Paneer Ghee Roast
Ghee roast is traditionally made with Chicken or even seafood but here’s a vegetarian version which is just as good. Dry roasted spices are ground to a smooth paste and as the name suggests, cooked in a lot of ghee. This ghee roast masala coats the paneer cubes and gives it an irresistible flavour and aroma. You can whiff it from a mile away!
Servings: 3 portions
Ingredients
For Paneer
- 350 Grams Paneer Cubes
- 4 Tablespoons Ghee Clarified Butter
- ½ To ¾ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Sugar Or Jaggery
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves Approx 10 Leaves
For Masala
- 10 Dried Byadgi Red Chillies
- 7 Black Peppercorns
- ¾ Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ¼ Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- 10 Peeled Whole Garlic Cloves
- ¼ Teaspoon Tamarind Paste Tamarind Soaked In Water
Instructions
Making Ghee Roast Masala
- Dry roast pepper corns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds for 5-6 minutes on low flame in a pan. You’ll know the spices are done when they start smelling almost sweetish. Stir regularly so that they don’t burn. Transfer to a plate and set aside.7 Black Peppercorns, ¾ Tablespoon Coriander Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ¼ Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- Dry roast Bydagi red chillies on medium heat for 2-3 minutes till they become deep red. Transfer it to the same plate as the spices and set aside.10 Dried Byadgi Red Chillies
- Dry roast Garlic for 2-3 minutes & keep it along with the spices. Let everything cool.10 Peeled Whole Garlic Cloves
- Once cool, transfer everything to a mixer grinder along with tamarind paste, a tablespoon or two of water and blend till smooth. Set aside.¼ Teaspoon Tamarind Paste
Marinating Paneer
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of the masala to the paneer and mix to combine. Set aside for 10 mins.350 Grams Paneer Cubes
Making of Ghee Roast
- In a large pan or kadhai, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and add the marinated paneer in a single layer. Fry the paneer for 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.4 Tablespoons Ghee
- In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and the remaining masala. Fry the masala for 8-10 minutes while stirring occasionally. You’ll know that the masala is cooked when it turns a deep reddish maroon colour and the ghee starts to separate.
- Add the roasted paneer pieces back to the pan along with salt and sugar and mix to ensure the masala fully coats the paneer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the masala is too thick.½ To ¾ Teaspoon Salt, ½ Teaspoon Sugar Or Jaggery
- Sprinkle curry leaves, mix and serve hot.1 Sprig Curry Leaves
Notes
- Using Ghee is a must in this recipe for best results. Please don’t substitute it with oil - you just won’t get the same flavour!
- Byadgi chillies can be substituted with Kashmiri Chillies.
- Don’t cook the paneer for more than 3-4 minutes while pan frying it or it’ll turn rubbery
- Make sure the masala is cooked well and you see the ghee separating. I promise your patience will be rewarded!
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1447IU | Vitamin C: 226mg | Calcium: 615mg | Iron: 2mg