Aloo Paneer Recipe - Shallow fried paneer and potato cubes are simmered in medium spicy, flavorful and slightly cream onion tomato gravy. It is also known as Punjabi Aloo Paneer Curry or Masala.
Just like many other paneer gravy dish, heavy cream aka malai is used to make it creamy and rich. Instead of cream you can add cashew nut paste. But both lands different flavor and taste.
Here I have fried the paneer and aloo both in tiny amount of oil. This steps makes potato cubes slightly crispy around the edges. And at home we love this texture compared to simple boiled potato pieces. If you want you can skip this frying step, it’s upto your choice.
For a variation you can add handful of boiled green peas to this aloo paneer curry.
Check out other paneer recipes
Chole paneer // Matar paneer // Kadai paneer // Paneer tikka masala // Paneer butter masala
Step By Step Photo Instructions:
Preparation: Boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker. Once they cool down, peel the skin and cut into cubes. Also cut the paneer into cubes.
For the gravy, grind the onion and keep it aside. TIP: soak the chopped onion in hot water for 5-10 minutes and then grind into paste. This avoids pungent smell while grinding and cooking. In the same grinder also make puree of tomatoes and keep it aside.
1) Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add paneer cubes.
2) Fry till they are light golden in color. Do not overcook them otherwise they will become chewy. Once done remove it to a plate.
3) In the remaining oil, add cubed potatoes and sprinkle little salt on it.
4) Similarly keep turning and frying till they are golden brown from all the sides.
5) Then remove it to a same plate along with paneer. Keep it aside.
6) Now in the same pan, add 1 ½ tablespoons of more oil and let it get heat up. Once hot add cloves and green cardamoms. Saute for a minute and you will have nice aroma of the spices.
7) Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
8) Now add onion paste and mix.
9) Also mix in ginger paste, garlic paste and slit green chilies.
10) Cook till it becomes thick and very less watery. Also the raw smell of onion will go away.
11) Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and kasoori methi.
12) Mix well and cook for a minute. The mixture will leave the sides of the pan.
13) Now add pureed tomatoes and mix.
14) Let it cook, if it splutters a lot then cover the pan partially and continue cooking. Don’t forget to stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
15) Cook till all the moisture evaporates and oil may starts to ooze out from sides.
16) Now add water to get the gravy consistency and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes on medium-low heat.
17) Now add fried paneer and potatoes.
18) Mix and cook for 2 minutes.
19) Lastly add heavy cream.
20) Mix well and cook for a minute. Then turn off the stove.
Remove it to a serving bowl, if needed garnish with little more cream on top. Or skip it. Alternately you can add few chopped cilantro or coriander leaves on top.
Serving suggestion: Serve aloo paneer with tandoori roti, paratha or garlilc naan. Make the gravy slightly thinner and it can be served with plain rice, jeera rice or vegetable pulao.
Did you try this aloo paneer recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.
📋 Recipe Card
Aloo Paneer
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Oil For frying paneer and potatoes
- 100 grams Paneer cut into cubes
- 2 small or 1 cup Potatoes boiled, peeled and cubed
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons Oil
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Green cardamoms
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 small or ½ cup Red onion roughly chopped and ground into puree
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- 1 Green chili slit
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 tablespoons Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
- 3 medium or 1 ½ cups Tomato pureed
- ½ to ¾ cup Water
- 2 tablespoons Heavy whipping cream or fresh cream or malai
Instructions
- Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cubed paneer and fry till they are slightly golden brown. Once done remove it to a plate.
- In the remaining oil, add cubed, boiled potatoes, sprinkle little salt and toss them around.
- Fry till they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove it to the same plate and keep it aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cloves and green cardamoms. Saute for a minute or till you get the nice aroma of the spices.
- Then add cumin seeds and let the sizzle.
- Then add onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste and slit green chili. Mix well and cook till the mixture becomes thick and raw smell of onion goes away.
- Now add salt and all the spices (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and kasoori methi). Mix and cook for a minute.
- Now mix in tomato puree and cook till all the moisture evaporates and it becomes like a thick paste. During the cooking, if the mixture splutters a lot then you can cover it partially.
- Now add water as per your liking gravy consistency and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Mix in fried paneer and potatoes, cook for 2 minutes.
- Lastly mix in cream and cook for a minute. Then turn off the stove.
julie k
Very tasty using ingredients I keep in my pantry. A nice change from our usual.
Kanan Patel
Happy to hear that you liked.
Liliana Enache
This recipe is so delicious! I've cooked it so many times and all my family loves it! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Kanan Patel
Very glad that everyone enjoyed.