Dahi Paneer Masala Recipe (Paneer In Yogurt Curry)
Dahi Paneer Masala is delicious and spicy paneer (Indian cottage cheese) curry made using yogurt as the base. It is easy, quick, and comes together in just 30 minutes.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
To Fry The Paneer
- 1 pound paneer 500 g
- 3 tablespoon mustard oil or any other cooking oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
To Make The Curry
- ¼ cup cashew nuts
- ¼ cup melon seeds
- 1 pound plain yogurt (dahi, curd) 500 g, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons roasted chickpea flour (bhuna besan, roasted gram flour)
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil or any other cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 inch piece of ginger julienned
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
Fry The Paneer
- Cut paneer into 1-inch pieces and rinse them with water. Drain well and pat dry using a paper towel.
- Stir together 1 tablespoon mustard oil, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, Kasuri methi, ginger paste, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the paneer pieces to the bowl and coat them well with the spices. Be very gentle otherwise, the paneer may break.
- Heat 2 tablespoon mustard oil in a flat skillet over medium-high heat.
- Arrange the paneer pieces on the skillet in a single layer and fry from both sides until lightly browned.
- Remove on a plate.
- Tip – If you like soft paneer, then dunk the fried paneer pieces in warm water. You can later use the water in the curry.
Make The Cashew & Melon Paste
- Boil 2 cups of water in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add melon seeds and cashew nuts to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and drain the water.
- Add the cooked cashew nuts and melon seeds to a food processor with ¼ cup of cold water and blend to make a smooth paste.
Make The Curry
- Whisk yogurt with chickpea flour, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and, cashew nut and melon paste. Set aside.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the remaining oil from frying the paneer to the same pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cardamoms, and cloves, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add green chilies and ginger and fry for 20-30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Now add the yogurt whisked with the spices to the pan. The yogurt will splatter a lot, so be very careful.
- Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Add 1 cup of boiling hot water and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the fried paneer cubes to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. You can add some more water if the curry is thick for your liking.
- Add Kasuri methi and cilantro and cook for another minute.
- Check for salt and add more if required. Dahi paneer is ready. Serve it hot.
Video
Notes
You can replace paneer with boiled potatoes for a variation.
How to roast besan? Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add the besan. Stir frequently and cook until the besan turns a golden brown color. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Once the besan is roasted, cool it completely, store it in an airtight jar, and use it in any recipe that calls for roasted besan.
Nutrition
Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 708mg | Iron: 1mg
