The Dhaba Style Paneer Masala is made with chopped tomatoes, coarsely ground whole spices and soft Paneer. It is best served with Roti or Naan and steamed rice. Jump to:About Dhaba Style Paneer MasalaWhy You Will Love This RecipeIngredients and NotesHow To Make Dhaba Style Paneer MasalaServing SuggestionsHelpful TipsMore Paneer RecipesRecipe Card
About Dhaba Style Paneer Masala
A Dhaba is a roadside restaurant in the Indian subcontinent. It is located on highways and also serves as a truck or bus stop. It is also beside service stations. When I was in India, I remember we often stopped and ate at this Dhaba during our travel by car or bus. The food is fresh and usually belongs to their local cuisine. So this Dhaba Style Paneer Masala belongs to those memories I still savor. However, I didn’t use oil, Ghee, and spices as liberally as in Dhaba. I have kept this dish as per my family’s taste with Dhaba-style rustic flavors. While Paneer Butter Masala is made with velvety smooth gravy and looks decently restaurant-style, this Paneer Masala is Dhaba-style. The dish is made with chopped tomatoes, and the plate looks rustic with roadside Dhaba flavors.
Ingredients and Notes
Paneer: Using fresh and soft Paneer is essential for the success of the curry. I used homemade paneer to make this curry. But if you are using a store-bought Paneer, make sure to bring it to room temperature before using it in the recipe. You can also Place the Paneer in a Ziploc bag or container and place it in hot water for at least 20 minutes to make the Paneer soft. After adding Paneer to the gravy, I closed the lid and cooked the Paneer for 3-4 minutes. It makes Paneer soft and melt in the mouth. Tomatoes: As always, use fresh and ripe tomatoes to make the curry. In Paneer Masala, I chop tomatoes rather than blend them into a puree. Alternatively, we can also roughly grind the tomatoes, making sure not to blend into a smooth paste. Spices and Garam Masala: In this recipe, I used whole spices, ground spices, and Homemade Garam Masala powder. Using coarsely ground whole spices makes the curry super flavorful and delicious. I used Kashmiri red chili powder, and so the dish has a beautifully vibrant color, but it is not too spicy. You can skip Garam Masala powder or green chili to make it less spicy. Chickpea Flour: Chickpea flour or Besan is my thickening ingredient in this recipe. Generally, I use cashews to make the gravy thick and smooth. But since it is Dhaba-style food, I am sure they don’t use cashews in Dhaba (their dishes are cost-effective). The friendly alternative is chickpea flour; it thickens the tomato mixture, so the gravy coats well to Paneer. Yogurt or Cream: I recommend using yogurt. Whisk to make it smooth, and then add the curry. But if your yogurt is sour, do not use it. Instead, use the cream.
How To Make Dhaba Style Paneer Masala
Seasoning The Paneer
Place the Paneer cubes in a bowl. Then, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Garam Masala powder, salt, and water. Toss well so spices coat the Paneer cubes. Set aside.
Making Dry Masala
Coarsely grind cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamoms, whole black peppercorns, and fennel seeds. I ground them with mortar and pestle to keep the spices coarse. You can also grind it in the mixer, but do not make a fine powder. Keep the masala coarsely ground. Set aside.
Making Dhaba Style Paneer Masala
Chop the tomatoes finely and set them aside. Instead of chopping, we can also blend the tomatoes. But do not make the fine puree; instead, keep the puree with small tomato chunks.
Heat oil and Ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and whole dry red chilis.
After cumin seeds start sizzling, add asafoetida, ginger paste, and slitted green chili. Saute for few seconds.
Add the dry ground masala and saute for a minute or until spices are aromatic. Keep stirring continuously to prevent the spices from sticking to the pan. Do not cook the masala for long; otherwise, it will start burning.
Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook the tomatoes for a couple of minutes.
Then add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and Garam masala powder. Mix well.
Continue cooking the tomato mixture until tomatoes are soft, pulpy, and almost like a thick gravy.
Add salt, chickpea flour, coriander leaves, and dried fenugreek leaves. Mix immediately to prevent lumps from chickpea flour.
Then add water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the gravy on low to medium flame for 8-10 minutes or until it thickens and oil separates; keep stirring in intervals. I have added ½ cup of water, but if you want Paneer Masala more liquidy, add more water as needed.
Add seasoned Paneer cubes and mix well. Cover the lid and cook Paneer in the gravy on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Covering the lid and cooking Paneer into the gravy, make Paneer very soft and melt in the mouth.
Remove the lid and add whisked yogurt (do not use sour yogurt) or cream. Mix well, turn off the heat and serve hot with Roti, Paratha, or Naan. It goes well with steamed rice as well.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious curry with any Indian flatbread of your choice. It goes well with Roti, Tandoori Roti, Naan, Kulcha, Paratha, or this Whole Wheat Kulcha (No Yeast) / Kulcha On Tawa. You can also serve it with plain rice, Jeera rice, or Pulao. If you want to make a festive meal, pair Dhaba Style Paneer Masala with other Dal preparations and accompaniments like Boondi Raita or Cucumber Raita.
Helpful Tips
Use fresh and soft Paneer for the best flavors and taste. I like to add low-fat yogurt to this curry to keep it healthy and low-fat. But instead of yogurt, you can add cream if you want. I have added homemade Garam Masala to this Paneer Masala. But you can add this Kitchen King Masala instead of Garam Masala. Instead of chopping tomatoes, you can also coarsely grind them.
More Paneer Recipes
Paneer Butter Masala No Onion No Garlic (Restaurant Style) Kadai Masala Powder Chilli Paneer No Onion No Garlic | Jain Chili Paneer Dry Tomato Soup (Restaurant Style) / Tomato Soup No Onion No Garlic
