Paneer Ghee Roast Recipe (Mangalore Style)
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Fiery, aromatic, and loaded with ghee, this Mangalore-style paneer ghee roast delivers restaurant-level flavor at home. Here’s everything you need to nail this recipe.
Table of Contents
Quick Look: Paneer Ghee Roast
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
Flavor/Texture: Rich, spicy, and aromatic with a glossy ghee-coated masala and soft paneer pieces
What Is Paneer Ghee Roast?
Paneer ghee roast is a vegetarian adaptation of the iconic Mangalorean chicken ghee roast, which originates from Kundapur, a coastal town near Mangalore in Karnataka. I love how roasted chilies, tamarind, garlic, and ghee come together into a deep red masala that feels bold, homely, and so special.
The paneer (Indian cottage cheese) version keeps everything that makes the original great: the deep red color, the layered spice-heat from dried chilies, the sweet-sour balance from tamarind and jaggery, and the unmistakable richness of ghee, and replaces chicken with cubes of fresh Indian cottage cheese. The result is a semi-dry, intensely flavored curry that works as a starter, a side dish, or even a wrap filling.
Ingredients
To Marinate The Paneer
- Paneer – You can make your own paneer at home or buy it from an Indian store nearby. Paneer is typically available in the refrigerated section of an Indian store or the Asian aisle in a supermarket.
- Lime juice – Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the marinade. You can also use lemon juice as a substitute.
- Salt
For The Ground Masala Paste
- Dry red chilies – Traditionally, Byadagi chilies are used. But I had Kashmiri chilies at hand, which are similar to Byadagi chilies in terms of heat and color. So I used them. To make the curry spicier, you can use Thai chilies (or Indian Guntur chilies) instead of Kashmiri red chilies.
- Spices – You will need whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds (saunf), fenugreek seeds (methi dana), cloves (laung), and black peppercorns (kali mirch).
For The Curry
- Ghee – Ghee is the backbone of this recipe, so I would not replace it with oil. If you cut it down too much, the masala will lose that signature Mangalore ghee roast aroma.
- Tamarind paste – Adds a perfect tangy taste
- Jaggery (gur, gud) rounds the heat and acidity. Don’t skip it.
- Curry leaves – Add that perfect South Indian touch and a delightful flavor.
- Plain yogurt (dahi, curd) – It makes the base of the curry and gives a nice tang.
- Others – You will also need red onions, ginger garlic paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, and turmeric powder.
How To Make Paneer Ghee Roast
Marinate The Paneer
Step 1: Cut 500 g paneer into small pieces. I cut it into triangles, but you can cut it however you like. If using store-bought paneer, soak it in warm water for 5 minutes. This will make the paneer soft, not rubbery.
Mix the following ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and let them sit aside until needed in the recipe.
- 500 g paneer (cut into pieces)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
For homemade paneer, skip the soaking step; it’s already tender.
Make The Masala Paste
Step 2: While the paneer is marinating, make the chili paste. Remove the stalks of 10-12 whole dried Kashmiri red chilies. Dry-roast on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a plate.
Step 3: Dry-roast the following ingredients on medium heat for 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 8-10 whole black peppercorns
Watch the fenugreek closely; it turns bitter fast. Remove everything the moment you smell the spices.
Step 4: Add the roasted ingredients to the small blender jar, along with ¼ cup of water.
Step 5: Blend until a smooth paste is formed. Set the jar aside.
Scrape down the sides 2–3 times. The paste should have no visible whole spice pieces. This is what gives the dish its silky coating on the paneer.
Make The Ghee Roast Curry
Step 6: Heat 6 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the paneer pieces on both sides until golden brown, then set them aside. This step creates a slight crust that holds up when you toss the paneer in the masala.
Don’t crowd the pan; fry in batches if needed. Crowding steams instead of sears.
Step 7: Add ½ cup chopped red onions to the same pan and cook until slightly browned (7-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Step 8: Add 2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 9: Now, add the following ingredients to the pan and mix everything together.
- ground masala paste
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- ½ cup whisked plain yogurt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Add some water to the blender jar after removing the paste, and blend for 2-3 seconds. This way, all the paste sticking to the sides will dissolve into the water. You can use this water to thin down the curry later (step 12).
Step 10: Now add 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder and mix well.
Step 11: Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook the masala for 10-12 minutes.
Step 12: Add the fried paneer to the pan along with ½ cup of water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 13: Add 1 teaspoon of crushed jaggery and 20-25 curry leaves, and cook until the ghee starts to ooze from the sides (5-6 minutes).
Take your time here and let the masala cook until it smells roasted and the ghee starts to separate. That little visual cue tells you the flavors have deepened and the paneer is ready to soak them up.
Step 14: Check for salt and add more if needed. If you want a slightly looser consistency, add 2–3 tablespoons of warm water and cook for 1 more minute. Serve immediately.
Serve hot; ghee solidifies as the dish cools, significantly changing the texture.
Paneer Ghee Roast FAQs
To make it vegan, replace
1. Regular yogurt with coconut yogurt or any other vegan yogurt
2. Paneer with tofu
3. Ghee with coconut oil
These replacements will considerably change the taste of the dish, though.
Color comes from the type of red chili you use. Kashmiri red chilies and Byadagi chilies are known for their deep, vibrant red pigment (capsanthin) with relatively low heat. If you use only Guntur or bird’s eye chilies, which are hot but not deeply pigmented, the masala will be orange rather than brick-red. Always use Kashmiri or Byadagi chilies as the majority of your chili quantity.
Serving Suggestions
Serve paneer ghee roast as a side dish with flaky lachha paratha or Kerala parotta. I also love serving it with soft appams, neer dosa, or plain dosa.
It tastes great with phulka, plain tawa paratha, steamed rice, veg pulao, and ghee rice. Serve a cooling raita on the side to balance the heat.
You can also serve this dish as an appetizer. Just keep the gravy a little less.
Storage Suggestions
You can refrigerate this delicious paneer ghee roast curry in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Reheat it in a microwave or a pan before serving. Add some hot water while reheating if the curry has thickened.
We don’t recommend freezing the finished dish as the paneer becomes grainy and crumbly when thawed. However, you can freeze the masala paste separately for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then use as directed.
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Paneer Ghee Roast Recipe (Mangalore Style)
Ingredients
For The Marination
- 500 grams paneer
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
For The Dry Roast Masala Paste
- 10-12 whole dry Kashmiri red chilies (stalks removed)
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (mathi dana)
- 3-4 whole cloves (laung)
- 8-10 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
For The Curry
- 6 tablespoons ghee
- ½ cup chopped red onions
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste (or a marvel-sized ball soaked in ¼ cup water)
- ½ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (whisked)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed jaggery (gud)
- 20-25 curry leaves
Instructions
Marinate The Paneer
- Cut the paneer into small pieces. I cut it into triangles but you can cut it how you like. If using store-bought paneer, soak it in warm water for 5 minutes. This will make the paneer soft, not rubbery.
- Mix paneer, lime juice, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside until needed in the recipe.
Make The Masala Paste
- While the paneer is marinating, make the chili paste. Dry-roast the chilies on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a plate.
- Dry roast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves, and black peppercorns for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Add the roasted ingredients to the small blender jar along with ¼ cup water and make a smooth paste. Set the jar aside.
Make The Curry
- Heat ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Fry the paneer pieces from both sides until golden brown and keep them aside. This step creates a slight crust that holds up when you toss the paneer in the masala.
- Add onions to the same pan and cook on medium-high heat until slightly browned (7-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground masala, tamarind paste, yogurt, and turmeric powder to the pan and mix everything.
- Now add chili powder and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Add the fried paneer back to the pan along with ½ cup water and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add jaggery and curry leaves and cook until ghee starts to ooze from the sides (5-6 minutes).
- Check for salt and add more if needed. If you want a slightly looser consistency, add 2–3 tablespoons of warm water and cook for 1 more minute. Serve immediately.
Hi Neha. Thank you for the wonderful recipes on your page. Been following you since the lockdown days and your posts have been so so helpful.
I want to try out Prawn Ghee Roast .
So was wondering if I can use this recipe as is, only substituting prawns for the paneer. If any changes are needed please let me know. Thanks again.
Yes, sure you can. Just ensure to not overcook the prawns. Add them once the curry is ready.