Curried Paneer Dal Pie
with Puff Pastry Top
- Cereals containing gluten
- Milk
- Celery
This Curried Paneer Dal Pie with Diced Chicken Breast is bursting full of flavours and makes the perfect dinner night option from HelloFresh. Cook up a fresh start!
Ingredients
½
Puff Pastry Sheet
(Contains: Cereals containing gluten)
1
Onion
1
Carrot
2
Garlic Clove
1
Lentils
226
Paneer
(Contains: Milk)
30
Tomato Puree
2
Pasanda Style Seasoning
200
Coconut Milk
10
Vegetable Stock Paste
(Contains: Celery)
260
Diced Chicken Breast
Not included in your delivery
100
Water for the Dal
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Preheat your oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 9. Remove the puff pastry from your fridge.
Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion. Trim the carrot (no need to peel), then quarter lengthways. Chop widthways into 1cm pieces. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Drain and rinse the lentils in a sieve.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. While the pan gets hot, chop the paneer into 2cm chunks.
Once hot, add the paneer to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Fry until golden all over, 4-6 mins. Turn every 1-2 mins. Once golden, transfer to a bowl and pop your pan back on medium-high heat.
Add a drizzle of oil if the pan is dry, then add the onion and carrot and fry until softened, 4-5 mins. Stir occasionally.
Season the veg with salt and pepper, then add the garlic, tomato puree and pasanda style seasoning (add less spice if you don't like heat) along with the fried paneer.
Stir and cook for 1 min, then pour in the coconut milk, water for the dal (see ingredients for amount), vegetable stock paste and lentils.
Bring to the boil and simmer until the mixture has thickened, 6-8 mins. Stir occasionally and add a splash more water if you need to.
Once the lentil mixture is cooked, taste and add salt and pepper if needed, then transfer it to an appropriately sized ovenproof pie dish.
Cover with the puff pastry, trimming off any excess. Press some of the pastry over the side of the dish if you can, or just sit it on top. Make a small hole in the middle to allow steam to escape. TIP: Brush the pastry with a little milk if you have some.
Bake your pie on the top shelf of your oven until golden brown, 15-20 mins.
Once baked, allow the pie to stand for 2 mins. Serve in bowls. Enjoy!
Step 2 MOD: If you've chosen to add diced chicken breast to your meal, add to the hot pan once the paneer has been removed and fry until golden brown, 4-5 mins. Then add the onion and carrot and continue following the recipe. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging. The chicken is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Aug 2026- Flavour: The curry filling is widely praised for being rich, aromatic, and full of flavour; the lentil dal is a particular highlight for many.
- Ease of prep: Most find this straightforward to make, though the actual cooking time often runs 15–20 minutes longer than the suggested 40–45 minutes.
- Suggestions: Use only one sachet of the pasanda seasoning if you prefer a milder heat, and consider adding spinach, broccoli, or extra carrot to bulk out the filling. Adding a teaspoon or two of sugar can help balance any bitterness from the tomato purée. Marinating or cutting the paneer into smaller pieces may help it absorb more flavour during cooking.
- Next-day meals: The pie reheats well the next day; removing the pastry lid and grilling it briefly helps restore some crispness. Some have also served the leftover dal with rice or naan, which works equally well.
- Portions: This is a very generous dish — several people found it easily fed three or four, and many had leftovers for lunch the following day.
- Pastry: Opinion on the puff pastry topping is divided; some love the contrast it brings, while others prefer to skip it and serve the dal with naan, rice, or roti instead. Leftover pastry has been used to make sweet treats such as chocolate rolls or cinnamon pinwheels.
