Paneer Jalfrezi (No Onion No Garlic) (2024)

Paneer Jalfrezi is an easy, quick, delicious, flavorful, and healthy dish. It requires a few ingredients, and we can prepare it with less effort!

Paneer Jalfrezi consists of stir-fried bell peppers and Paneer with tomato gravy. It is semi-dry curry without onion and garlic. Serve this delicious curry with Naan or Roti for a comforting meal.

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About Paneer Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi means a dish in which vegetables or Paneer is stir-fried. It is a famous Indian curry that tastes moderately hot and slightly tangy. This recipe is my version of making Paneer Jalfrezi without onion and garlic.

The recipe is straightforward and comes together quickly. We do not need a ton of ingredients to make the gravy. Since it is without onion and garlic, the gravy is only tomato-based.And if you are looking for a Jain paneer recipe or paneer curry without onion and garlic, you are in the right place.

Paneer Jalfrezi is a semi-dry dish, and so it can be served as a side with another vegetable curry. I have added bell peppers along with Paneer to this dish. Bell peppers bring flavors and crunch to this plate.

Ingredients

1. Paneer: Using fresh and soft Paneer is essential for the success of the curry. I have used Homemade Paneer to make this curry. But if you are using a store-bought Paneer, make sure to bring it to room temperature before using it in the recipe. You can also place the Paneer in a Ziploc bag or container and place it in hot water for at least 20 minutes to make the Paneer soft.
2. Bell Peppers: I have used green pepper as well as red, orange, and yellow bell peppers. I love adding colors to my dish, and colored bell peppers also bring their sweet peppery taste to the plate. But you can use only green pepper or any other bell pepper available to you. Also, you can choose to add fewer bell peppers if you want.
3. Tomatoes: Choose the tomatoes, which are ripe and pulpy. Ripe tomatoes will not be very sour. In this recipe, we are adding tomato puree and thin tomato slices. If you like your gravy very thick, you can also finely chop the tomatoes instead of making puree.
4. Spices: I have used basic spices in this recipe which can readily be available in our pantry. I have used my homemade Kitchen King Masala to make this curry, but you can also use Garam Masala for the flavors. This curry is mild to moderately spicy, as I have used Kashmiri red chili powder. So add the green chili and red chili as per your taste. Asafoetida adds earthy flavor, but skip it if you don’t use it.

Step by Step Directions

• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
• If you like, you can use butter instead of oil, or butter and oil both.

• Allow cumin seeds to sizzle and then add slitted green chilis, grated ginger, and asafoetida.
• Mix well and saute for a minute.

• Add sliced bell peppers, mix and cook on moderate to high heat for 3-4 minutes.
• If you like crunchy bell peppers in your curry, cook them only for a couple of minutes.

• Add tomato puree, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and Kitchen King Masala or Garam Masala powder.
• Mix well and continue cooking for 7-8 minutes or until the gravy is thick and everything is well combined.

• Add paneer strips and sliced tomatoes.
• Mix well, and add little water if you need to adjust the consistency.

• Cook the curry for for 5-6 minutes on medium heat or until paneer is soft. Stir occasionally and carefully so that paneer does not break
• Add Kasoori methi, adjust the salt if needed, and mix well.
• If the curry is tangier than you prefer, add 2-3 tablespoon of cream, mix and turn off the heat.

• Transfer the curry into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this curry with your favorite Indian flatbread, like Roti, Naan, Kulcha, or Paratha.
• Paneer Jalfrezi can also be served with plain rice for a comfortable and light meal.
• This curry can also be served with your favorite Pulao or brown rice.
• Having only a bowl of this curry without andy accompaniment will also make a light and filling lunch.

Helpful Tips

• If you like, you can shallow fry the paneer and then use it in the recipe.
• I have used green, yellow, red, and orange bell peppers. But you can use any color of bell pepper you have.
• Instead of using tomato puree, you can use finely chopped tomatoes for the gravy.
• If your curry is tangier than you prefer, add 2-3 tablespoon of cream with Kasoori Methi.

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