Paneer Jalfrezi (Restaurant style curry)

Paneer Jalfrezi is a classic curry packed full of flavours, perfect for get together, curry night or any special occasions. This paneer jalfrezi recipe is a great choice for weekend feast as well.

Popularity of Jalfrezi

Paneer Jalfrezi is a tangy and spicy semi – dry dish where paneer is cooked with onion, tomato, green chillies, bell peppers and spices. In terms of heat levels(chilli-hot) Jalfrezi is commonly misunderstood as ‘medium hot curry’ in most of the Indian restaurants in Britain. but actually it is a spicy curry. In fact the word is derived from bengali where ‘Jhal’ means spicy. It is the most popular choice in Britain’s Indian restaurants. This curry was rated as the most popular dish in UK Indian restaurants.

Dinner party curry recipe

Paneer Jalfrezi is a delicious, crowd pleasing curry for any special occasions and a perfect fuss free dish to have as part of party buffet spread. The secret of this easy dinner party recipe is the base gravy that can be made ahead. This paneer recipe will impress your guests and make them to think you have spent hours in the kitchen. This recipe is sufficient to feed approximately 15 people considering menu has 3 course meal, ie., starters, curries, rice, naan and desserts

Paneer jalfrezi is a delicious curry to have in a party menu along with Potato 65, Pineapple stuffed paneer tikka, Vegetable Chettinad, Jeera rice, Yogurt cherry phyllo cups.

Restaurant style Paneer Jalfrezi recipe

Do you want to recreate restaurant style curries at home, then this is the perfect recipe to try. Base gravy/ curry base is an essential part to learn to make any restaurant style curry. Once you figure out the secret of making this gravy just assume you are on your way of making better curries than restaurant or take away. Indian restaurant menu will have vast varieties of curries to order. Have you ever wondered how do chefs manage to do them? For sure they don’t have 20-25 curries simmering in the kitchen at all the time. Definitely no body can run a restaurant like that. Large batch of different base gravies are made ahead everyday and curries are cooked to order using these gravies. To prepare Jalfrezi onion tomato masala is the main base gravy used.

Being a restaurateur in the past, I got a chance to closely watch how the chef’s design the menu, handle the administrative tasks, manages other employees and most importantly how they prepare food to meet the specifications of the guests, how well they make adjustments to food items to accommodate guests with allergies or specific diet concerns. I learned few cooking techniques and dishes from chefs. Here I have a popular restaurant style recipe that I made last week for a small get together party. So let’s see how to make paneer jalfrezi with process shots and video below.

Ingredients

For onion tomato masala (base gravy)

Oil: 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Onion: 4 large, finely chopped

Tomato: 4 large, finely chopped

Tomato puree: 1 cup

Ginger garlic paste: 4 tbsp

Turmeric: 2 tsp

Chilli powder: 4 tsp

Coriander powder: 4 tsp

Salt: as required

For jalfrezi

Oil: 4 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Dried red chillies: 5-6, broken

Ginger: 4 inches, cut into thin strips

Green chillies: 6, chopped

Onion: 2 large, sliced

Tomato: 2 large, deseeded and sliced

Green bell pepper: 2, deseeded and sliced

Chilli powder: 4 tsp

Garam masala: 2 tsp

Tomato ketchup: 4 tbsp

Paneer: 800 gms, cut into 1 inch strips

Coriander leaves: handful, chopped

Instructions

To make onion tomato masala

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and saute for a minute or until it changes colour.

Add onions and saute for 5-6 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.

Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for 3 minutes or until raw aroma vanishes.

Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt, coriander powder and mix until well combined and cook for 3 minutes.

Finally mix in tomatoes, tomato puree and cook for 15-18 minutes or until oil separates.

Turn off the heat and transfer the masala to a bowl.

To make paneer jalfrezi

Heat oil in second pan, add cumin seeds and saute for a minute.

Add red chillies, green chillies, ginger strips and saute for a minute.

Now add sliced onions and saute for couple of minutes.

Add sliced tomatoes and cook for a minute.

Now add green bell pepper slices, saute and cook for a minute.

Add already prepared onion tomato masala, chilli powder, tomato ketchup, garam masala and mix well.

Now add paneer strips and mix until well combined.

Finally add coriander leaves.

Serve hot and spicy paneer jalfrezi with naan, roti, paratha.

Recipe Notes

I have used homemade tomato puree. You may use store bought ones if you don’t have enough time to prepare tomato puree at home.

I had to use more tomatoes as they were not so tart, you may have to reduce the tomatoes and puree quantity depending on how tart tomatoes are.

Adjust spices as per your preferred spice levels. Jalfrezi is generally a spicy dish but feel free to customise to suit your taste buds.

Feel free to use yellow or red pepper slices along with green peppers.

As Paneer Jalfrezi is semi dry, it pairs well with naan, roti, paratha, kulcha.

This recipe is sufficient to feed 15 people (considering party menu has 3 course meal, ie., starters, curries, rice, roti and desserts).

Scale down the measurements as per your required quantity.

To save time pre cut vegetables, make ahead onion tomato masala and keep them in refrigerator. Just toss the vegetables, paneer with onion tomato masala and spices on party day.

You can freeze left over onion tomato masala (base gravy).

Cooking time may vary depending on type of burner you use.

I have used kashmiri chilli powder that imparts bright red colour to the dish and has less heat levels compared to cayenne peppers. Feel free to use any other chilli powder as per your preferred spice levels.

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5 from 6 votes

Paneer Jalfrezi | Restaurant style paneer curry

Paneer Jalfrezi is a classic Indian cottage cheese curry packed with full of flavours, perfect for get together, curry night or any special occasions. This paneer jalfrezi recipe is a great choice for weekend feast as well.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Curries

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 15 people

Author: Geetha Priyanka

Ingredients

1 cup = 250ml ; 1 tbsp = 15ml

Gluten free, Nut free

For Onion Tomato Masala (base gravy)

• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 4 large Onions finely chopped
• 4 large Tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 cup Tomato puree
• 4 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 2 tsp Turmeric
• 4 tsp Chilli powder
• 4 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt as required

For Jalfrezi

• 4 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 5-6 Dried red chillies broken
• 4 inches Ginger cut into thin strips
• 6 Green chillies chopped
• 2 large Onions sliced
• 2 large Tomatoes deseeded and sliced
• 2 Green bell peppers deseeded and sliced
• 4 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 tsp Garam masala
• 4 tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 800 gms Paneer cut into 1 inch strips
• handful Coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

To make onion tomato masala

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and saute for a minute or until it changes colour.
• Add onions and saute for 5-6 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for 3 minutes or until raw aroma vanishes.
• Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt, tomatoes and mix until well combined and cook for 3 minutes.
• Finally mix in coriander powder, tomato puree and cook for 15-18 minutes or until oil separates.
• Turn off the heat and transfer the masala to a bowl.

To make paneer jalfrezi

• Heat oil in second pan, add cumin seeds and saute for a minute.
• Add red chillies, green chillies, ginger strips and saute for a minute.
• Now add sliced onions and saute for couple of minutes.
• Add sliced tomatoes and cook for a minute.
• Now add green bell pepper slices, saute and cook for a minute.
• Add already prepared onion tomato masala, chilli powder, tomato ketchup, garam masala and mix well.
• Finally add paneer strips and mix until well combined.
• Add coriander leaves and serve hot and spicy paneer jalfrezi with naan, roti, paratha.

Video

Notes

I have used homemade tomato puree. You may use store bought ones if you don't have enough time to prepare tomato puree at home.

I had to use more tomatoes as they were not so tart, you may have to reduce the tomatoes and puree quantity depending on how tart tomatoes are.

Adjust spices as per your preferred spice levels. Jalfrezi is generally a spicy dish but feel free to customise to suit your taste buds.

Feel free to use yellow or red pepper slices along with green peppers.

As Paneer Jalfrezi is semi dry, it pairs well with naan, roti, paratha, kulcha.

This recipe is sufficient for 15 people (considering party menu has 3 course meal, ie., starters, curries, rice, roti and desserts).

Scale down the measurements as per your required quantity.

To save time pre cut vegetables, make ahead onion tomato masala and keep them in refrigerator. Just toss the vegetables, paneer with onion tomato masala and spices on party day.

You can freeze left over onion tomato masala (base gravy).

Cooking time may vary depending on type of burner you use.

I have used kashmiri chilli powder that imparts bright red colour to the dish and has less heat levels compared to cayenne peppers.

If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment, rate it, pin it for later or share it. It means a lot to me. Thanks!!

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