Restaurant Style Paneer Lababdar + Video

Paneer Lababdar is a authentic Punjabi accompaniment that has a luscious combination of cottage cheese and exotic gravy made from tomato puree, chopped onions, cashew nuts and spices. It goes very well with Indian bread like Butter and Garlic Naan, Laccha Paratha and can be served with Jeera Rice, Dal Makhani as well. Here is how to make Paneer Lababdar Recipe in restaurant style.

Isn’t Paneer a very quintessential part of the Indian cuisine especially North Indian, folks? Whenever I plan on organizing a party or a festive dinner, at least one paneer based delicacy is always on my menu.

Right from starters like Paneer Aloo ki Tikki, Sesame Grilled Paneer till desserts like Paneer Kheer and even extraordinary sabzis like Paneer Pasanda turn out to be crowd pleasers by the sheer addition of cubed paneer to an otherwise simple array of ingredients.

My today’s recipe Paneer Lababdar Restaurant Style is an aromatic, sweet and slightly spicy sabzi that swoons its eaters with enchanting flavours and its smooth paste like gravy.

I learned this secret of adding a pinch of kasuri methi while making Paneer Lababdar Recipe. It grants such a nice flavour and aroma to this sabzi that I simply cannot describe it.

How to make Paneer at home?

To make paneer at home, boil 1 litre full fat milk until it comes to a rolling boil. Switch off the heat and add 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar in the milk. Let the milk rest for 5 minutes. Strain the milk in a cheese cloth and press the cloth with a heavy weight to drain the water.

Keep aside for 1-2 hours until most of the water is drained and the paneer is set. Now cut this paneer into pieces and use as required.

How to make Paneer Lababdar?

Don’t feel intimated by the name of this dish thinking that  making this sabzi might be difficult. In fact, it is very convenient to make it, people.

You simply get started by heating some oil and ghee in a pan. Once they get hot add zeera, cinnamon stick and green cardamom and let them crackle for a few minutes. Then add chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Later, add ginger and garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown. Add chopped green chillies and chopped tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Cool it down and grind this mix in a mixture with soaked cashews till you get smooth paste.

Now, again cook this paste with chilli powder, bay leaf, coriander powder on a medium flame and you may add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. As  you find that the gravy is nicely fried then add paneer cubes, grated paneer, milk, honey, kasuri methi and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Finally, garnish creamy, smooth and nom nom Paneer Lababdar wth fresh coriander leaves and gorge it with Naan or parathas. Easy peasy and super scrumptious, right? Read my recipe for Paneer Lababdar and make it for today’s dinner then? What say?

Tips to make Best Paneer Lababdar Restaurant Style

Use best quality panner to make Paneer Lababdar.

For the restaurant like smoky flavour, you can smoke the curry. For that heat a piece of charcoal over direct flame until it is red hot. Keep a container in the pan with the curry. Keep the heated piece of charcoal in that container and drizzle with 1 tsp ghee. Put the lid on the pan immediately and let the smoke get infused in the curry. Remove the pan with the charcoal and cook the curry once again before serving.

Instead of Cashew Nuts, you can also add seeds like melon seed, poppy seeds etc.

Kasuri Methi gives a very delicious flavour to this dish, so I highly recommend not skipping it.

Paneer Lababdar Vs Shahi Paneer

Paneer Lababdar have grated paneer added in the gravy along with the paneer cubes which gives it a very nice rich and chunky texture. The gravy of Shahi Paneer on the other hand is very smooth and creamy.

Paneer Lababdar vs Kadai Paneer

These two are very different curries. While Paneer Lababdar is creamy and rich, Kadai Paneer gravy is on the spicier side. It also have cubes of capsicum added to it.

You might also like

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Aloo Tikki

Palak Paneer

How to make Paneer Lababdar Recipe Step by Step

Heat oil and ghee in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, add zeera, cinnamon stick and green cardamom and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add onion and fry till translucent.

Now add ginger and garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown.

Now add green chillies and tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.

Add the mixture in the jar of a blender along with soaked cashew nuts and blend to make a smooth paste. Use little water if required.

Add the smooth paste in the same pan and put  coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt and fry the masala for 3-4 minutes.

Now add panner cubes and grated panner along with milk and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add honey, lemon juice and kasuri methi and cook for a minute.

Paneer Lababdar Video Recipe

Paneer Lababdar Recipe

4.19 from 11 votes

Print

Paneer Lababdar

Paneer Lababdar is a hardcore, authentic Punjabi accompaniment that has a luscious combination of cottage cheese and exotic gravy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 442 kcal

Author Neha Mathur

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 1 cup Onion Chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 2 Green Chilli Chopped
• 1 cup Tomato Chopped
• 8-10 Cashew Nuts Soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 2 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• Salt to taste
• 300 g Paneer cut into small pieces
• 100 g Grated Paneer
• 300 ml Milk
• 1 tsp Honey
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Kasuri Methi

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a pan.

2. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and green cardamom and let them crackle for a few seconds.

3. Add onion and fry till translucent.

4. Now add ginger and garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown.

5. Now add green chillies and tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from heat.

7. Add the mixture in the jar of a blender along with soaked cashew nuts and blend to make a smooth paste.

8. Use little water if required.

9. Add the smooth paste in the same pan.

10. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt and fry the masala for 3-4 minutes.

11. Now add panner cubes and grated panner along with milk and cook for 2-3 minutes.

12. Add honey, lemon juice and kasuri methi and cook for a minute.

13. Serve hot with Paratha or Naan.

Recipe Notes

For the restaurant like smoky flavour, you can smoke the curry. For that heat a piece of charcoal over direct flame until it is red hot. Keep a container in the pan with the curry. Keep the heated piece of charcoal in that container and drizzle with 1 tsp ghee. Keep the lid on the pan immediately and let the smoke get infused in the curry. Remove the pan with the charcoal and cook the curry once again before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Paneer Lababdar

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 207mg9%

Potassium 336mg10%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 1045IU21%

Vitamin C 15mg18%

Calcium 486mg49%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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