Paneer lababdar recipe| how to make restaurant style paneer lababdar

Paneer lababdar is an restaurant style authentic Punjabi dish which is a combination of grated paneer and cottage cheese cubes and veggies and cooked in a onion tomato cashews gravy which is creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet gravy. Its richness, creaminess and deliciousness will increase your taste. You can say in other words “WOW ITS YUMMY DELICIOUS”. I always love to make this recipe for Weekdays or special occasions and parties. The use of dry fruits enhances smooth, creamy and mild and sweet gravy and garnished with coriander leaves and serves with naan, tandoori roti, chapati, lachcha paratha, Malabar paratha and jeera rice or veg pulao.

RESTAURANT STYLE PANEER LABABDAR

What is paneer lababdar?

What is paneer lababdar made of?

Common Ingredients which we used in every paneer dish are

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese): This is the main ingredient in the dish. You can use any good quality paneer. I prefer Homemade paneer which ensures freshness and avoids any hidden ingredients and preservatives found in store-bought paneer.

Tomatoes: Giving the dish a bit of tang, tomatoes are an important ingredient in the gravy. Use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.

Cashews: The addition of cashews nuts enhances the richness and creamy texture to the exotic gravy. Cashews also add a lovely sweetness to the dish.

Cream: To make a dish as a restaurant style, add fresh cream or malai(collected cream on top of the milk) which increase the sweetness and richness of the paneer gravy.

Onions: For the restaurant style recipe, we use onion as a finely chopped and sauté till Thus they add some sweetness and a slight sharp flavor to the curry.

Spices and Herbs: Most of the spices and herbs used in this recipe are common and you probably already have them in your kitchen.

Can I make paneer lababdar without onion and garlic?

Yes, you can make paneer lababdar without onion and garlic. The addition of onion, garlic enhance the mild flavors , Instead of adding onion, garlic, you can add asafetida or hing (that is if you have it) when sauting the tomato-cashew paste.

What is the difference between paneer lababadar and paneer butter masala?

Paneer lababdar and paneer butter masala both are delicious recipes. Both are similar but Paneer lababdar is an restaurant style authentic punjabi dish which is a combination of grated paneer and cottage cheese cubes and veggies which gives you memorable delicious panner experience and cooked in a onion tomato cashews gravy which is creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet gravy. Whereas Paneer butter masala requires boiling of tomatoes and spices in water which is then converted to a flavoured tomato puree and adds a lot of flavors and aroma to the puree.

How to serve paneer lababdar?

Paneer lababdar serves with naan, tandoori roti, chapati, lachcha paratha, malabar paratha and jeera rice or veg pulao. And a side of raita or a salad really completes the meal.

How do I make a vegan recipe of paneer lababdar?

You can add substitution of paneer with tofu and veggies. You can add coconut milk instead of fresh cream.

Can I skip cream?

Yes, you can skip cream. Or if you don’t have cream, you can use Malai which is also a thick cream that collects on the top of the boiled milk. Heat milk and boil it and after boiling, let it sit aside for 30mins cooled down and then stored in a refrigerator for 4-5 hours. Then u will see thick cream collected on top of the milk.

Can I make a large batch and freeze it?

Yes you can make this recipe for a large scale and kept in refrigerator for about months. It’s goes for a couple of days.

More paneer gravy recipes as follow:

PALAK PANEER

PANEER MASALA

Recipe card for restaurant style paneer lababdar recipe:

RESTAURANT STYLE

PANEER LABABDAR

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME:40 MINUTES

CUSINE: NORTH INDIAN

AUTHOR: SWATI RASOI

SERVES: 4

INGREDIANTS

200 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
2 medium size capsicum, finely chopped
2 medium size onion, finely chopped

2 to 2.5 tablespoon crumbled or grated paneer

Making tomato-cashew-spices paste

1 medium size onion, roughly chopped
2 medium size tomato, roughly chopped

6 to 8 cashews - finely chopped or 2 tablespoon finely chopped cashews

4-5 almonds- finely chopped

1 or 2 green chillies, chopped

Gravy Preparation

½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahjeera)

1 bay leaf ( tej patta)
1 cinnamon stick (dalchini)
2 green cardamom (choti elaichi)
2 cloves (long)

½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle or 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

1 cup water

2 tablespoon fresh cream

2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish

salt as required

PREPARATION

Making tomato-cashew-spices paste

Heat oil and butter in a deep sauce pan.
Now, add cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.
Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and green cardamom and saute until it turns aromatic.
Now add ginger garlic paste and onion and fry till translucent.
Now add tomatoes, cashews nuts, almonds and red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriandar powder and salt. Use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.
Now,add red chilli powder and simmer this mixture on a low flame.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or till the tomatoes are softened.
Allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely and in a blender jar, add this mixture to make a smooth paste. You may add some water if required while grinding. Keep this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.
In the same pan, heat up 1 tablespoon oil.
Now, add finely chopped capsicum and onion and mix well. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes and keep it aside.

Making Paneer Lababdar

Heat up 2 tablespoon butter in pan or kadai/deep sauce pan.
Add cumin seeds, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Add the ground onion tomato-dry fruits paste and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the paste.
Then add 1 cup water. Stir very well.
Grate 2 tablespoon paneer and cut paneer pieces into triangles.
Add cooked capsicum, onion and 2 tablespoon grated paneer. Mix and cook well.
Now, add paneer cubes to the gravy.
Further, add roasted kasuri methi and garam masala and mix well.
Whisk the cream till smooth and add it to the paneer gravy.
Now, garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the paneer lababdar with naan, tandoori roti, chapati, lachcha paratha, Malabar paratha and jeera rice or veg pulao.

How to make restaurant style paneer lababdar with step by step photo

PREPARATION

Making tomato-cashew-spices paste

1.Heat oil and butter in a deep sauce pan.

2.Now, add cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

3.Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and green cardamom and saute until it turns aromatic.

4.Now, add ginger garlic paste and onion fry till translucent.

5.Now add tomatoes, cashews nuts, almonds and red chilli powder, turmeric powder and corainder powder and salt. Use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.

6. Now, add red chilli powder and salt and simmer this mixture on a low flame.

7.Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or till the tomatoes are softened.

8. Allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely and in a blender jar, add this mixture to make a smooth paste. You may add some water if required while grinding. Keep this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.