Tawa Paneer Masala Recipe

Tawa Paneer Masala is a robust and flavorful North Indian dish where cubes of paneer are cooked with onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes on a flat griddle tawa for a distinct smoky taste. The masala is rich with a blend of spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala, creating a hearty and aromatic gravy. This restaurant style dish is known for its vibrant color and bold flavors, making it a popular choice for special meals. Serve it with naan, roti, or paratha for a complete and satisfying experience

Ingredients

3 Medium size onion

1 Medium size tomato

Green Paste

20 Garlic cloves

4-5 NOS green chili

2 Inch ginger

A small handful fresh coriander

Very little water

Fried Paneer

500 Gram paneer

2-3 Tablespoon oil (for shallow frying)

Final Cooking

2-3 Tablespoon oil

A large pinch cumin seeds

20 Cloves garlic

1/4 Tablespoon turmeric powder

1 Tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder

1/4 Tablespoon garam masala

1 Tablespoon agri masala

Salt to taste

1 Tablespoon kokum agal

As needed hot water

2 Tablespoon ghee (melted)

A handful fresh coriander (chopped)

Step:1

Chop the onion and tomato separately using a chopper or a knife . For the green paste , add the ginger , garlic , green chili , fresh coriander and water into a mixer jar and grind it into a fine paste

Step:2

Cut the paneer into medium size rectangular pieces and shallow fry them in a pan until light golden brown from tow sides , shallow frying will ensure that the paneer pieces hold their shape during the final cooking process of the recipe set a tawa over high heat , add the oil and let it get hot

Step:3

Add the cumin seeds and onions , stir well and cook over medium high flame until the onion turn golden brown

Step:4

Once the onion turn light golden brown , add the green paste , garlic cloves and continue to cook over medium high flame until the onion turn golden brown while stirring

Step:5

If the masala is getting too dry then you can add some hot water and continue to cook it further . Lower the flame and add all the powdered spices a splash of hot water , stir well and cook over high flame for 1-2 minutes or until the oil separates

Step:6

Agri masala suits this recipe the best but if you don’t have it , you can substitute it by using 1/2 a tablespoon of garam masala and 1/2 to tablespoon of spicy red chili powder depending on your spice preference

Step:7

Further add tomato and salt , stir and cook until the oil separates again , you can add splashes of hot water while cooking if the masala gets too dry

Step:8

Next , add kokum agal and cook for 2-3 minutes you can also use tamarind water as a substitute but try using kokum for the best result

Step:9

Once the masala is cooked , add some hot water to adjust the consistency and make a semi thin gravy at this stage so that it can coat the paneer pieces

Step:10

Place the fried paneer pieces in the tawa , spread evenly and fli the pieces and coat them with the masala

Step:11

Add more hot hot water to adjust the consistency if needed then continue to cook for a few minutes until the masala coats the paneer nicely and becomes thick

Step:12

Lastly add melted ghee and fesh coriander , your delicious paneer tawa masala is ready . Serve hot with some pav or bhakri or even rice

Video For Tawa Paneer Masala

FAQs

1. What is the difference between Tawa Paneer and Paneer Butter Masala

Tawa Paneer is a drier, stir-fried dish cooked on a flat griddle tawa with a mix of spices, onions, capsicum, and tomatoes. It has a charred, smoky flavor.
Paneer Butter Masala is a rich, creamy curry with a smooth, tomato-based gravy and a higher content of butter and cream.

2. How do I get the authentic smoky flavor tawa flavor at home

Use a Cast-Iron Tawa Skillet: Heat it until very hot before adding ingredients.
The Dhungar Method Place a hot piece of charcoal in a small bowl on the cooked paneer, drizzle ghee over it, cover immediately for 5-10 minutes.
Smoke the Gravy Carefully perform the dhungar method on the finished gravy before adding paneer.

3. Why is my paneer rubbery or hard

Overcooking: Paneer toughens if fried or cooked for too long.
Solution: Always add paneer at the last stage of cooking and just heat it through. Use soft, fresh paneer cubes.

Tawa Paneer Masala Recipe