How to make Paneer Lababdar?

02 Sep How to make Paneer Lababdar?

Last Updated on September 2, 2022 by blessmyfoodbypayal

Paneer Lababdar recipe with step wise pictorial and video method.

WHAT DOES LABABDAR MEAN?

Lababdar is a word influenced from Mughal cuisine which is used for the dishes that are massively rich and extremely desired.

The dish is such a delicious that Lababdar signifies the total surrender of one’s taste buds.

ABOUT PANEER LABABDAR

Paneer Lababdar is one such dish made with Indian cottage cheese in the luscious rich gravy of tomatoes and onion along with cashews, melon seeds and some other exotic spices.

This mouth watering dish hails from North India is top favourite amongst the restaurant goers for lunch or dinner.

In this recipe, Paneer is added in two forms. One; grated and second; cubes.

Where cubes make a prime dish, the grated paneer in the gravy gives that chunky texture to the velvety gravy.

Moreover the paneer cubes are added raw so that brings more creaminess to each and every bite.

PANEER LABABDAR : AN INSTANT RECIPE

Are you awestruck to read the title?

How a time consuming recipe can be an instant recipe which can be made in less than 5 minutes?

Yes, you can prepare the tomato gravy well in time and freeze it for about a month.

So whenever plans to make a paneer lababdar, just thwart the gravy, add paneer cubes and enjoy.

It is better to freeze the gravy in parts so that if gravy is in huge quantity and you are making paneer lababdar in less quantity, then you need not to de freeze the entire gravy.

INGREDIENTS USED FOR PANEER LABABDAR

PANEER : Paneer is non melting Indian cottage cheese which is easily available in dairy stores. However we have used fresh homemade paneer to make this dish as it is very easy to make it home.

NUTS : We have used cashews and melon seeds to give a creamy and rich texture to the dish.  However you can swap them with almonds or add only one, either it be cashews or melon seeds.

OIL & BUTTER : This recipe uses both, though you can replace butter with desi ghee.

WHOLE SPICES : Cumin seeds, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaf, pepper corns are the whole spices that enhance the flavor of this curry.

SPICE POWDERS : This recipe uses very basic spices like coriander powder,  garam masala powder and salt.

OTHER INGREDIENTS : This curry asks for onions, ginger, garlic, green & dry red chilies, tomatoes, cream and dry fenugreek leaves.

You can replace cream with malai which floats over the surface of boiled milk.

VEGAN OPTIONS

This curry can be made vegan by substituting paneer with tofu and butter with coconut oil.

HOW TO SERVE PANEER LABABDAR?

You can serve it with regular Indian flat bread or garlic naan of Lachha paratha. Just put a dallop of butter while serving hot paneer lababdar.

STEP WISE PICTORIAL RECIPE OF PANEER LABABDAR

1. Take a pan and add oil, cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, green chilies, dry red chilies, green cardamoms, black cardamom, black peppercorns, cashews, melon seeds, ginger and garlic.
2. Saute for few minutes until cumin splutter.
3. Add onion and cook till it turns translucent.
4. Add tomatoes and salt. Stir.
5. Add water.
6. Put a lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes on moderate heat.
7. Let it cool down completely.
8. Make a paste by grinding in a grinder jar. Keep aside.
9. Add butter in a pan.
10. Add tomato gravy. Stir.
11. Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on moderate heat.
12. Then add sugar, coriander powder, garam masala, salt (remember : tomato gravy too has salt) cream and grated paneer. Stir.
13. Add paneer cubes and Fenugreek leaves and stir.

Garnish with dry coriander leaves and serve hot.

NOTES

1. You can adjust the consistency of water as per your requirement.
2. Some like to add red chilli powder and turmeric powder also. However we didn’t.

ALSO SEE

• Kashmiri yellow paneer recipe
• Paneer changezi
• Kashmiri Lal Paneer recipe
• Nawabi kesariya paneer recipe
• Achari Paneer recipe

PANEER LABABDAR -RECIPE CARD

Paneer Lababdar recipe

blessmyfoodbypayal

Paneer Lababdar is one such dish made with Indian cottage cheese in the luscious rich gravy of tomatoes and onion along with cashews, melon seeds and some other exotic spices.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine North Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1 Cup = 200 ml

FOR TOMATO PASTE

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 2 green chilies
• 3 dry red chilies
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 8-10 Black peppercorns
• 2 onion (roughly chopped)
• 3 big tomatoes
• 3 to matoes (roughly chopped)
• Small piece of ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 8-10 cashews
• 1 tbsp melon seeds
• 1 cup Water
• Salt to taste

FOR PANEER LABABDAR

• 2 tbsp butter
• Tomato gravy
• 100 gram paneer (grated)
• 400 gram paneer (cut into cubes)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves
• 1 tbsp cream
• Water (if required)
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

FOR MAKING TOMATO PASTE

• Take a pan and add oil, cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, green chilies, dry red chilies, green cardamoms, black cardamom, black peppercorns, cashews, melon seeds, ginger and garlic.
• Saute for few minutes until cumin splitter.
• Add onion and cook till it turns translucent.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Stir.
• Add water.
• Put a lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes on moderate heat.
• Let it cool down completely.
• Make a paste by grinding in a grinder jar. Keep aside.

MAKING OF PANEER LABABDAR

• Add butter in a pan.
• Add tomato gravy. Stir.
• Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on moderate heat.
• Then add sugar, coriander powder, garam masala, salt (remember : tomato gravy too has salt) cream and grated paneer. Stir.
• Add paneer cubes and Fenugreek leaves and stir.
• Garnish with dry coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes

1. You can adjust the consistency of water as per your requirement.
2. Some like to add red chilli powder and turmeric powder also. However we didn't.

Keyword paneer lababdar