Paneer Jalfrezi Recipe

Paneer jalfrezi is a tangy, mild and semi dry curry of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked with a mix of healthy vegetables, savory herbs and spices. This is an easy recipe and I make it when I want to cook a quick and delicious dish that pairs well with a side of roti, paratha or bread. You can make this paneer veg jalfrezi recipe for lunch or dinner.

Paneer jalfrezi is a dish that is served in some Indian restaurants. There are many ways to make this dish. This is a vegetarian version with paneer being the hero ingredient. So I suggest using fresh and good quality homemade paneer.

I already have a Baby Corn Jalfrezi, but this recipe is slightly different and much mild and less spiced. A semi dry paneer dish, good for kids and people who cannot tolerate spicy food. The recipe has been adapted from the book “100 great Indian recipes” by Master Chefs Of India.

In this veg paneer jalfrezi recipe, I have added veggies like carrots, baby corn and capsicum (green bell pepper). Feel free to add your choice of veggies like broccoli, sweet corn, cabbage, peas (fresh or frozen), spring onions or skip the veggies completely. It is a good way to use leftover vegetables and this also makes the dish more nutritious and flavorful.

Alternatively, this recipe can be easily customized to make veg jalfrezi recipe with only veggies and skipping the paneer completely. To make veg jalfrezi add 2 to 2.5 cups mix vegetables like cauliflower, capsicum, carrots, green peas, cabbage, baby corn, sweet corn, broccoli.

The prep work is just slicing the veggies and making the tomato puree. If you use ready-made tomato puree, then the prep work is halved.

This mild and tangy paneer jalfrezi goes well with chapati, naan or roti. Accompany plain raita, boondi raita or an onion tomato raita by the side.

How to make Paneer Jalfrezi Recipe

1) First all your veggies in fresh water. Drain all the water and set the veggies aside.

Then peel if needed and thinly slice all the vegetables.

• 1 small to medium carrot or 50 grams carrot. You can also cut the carrots into 1.5 to 2 inches batons or sticks.
• 9 to 10 baby corn or 50 grams baby corn,
• 1 medium to large capsicum (green bell pepper) or 80 to 100 grams capsicum,
• 1 large onion or 100 grams onion.

TIP 1: You can even shred the veggies in a food processor.
TIP 2: You can add your choice of veggies like spring onions, sweet corn, green peas, broccoli or skip the veggies completely.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and then add the ginger paste (1 inch ginger, crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle or minced or 1.5 teaspoon ginger paste) and 2 dry red chilies.

If you prefer you can remove the seeds from the chilies.

3. Saute the ginger on low to medium-low heat for some seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger goes away.

4. Add the sliced onions (1 large onion or 100 grams).

5. Saute stirring often for 2 to 3 minutes and then add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder. Stir and saute the onions for a further 3 minutes.

6. Add all the sliced veggies. Stir and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook the veggies on a low heat, till they are almost tender. About 10 to 12 minutes on low heat.

Keep on stirring in between. It is important to thinly slice the veggies, so that they cook faster. You can even chop them into small cubes.

If in case, the vegetables began to stick on the pan then add a splash of water. Mix well. Cover with lid and continue to cook.

7.  Meanwhile make a puree of the tomatoes in a blender (1 medium to large tomato, 80 to 100 grams – about 4 to 5 tablespoons of tomato puree). No need to blanch the tomatoes.

8. Add the tomato puree to the veggies.

9. Mix well. Simmer without the lid till the rawness of the tomatoes goes away and the vegetables are completely cooked. About 6 to 7 minutes on low heat.

Stir at times. Season with salt as required, ½ teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

If the mixture starts sticking to the pan, then add in some water. Mix and continue to cook.

10. Lastly add the paneer (200 to 250 grams cottage cheese). Stir well and switch off the heat.

You have to cut the paneer in batons as shown in the below photo. Use fresh and preferably homemade paneer. You can refer to this post on How to make Paneer at home.

11. Check the taste and add more salt, sugar as needed. Garnish with (½ to 1 tablespoons) coriander leaves or parsley.

Serve paneer jalfrezi hot or warm with naan bread, roti or paratha or whole wheat bread.

It can also be had as a side dish with a meal of dal and rice. I would recommend finishing this dish in one go. Avoid keeping any leftovers as on reheating the paneer might become chewy or dense.

More Paneer recipes

• Paneer fry
• Kadai paneer
• Paneer bhurji
• Paneer do pyaza
• Paneer khurchan

This Paneer Jalfrezi post from the archives (May 2014) has been republished and updated on 24 September 2021.