Paneer pakora
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Slices of fresh paneer sandwiched with green chutney, dipped in spiced gram-flour batter and fried, a rainy-day and wedding snack.
Region: PunjabOccasion: Tea-time snack; monsoon; weddingsTime: 30 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 250 g paneer, cut into 1 cm thick slices
- 3 tbsp green chutney (coriander and mint)
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp ajwain, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- Chaat masala to sprinkle
- Oil for deep-frying
Method
- Slit each paneer slice halfway and spread a little green chutney inside, or sandwich two thin slices with chutney.
- Mix the besan, rice flour, ajwain, chilli powder, turmeric and salt with water into a thick, smooth batter.
- Heat the oil to medium-hot.
- Dip each paneer piece in the batter to coat fully and fry until golden and crisp, turning once.
- Drain, sprinkle chaat masala and serve with tea and chutney.
History
Paneer is a fresh cheese made by curdling milk, and Punjab's large dairy herds make it a common ingredient. Gram-flour fritters (pakoras) are a long-loved snack across the region.
Significance
Pakoras are the classic food of the monsoon in Punjab, and paneer pakoras are a regular starter at Punjabi weddings.