Dhaba-Style Black Pepper Paneer🔥| Easy Kali Mirch Paneer Recipe at Home ❤️

Freshly roasted pepper + creamy gravy = the most addictive paneer recipe ever! 🔥
Dhaba-Style Black Pepper Paneer is a rich North Indian curry where roasted black pepper blends into a silky onion-cashew gravy for the most aromatic flavour.
Perfect for lunch, dinner, guests or weekend treats — this paneer recipe never disappoints.
Serve it hot with garlic naan, kulcha, roti or steamed rice for the most comforting and satisfying meal. 😍🍽️

🧾 Ingredients :

**For Roasted Black Pepper**

•Whole black peppercorns – 1.5 tbsp
(You’ll grind them after roasting)

**For Paneer**

•Paneer – 250 g, cut into slabs or cubes
•Oil – 2 tbsp (for shallow frying)

**For Gravy Base (White Masala Paste)**

•Onion – 1 large, roughly chopped
•Garlic – 7–8 cloves
•Ginger – 1 inch
•Green chilli – 1
•Cashews (Kaju) – 10–12
•Bay leaf – 1
•Cinnamon stick – ½ inch
•Green cardamom – 3
•Hot water – 1 cup

**For Cooking the Gravy**

•Butter – 1 tbsp
•Oil – 1 tsp
•Ginger Juliennes – 1 inch
•Green chilli – 1, slit
•Blended white paste
•Salt – as needed
•Sugar – ½ tsp (balances the heat, optional but recommended)
•Ground roasted black pepper – 1 tbsp (adjust to taste)
•Hot water – ½ cup
•Kasuri methi – 1 tsp
•Garam masala – ¼ tsp

**Garnish**

•Crushed black pepper – a pinch
•Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, chopped
•Chilli oil – ½ tsp (optional but makes it beautiful)

👩‍🍳Cooking Process (Step-by-Step) :

Step 1: Roast & Grind Pepper
•Heat a small pan on low flame.
•Add 1.5 tbsp whole black pepper.
•Dry roast for 1–2 minutes until it smells fragrant.
•Cool slightly and grind coarsely.
•Keep ¼ tsp aside for garnish.

Step 2: Fry the Paneer
•Heat 1–2 tbsp oil in a pan.
•Place paneer slabs or cubes and fry both sides until light golden.
•Remove and keep aside.
(Light frying helps paneer stay firm in gravy.)

Step 3: Prepare the White Masala Paste
•In the same or new pan, add: Onion ,Garlic ,Ginger ,Green chilli ,Cashews ,Bay leaf ,Cinnamon , Green cardamoms.
•Pour 1 cup hot water.
•Boil for 10–12 minutes until everything turns soft.
•Remove bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom.
•Cool slightly and blend into a smooth creamy paste.

Step 4: Make the Gravy
•Heat 1 tbsp butter + 1 tsp oil in a pan.
•Add ginger Juliennes and 1 slit green chilli. Sauté 10 seconds.
•Add the white masala paste.
•Cook for 3–4 minutes on medium heat.
•Add: Salt, Sugar ,Ground roasted black pepper, Kasuri methi (crushed between palms) ,Garam masala ,Mix well and cook for 2 more minutes.

Step 5: Add Paneer
•Gently add fried paneer slabs or cubes.
•Add ½ cup hot water to adjust thickness.
•Let it simmer for 3–4 minutes on low flame.
•Turn off flame.

Step 6: Garnish
•Sprinkle a pinch of crushed pepper
•Add chopped coriander
•Drizzle chilli oil for colour
•Serve hot with Garlic Naan, Kulcha, or Jeera Rice.

💡Tips :
1. Grind pepper coarsely, not fine. It gives the best aroma and flavour.
2. Use fresh paneer OR soak fried paneer in warm water for 5 mins. This keeps it soft.
4. Cook the paste well. Raw onion smell should completely go.
5. Adding sugar (enhances taste).
6. Slight kasuri methi + very little garam masala for aroma.
7. Specified water amount so gravy isn’t too thick.
8. Suggested simmering the paneer for softness.
9. Add chilli oil at the end. Gives a restaurant-style glossy finish.

Thanks for watching.
Hope this video was helpful and enjoyable.
See you in next one.

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