Paneer Jalfrezi – Paneer Stir Fried with Vegetables

Spicy with burst-in-your-mouth flavors in every bite, this Paneer Jalfrezi is a favorite amongst all!

A popular and favorite order from the vegetables section of a restaurant menu, along with the Paneer Makhani and Palak Paneer and Malai Kofta, this Paneer Jalfrezie is a simple yet flavorful stir fry of paneer with vegetables with no cream or anything else to weigh it down. The flavors of paneer and the vegetables shine on with the simple spice mixes used in it.

The origin of this recipe is from the British Raj and is more popular in the UK than in India. It is said that leftover marinated meat was quickly stir fried with vegetables and spices to make a Jalfrezi – Jhal meaning spicy and frezi meaning stir-fry. The jalfrezis these days are obviously not made with leftover meat and potatoes but the concept of the spicy stir fry is what is base of these curries that are now made with paneer and peppers or mixed vegetables or chicken.

This curry is meant to be spicy, but you can always adjust the spices and made a milder version of it, if you wish.

Here are some other Paneer recipes on Cooking Curries, if you want to try out some – Palak Paneer, Matar Paneer and Paneer Tikka Masala.

Paneer Jalfrezi – The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 dried red chilli
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder / cayenne
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 Roma tomato, sliced
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 lb block of paneer, cut into 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long strips
• juice of quarter of a lime
• 3 tbsp minced cilantro, for garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a kadhai or wok and add the cumin seeds to it. Once they start sizzling, add the onions, ginger and garlic. Stir fry on high heat till the aromatics come together and leaves the sides of the kadhai. Add the bell pepper, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and the tomato slices. Stir fry till the tomatoes are soft. Add salt and mix well.

Now, add the paneer strips and mix in the masala well. Turn off heat. Squeeze the lime juice over it and garnish with cilantro.