Paneer Lababdar Recipe | How to make Restaurant-Style Paneer Lababdar with detailed photo and video recipe. This popular North Indian gravy is made with cottage cheese in a creamy and rich tomato and onion gravy. It is mainly served with roti or naan and can also be extended to jeera rice. The recipe is similar to paneer butter masala, yet has unique and subtle variations, making it a popular paneer curry.
Paneer Lababdar Recipe | How to make Restaurant-Style Paneer Lababdar with step-by-step photo and video recipe. North Indian curries or gravies are known for their richness and creaminess. Typically, they are made with a mix of vegetables and paneer tossed and cooked in a cashew-based tomato-onion base.
As I mentioned, the recipe for paneer lababdar is very similar to the paneer butter masala or paneer makhani recipe. The recipe for the latter is much simpler and can be made instantly. The lababdar recipe is complicated and requires boiling tomatoes and spices in water, which is then converted to a flavoured tomato puree. This adds a lot of flavour and aroma to the puree, which is eventually added to the curry base. The butter masala recipe is straightforward and made with sautéing onions and tomatoes, blending them into a fine paste. It is an ideal paneer curry that can be served with a wide range of Indian flat breads. In particular, garlic naan and tandoori roti are ideal breads for this curry.
The paneer lababdar recipe can be overwhelming for beginners, but it should be uncomplicated if you follow these tips and suggestions. The recipe is a 2-step process for preparing the base as the first step and adding paneer cubes and spices as the second step. The point I am making here is that you can make the base well in advance and deep freeze it to use it as required. Secondly, I have used fresh homemade paneer cubes for this recipe, which are moist and soft. You can use store-bought paneer, but ensure it is fresh and moist before buying it. Lastly, the gravy would turn thick once it cools down. Hence, add some water to maintain the consistency before reheating and serving it.
Finally, I request that you check my other top paneer-based curry recipe collection with this post on the paneer lababdar recipe. It includes recipes like matar paneer, palak paneer, paneer kolhapuri, malai kofta, paneer bhurji, chilli paneer and palak kofta. In addition, do check my other related and popular recipe collections, like,
About Paneer Lababdar Curry
Paneer Lababdar is an excellent, premium-rich North Indian curry with deep roots in ancient royal traditional Indian kitchens. It means irresistible, satisfying, tempting, rich and royal curry. The recipe strongly resembles the popular Paneer Butter Masala but has a unique texture. Unlike other North Indian curries, this gravy has a coarse texture mainly derived from grinding the cooked onion and tomatoes in a spice soup. The sauce is later cooked with large paneer cubes, with grated paneer cheese to top it off. Thus creating a super-rich, rustic texture for the curry.
There are many different variations to this popular creamy Paneer Lababdar Recipe. The most common way is to make it with red chilli powder, which gives it a bright red colour. The other variation is to have a smoky-flavoured curry known as Dhungar Style. In addition, adding spinach puree gives it a rich green colour known as Lababdar Green. Further, the same curry can be made healthier by skipping cooking cream. Finally, it can also be made in South Indian style by adding coconut milk and curry leaves.
Video Recipe
Recipe Card for Paneer Lababdar
Paneer Lababdar Recipe | Restaurant Style Creamy Paneer Curry
Easy Paneer Lababdar Recipe | Restaurant Style Creamy Paneer Curry
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Firstly, in a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and saute the spices.
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Also add 5 cloves of garlic, 1 inch of ginger and 2 onions. Saute well.
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Further, add 2 tomatoes, 2 tbsp cashew and 2 tbsp melon seeds, 1 tsp salt, and 2 dried red chillies.
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Saute well till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
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Cool completely, grind to a smooth paste, and add water as required.
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Now filter the base to get a silky smooth base gravy. Keep aside.
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In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp cumin. Saute till it turns aromatic.
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Further add 1 onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown.
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Keeping the flame low, add ½ tsp turmeric, 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and ½ tsp cumin powder. Saute til the spices turn aromatic.
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Now, add masala gravy to the base and cook well. Cook till the oil separates.
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Furthermore, add 2 cups of hot water, ½ tsp salt and cook, adjusting the consistency.
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In a pan heat 1 tbsp butter, add 18 cubes of paneer, ½ capsicum and stir fry.
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Also add ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp kasuri methi and a pinch of salt.
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Saute till the paneer is cooked well.
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Transfer the masala paneer 4 tbsp grated paneer and mix well.
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Cook for 10 minutes, or until the gravy is cooked well.
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Further add 2 tbsp coriander, 2 tbsp kasuri methi, ½ tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp cream. Mix well.
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Finally, enjoy Paneer Lababdar Recipe with roti.
Calories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 621mgPotassium: 283mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1017IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
How to Make Paneer Lababdar with Step-by-step Photos
- Firstly, in a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and saute the spices.
- Also add 5 cloves of garlic, 1 inch of ginger and 2 onions. Saute well. Further, add 2 tomatoes, 2 tbsp cashew and 2 tbsp melon seeds, 1 tsp salt, and 2 dried red chillies.
- Saute well till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Cool completely, grind to a smooth paste, and add water as required.
- Now filter the base to get a silky smooth base gravy. Keep aside.
- In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp cumin. Saute till it turns aromatic. Further add 1 onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown.
- Keeping the flame low, add ½ tsp turmeric, 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and ½ tsp cumin powder. Saute til the spices turn aromatic.
- Now, add masala gravy to the base and cook well. Cook till the oil separates. Furthermore, add 2 cups of hot water, ½ tsp salt and cook, adjusting the consistency.
- In a pan heat 1 tbsp butter, add 18 cubes of paneer, ½ capsicum and stir fry.
- Also add ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp kasuri methi and a pinch of salt.
- Saute till the paneer is cooked well.
- Transfer the masala paneer 4 tbsp grated paneer and mix well.
- Cook for 10 minutes, or until the gravy is cooked well.
- Further add 2 tbsp coriander, 2 tbsp kasuri methi, ½ tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp cream. Mix well.
- Finally, enjoy Paneer Lababdar Recipe with roti.
Notes
- Firstly, combine cashew and melon seeds to get a creamy curry.
- Also, adding grated paneer makes the gravy rich.
- Additionally, sieve the gravy base to get a silky smooth curry.
- Finally, use moist and fresh homemade paneer to prepare the Paneer Lababdar Recipe.
