Paneer Masala recipe, Dhaba style paneer masala

Paneer Masala recipe, a Dhaba style paneer masala an aromatic paneer gravy prepared by marinating paneer in basic spices and cooked in an onion tomato based semi gravy. I have noted this Dhaba style Paneer recipe from Chef Venkatesh Bhat show, 2 years back. I very rarely note down recipes, and this is one is among them. I tweaked the recipe to suit our taste buds. Yesterday while i was checking for something in my old note book, happened to see this recipe. I have a pack of fresh paneer at home and wanted to try out this paneer masala recipe. It was a super duper hit at home and kids loved it a lot. Do try this Dhaba style paneer masala at home and I am sure you will love it.

• Cut the paneer into cubes.
• Let’s marinate the paneer cubes.
• In a wide bowl add the paneer cubes, ginger garlic paste, gram flour(besan), red chili powder, salt, lemon juice and water.
• Mix well and let the ingredients coat nicely on the paneer.

• Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• If you are comfortable in deep frying, go ahead and deep fry. I didn’t do that.
• In a non stick pan, add 1 tblsp oil and 1 tsp ghee.
• Add the marinated paneer and cook till the paneer becomes golden brown.
• Keep it aside.

• Finely chop the onions and puree the tomato.
• Cut the capsicum into cubes and slit the green chili.
• In the same pan add the remaining 2 tblsp oil and 2 tsp ghee.
• Add the cumin seeds and  slit green chili.
• Add the finely chopped onions to the pan.
• Cook till the onions become translucent.

• Add the capsicum cubes to this.
• Cook for a minute.
• Add in the tomato puree to this.
• Mix well.
• Add the red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala, kasoori methi and chaat masala to this.

• Add salt to taste.
• Mix well and let this cook in low flame for 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of  water to this.

• Let this cook till the raw smell of the masala goes off.
• The water must be evaporated by this time.
• Add in the paneer cubes, which we have kept aside.

• Mix well and add 1/2 cup of water.
• As the paneer cubes are marinated in gram flour, the gravy will thicken in 2 minutes.
• Switch off the flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis or kulcha or naan.
• This paneer masala goes well with peas pulao too.
• I wanted to give an extra dhaba style touch, so i heated a charcoal and placed it in a steel bowl.
• Place that inside the pan and add a drop of ghee on the charcoal and immediately cover the pan.
• Leave it for a minute.

• Let the smoke get infused into the curry.
• Mix well and serve.

• You can skip this step if you do not have an charcoal. But if you happened to get Charcoal, do give it a try to get an amazing flavor.

1. Use fresh paneer for best taste, if you don’t get fresh paneer, either make at home or use frozen paneer to make Paneer masala.