History and origin of Jalfrezi
Paneer Jalfrezi is not the only Jalfrezi dish but there are many other similar dishes like Chicken Jalfrezi, Vegetable Jalfrezi, Mushroom Jalfrezi, etc. Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is one of the most popular vegetarian ingredients in India. It is now gaining popularity in the Western world too- especially with more and more people getting inclined towards a meat-free diet. Today I am sharing a very tasty and easy-to-make paneer recipe called Paneer Jalfrezi. It’s made by cooking paneer with crunchy vegetables and flavoring them with a flavorful blend of Indian spices. If you like Indian food and are looking for easy vegetarian recipes to try at home then this dish is a must-try. In Bengali language Jhal means hot or spicy and that’s where this dish got its name from. It’s said that the first Jalfrezi dish was created with Chicken by the Bengali chefs of the British people in India, during the colonial period. These chefs combined the techniques of Indian and Chinese cuisines to create this delicious dish. Though, the ingredients and flavors Indian, stir-frying the vegetables and leaving them crunchy is the Chinese way. Later, various vegetarian versions of it were re-created in India. Paneer jalfrezi is one of them.
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
Paneer: Paneer is Indian cottage cheese. You can easily find it in the dairy section of Indian grocery stores. If you can’t find fresh paneer, frozen can be used too. If using frozen paneer, thaw it before adding to the dish.Nigella seeds: It’s also known as kalonji in Hindi. I have seen some people calling it black cumin. Even some brands sell it by the name black cumin but, black cumin and nigella seeds are completely different spices. They not only taste different but also look completely different. Nigella seed is an important ingredient in this dish and you can not create the same flavor with any other spice not even with black sesame seeds which look similar but taste different. However, if you could not find nigella seeds, skip it instead of using a different spice and completely changing the flavor.Kasoori methi: Ever wondered what gives a nice unique smoky flavor (other than tandoor) to a lot of Indian dishes? It’s this ingredient called kasoori methi which is dried fenugreek leaves. There is no substitute for this ingredient, not even the fresh fenugreek leaves. Unfortunately, no other ingredient can create the same flavor. If you like Indian food and plan to make it at home, keep a few basic spices, including kasoori methi in your pantry.
Step 2: Add sliced onion and cook until the onion starts turning brown. Step 3: Add minced garlic and saute for about a minute or until its raw smell goes away. Step 4: Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Step 5: Saute for a few seconds. Step 6: Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and are nicely cooked. Step 7: Add tomato paste, mix, and cook for a minute. Step 8: Add chopped carrot and beans. Step 9: Cook uncovered for 5-6 minutes. Keep on stirring in between. The vegetables should be cooked but remain crunchy. Step 10: Add chopped bell peppers. Step 11: Cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes. Step 12: Add diced and deseeded tomatoes. Step 13: Add diced paneer, crushed kasoori methi, and thinly sliced ginger. Step 14: Mix everything. Step 15: Cook covered for another 2 minutes. Step 16: Add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Mix. Your delicious homemade paneer Jalfrezi is ready to be served! If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest. You can also enjoy it with some plain basmati rice, jeera rice, or any other rice dish of choice. The leftover can be stuffed inside wraps or grilled sandwiches. So, if you are planning to freeze this dish either freeze it without the paneer and add paneer only while reheating or, use smaller bite-size pieces of paneer in the dish. Once thawed, don’t refreeze. Or, to reheat on the stovetop, transfer to a pan, add a few tablespoons of hot water, cover the pot and reheat for around 5 minutes or until nicely reheated. If you are reheating frozen jalfrezi, there is no need to thaw it first.
Recipe
