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Recipe
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry The history behind the Jalfrezi recipe is unique. Jalfrezi was supposedly created in Bengal by the governor during the British Raj but now is known as being very popular in the United Kingdom. The jalfrezi recipe took off in British cookbooks that originally used jalfrezi as a method for using up leftover meats and veggies and turned them into an Indian curry stir-fry recipe.While many curries in the Indian culture can take hours to make, this recipe for paneer jalfrezi is a quick-cooking curry recipe that is all made in one pan on the stove in a matter of minutes. In this recipe, we are using paneer as the protein, which I also like to call Indian cottage cheese. Indian cottage cheese is my nickname for paneer, thanks to its creamy texture that is so versatile. Paneer can be used in savory meals like paneer makhani, vegetable and paneer biryani, and Instant Pot palak paneer as well as desserts, like ras malai.
Storing
Store the paneer jalfrezi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes or in a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.
title: “Best Paneer Jalfrezi” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-20” author: “Terrell Smith”
Growing up, paneer was a staple in our home. Paneer is indian cottage cheese, and a widely used ingredient for Indian curries.My mom made a variety of dishes with paneer, such as Palak Paneer and Matar Paneer. However Paneer Jalfrezi was something we only ate at restaurants. I really don’t know why, considering this is such an easy dish to make. I love paneer and always keep paneer in the refrigerator, so I can make many quick curries such as Paneer Butter Masala and Saag Paneer. If you like to do meal prep and have this Indian Curry Sauce ready, paneer recipes are even easier to make. However I prefer to make this Paneer Jalfrezi from scratch as it takes just 20 minutes. If you love paneer, don’t forget to check out my 20 Best Paneer recipes.
What is Paneer Jalfrezi?
Paneer Jalfrezi is stir fry curry having chunks of paneer with onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers. The paneer along with the vegetables are well coated with the thick and spicy gravy. The word Jalfrezi originated from the local eateries of West Bengal, India. It means a stir-fry of vegetables in sweet and tangy gravy. As paneer can absorb the spices well, this dish well-liked in many countries and is a favorite at many restaurants.
How to make Paneer Jalfrezi?
The main prep work in this dish the cutting of the veggies and paneer. After you are done, it hardly takes any time to make this restaurant-style paneer jalfrezi at home.
Take a heavy bottom pan and heat oil in medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle a bit. Then add the sliced up onions, garlic and fry them for a bit. Add the spices and sauté the onions and garlic till they are coated with spices evenly. Make sure to not burn the spices. Just sprinkle some tablespoons of water on the pan if the spices and onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Then add the yellow and red bell peppers and stir them till they also get well coated with spices. Now you can add the chopped tomato along with the tomato puree until the puree mixes well with the curry.
Add the paneer cubes after you see that the curry has become a semi-solid gravy. Make sure the paneer blends well and becomes soft by stirring in between intervals. Finally, add the lime juice and mix well for a tangy surprise Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti, paratha or naan.
Tips to make perfect Paneer Jalfrezi
Here are some tips that will help you in making authentic restaurant-style Paneer Jalfrezi at home. √ Paneer Jalfrezi can be made using normal paneer or fried paneer cubes. I have used fresh paneer cubes for this recipe. If you like fried paneer cubes, follow these steps:
Heat oil in a large pan Add the paneer cubes and lightly fry them Remove the cubes from the pan after they become golden brown on all sides Then follow the same steps as above and then add the fried paneer cubes.
√ You can also use any color bell pepper for this recipe, I used red and yellow peppers as that is what I had in my pantry. √ Do not over cook the paneer, as the paneer can become chewy. You want to just mix in the paneer, let it soak the flavors and take it off heat. √ If you want to make this curry vegan, you can make it with extra firm tofu.
What to serve with Paneer Jalfrezi?
Paneer Jalfrezi makes up for a sumptuous side for roti, paratha or naan. We usually have it with yogurt or dal along with this dish. Dal recipes like green moong dal, yellow dal fry, and so on pair well this dish. I also love to use this Paneer Jalfrezi to make these delicious Paneer Frankie Rolls (also called Kathi Rolls).
More Indian curry recipes to enjoy:
Methi Matar Malai Chana Masala Vegetable Korma Paneer Vindaloo Baingan Bharta
