Paneer Lababdar is one of the wonderful North Indian recipes which brings arrogance of restaurant right in your kitchen with creaminess and spicy flavors. Of course, getting this balance right at home often seems quite impractical, but this guide will show you how to do it without making these frequent missteps. Including special recipes, easy to follow techniques, fantastic details, and live demonstrations, you get to learn the best way to make Paneer Lababdar like a restaurant.
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What is Paneer Lababdar?
Paneer Lababdar is a category of rich preparation in which the star ingredient paneer is steeped in a plate full of creamy Tomato Gravy. This cream is beloved for its rich texture, pronounced, heavy, flavors, and a whisper of spices. However, to make it as close to the restaurant version as possible there are certain techniques and ingredients one has to pay attention to.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the Paneer
Most home cooks make the grave error of overcooking paneer which subsequently becomes rubbery to the bite. Paneer is soft milk product and should be added at the end of preparation of the gravy so that it does not get hard and crusty. - Skipping the Cashew Paste
For that restaurant style smooth gravy consistency, you ought to try adding a cashew paste in your gravy. A lot of people miss this step and therefore you get a less thick and less flavorful gravy. - Employing Inferior Quality of Tomatoes
Paneer Lababdar most of its taste derives from the tomato gravy part. The basic ingredients that can go wrong include using very ripe or substandard tomatoes which will make the stew very sour or tasteless. It is recommended to use fresh bright red tomatoes for the dish. - Not Using Kasuri Methi
While Preparing Paneer Lababdar, Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) were used & it imparts a rich Flavors the gravy has a slight bitter taste which complements the gravy. Omitting it results in a dish which seems overly sweet or overpoweringly dull.
How To Make Paneer Lababdar Just Like Restaurant turret
Ingredients:
- For Paneer
200g paneer, cut into cubes - For the Gravy
3-4 large ripe tomatoes – pureed
– 1 onion, finely chopped
– 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
– 2 tbsp processed cashew nuts paste
– 1 tsp cumin seeds
– 1 tsp turmeric powder
– 1 tbsp red chili powder
– 1 tbsp coriander powder
– 1 tsp garam masala
– 2 tbsp cream
– 1 tsp kasuri methi
– Salt to taste
– 2 tbsp oil or butter
– Fresh coriander for garnish
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Prepare the Cashew Paste
In a bowl, immerse 2 tablespoons of cashews in warm water, let it boil for around 20 minutes. Pound these into paste with a little water added to it. This step is important to make your Paneer Lababdar that creamy, restaurant-style texture I was talking about above.
Step 2: Make the Tomato Base
Heat a pan and add little oil or butter and add/ture cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onions for frying until they turn golden brown. Finally, put the ginger-garlic paste mixture and fry until the oil separates and raw smell evaporates. Again add the pureed tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chilies, coriander powder. Stir this mixture on medium heat up to the time when oil separates on the sides of the pan.
Step 3: Add the Cashew Paste
Then pour the cashew paste and mix it properly with other ingredients. Reduce the fire and simmer the gravy for about 5-6 minutes and this will thicken it up.
**Step 4: Finally before switching off the gas add the cream and kasuri methi.
When the gravy is done add the cream and then adding the kasuri methi, rub between your hands first and then add. This process increases the taste and leaves a creamy silky texture to the meal. Allow it to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, and it would thicken up to become a gravy.
Step 5: Add the Paneer
Put off the flame before you add the paneer cubes in the gravy. Paneer does not require great long cooking in the gravy; what is required here is merely the penetration of flavors into its surface. Over baking is a big no-no because it causes the paneer to become chewy and rubbery.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Top your Paneer Lababdar with chopped coriander and your Paneer Lababdar is ready to be relished hot with naan, roti or steam rice.
Practical Pointers that will help you Turn out Perfect Paneer Lababdar at Home
- Consuming Good Quality Paneer
Paneer is easy to prepare at home, but the end product and the homemade paneer may not be as good as the one you’ll get from the market. Soft and fresh paneer is better than using and stiff and rubbery one as it remains soft and soaks up the spices very well. Pro-tip: if using the store bought paneer, then soak it in warm water for 10 minutes to soften the texture. - Balance the Spices
Paneer Lababdar is all about moderation. It’s important not to overdo the heat in this recipe. Include small amounts of red chili powder and garam masala so as not drown the taste of the cashew paste and cream. - Don’t Rush the Gravy
A trick about restaurant style Paneer Lababdar is the slow preparation of the gravy. Spend your time on the tomato base, it should become cooked down where oil has started to separate. This makes the gravy to be rich, with a very smooth texture that you could really sight and taste. - Finishing with Fresh Cream
Similar to restaurant-style Paneer Lababdar has a thickness and richness of cream. While making rice always add fresh cream at the last possible moment and also do not overcook the rice to make it rich.
Real-Life Example: The Changes That Home Cooks Invented to Its Paneer Lababdar
For example, Priya Sharma, a home cook from Delhi, who was just unable to prepare tasty Paneer Lababdar. At first, she felt her gravy was watery and was shocked that her paneer became rubbery. Priya asked her friends who was a chef about cooking and she said her to add cashew paste and should not boil paneer for long time. She now attests to such small differences that made a big difference in her cooking.
By actually importing it, I began to understand how indispensable cashew paste is. Instead, it altered the texture drastically, as Priya tells me.
In the same way, Bangalore-based food lover Rajesh Verma discovered that putting the kasuri methi at just the right time gave his Paneer Lababdar the restaurant-like flavor he craved. “When I excluded that one ingredient it was missing depth and aroma that I could not find anywhere else,” he says.
Case Study: Meaty paneer lababdar: a simple guide for beginners
That is why when food blogger Suman Agarwal thought about posting her efforts associated with Paneer Lababdar she received many comments from readers. At first, she was greatly challenged by overly tangy tomatoes and a problem in the creams/tomato proportions. She discovered that fresh tomatoes and a certain quantity of cashew paste was perfect for her and so it solved her problem. Her post received many likes because many readers struggle with similar issues; people realized that small changes are possible.
FAQs
**Q1: It is optional to do, but it definitely adds an exquisite flavour to the dish.
Yes, but the dish will not have that thick and rich look and feel. But can be replaced by almond paste or a little more cream and it won’t taste just the same.
**Q2: What should I do to avoid getting the paneer rubbery?
Do not overcook the paneer because it will ruin the softness of the curry. Stir it in at the last couple of minutes before serving, and then basically just pour it over the gravy. Fresh paneer is again used to ensure smoothness of the dish as well as to retain a soft texture.
**Q3: What can be served with Paneer Lababdar?
Paneer Lababdar is best served with naan, roti or with steamed basmati rice. You can also complement it with jeera rice if you want more burst of flavors.
**Q4: What can I do about this dish being vegan?
Replace paneer with tofu and use coconut cream instead of cream. To get the rich taste use almond or cashew paste while making the sauce.
**Q5: What is good to know about Paneer Lababdar?
Indeed, the gravy can be prepared ahead of time and then kept into the refrigerator for not more than three days. But paneer must be added just before serving so that it remains soft in texture.
Conclusion
Paneer Lababdar recipe that replicates the authenticity of restaurant style requires understanding of few key points, taste of Paneer, ratios of spice blends and the regular traps that home cook often falls into. But don’t worry, with proper method employed you can always cook this delicious dish to satisfaction in your kitchen. Well the next cyst you prefer to eating in the restaurant style, why not try this special recipe?