Paneer Do Pyaza

Paneer do pyaza recipe – Do pyaza or dopiaza is a dish named after Akbar Mullah Do Piaza who created the dish during the mughal era. Though the original version was made with meat, the vegetarian versions like paneer do pyaza and mushroom do pyaza are also popular in Indian restaurants.

The original Mughlai recipe used lot of onions and did not use tomatoes instead curd/ dahi was used. So the recipe shared here is not of an authentic do pyaza but a restaurant style paneer do pyaza recipe.

The taste of paneer do pyaza gravy is rich, very unique and delicious. I had always wondered about the unique flavor & taste of few paneer dishes served in a North Indian restaurant in Singapore. After several trials I was very happy with this recipe which yielded me a similar one that tasted the best. If you love restaurant style paneer dishes then this is a must try.

About Do Pyaza

Do pyaza recipes are made with lot of onions. Some of the perceptions are – the dish is made with 2 different kinds of onions or twice the amount of onions that we normally use or onions being used twice in the recipe.

I have used 2 kinds of onions and used them twice in the recipe. I have used small onions or shallots for the garnishing, you can use even regular onions. Just cube them and use.

Most paneer dishes are made with a onion tomato puree. But this one unusually uses tomato and capsicum puree which makes it unique in taste and aroma. Paneer do pyaza is best served with roti, paratha, plain basmati rice, Jeera rice, ghee rice or any pulao varieties.

For more Paneer Recipes, you can check
Matar paneer
Palak paneer
Easy paneer tikka
Paneer tikka masala
Restaurant style paneer lababdar
Achari paneer

Photo Guide

How to make Paneer Do Pyaza

1. Add capsicum, tomatoes and cashews to a blender jar. All the ingredients are raw and not sauteed. I have used red capsicum. You can use even green or yellow capsicum. Just that you will need to add little more chili powder to get a good color.

2. Make a fine puree.

3. Heat a pan with oil. Add jeera and cardamoms.

4. When the jeera crackles, add finely chopped onions. Make sure the onions are very fine chopped.

5. Fry till the onions turn golden and shrink in size. Add garlic ginger paste.

6. Fry till the raw smell of the garlic ginger paste goes away.

7. Add the capsicum and tomato puree. On a low to medium flame, saute till the mixture leaves the pan.

8. Next add red chili powder, salt & garam masala. Also add coriander powder.

9. Fry the masala well until oil separates.

Making gravy

10. Pour water enough to make the gravy. I used 3/4 cup water. You can use little more if needed.

11. Mix well. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the gravy thickens. You will see traces of oil over the gravy.

12. Lower the heat completely. Add paneer and crushed kasuri methi. If you do not like the flavor of kasuri methi, you can skip it.

13. Mix and cook covered for 3 mins. Do not over cook the paneer as it turns hard. Turn off the stove once done.

14. While the paneer cooks, add oil or ghee to a small pan and heat it. On a high flame, saute the onions & green chilies for 2 mins. The onions must be partially cooked and retain the crunch.

15. Transfer the onions and green chilies to the gravy along with oil. Turn off the stove. Sprinkle some coriander leaves. Make sure you don’t cook paneer for long otherwise it turns hard.

Lastly transfer paneer do pyaza to a serving bowl. I had set aside some of the onions and used them to garnish.

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