Paneer Lababdar

Paneer Lababadar is an elaborate restaurant style curry with a rich, creamy and super flavorful onion-tomato gravy. You will get the taste of paneer in every bite as we add grated paneer and cubed paneer to the gravy.

About Paneer Lababdar Recipe

It is a popular paneer gravy dish and can be found on the menu of many Indian restaurants.

My Pane Lababadar recipe is more Punjabi style than Moghlai style, adding onions, tomatoes, cashews and spices. It does not rely heavily on the consumption of nuts, dried fruits or seeds Cashews are the only nuts in the recipe

Paneer Lababdar is truly a dish that you will always love to prepare for special occasions or festivals Its richness, creaminess and deliciousness will wow you every time Perfect for getting ready for festivals or special occasions

What is Paneer Lababdar made of?

Paneer Lababadar gravy is made from a spicy tomato and cashew paste which is then mixed with onions, more spices and herbs, has a nice tang and is full of flavour. The combination of sugar and cream gives the dish a creamy and faintly sweet taste

All you need are your regular Indian pantry staple ingredients to make this restaurant style paneer recipe.

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese): This is the main ingredient in the dish and a good quality paneer must be used. In fact, like all my paneer recipes, I recommend using homemade paneer This ensures freshness and avoids any hidden ingredients and preservatives found in store-bought paneer.

Tomatoes: Adding a little spice to the dish, tomatoes are an important ingredient in gravy Be sure to choose tomatoes that are not too tangy or sour

Cashews: The creamy consistency in paneer lababadar comes from cashews Cashew nuts are ground into a paste with tomatoes Cashews also add a nice sweetness to the dish

Cream: The addition of cream adds sweetness and richness to the gravy, making it arestaurantreamdish.style

Onions: The onions in the fries are not pureed, but chopped and lightly caramelized Thus they add some sweetness and a slightly tangy taste 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. Garam masala powder can be purchased, but it's also a good spice to make from scratch and have on hand Here I am sharing the recipe for making garam masala powder

How to make Paneer Lababdar

Preparation

To a small pan add the following listed ingredients:

1.5 cups chopped tomatoes (Use tomatoes that are not too tangy or sour)
10 to 12 cashews
1 inch chopped ginger
2 to 3 chopped garlic cloves (medium-sized)
1 green cardamom
2 cloves
½ cup water

Turn on the stovetop and boil this mixture on low heat

. Cook until the tomatoes are soft If the water dries up and the tomatoes don't soften, add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Almost all the water evaporated while I was cooking

. Allow the mixture to warm or cool to room temperature Transfer all ingredients to a grinder or blender bowl

Grind or blend to a smooth paste The paste should not contain any cashew nuts or tomato pieces

You can add some water if needed during grinding or blending Put this ground tomato-cashew-masala paste together

Sautéing onions and tomato paste

. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, kadai or wok You can also use ghee (clarified butter) or a neutral flavored oil

Heat the butter on a low to medium heat ensuring that it does not burn.

Add 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and saute for a couple of seconds.

Add ½ cup finely chopped onions.

Stir and mix well.

Then stir and cook until the onions are light golden or medium-low to medium golden.

Then add the tomato-cashew-masala paste If there is water in it the mixture will break, so be careful

Stir and mix thoroughly.

. Add the following ground masala powder:

½ tsp cumin powder (ground cumin)

½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)

½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper

Stir in the ground spices Keep this masala on low to medium-low heat You will see the masala clump together around itself

Until you see the fat leaving the sides of the masala paste The masala will also look glossy and shiny

Making Paneer Lababdar

hen add 1 cup of water to the perfectly sauteed masala.

Mix very well.

Add 1 or 2 slit green chilies.

. Stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer on medium-low to medium heat.

Then season with salt according to your taste preferences.

Add sugar. I added ½ teaspoon of sugar but you can add as per your taste.

Add 200 grams of paneer that has been cut into cubes or squares Also add 2 tbsp of grated paneer

Here I used fresh homemade paneer If using frozen paneer, soak it in warm water for a few minutes and then slice it.

Gently mix and switch off the heat.

. Then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kasuri mithi (dry fenugreek leaves) that has been crushed with ¼ teaspoon of garam masala powder. Mix again very well

Add ¼ cup low-fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream.

Again mix well slowly so as not to break the paneer cubes You can add 1 tablespoon of butter at this step or dot the gravy with butter when serving. This is optional

. Garnish with chopped cilantro and ginger julienne

Paneer labadar goes well with Indian flatbreads including roti, naan, or pudina parla. Also, this creamy gravy can be served with cumin rice or vegetable pulao.

FAQs for Paneer Lababdar

Can I use canned tomatoes or tomato puree?

Yes definitely Add 1.5 cups of canned tomatoes while mixing the cashews Canned tomatoes with cashews do not need to be cooked For tomato puree, add ¾ cup directly while sauteing with cashew paste. If you use tomato puree then you only need to prepare cashew and masala paste

What can I use instead of kasuri methi?

Kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves If you don't have them, just skip them

Can I make Pane Rabadar without onion and garlic?

Yes absolutely! Add 1 teaspoon asafoetida or asafoetida (if you have it on hand) when sauteing the tomato-cashew paste, instead of using it in the recipe to get the mild flavor of onion and garlic.

Can I skip the cream?

Yes you can easily skip adding cream

Can I use Malay?

Malai, which is the clotted cream that collects on top of the boiled milk, must be whisked to a smooth flowing consistency before adding it to the gravy.

What can I substitute with cashews?

Add almonds that have been soaked in hot water for 30 minutes

Can I profitably cheat on this drink?

Yes sure you can The smoking method will give your paneer a truly smoky restaurant-style flavor.

How do I make a vegan recipe for Paneer Lababadar?

Replace firm tofu, seitan, tempeh with paneer Skip adding cream altogether or replace it with coconut cream Add a neutral flavored oil instead of oil

Can I make a big batch and freeze it?

Yes you can definitely do that My recipe can easily be scaled up If frozen, paneer lababdar gravy stays good for about a month In the refrigerator, it stays good for two days