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Restaurant Style Paneer Masala

A delicious, restaurant-style masala with paneer and capsicums, filled with flavours and made with simple ingredients.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

For marinating paneer

  • 200 grams cubed paneer about 2 cups cubed paneer ( 1 inch cubes)
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ghee for frying paneer

For Masala

  • 2 tbsp besan or chickpeas flour
  • 2 tbsp oil + ghee can be substituted with only oil too
  • 1 clove
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 cardamom
  • 2 red chillies
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 2 cups pureed tomatoes blend fresh tomatoes to a puree, about 3-4 tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp yoghurt
  • 2 slit green chillies
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi
  • 1 cup chopped capsicum or substitute with 1/2 cup frozen peas for a paneer mutter gravy
  • ¾ cup water
  • coriander leaves and ginger juliennes for garnish

Instructions

Prep Steps

  • To a pan on low heat, add the besan/chickpeas flour and saute for a minute. Ensure the colour does not change. The flour must smell fragrant. Remove and keep aside.
  • Add red chilli powder, salt, garam masala to cubed paneer and mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes
  • To a pan , add 1 tbsp ghee and fry the paneer pieces flipping both sides. Remove and keep aside

Making Masala

  • To a pan on low heat, add oil and ghee. The ghee adds a richness, however you can substitute with oil. To this, add the dry spices - cinnamon, clove, cardamom, cumin and then the red chillies. Fry for 30 seconds.
  • Add chopped onions, followed by the ginger and garlic paste. Fry well for a minute.
  • Now, add the roasted bean and the spice powders - red chilli, corainder, garam masala. Mix well and ensure the spices get roasted.
  • Then, add the pureed tomatoes, salt. Mix well, and close the pan and let it cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
  • Once the gravy is cooked, reduce heat and add the curd. Ensure the curd is not too sour and the flame is low.
  • Add the kasoori methi, slit chillies. Then, add chopped capsicum. Mix well and close, cook again for 2- 3 minutes. Flame must be low at this stage.
  • Add as much water as required for the gravy. This is not a very thin gravy, so about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup is ideal. Cook for a minute until the water heats up.
  • Finally, add the fried paneer pieces. Mix to coat them in the gravy. Let it simmer for two minutes. Garnish and serve.