We all have our personal favourites of those comfort-food curries that reminisce of our childhood, and this Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry is definitely one of mine. In my opinion, there are two things that make a truly great paneer curry. First, use the best-quality cottage cheese: the creamy malai paneer is preferred over low-fat paneer. I highly recommend making your own paneer at home, as store-bought ones are often inferior in taste. Second, work on the gravy: it should be smooth and oozing with flavour. For making the perfect gravy of my homemade paneer curry, I generally add almost double the amount of water than needed, as paneer absorbs water from the gravy. Hence, I add less salt initially. I lightly fry my paneer cubes with a sprinkle of salt and then submerge them in a bowl of water, so that these remain soft, juicy and absorb less water from the gravy. My Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry is simple, delicious, and I’d be quite happy to eat it weekly year-round. All of the rustic flavours of my favourite vegetarian dish come together in this light, gorgeous paneer curry that tastes like, or even better than, the ones served in restaurants!

Sundays are for dishes like this! I am taking this delectable Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry to a Sunday potluck with some close friends. I am making some Kosha Dim (Bengali-style spicy eggs), too! Although this is a vegetarian dish, my family loves every bit of it. The gravy of this cottage cheese curry tastes outstanding. I am sure that you won’t be able to stop yourself with just one helping! This paneer recipe is a perfect party dish, too! It will make any Indian food-lover happy. Do let me know if you want the recipe. And yes, if you try the recipe of my Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry and like it, do give a shoutout on Instagram (@purabinaha) or Facebook!

And in a week’s time a great experience awaits us. We are gearing up for that. Stay tuned to Cosmopolitan Currymania’s social-media updates to know more!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 12 people

Author: Purabi Naha

Ingredients

• 600 g Malai paneer (cubed, lightly fried with a sprinkle of salt and removed into a bowl of water)
  
  
  
  
• Almost 8 tbsp Onion-based Bhuna masala (see Notes for the recipe)
  
  
  
  
• 1.5 tsp Salt
  
  
  
  
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  
  
  
  
• 3/4 tsp Sugar
  
  
  
  
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
  
  
  
  
• 1 tsp Butter
  
  
  
  
• 3/4 tsp Cumin seeds
  
  
  
  
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
  
  
  
  
• 2 one-inch
  sticks
  
  
  
  Cinnamon
  
  
  
  
• 4 Green cardamoms
  
  
  
  
• 8 Cloves
  
  
  
  
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
  
  
  
  
• 1.5 tsp Kasuri methi (crushed with hand)
  
  
  
  
• 150 ml Tomato puree (store-bought)
  
  
  
  
• 1 Vegetable stock cube (store-bought)
  
  
  
  
• 650 ml Warm water

Instructions

• Heat oil. Add the khada garam masala (cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms). Add the cumin and fennel seeds and wait till the cumin seeds darken a bit. Add the bhuna masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder and sugar and sauté for 5 min.
  
  
  
  
• Add the tomato puree and salt and continue sautéing on a medium flame. After
  about 10 min, add half of the Kasuri methi and sauté briefly.
  
  
  
  
• Take out the fried paneer cubes from water. Discard the water.
  
  
  
  
• Add the fried paneer cubes to the pan or Kadhai. Mix everything together, so that the masala coats the paneer well. Add around ¼ cup water and stir again.
  
  
  
  
• On a low flame, cover the Kadhai and sauté after every 2 min. If the paneer sticks to the utensil, sprinkle little water, stir and cover.
  
  
  
  
• After 10 min, add warm water and powdered vegetable-stock cube and stir well.
• Cover and bring this to a boil on a medium flame. Open the lid and add the rest of the Kasuri methi. Finish off with butter. Stir lightly. Adjust the seasoning. Switch off the gas and keep the vessel covered and undisturbed for around 10 min.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  

  Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy a generous helping of this Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry with parathas, naan, roti or rice.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Notes

Make the Onion-based Bhuna masala the previous day itself to save time. To make it, here's the recipe: Heat 8 tbsp ghee or oil. Add three large-sized, sliced purple onions. Fry till these caramelise well. Add five medium-sized chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp roasted-cumin powder and 2 tsp roasted-coriander powder. Cover and cook on a low flame for about 20 min, stirring from time to time, until the masala starts releasing oil. It should be completely dry and mushy. Switch off the gas. Let it cool at room temperature. Make a paste once cool enough to handle.