Paneer Takatak is relatively a new emergence in the Indian plate. This Paneer Takatak recipe is filled with nutritious elements consisting of onions and tomatoes as the base with the richness of cream on the top.
If you are looking for a fresh paneer recipe to tantalize your taste buds, this is the one!
Just like Paneer Bhurji, this is also an effortless recipe to make with minimal ingredients.
Easy-Peasy!
What is Paneer Takatak?
Paneer Takatak is a semi-based gravy recipe cooked with fried paneer. The name ‘Takatak’ comes from the sound of a spatula hitting the griddle while cooking.
And this Takatak Paneer dish, even though has no clear history, is believed to have originated in Amritsar.
The dish is the result of evolution in Indian cuisine, which tends to adapt to new forms of cooking and come up with new recipes, influenced by traditional cooking methods and techniques.
This Paneer Takatak recipe represents the evergoing creativity and innovation in Indian cuisine.
Utensils You’ll Need
- Deep Frying Pan: To make Paneer Takatak gravy and shallow frying paneer.
- Bowl: To marinate the paneer.
- Big Tablespoon/Ladle: To saute and stir.
- Grinding Jar: To make cashew nut paste.
Ingredients Required
Paneer: Paneer is the main ingredient of the dish, very nutritious, and rich in protein and calcium. Dice them big.
Spices: Spices are added to the dish to give it a more aromatic goodness, and furthermore it enhances the delish part of the food. Spices such as red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and pav bhaji masala powder are applied.
Onions & Tomatoes: Finely chop them as they serve as the base of the gravy. They provide a tangy and somewhat sweet flavor to the dish.
Bell Pepper: The most popular one is the green capsicum but you can add a mix of red, green, and yellow bell peppers too.
Ginger & Garlic paste: You can either finely mince them into a paste or just use the readymade paste (like I did).
Cashew Nut paste: Make a cashew nut paste out of 12-15 boiled cashews. It proffers richness as well as binds the gravy together.
Garnishes: They are what give this dish an extra punch of flavor. Cream, fenugreek leaves, and coriander leaves are mainly used.
Black and White Salt
Oil
How to Make Paneer Takatak
For Marinating Paneer:
1. Take a plate or a large bowl, and add oil, black and white salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fenugreek leaves, and turmeric powder.
2. Give them a nice mix, add the raw paneer to the marination, and coat it nicely.
For Shallow Frying Paneer:
3. Add oil to a pan, once heated, add the marinated paneer, and fry it on medium flame till it is brown.
4. Set it aside for further use.
For Gravy:
5. Heat oil in the pan, add cumin seeds, let it crackle, and then add onions. Saute till translucent.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala, and saute. Add some water so as to not burn any spices.
7. Add the tomatoes, sprinkle some salt, mix them well, and cook till the tomatoes have softened.
8. Add green capsicum, and cook it for 5-6 mins.
For Takatak Paneer:
9. Then add cashew nut paste, and cream, and mix them well, and add the fried paneer into the mix, and saute it well.
10. Finally, add coriander leaves as garnish, and your Paneer Takatak is ready to serve.
Tips & Tricks
- Feel free to add more veggies like carrots and sweet corn. They will not only bring their own unique flavor to the mix but will also make the meal more crunchy.
- You can replace pav bhaji masala with chaat masala and some lemon juice. Though the flavor might not be the same, it still will come out delicious.
Storage
Let the paneer cool down, then transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2-3 days, or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Remember to thaw, and then heat it in a pan or make use of your microwave.
Serving Options
This is what I like about Paneer Takatak, it can be served in many distinct ways.
Because this is a semi-gravy dish, you can enjoy it just using a fork, with green chutney as a side.
But the Indian way is to serve it with naan bread or roti, along with some yogurt and mango pickle.
Tastes amazing!
Why I Like This Paneer Takatak Recipe
- It is a new fresh take on paneer recipes.
- You can serve it in a wide variety of ways.
- The recipe is quite simple and does not take much time to prepare.
More Paneer Recipes You’ll Like
Please rate and comment if you make this Paneer Takatak recipe so I know how much you like it.
Paneer Takatak Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Frying pans
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Grinding jar
- 1 Tablespoon/Ladle
Ingredients
For Marination:
- 200 gms Paneer (cubed)
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- ½ tsp Red chili powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Cumin powder
- ½ tbsp Fenugreek leaves
- ½ tsp Black salt
- A pinch of White salt
For Shallow Frying Paneer:
- 3 tbsp Oil
- Marinated Paneer
For Gravy:
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 large Onion (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp Red chili powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1½ tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Pav Bhaji masala
- 1 medium Tomato (chopped)
- Salt
- 1 medum Green capsicum (diced)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Cream
- 1 tbsp Cashewnut paste
- Fried Paneer
Garnishes
- Coriander leaves
Instructions
- Take a plate or a large bowl, and add oil, black and white salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fenugreek leaves, and turmeric powder.
- Give them a nice mix, add the raw paneer to the marination, and coat it nicely.
- Add oil in a pan, once heated, add the marinated paneer, and fry it on medium flame till it is brown. Set it aside for further use.
- Heat oil in the pan, add cumin seeds, let it crackle, and then add onions. Saute till translucent.
- Now add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala, and saute. Add some water so as to not burn any spices.
- Add the tomatoes, sprinkle some salt, mix them well, and cook till the tomatoes have softened.
- Add green capsicum, and cook it for 5-6 mins.
- Then add cashew nut paste, and cream, and mix them well, and add the fried paneer into the mix, and saute it well.
- Finally, add coriander leaves as garnish, and your Paneer Takatak is ready to serve.
Notes
- Feel free to add more veggies like carrots and sweet corn. They will not only bring their own unique flavor to the mix but will also make the meal more crunchy.
- You can replace pav bhaji masala with chaat masala and some lemon juice. Though the flavor might not be the same, it still will come out delicious.
