I am a huge fan of paneer in general. It’s just so delicious and comforting! However, while it does have some protein, it has even more fat. Unfortunately, most paneer dishes are made in a rich, creamy sauce, just adding to the calories.
That’s why I love to make Paneer Bhurji! It is a relatively dry paneer curry that doesn’t have any extra rich ingredients. You still get all the flavor of paneer and it’s super yum! I like eating it with plain chappati/roti. Bread works great as well.
I have a similar vegan version of this dish that is also quite delicious. Check out my Tandoori Tofu Bhurji recipe here.
Paneer Bhurji
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian6
servings10
minutes10
minutes180
kcalA simple and quick dry fry that involves Paneer and basic Indian spices
Ingredients
4 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
2-4 green chilis (minced)
1 inch ginger (grated)
2 cloves garlic (minced/crushed)
1 medium red onion (finely diced)
1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 block paneer (grated/crumbled)
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 handful cilantro (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a sauté pan at a medium flame.
- Add 1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds to the oil.
- Once the cumin seeds start to brown, add 2-4 green chili (minced), 1 inch ginger (grated), and 2 cloves of garlic (minced/crushed). Sauté till aromatic.
- Add 1 medium red onion (finely diced). Sauté till translucent.
- Next, add 1 medium tomato (finely chopped). Sauté for a few minutes till the tomatoes are cooked. (Note: don’t let the tomatoes become too mushy.)
- Once the tomatoes are cooked, add 1/2 tsp turmeric. Sauté for a few minutes until the raw smell of turmeric goes away.
- Then, add 1 tsp red chili powder and 1 tsp garam masala.
- Let the spices cook for a few minutes and then add 1 block paneer (grated/crumbled). Mix well.
- Add salt to taste and let cook for a few more minutes.
- Crush 1/2 tsp of kasuri methi with your hands and sprinkle on top. Cook for another minute or two.
- Take off flame and add 1 tsp lemon juice. Garnish with a handful of finely chopped cilantro. Serve with hot chappatis. Enjoy 😊
Notes
- This recipe requires a little more oil than most other recipes. This helps prevent the paneer from becoming too dry.
- I prefer red onions for this dish only because the contrast in color adds a nice touch to the appearance of the Paneer Bhurji. However, you can use yellow onions as well.
- I prefer to mince my green chilis in a grinder. However, you can finely mince them by hand or even just slit them.
- I prefer to grate my ginger. Alternatively, you could use a pre-made ginger paste.
- I prefer to crush my garlic via a mortar and pestle. You could finely mince by hand or use a pre-made garlic paste.
- There are many versions of this recipe. This is my tried and true version that I came up with. I hope you love it!
- Vegan Option: Substitute Paneer with Tofu for a Vegan Tofu Bhurji! Or check out my vegan Tandoori Tofu Bhurji recipe here.
Did you make this recipe?
I hope you all try this recipe out! I would love to see your own adventures in cooking! Please take a pic and share them with me on Instagram/Facebook @chaitrascreations.
