Paneer fry features soft paneer cubes which are cooked with roasted spices and vegetables to create a delicious and spicy flavor. The dish uses paneer fried in ghee and butter before adding capsicum, onions, and tomatoes. A special masala is made using whole spices including cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and peppercorns. My simple recipe provides the complete process to make paneer fry at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Paneer fry is a popular vegetarian dish in India loved for its rich flavors and quick preparation.
- Serve it with roti or paratha or as a side dish with dal and rice.
- Paneer fry has a soft and juicy texture with a spicy, tangy, and aromatic taste.
- Other similar recipes are paneer pepper fry, kadai paneer, paneer tikka, and paneer bhurji.
The Ingredients:
To fry the paneer:
- 400 grams paneer
- 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 cubes butter
To cook the paneer cubes:
- 1 piece capsicum (medium size, finely chopped)
- 2 pieces onions (medium size, finely chopped)
- 1 piece tomato (medium size, finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- ½ tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
- ½ tsp chaat masala powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ lemon juice
To make the ground masala:
- 2 pieces red chilies (whole)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 15 pieces curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
I first found out about this paneer fry dish during a small family get-together one of my good friends had arranged. The fragrance of the roasted spices of the side dish which was placed on the table really attracted me. I took a bite and found the spice level and the softness of the paneer to be just right. She gave me the recipe which, besides the step-by-step guide, included some cooking tips as well. I was very eager and wrote down everything in my kitchen diary so that I would know where I was going wrong when I made it later at home.
I made it for my husband and two sons on the following Sunday and the dish turned out to be extremely tasty. The paneer was mild in texture but full of flavors and spices and had a well-balanced complex flavor. My husband was happy to have it with roti and my sons ate it so greedily that they kept on asking for the same from me again without even a break. Seeing them happy with the dish made me very glad and I was thankful to have found out the tasty and easy recipe.
How to Make Paneer Fry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Cut a 400-gram paneer chunk into 3 large pieces.
Step 2: Melt 2 cubes of butter in 1 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) and fry paneer.
Step 3: Remove when slightly golden. Cut them into small cubes.
Step 4: Finely chop 1 medium-sized capsicum, 2 pieces of onions, and one tomato. Also chop 1 tbsp of garlic, 1 tbsp of ginger, 1 tbsp of green chilies, and 1 tbsp of coriander leaves.
Step 5: Dry roast 2 pieces of whole red chilies, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds (saunf), 1 tsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of black peppercorns, and 15 pieces of curry leaves. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Step 6: Transfer them to a mixie jar, add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ tsp of salt, and grind to a coarse powder.
Step 7: In the remaining oil in the pan, first fry chopped ginger, garlic, and green chilies and then onions and capsicum until soft. Add tomatoes.
Step 8: Add fried paneer cubes. Add the ground masala. Then add ½ tsp of dry mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp of chaat masala powder, ¼ tsp of garam masala powder, the chopped coriander leaves, and ½ lemon juice.
Step 9: Mix nicely and transfer it to a plate.
Step 10: Your tasty and spicy homemade paneer fry is ready.
Recipe Card
Paneer Fry
Ingredients
To fry the paneer:
- 400 grams paneer
- 1 tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 2 cubes butter
To cook the paneer cubes:
- 1 piece capsicum medium size, finely chopped
- 2 pieces onions medium size, finely chopped
- 1 piece tomato medium size, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 tbsp green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
- ½ tsp dry mango powder amchur
- ½ tsp chaat masala powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ lemon juice
To make the ground masala:
- 2 pieces red chilies whole
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds saunf
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 15 pieces curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cut a 400-gram paneer chunk into 3 large pieces.
- Melt 2 cubes of butter in 1 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) and fry paneer.
- Remove when slightly golden. Cut them into small cubes.
- Finely chop 1 medium-sized capsicum 2 pieces of onions, and one tomato. Also chop 1 tbsp of garlic, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp of green chilies and 1 tbsp of coriander leaves.
- Dry roast 2 pieces of whole red chilies, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds (saunf), 1 tsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of black peppercorns and 15 pieces of curry leaves. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Transfer them to a mixie jar, add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of salt and grind to a coarse powder.
- In the remaining oil in the pan, first fry chopped ginger, garlic, and green chilies and then onions and capsicum until soft. Add tomatoes.
- Add fried paneer cubes. Add the ground masala. Then add ½ tsp of dry mango powder (amchur), ½ tsp of chaat masala powder, ¼ tsp of garam masala powder, the chopped coriander leaves, and ½ lemon juice.
- Mix nicely and transfer it to a plate.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade paneer fry is ready.
Notes
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
