Paneer Ghee Roast Recipe (Mangalore Style)
Paneer Ghee Roast is a fiery red and spicy curry that is a vegetarian version of the popular Mangalorean chicken ghee roast. This curry is best served with neer dosa, dosa, or lachha paratha.
Servings: 6 people
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.
For homemade paneer, skip the soaking step; it’s already tender.
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.
Watch the fenugreek closely; it turns bitter fast. Remove everything the moment you smell the spices.
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 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.
Don’t crowd the pan; fry in batches if needed. Crowding steams instead of sears.
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.
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.
Serve hot; ghee solidifies as the dish cools, significantly changing the texture.
Video
Notes
If you want to make the curry spicier, you can use Thai chilies (or Guntur chilies) in place of Kashmiri red chilies.
If you want a thin curry, then add some water.
If you want to serve this dish as an appetizer, then add a little less water.
Nutrition
Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 828mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1066IU | Vitamin C: 177mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 2mg
