MIXED VEGETABLES MASALA WITH PANEER- a delicious and mouthwatering mélange of fresh veggies and paneer made easily with some simple pantry friendly spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric and aromatics like onions and garlic.

No fancy spices or technique needed to make this easy peasy quick curry to enjoy with parathas, rotis, in wraps/rolls (as kathi roll), as part of your veggie bowl or in sandwiches etc.

All you need is 15 minutes, some of your favorite veggies, maybe paneer or even tofu (if vegan) and some pantry spices to rustle up this absolutely to die for Indian flavored dry curry/stir fry.

MIXED VEGETABLES WITH PANEER MASALA RECIPE:

The whole world is a big fan of Indian curries or dishes; be it paneer tikka masala, butter chicken, chole or even some dal fry or mixed dals.

But when it comes to any paneer curry or for that matter any north Indian dish, although my family loves gravy kinda dishes, sometimes they prefer the dry version too.

So I try and add lots of veggies (primarily some bell peppers, onions and tomatoes along with any vegetable I have) and encase all of them in a spicy, tasty, mouthwatering concoction of spices and aromatics which they love!

You can say this is a fridge clean up kind of dish (wink, wink!). If you have paneer, that is absolutely awesome but tofu works so well too!

Rustle up some homemade Indian flat breads like rotis/puris or parathas or even some store bought ones would do to entice them to devour the paneer and vegetable masala curry in a jiffy either as a side dish or in wraps.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE MIXED VEGETABLES MASALA WITH PANEER:

I am sure most of these you will already have in your kitchen but some basic ingredients I used are:

Paneer: most kids and of course lots of adults love paneer (Indian cottage cheese), but if you do not have, you can omit or if you are vegan, you can use tofu chunks too.
Vegetables: Like I said, it was a fridge clean up kinda day so I used up the half an orange bell pepper, half a green bell pepper, some zucchini and of course half of a large tomato lying in the fridge.
Aromatics: Basic ones are chopped onions (white or red would do), some fresh garlic cloves (just grate them) and a chunk of fresh ginger; again grated or minced.
Seasonings and spices: These are basic Indian spices which I use and most foodies and home cooks will definitely have if they love Indian food – salt, coriander powder, jeera/cumin powder, garam masala powder (I love using MDH brand Kitchen King Masala powder instead sometimes), turmeric powder, black pepper powder and some fiery red colored (but not too spicy) Kashmiri red chili powder.
Herbs and garnishes – most north Indian curries always get a sprinkling of dried fenugreek leaves called kasuri methi either crushed or powdered as final garnish or while cooking (gives a lovely earthy aroma), so I have added a bit of that along with some freshly chopped coriander or cilantro leaves.
One optional spice mixture you can add is Chaat Masala powder which you use in Indian street foods called chaats. When added, it lends an oomph factor or zing to any curry or gravy (with a mixture of tangy; because of dry mango powder in it, salty; like Pink salt/kala namak kinda along with other spices) and a lip smacking flavor profile to that dish!

If you do not have chaat masala powder, you can substitute with a squeeze of lemon/lime juice instead in the end too.

HOW TO MAKE MIXED VEGETABLES MASALA WITH PANEER:

Once the ingredients (spices and aromatics) are prepped and veggies/paneer/tofu are chopped into chunks, all you need is a saucepan to cook this up in no time!

Heat 3 tbsp oil and when hot add 1 ½ tsp jeera/cumin seeds; let it sizzle a few seconds

Stir in 2 cups chopped onions with a pinch of salt and cook on medium for about 5-8 minutes until light brown or starting to brown.

Add 2 tbsp each grated ginger and garlic.

Sprinkle 2 tsp dhania/coriander powder, 1 tsp jeera/cumin powder, 1 tsp haldi/turmeric powder, ½ tsp black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder; mix well.

Add ½ cup water; stir.

Cover and cook on low for a few minutes or until oil starts to separate.

Add 1 ½ cups chopped zucchini, 1 cup orange bell pepper, 1 cup green bell pepper and 1 tsp pink salt ore regular salt. Mix and fry for a minute.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or MDH kitchen King Masala) and one chopped tomato; mix well. You can use your favorite spice mix powder here instead too.

Mix well and cook on medium heat, covered for 5-7 minutes more or until the veggies are just cooked. The veggies need to have a bit of crunch as well as retain its fresh color.

Stir in 200 gm cubed paneer (soften by soaking in hot water for a few minutes if needed), 1 tbsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and more salt to taste if needed.

Mix and cook again for 5 minutes until heated through.

Sprinkle chaat masala powder, if using (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) and stir again. This one is optional if you feel the need to oomph up the curry.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with parathas, rotis, naan, in wraps, kathi rools or even sandiwiches etc.

TO MAKE INTO A WRAP/ROLL YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING:

Of course, you will need the paneer/veggie curry, some flatbreads (parathas/rotis/tortillas; homemade or store bought), laccha pyaz (Indian spiced onion pickle) and a delicious and easy to make yogurt chutney to bring all the flavors together in one bite!

I have made my family favorite and nutritious green colored Avocado and Spinach Parathas to encase the paneer/veggie curry.

For the Laccha Pyaz, slice red onions, sprinkle with Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, chaat masala powder (optional but gives a delicious lift to instant onion pickle), squeeze half a lemon/lime, mix well using clean hands and set aside for a minimum of 15 minutes for flavors to blend and the pungency of onions to mellow.

To make the yogurt chutney, in a small bowl, whisk ½ cup of thick yogurt, a couple of squeezes from a readymade packet of green chutney/homemade chutney (cilantro chutney or even Pani puri chutney easily available online or in any Indian store) along with a dash of garlic powder/grated fresh garlic. Mix well, adjust the amount of ingredients to your taste.

You can use mayonnaise instead of yogurt if you prefer.

TO ASSEMBLE THE WRAP:

Smear yogurt chutney onto the paratha and spoon the paneer/veggie curry in the center like so:

If you like you can layer with some cucumber slices for added freshness and crunch.

Sprinkle some laccha pyaz on top, wrap the flat bread and enjoy!

Do try and make this in your home and impress your family and friends. No need to order takeout or head out to indulge in those street food snacks where the health quotient is doubtful.

If you do make this and enjoy it as a curry/side dish for your flat breads or use in wraps/rolls etc. I would love to know about it.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments in the box below (do not forget to give a rating) and also share your version on Instagram (tagging me @curryandvanilla16 or #curryandvanilla16) and/or on my Facebook page.

For more similar curries and veggie recipes, do check out these too:

Mixed vegetables Masala with Paneer

A delicious and mouthwatering mélange of fresh veggies and paneer made easily with some simple pantry friendly spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric and aromatics like onions and garlic. Enjoy as a side with any Indian flat bread or in wraps or rolls.

Ingredients

200 gm paneer cut into cubes
1 ½ cups chopped zucchini
1 cup cubed red bell pepper
1 cup green bell pepper
1 tomato chopped
2 cups finely chopped onions
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp grated garlic
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp jeera/cumin powder
1 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder or MDH Kicthen King powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil

FOR GARNISH:

1 tablespoon crushed kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
Handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves/cilantro

FOR THE WRAP/ROLL:

Spinach Avocado Parathas (recipe link below) or any flatbread
Yogurt Chutney Recipe below
Laccha Pyaz Indian spiced pickled onions; recipe below

Instructions

TO MAKE THE MIXED VEGETABLE MASALA CURRY WITH PANEER:

Once the ingredients (spices and aromatics) are prepped and veggies/paneer/tofu are chopped into chunks, all you need is a saucepan to cook this up in no time!
Heat 3 tbsp oil and when hot add 1 ½ tsp jeera/cumin seeds; let it sizzle a few seconds
Stir in 2 cups chopped onions with a pinch of salt and cook on medium for about 5-8 minutes until light brown or starting to brown.
Add 2 tbsp each grated ginger and garlic.
Sprinkle 2 tsp dhania/coriander powder, 1 tsp jeera/cumin powder, 1 tsp haldi/turmeric powder, ½ tsp black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder; mix well.
Add ½ cup water; stir.
Cover and cook on low for a few minutes or until oil starts to separate.
Add 1 ½ cups chopped zucchini, 1 cup orange bell pepper, 1 cup green bell pepper and 1 tsp pink salt ore regular salt. Mix and fry for a minute.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or MDH kitchen King Masala) along with 1 chopped tomato; mix well. You can use your favorite spice mix powder here instead too.
Mix well and cook on medium heat, covered for 5-7 minutes more or until the veggies are just cooked. The veggies need to have a bit of crunch as well as retain its fresh color.
Stir in 200 gm cubed paneer (soften by soaking in hot water for a few minutes if needed), 1 tbsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and more salt to taste if needed.
Mix and cook again for 5 minutes until heated through.
Sprinkle chaat masala powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) and stir again. This one is optional if you feel the need to oomph up the curry.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with parathas, rotis, naan, in wraps, kathi rools or even sandiwiches etc.

TO MAKE INTO A WRAP/ROLL YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING:

Of course, you will need the paneer/veggie curry, some flatbreads (parathas/rotis/tortillas; homemade or store bought), laccha pyaz (Indian spiced onion pickle) and a delicious and easy to make yogurt chutney to bring all the flavors together in one bite!
I have made my family favorite and nutritious green colored Avocado and Spinach Parathas to encase the paneer/veggie curry.
For the Laccha Pyaz, slice red onions, sprinkle with Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, chaat masala powder (optional but gives a delicious lift to instant onion pickle), squeeze half a lemon/lime, mix well using clean hands and set aside for a minimum of 15 minutes for flavors to blend and the pungency of onions to mellow.
To make the yogurt chutney, in a small bowl, whisk ½ cup of thick yogurt, a couple of squeezes from a readymade packet of green chutney (cilantro chutney or even Pani puri chutney easily available online or in any Indian store) along with a dash of garlic powder/grated fresh garlic. Mix well, adjust the amount of ingredients to your taste.
You can use mayonnaise instead of yogurt if you prefer.

TO ASSEMBLE THE WRAP:

Smear yogurt chutney onto the paratha and spoon the paneer/veggie curry in the center like so:
If you like you can layer with some cucumber slices for added freshness and crunch.
Sprinkle some laccha pyaz on top, wrap the flat bread and enjoy!
Enjoy as a wrap/roll or as a side with rotis, parathas, naan etc.

Recipe Notes

Adjust the amount of spices according to personal taste.
You can interchange the veggies depending upon what you have.
Do not overcook the veggies; you still need a bit of crunch in them.
If you prefer soft chunks of paneer, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes, drain thoroughly and then use.
Love tofu or are vegan? You can use tofu instead of paneer.
Feel free to use any wrap you like or have.
Instead of yogurt, you can use mayonnaise in the chutney if preferred.