaba Style?

Dhaba style recipes are well known for their heavy use of oil, butter, spices, and rustic flavors. Basically, Dhaba is a roadside restaurant. Earlier only truck drivers used to visit it. These Dhaba were remained 24 hours open and provide the home cooked meal for them.

The cooking process involves a lot of roasting. Roasting the onions, ginger, garlic and spice powders till golden brown. Also, they use kasuri methi and roasted gram flour in making the gravy. The use of gram flour/besan thickens the gravy and kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves enhances the flavor of the recipe.

You can also check other delicious and popular Indian Curry recipes here:

1. shahi paneer  
2. kashmiri dum aloo

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5 from 3 votes

Dhaba Style Paneer Masala recipe, How to make Dhaba Style Paneer Masala

Easy to prepare Spicy Dhaba Style Paneer Masala recipe.

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Calories 223kcal

Author Preeti Nayak

Equipment

• Heavy bottom pan, or a Wok

Ingredients

• 200 g Paneer cubed
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder or Haldi Powder
• 1 tbsp Gram flour or Besan
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds or Jeera
• 1 Bay leaf or Tej Patta
• 2 inch Cinnamon Sticks or Dalchini
• 4 green Cardamom or Hari Elaichi
• 5 Cloves or Lavang
• 3 Onions finely chopped
• 8 Garlic finely chopped
• 1 inch Ginger finely chopped
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder
• 2 tsp Coriander Powder or Dhaniya Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder or Jeera Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder or Haldi Powder
• 5 Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Curd
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tbsp Clarified Butter or Ghee
• 3 tbsp Oil

Instructions

• Take Paneer cubes in a mixing bowl. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder. Toss it gently and keep it aside.
• Heat a Pan. Add Besan/Gram flour and roast it, till it changes its color and becomes fragrant. Keep it aside. In the same Pan dry roast Kasuri Methi/dry fenugreek leaves. Keep it aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil and ghee. Add Paneer cubes and fry it till light brown on both sides. Take it out in a bowl filled with warm water and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and lightly crushed green cardamom. Saute it for a minute.
• Add finely chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute them till they turn golden brown in color.
• Add Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and roasted besan/gram flour. Saute it for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Remember, already added salt in Paneer cubes earlier.
• Keep the flame low and add curd. Continuously stir it and cook for 2 minutes. Gravy starts to release oil. Now add water and mix well.
• Cover and cook till oil starts to float on the surface of the pan. Add Paneer Cubes. Let it simmer on a low flame for 2 minutes.
• Add Garam Masala and Kasuri Methi/ Dried fenugreek leaves. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame.
• Garnish with Kasuri methi or chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Naan/Roti. 🙂

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 for the recipe.
• Roast Kasuri Methi before adding it to the gravy.

How to make dhaba style paneer masala with step by step photos:

1. Firstly, take paneer cubes in a mixing bowl. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder. Toss it gently and keep it aside.

2. Heat a Pan. Add Besan/Gram flour and roast it, till it changes its color and becomes fragrant. Keep it aside. In the same Pan dry roast Kasuri Methi/dry fenugreek leaves. Keep it aside. Now, add oil and ghee. Add Paneer cubes and fry it till light brown on both sides. Take it out in a bowl filled with warm water and keep it aside.

3. In the same pan add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and lightly crushed green cardamom. Saute it for a minute. Add finely chopped Onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute them till they turn golden brown in color.

4. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and roasted besan/gram flour. Saute it for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and salt. Remember, already added salt in paneer cubes earlier. SAute for 2 minutes.

6. Keep the flame low and add curd. Continuously stir it and cook for 2 minutes. Gravy starts to release oil. Now add water and mix well.

7. Cover and cook till oil starts to float on the surface of the pan. It may take 15-20 minutes.

8. Add Paneer Cubes. Let it simmer on a low flame for 2 minutes.

9. Now to this, add garam masala and kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame. Garnish with kasuri methi or chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Naan/Roti. 🙂

Please leave your valuable suggestions, feedback or any query related to the recipe in the comment box. If you make this recipe in any other way, do share your tips and suggestions to make it better. Till then enjoy your day………Happy Cooking 🙂