Paneer Lababdar (Restaurant Style Recipe)

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Paneer Lababdar is an easy-to-prepare, restaurant-style dish of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet gravy. Onions, tomatoes, cashews and spices make this a rich, flavorful and delicious recipe. This vegetarian Paneer Lababdar recipe is also naturally gluten-free.

paneer lababdar served in a black bowl with ginger julienne on top and text layover.

What is Paneer Lababdar

Paneer Lababar is a popular paneer gravy dish and can be found on the menu of many Indian restaurants. There are a few variations of preparing this rich dish.

My paneer lababdar recipe is more Punjabi style than Mughlai style with the addition of onions, tomatoes, cashews and spices.

It does not rely heavily on the usage of plenty of nuts, dry fruits or seeds. Cashews are the only nuts added in the recipe.

Paneer Lababdar is truly a dish that you will always love to make for special days or festival days. Its richness, creaminess and deliciousness will wow you every time. Perfectly apt to make for festive or special occasions.

Paneer Lababdar gravy is made from a spiced tomato and cashew paste that is then sautéed with onions, more spices and herbs, has a lovely tang to it and is full of flavor. The addition of sugar and cream give the dish a creamy and faintly sweet taste.  

Ingredients You Need

You need your regular Indian pantry staple ingredients to make this restaurant style paneer lababdar recipe.

  • Paneer (Indian cottage cheese): This is the main ingredient in the dish and it is important to use a good quality paneer. In fact, as with all my paneer recipes, I recommend using Homemade Paneer. This ensures freshness and avoids any hidden ingredients and preservatives found in store-bought paneer.
  • Tomatoes: Giving the dish a bit of tang, tomatoes are an important ingredient in the gravy. Be sure to choose tomatoes that aren’t too tangy or sour.
  • Cashews: The creamy consistency in paneer lababdar comes from cashews. The cashews are ground to a paste with the tomatoes. Cashews also add a lovely sweetness to the dish.
  • Cream: Adding cream also adds to the sweetness and richness in the gravy making it a restaurant style dish.
  • Onions: In the curry, onions are not pureed, but chopped and lightly caramelized. Thus they add some sweetness and a slight sharp flavor to the curry.
  • Spices and Herbs: Most of the spices and herbs used in this recipe are common and you probably already have them in your kitchen. The garam masala powder can be purchased, but is also a great spice to make from scratch and have on hand. Here I share the recipe for making Garam Masala Powder.
Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Paneer Lababdar

Preparation

1. To a small pan add the following listed ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes (Use tomatoes that are not too tangy or sour)
  • 10 to 12 cashews
  • 1 inch chopped ginger
  • 2 to 3 chopped garlic cloves (medium-sized)
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • ½ cup water
chopped tomatoes, spices and cashews and water in a pan

2. Switch on the stovetop and simmer this mixture on a low heat.

tomatoes and cashews being simmered in water

3. Cook until the tomatoes are softened. If the water dries up and the tomatoes are not softened, then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons water and continue to cook. When I cooked, almost all the water had evaporated.

tomatoes have softened

4. Allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely at room temperature. Transfer all of the ingredients to a grinder or blender jar.

softened tomatoes ,cashews added in a blender

5. Grind or blend to a smooth paste. There should not be any cashews or tomato chunks in the paste.

You may add some water if required while grinding or blending. Set this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.

tomato-cashew paste ready to make paneer lababdar recipe

Sautéing onions and tomato paste

6. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pan, kadai or wok. You can also use ghee (clarified butter) or a neutral-tasting oil.

Heat the butter on a low to medium heat ensuring that it does not burn.

butter being melted in a pan

7. Add 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and saute for a couple of seconds.

tej patta added in the melted butter

8. Add ½ cup finely chopped onions.

finely chopped onions added

9. Stir and mix well.

onions being sautéed

10. Then continue to saute as well as stir and cook until the onions become light golden or golden on medium-low to medium heat.

onions have turned to a light golden

11. Then add the tomato-cashew-spices paste. The mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful.

tomato-cashew paste added to make paneer lababdar

12. Stir and mix thoroughly.

tomato cashew paste mixed with the sautéed onions

13. Add the following ground spice powders:

  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
spice powders added

14. Stir the ground spices. Saute this masala on low to medium-low heat. You will see the masala clumping and gathering around itself.

spice powders mixed

15. Sauté until you see fat leaving the sides of the masala paste. The masala will also look glossy and shiny.

sautéing the masala paste with oil being released at the sides

Making Paneer Lababdar

16. Then add 1 cup of water to the perfectly sauteed masala.

water added

17. Mix very well.

water mixed

18. Add 1 or 2 slit green chilies.

slit green chilies added

19. Stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer on medium-low to medium heat.

simmering the gravy

20. Then season with salt according to your taste preferences.

salt being added with a measuring spoon

21. Add sugar. I added ½ teaspoon of sugar but you can add as per your taste.

sugar being added with a measuring spoon

21. Add 200 grams paneer which has been cut into cubes or squares. Also add 2 tablespoons grated paneer.

Here I used fresh homemade paneer. If using frozen paneer, then keep it in warm water for some minutes and then slice as well as grate it.

grated paneer and paneer cubes added to make paneer lababdar

22. Gently mix and switch off the heat.

paneer mixed with the gravy

23. Then sprinkle 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) which have been crushed along with ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder. Mix very well again.

kasuri methi and garam masala powder added in the paneer lababdar gravy

24. Add ¼ cup low fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream.

cream added to paneer lababdar gravy

25. Mix again gently very well taking care that the paneer cubes do not break. You can also add 1 tablespoon of butter at this step or dot the gravy with butter while serving. This is optional.

cream mixed and paneer lababdar is ready to be served

26. Garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and ginger julienne.

Paneer labadar goes very well with Indian flatbreads, including roti, naan, or pudina paratha. Also, this creamy gravy can be served with jeera rice or vegetable pulao. 

paneer lababdar served in a black bowl with ginger julienne on top

FAQs

Can I use canned tomatoes or tomato puree?

Yes definitely. Add 1.5 cups of canned tomatoes while blending cashews. You do not need to cook the canned tomatoes with cashews. For tomato puree, add ¾ cup of it directly when sautéing with the cashew paste. You just need to make the cashew and spices paste if you use tomato puree.

What can I use instead of kasuri methi?

Kasuri methi are dried fenugreek leaves. If you don’t have them, just skip them.

Can I make paneer lababdar without onion and garlic?

Yes of course! To get the mild flavors of onion and garlic without actually using them in the recipe, add 1 pinch of asafetida or hing (that is if you have it) when sautéing the tomato-cashew paste.

Can I skip cream?

Yes you can easily skip adding cream.

Can i use malai?

Malai which is the clotted cream that collects on the top of boiled milk has to be whipped to a smooth flowing consistency before you add it to the gravy.

What can I replace cashews with?

Add almonds which have been blanched in hot water for 30 minutes with their peels removed.

Can I do the dhungar method to this paneer lababdar?

Yes sure you can do that. Dhungar method will make your paneer lababdar have truly smoky restaurant style flavors.

How do I make a vegan recipe of paneer lababdar?

Replace firm tofu, seitan, tempeh with paneer. Skip adding cream altogether or replace it with coconut cream. Add a neutral tasting oil instead of butter.

Can I make a large batch and freeze it

Yes you can definitely do that. My recipe can be easily scaled. If freezing, paneer lababdar gravy stays well for about a month. In the refrigerator, it stays good for a couple of days.

More Restaurant Style Paneer Curries!

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paneer lababdar in a black bowl with ginger juliennes on top.

Paneer Lababdar (Restaurant Style Recipe)

Paneer Lababdar is an easy-to-prepare, restaurant-style curry of paneer (cottage cheese cubes) in a creamy, mildly tangy and faintly sweet gravy. This vegetarian Paneer Lababdar recipe is also naturally gluten-free.
4.86 from 114 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Main Course
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

For tomato-cashew paste

  • 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes (ripe and red), 250 grams
  • 10 to 12 cashews
  • 1 inch ginger – chopped
  • 2 to 3 garlic (medium-sized) – chopped
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 2 cloves

More ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  • ½ cup finely chopped onions – 100 grams
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder or kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1 or 1.25 cups water or add as required
  • 1 or 2 green chilies or serrano peppers – slit
  • salt as required
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
  • 200 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
  • 2 tablespoon grated paneer
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – crushed
  • ¼ cup low-fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon Butter added later – (optional)

For garnish

  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
  • 1 inch ginger – julienne

Instructions
 

Preparing tomato-cashew paste

  • Take chopped tomatoes, cashews, chopped ginger and garlic, green cardamom, cloves and water in a small pan. Use tomatoes which are not too tangy or sour.
  • Turn on the stovetop and simmer this mixture on a low heat.
  • Cook until the tomatoes are softened. If the water dries up and the tomatoes are not softened, then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons water and continue to cook.
  • Allow this mixture to become warm or cool completely and add to a grinder or blender jar.
  • Grind to a smooth paste without any cashews or tomato chunks or pieces. You may add some water if required while grinding. Keep this ground tomato-cashew-spices paste aside.

Sautéing onions and tomato-cashew paste

  • Heat butter in pan or kadai or wok. Add the tej patta and sauté for a couple of seconds.
  • Add finely chopped onions. Stir well.
  • Then continue to saute as well as stir and cook till the onions become light golden or golden.
  • Then add the tomato-cashew-spices paste. The mixture will splutter if there is water in it, so be careful. Stir very well.
  • Add cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder.
  • Stir and saute this masala. You will see the masala clumping and gathering around itself.
  • Saute till you see fat leaving the sides of the masala paste.

Making paneer lababdar

  • Then add water. Mix very well.
  • Add the slit green chilies.
  • Stir and allow the gravy to come to a simmer. Then season with salt and sugar.
  • Add paneer cubes and grated paneer.
  • Gently mix and combine.
  • Then sprinkle kasuri methi which has been crushed with the garam masala powder. Stir very well again.
  • Lastly add the low-fat cream or heavy whipping cream. Switch off the heat & combine very well. You can also add 1 tablespoon butter at this step. This is optional.
  • Garnish paneer lababdar with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julienne. Serve with chapati, tandoori roti or naan. It also goes well with cumin rice or veg pulao.

Video

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Paneer Lababdar (Restaurant Style Recipe)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 81mg27%
Sodium 442mg19%
Potassium 205mg6%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1021IU20%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 7µg7%
Calcium 303mg30%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 13µg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 23mg6%
Phosphorus 52mg5%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Paneer Lababdar Recipe post from the blog archives first published in Feb 2015 has been updated and republished on June 2022.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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235 Comments

  1. My last experience of making Paneer by myself was very bad but after following this recipe the food was amazing. I am just 20 and made this for me and my younger sister. We loved it. Thank you for the amazing.5 stars

  2. Hello Dasana,
    I came across your recipe and made it today…It has turned out absolutely delicious and a big hit especially with my grandchildren.
    Thank you for sharing your recipe .5 stars

  3. I tried this today and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe. My question is that in some recipe I have seen dry Kashmiri chili added to make the paste. Does adding this change the flavor of the dish and only makes it more spicy? Thank you.

    1. Thanks for the feedback on my recipe and glad to know. Kashmiri chillies will change the taste and flavor of the dish but it will it give a nice red or orange color. The spiciness will depend on how many Kashmiri chillies are added in these recipes.

      1. Thank you for your feedback! Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes. So far I have tried your dal Bukhara and tomato and coconut chutney and all were excellent.

        1. Welcome. Sure, do try more recipes and I hope you like them as well. Thanks for the feedback on the recipes you have made.

  4. Hi Ma’am
    I have tried many of your recipes and they come out really delicious.
    I tried paneer lababdar today. It was too good!
    This is one site which I can trust for every recipe.

    Thank you and much love.5 stars

    1. hi shilpi, thank you very much. it feels good to read your feedback. thanks for the trust.

      hugs and regards
      dassana

  5. The dish turned out to be very tasteful.
    I made it on my husbands demand and he was very happy after having it.
    Thank you so much.5 stars

  6. Hi I really like your recepies. This is my favorite site from where I can follow recipes without any second thought. You deserve all the five stars in a row.

    1. thank you much tanya. felt good to read your comment. it definitely encourages me. thanks again.

    2. Hi mam good morning. Your recipes are really great. My
      Family really loves it when I refer your recipes and do.

  7. Hi,I tried your this Paneer recipe & it came out so good.My kids just loved it.
    I was wondering if you can give the exact ratio of everything for 30 people.5 stars

    1. thanks neha for this feedback and review. in the recipe card, just increase the servings to 30 people and you will get the ingredient proportions to be used accordingly.

  8. Thank you so much for the wonderful restaurant style recipe. As soon as my kids had their first bite, they said wow very yummy Mumma, it’s like restaurant paneer. Superb and continue posting wonderful recipes.5 stars

    1. that is so nice. thanks for sharing this lovely review on paneer lababdar. glad to know that your kids loved the recipe. i have already added many recipes on the blog and will continue to add them.

  9. Hello madam,
    As usual ur recipes are more than perfect.. Thanks to the detailed descriptions and pics every dish I try goes well..
    I have recently shifted out of India so need small help, what can I use instead of kasuri methi.. Also in rasgulla, or any Chena recipe which milk can be used, here I get 0.5%,1.5% and 3.5%fat milk.. Totally confused.. Plz help4 stars

      1. Hello mam,
        Thank you for your prompt response.
        With whole milk, do you mean to say, 3.5%fat milk or there is something else called whole milk that is available outside India.

  10. I am your huge huge fan. All your recipes are hit in my family!!
    I never loved cooking but loved tasty food…and your recipe inspire me to cook.5 stars

  11. Excellent recipe. i included the onions in the blender as preferred by my family.
    thanks Dassana for another amazing recipe.

    1. thanks adi for this super feedback on paneer lababdar. glad to read and yes onions can be blended. happy cooking.

  12. Too good and easy recipe 🙂 have already made this 3 to 4 times and it’s too yummy every time , even better than what many restaurants serve these days! Thanks a lot !

    1. thanks priya for the rating as well as the feedback on paneer lababdar recipe. glad to know that the recipe was great.

  13. Tried this recipe. It came out really tasty just like the ones we have in restaurants. My family loved it. Tried many recipes from Veg Recipes of India. They all turn out to be very good. Keep up the good work.5 stars

    1. thanks anuradha for this feedback. glad to know that you have liked the recipes. happy cooking.

  14. This paneer lababdar recipe proved to be a hit with my family. My family thinks that i am a good cook but they don’t know all i do is follow the recipe. Thanks for sharing.5 stars

  15. Quite interesting and varied, Thnx…will try soon as I have some paneer to use but my 1st use will be with spinach….

  16. Really a very delicious paneer dish and like the name suggests truly restaurant style. We just loved it! Of course it is heavy. I avoided the cream at the end but the tasted just perfect even without it.
    Thank you so much for such delicious and easy to follow recipes.5 stars

    1. Welcome Vidya. Thanks for your positive feedback. Glad to know that paneer lababdar recipe turned out so well.

  17. Never fails to impress !! I made paneer lababdar for the 3rd time on demand… always a hit in all occasions.5 stars

  18. Hi dasssana amit
    First of all I want thank u for the wonderful recipe.its just superb hope u post more delicious recipes in future.5 stars

  19. I made this recipe yesterday and it was the one of the best paneer sabzis me or my family has eaten whether at home or outside. Thanks a lot! 😀5 stars

  20. Hi, I am a great fan of you recipes .I wanted to know the difference between cream and Malai. Can malai be used instead of cream in all the recipes that call for its use?Are you using Amul fresh cream pack?
    thanks in advance5 stars

    1. Welcome Riya. Thanks for your kind words. Malai is the clotted cream which collects on the top of the milk. the cream that we get outside is basically malai only, which has been whipped lightly. I am using amul fresh cream pack. You can use malai but just beat it well so that it has a smooth consistency and then you add.

  21. hello ma’am..I made this today for guests and it turned out to be super hit at my place.. thank you so much for such wonderful recipes..I made chocolate muffins and orange muffins too.. my husband says that i make very good muffins and that’s all brevity of you.. your mushroom recipe has become my husband’s favourite..I also made urad daal vada on holi and it turned out to be very soft and tasty..once again thank you very much..after learning so much from you, my husband says I should open a cookery class..all because of you..thank you for such wonderful. and super easy to make recipes

    1. Welcome Trisha. Glad to know this. Thanks for your positive feedback. Do open a cooking class. it does help. it will help you in creativity as well as financially. All the best.

  22. Hi Dassana,

    I tried with the tomato purée, but it was a bit too sour ? Do you recommend any alterations to it??

    Thanks.

    1. Welcome Ranjini. Tomatoes must have been sour. You could have added some more cream and little more sugar to balance the sourness.

  23. Hi Dassana,

    This is a lovely recipe! I’ve tried this before. Just to make my job easier, can I use ready tomato purée for this? If yes, then how should I go about it? Please let me know. Thanks.

  24. hi sir
    I tried this receipe yesterday it was awsum nd loved it by my family
    thank you for receipe nd keep still teaching me a new receipe. ..

    1. thank you sushmitha. glad to know that your family liked the paneer lababdar recipe. happy cooking.

  25. Hi Dassana ! Tried this recipe yesterday.. Turned out awesome !!!!Guests loved it. Since this recipe is mildly spiced its just perfect for children… since I had many more things to cook along with this recipe, I prepared the sauteed paste and refrigerated as You suggested in one of the comment and it saved my time ! I always look up to Your valuable suggestions in comments which are really helpful !!! Thanks a ton !

    1. thanks nehal for sharing the feedback as well as your experience. glad that everyone loved the recipe.

  26. Hi Dassana, I’m writing to you for the first time with my first doubt, though I use your recipes extensively. I am planning to make paneer lababdar sabji for a group of expats who love paneer. I actually wanted to know whether the dhungar method can be used for this paneer sabji, just so that it gives a restaurant style taste. Thanks a lot 🙂5 stars

    1. thanks nithya. yes you can use the dhungar method in this paneer lababdar recipe. but just do dhungar for 1 minutes for this recipe. more than that the gravy will get bitter tones from the dhungar method.

  27. Hi, thanks for this recipe. I would like to try paneer lababdar for kids birthday for 40 people. Can you please suggest, I can make this one day before, or some prep reparation.

    1. you can prepare the sauteed masala paste and refrigerate. so half of your work is done – thats till step 15. do not add water. just sautee the paste till oil starts releasing from it. let it cool and then refrigerate in a steel dabba or steel box. in fact the grinding and sauteing takes time. the rest of the process is easy and does not take much time.

  28. Someone has copied your recipe on FB. I tagged you on my comment there. Some ‘Javed Mian ke nuskhe’. I knew that right away because I have used your recipe literally a 100 times. ?5 stars

    1. thanks a lot 🙂 also thanks for informing me. i did check for notifications, but could not see any notification from you. also could not search in fb with the words ‘‘Javed Mian ke nuskhe’. i am not getting any results for a profile or page with this name.

  29. This was the most delicious recipe of yours that I’ve made so far. Absolutely excellent balance of flavors! This is a new family favorite. 🙂5 stars

  30. Really appreciate your hard work put into taking pics at every step… Thank you so much
    Awesome recipe like all other recipe on this site.4 stars

  31. Hi Dassana,

    I tried this recipe it was delicious, everyone in my family liked it. Thank you for sharing delicious stuffs. I am not able to find a recipe which you had posted Vegetable curry with coconut milk & methi. Can you please tell me or share the link of that recipe? Thanks4 stars

    1. thank you kinjal. i do not have any recipe that is made with mix veggies, coconut milk and methi. there is a veg kuzhambu recipe but it has coconut paste and methi seeds in it.

  32. Hi, I don’t know how to cook but can make little things here and there. I followed your steps and made this as a surprise dinner with a nice pomegranate martini for my wife as a date night and it was awesomeeeee!!! She is a very good cook and she loved it!!! Thank you so much!!! I will try following your other recipes for such evenings!!! Thank you for making our evening wonderful!
    Regards,
    Nikhil.
    Manalapan, NJ5 stars

    1. pleased to know this nikhil glad your wife liked the pomegranate martini 🙂 welcome always and thank you for your positive feedback.

  33. There is one problem that while boiling tomotes I added too much of water by mistake as I was making for 6 persons
    Now what can be done.

  34. Thks 4 such a nyc recipe bt i have a query, i e. Is it necessary to boil tomato and cashew ? And can we substitute ghee instead of butter ?5 stars

    1. welcome twinkle. you can skip boiling the tomatoes and cashews. though its better to soak the cashews for 30 minutes in hot water, so that its easier to grind them. yes you can add ghee instead of butter.

    1. vidhu sour cream will change the taste of the dish hope this help’s you. try using fresh cream preferably.

  35. Super yummy recepi…..I have never prepared something so tasty. I myself wanted to finish the entire thing 🙂
    Thanks a lot for the recepi. But just one query wat were 250g tomato for ? As per your recepi, only 1.5 cup tomato were used. Have tried your other recepis also like peas paratha, mushroom recepis, shahi and palak paneer. They all were yum and not to miss the best idli I prepared and my kid loved me for it as I am North Indian and making it was not easy for me.
    Again as repeated several times but yet not enough I guess thanks !!!!!!4 stars

    1. thanks a lot shazia for sharing your experience. you are most welcome. the 250 grams is the weight of tomatoes and it the same 250 grams tomatoes, when chopped yields 1.5 cups. i give both weight and cup measurements as its easier for the reader.

  36. Are there any vegetables I can use instead of paneer as I don’t have any paneer. Would perhaps potatoes or cauliflower be a good substitute ?

    1. you can use milk powder, but will make the gravy slightly sweet. so i would suggest to add 1/2 to 1 tbsp. do not add any sugar if adding milk powder. also add milk powder before you add water.

    1. addition of cream balances the tang of the tomatoes and gives a nice smooth creamy texture to the gravy. skip it if you do not want to add cream. you can also add 1/2 to 1 tbsp of milk powder instead of cream. add milk powder just before you add water.

  37. Thnx once again for this delicious recipe…hats of to uuu…all ur recipes are mind blowing…ur blog is a treasure for ppl like me…5 stars

  38. Hi dassana..
    Tried this recipe today…nd it was great:)
    Thanku so much:)
    Wenever i hv to make any veg dish first thing i do is go to ur website:)
    Great job.keep it up.
    God bless u:)4 stars

    1. you are welcome pooja thankyou for trying the paneer lababdar recipe and god bless you too.

  39. Hats off to u ma’am i felt like i was at a hotel and havin this delicious panner…ur measurements are accurate and i love how u give us step by step instructions Thnx a lot…?5 stars

    1. we are pleased to know this riya thankyou so much for your kind words 🙂 and you are always welcome.

  40. It was so delicious…i still can’t believe I made it…thank u for this wonderful recipe…:-)5 stars

  41. This was the second recipe I tried from this site and it was the best…awesome taste..I have stopped going to restra….after visiting your site. Thanks.5 stars

  42. It has been great exprience to make it. All members of family love it…Thank u very much…5 stars

  43. Aj maine ye recipe try ki. Sach much awesome sabzi bani. Thank you dasana apki di hui dal fry tadka bhi banaya tha aur guest aye the unhe khilaya tha. Aapki wajah se muje bahut tarif mili thanks you once again5 stars

  44. Made this yesterday. Used a couple of candle nuts (didn’t have cashews) and skipped the butter. Yummy! Thank you.5 stars

  45. Lovely recipe Dassana! 🙂 the gravy has a wonderfully unusual taste. Really liked it. Thank you! 🙂5 stars

  46. thank u so much..the steps n methd r easy tht r vry hlpful for such persns also who dnt no cooking…jst bcz that recep m able to cook tasty lababdar paneer for my mother on mothers day…thnk u so much for ur recepie..5 stars

  47. Thanks for the response. Another query:why ading lowfat cream in the last step. Why not full fat cream??

  48. I really love all ur dishes. Ur recipes r an inspiration for the novice to cook n learn . One query is that i give very lil quantity of almost all the gravy to my lil 1 who is 19 mths old irrespective of the masalas in it. Havent used kasuri methi yet. So wanted to ask is tht masala very strong not to be consumed by my toddler or lil bit does no harm. If its not gud for her then will skip adding kasuri methi.5 stars

    1. kasuri methi is dried methi leaves. it just gives a good aroma to the dish. also has a faint bitter taste which almost goes unnoticed in the gravy as we add a less amount. but children have a sensitive palate, especially toddlers. so i would suggest not adding kasuri methi. also fenugreek is heaty. so better avoid. when you lil one grows older, you can introduce her to small amounts of fresh methi like in rotis or parathas or theplas. small quantities do no harm, but avoid giving too much.

  49. Hey Dassana, tried your recipe it came out super…awsome..my family really enjoyed it…thanks so much for your efforts and sharing the secret with us…looking forward for more such recipes…4 stars

  50. The dish has turned out awesome! Your recipes are something that I always look for! VegrecipesofIndia is the 1st & by default site for me for all my dishes as I’m a vegetarian. Thank you!5 stars

    1. kasuri methi gives a good aroma. you should be able to get them at a indian grocery store if living outside india. add a pinch of methi powder instead of kasuri methi.

  51. Hi Dassana, thanks for your recipes – they all look fantastic and I am trying a few this week. In this recipe, it calls for cream , but that looks like very thick cream…25-35% would be whipping cream for me but it is much more liquid than what you are using there. Can you suggest what I should be using?

    thanks!!

    1. thanks seth. i have used an indian brand of cream called amul fresh cream. it is 25% low fat cream. you can add 25% or even add 50%. even heavy cream can be added.

  52. This is a wonderful, delicious recipe, thank you for sharing on here. I was looking at doing something different with Paneer, came across your recipe online.
    The only differences I made to the recipe was using coconut milk,as I did not have cream and not adding cloves for the same reason.
    This recipe is incredibly tasty, delicious and nutritious.

    1. welcome lily. nice to know this. thanks for sharing your variation and positive feedback.

  53. Hi Dasana! Today I tried your Paneer Lababdar recipe and I am very pleased to say that it really was amazing and restaurant like dish. Only modification I made to your recipe is that I totally skipped last part of adding cream. Also, I used diced babycorns alongwith paneer and I had babycorns & paneer marinated for 1 hour in ginger-garlic-green chillies-curd-salt mixture. The end result was amazing & delicious dish.4 stars

  54. Thanks, Dassana; this was lovely! I used lactosefree cream cheese instead of cream and skipped the butter. This recipe turned out great! My husband loved it, too.5 stars

  55. Really great recipe…Turned out really well and the instructions are really simple and easy to follow. Thanks dassana Amit.

  56. Wow … Another fab recipe of paneer .. U hv encouraged me to cook with ur simple yet yummy dishes
    Thanks again Amit
    Vini5 stars

  57. Thanks a Ton. I’m very new to the cooking world, but this recipe was so simple to make and great to taste. My husband loved it and he kept asking for more 🙂

  58. Tried this today and it was yummilicious! I’d like to point out that there is a small confusion. In the recipe ( Not the step by step ones), in the ingredients section, Chopped onions are mentioned in the tomato cashew paste but not in the other ingredients. However in the description , chopped onions are not mentioned in the tomato cashew paste. You may want to correct it. Thanks again for the recipe

    1. thanks shwetha for sharing this positive feedback and also pointing this out. the onions are in the other ingredient section and i have updated it. thanks to you once again. i appreciate your gesture.

  59. Dassana,

    Cheers to you for posting such a wonderfully written and illustrated dish. Just finished making it and it came out beautifully. Will definitely make again. I could not find cardamom pods in my area, but substituted ground cardamom that I had on hand instead. It worked very well.

    Thank you for helping me learn how to cook my favorite cuisine.,

    Elissa

  60. Thanks for such a tasty recipe. Tried it yesterday for my holi lunch menu, it turned out like a restaurant made dish. Everyone loved it. Thanks5 stars

  61. The recipee has come out excellent. Thumbs up. This is very tasty and my wife was praising for days now. On the whole your recipees are excellent.5 stars

  62. Hi
    I tried this recipe step by step like you said but, I added coconut milk. It was an instant hit with my son who is usually so fussy to eating..Thanks for posting such easy and wonderful recipes. Easily available spices and easy method..Loved this

    Pooja

    1. thanks for sharing your feedback pooja. coconut milk works well in this recipe. thanks for sharing.

  63. Again a well explained presentation. I would like to ask, often I add masale (i.e. mirch, dhania, jeera) after onion and before tomato, so that they can get roast properly.
    Here , in this recipe , u have added the paste of tomato and cashew first and later on all spices.
    which is more correct. Kindly enlighten me.4 stars

    1. both ways are right. i add them later as i take pics when making the recipe. if i add before the tomato paste than there is every possibility that the spices will get burnt. hence i add later just to avoid the burning of spices.

  64. Hi, I made this meal this evening and it was a big hit with all of us! Easy to follow, quick to make and delicious. The only difference I made was to blend the sautéed onions with the tomato mix as my daughter (age 7) is not keen on onion. She’ll eat it if it’s been blended in the sauce but not if she can see it. I also used coconut milk as I didn’t have cream to hand. My daughter said it was the best curry ever!5 stars

    1. thanks esther for this feedback and sharing your experience. onions can be easily ground with the tomatoes. what you did was right. coconut milk or cream can be substituted in the gravy for cream.

  65. Hey thxz for ur gr8 recipes.,,luv Dem all..want to knw if u can make non veg dishes too..wud b realli glad,,thxx n kp sharing ur lovely recipe;)

    1. welcome jami. thanks for your positive feedback. we don’t post non-veg recipes as we cook only vegetarian food at home.

  66. Mann kehta hai baar baar
    Ki yeh paneer lababdar
    Hai Bahut shaandaar

    Bad poetry aside, a full 5 stars once again, I would have given 10, if I could!

    Regards,
    Nivedita

  67. I prepared this dish yesterday. It turned out too good. My husband & son relished it. Thank you so much for posting it.4 stars

  68. Hi,

    Words are too less to compliment your recipes, YOU have made me a better cook, trust me in few days time! Whenever I get time ,I tend to follow your recipes and try them out whenever possible..it never disappoints me. I keep looking for your recipes..so that I can try some or the other dish everyday. Just a request..if you can also come up with few quicky light recipes as well, will be really helpful. Today I am going to try paneer lababdar, am sure its gonna turn out great again.

    Thank You.5 stars

    1. welcome binu. loved reading your encouraging comment. glad to know that you are becoming a better cook. i will keep in mind and try to put more quick recipes.

  69. I followed the recipe and it turned out amazing!! Had such a nice dish after such a long time. Thank you for the detailed recipe 🙂 and thanks to my wife for suggesting this link5 stars

  70. Pictures are so good!! My eyes are very happy. I know from ur previous recipes that soon my belly will be too. Do you have authentic brinjal gothsu aka gojju powder recipe? I have looked high and low, bought samaithu Paar series but couldn’t see it. Many thanks for any time you will spare for this5 stars

    1. welcome laxmi. thanks for your sweet comment. i am afraid, i don’t have brinjal gothsu recipe.

  71. Hi
    I tried this Paneer Lababdaar recipe last week and it was really very delicious.
    Thanks for your recipes
    All the best!4 stars

  72. Oh My God!

    I am a student in London and I absolutely love your recipes. They are quick, easy and simply delicious! Takes me back home!

    And this is one of your best one’s, despite unavailability of few ingredients!

    Thank you very much on behalf of all Indian students like us living abroad, your recipes bring us closer to home! 🙂

    Cheers!5 stars

    1. welcome maria. yes you can use coconut milk or coconut cream also. the gravy will have a coconut taste but will taste good.

  73. Tried this today and as always – turned out confusing me which one is the best dish amongst your recipes :). Very simple to make, tastes great despite skipping one or two ingredients due to unavailability which I think is another key feature in your recipes. Lovely texture and really catches the eye with the way it appears. All your dishes not only please the taste buds but also is a visual treat simply because of how colourful they turn out ! ! !5 stars

    1. thanks hemanth once again for your positive review. i agree that food should be presented well. because we eat food with eyes first. aroma is also important because that is also an another way of eating food. glad to read your feedback.

  74. Hi Dassana,
    Restaurant style paneer dishes have always been my favourite since my childhood. I was always keen on making the gravy of the dish in the same manner as done in the restaurants… but was never able to reach the same level. So I started trying by reading the receipes . But I found your blog while surfing the net . Then I followed the stepwise method given by you both for Paneer lababdar and Shahi Paneer. My husband for the first time complemented me by saying better than a restaurant .

    1. thanks anu for this positive feedback on paneer recipes. glad to know that both of you liked the dish. happy cooking.

  75. Made it yesterday. An excellent recipe. Awesome taste. Everyone loved it. It took less than 45 min.5 stars

  76. Hi Dasanna,

    Tried this recipe today. It was finger licking good. So easy to make yet tastes so delicious.
    I was so hungry and angry before I started cooking this, and after eating it I’m so happy and content.
    Thanks for sharing.5 stars

  77. Though its my first comment, I follow your blog since a long time and purely enjoy reading it and then recreating it. Your way of narrating recipes and those step by step pics make it really easier to follow…glad to find this paneet lababdar recipe as I have tasted it at a restaurant and liked it. ..will try it soon