Paneer Taka Tak Recipe – comes from Amritsar-Punjab. This dish is tangy, spicy, flavorful and goes well with jeera rice or butter naan. Have tried paneer taka tak many times and my we love this recipe.
Paneer has always been my favorite since my childhood and continues to be. I am in love with Punjabi food. Personal favorite is amritsari chole bhature, palak paneer, butter paneer, butter chicken, aloo paratha and aloo tikki chaat…what’s yours??
This recipe is easy to make with basic ingredients easily found in your kitchen. Although the taste is tangy you could also make them more spicy if you wish. This dish could be your kid’s lunch box or meal.
You could make the same dish with mushroom, tofu if you are a vegan. Nonvegetarians could replace paneer with chicken or boneless fish fillet. The crunch comes from the onion, capsicum and the tang comes from the tomatoes and amchur powder. Also you would get the hit of spice coming from chilies and chili powder.
There are many variations to make this dish. I have chosen to shallow fry or grill the paneer before adding them to the gravy / sauce. You could either use homemade Punjabi garam masala or the store bought ones. Also ,a dash of pav bhaji masala goes in this recipe.
How to make paneer taka tak recipe stepwise:
1. Combine all the ingredients for marination along with yogurt.
2. First give a nice whisk thenadd 1 tsp oil oil and mix again.
3. Add gram flour mix nicely. The mixture should be smooth and lump free. Alternatively, you could beat with a electric beater or beat with the help of spatula or flat spoon.. The consistency has to be neither too thick nor thin just enough thick to coat the paneer.
4. Coat the paneer withe beaten yogurt mixture.
5. Marinate the paneer for 30 mins in the fridge by covering with a lid or foil.
6. Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. Place the marinated cottage cheese slices over the hot oil.
7. Shallow fry over medium heat. Flip the paneer over the other side and fry until cooked.
8. In the same pan heat rest of oil + butter. Add ajwain.
9. Once they crackle add the onion, ginger and capsicum or bell pepper.
10. Saute them on high heat for 2 mins.
11. Now add the chopped tomatoes.
12. Add the rest of spice powders and salt. Reserve amchur powder and chat masala to add later.
13. Cover and cook until the tomatoes become tender.
14. Mash them with the help of masher. Also, add tomato ketchup.
15. Cook for 30 secs. Add 1 tbsp water if the mixture dries up.
16. Add the left over marinated mixture now and mix well.
17. Time to add the fried paneer and cook covered for a minute. Switch off the gas and sprinkle amchur powder, chat masala and green chilies.
Serve your paneer taka tak hot with roti, rice or naan.
If you are looking for more paneer recipes then do check hariyali paneer, paneer machurian, paneer bhurji, paneer butter masala, paneer 65, paneer biryani, paneer pav bhaji, malai paneer, paneer tikka masala and chili paneer.
Paneer Taka Tak recipe cart below:
- [b]Marination of paneer:[/b]
- 200 gms cottage cheese (paneer) sliced into squares or rectangular
- 1/2 cup yogurt (dahi)
- 2 tsp kashmirii red chili powder or mirch powder
- 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
- 1/5th tsp chat masala
- 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp oil
- [b]Other Ingredients:[/b]
- 3 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp carom seed (ajwain)
- 2 onion chopped into squares (pyaz)
- 1 capsicum or bell pepper chopped into square (simla mirch)
- 2 tomatoes chopped finely (tamatar)
- 1 tsp tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1 tsp pav bhaji masala
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder)
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or mirch powder
- 1 tsp coriander seed powder (dhaniya powder)
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1/4th tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tsp chat masala
- 1 tbsp grated ginger or chopped finely adrak
- 1 tsp chopped green chili (hari mirch)
- Combine all the ingredients for marination.
- Give a nice whisk add oil and mix again.
- Add gram flour and combine nicely. The mixture should be smooth and lump free. Alternatively you could grind into a grinder or manually mix.
- Spread yogurt mixture all over the paneer ensuring it’s evenly coated from all sides.
- Marinate the paneer for 30 mins in the fridge by covering with a lid or foil.
- Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a non stick pan. Place marinated cottage cheese slices over the heated oil.
- Shallow fry over medium heat. Once the yogurt dries up then flip over other side and fry. Remove them from the pan and place aside.
- In the same pan heat rest of oil + butter. Add ajwain.
- Once they crackle add the onion, ginger and capsicum or bell pepper.
- Saute them on high heat for 2 mins. Now add chopped tomatoes.
- Add the rest of spice powder, salt except amchur powder.
- Cover and cook until tomatoes become tender.
- Mash them with the help of masher. Also add tomato ketchup.
- Cook for 30 secs. Add little water if the mixture dries up.
- If there is any leftover marinated mixture,a dd them as well.
- Time to add the fried paneer and cook covered for a minute. You could also crumble the paneer if you wish to at this point of time. Switch off the gas and sprinkle amchur powder, chat masala and green chilies.
- Serve your paneer taka tak hot with roti, rice or naan.
Devika Nigam says
Best ever recipe of Paneer Takatak found and made till now
Dharti says
I am finding new recipe of panner!
And this is best for me. Its looks easy and also tasty
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us
maria says
Welcome Dharti, thanks for positive views. Let me know once you try paneer taka tak recipe, thanks.
BD says
???
maria says
Thanks 🙂
shilpi says
Love the name and the color. Paneer taka tak look so delicious.
maria says
Thankyou Shilpi 🙂 for your positive views.