Name: Paneer Pakoda
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 150 g Paneer, cut into thick rectangular blocks; ½ tsp Chaat Masala, for sprinkling on raw paneer; ¼ tsp Red Chilli Powder, for sprinkling on raw paneer; ¾ cup Gram Flour, besan, for batter; 1 tbsp Rice Flour, for extra crispness; ¼ tsp Carom Seeds, ajwain, crushed; ⅛ tsp Ground Turmeric; ¼ tsp Red Chilli Powder, for batter; ½ pinch Baking Soda, for fluffy crust; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; ½ tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, for batter; 6⅛ tbsp Water, adjust for thick batter; as needed Cooking Oil, for deep frying

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Medium

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Method

Season the paneer: lay the thick-cut paneer pieces on a tray. Dust both sides generously with the chaat masala, salt and some of the red chilli powder. Rub the spices in lightly. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes; paneer is mild on its own, and this is what gives it flavour.
10 min
Make the batter: in a deep bowl, whisk together the gram flour (besan), the rice flour that gives the crispness, crushed carom seeds (ajwain), turmeric, the rest of the red chilli powder, salt and finely chopped coriander.
Add water in a slow, steady stream, whisking hard to break up any dry pockets. The batter should be thick and syrupy, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon without running off.
Just before you start frying, add the pinch of baking soda and a spoonful of smoking-hot oil to the batter. Stir once, quickly, to lighten it.
Elevate your deep-frying lipid reservoir to a formidable medium-high temperature within a heavy kadhai.
Dip a marinated paneer block into the batter. Turn it so all six sides are completely and thickly coated.
Lower the coated paneer smoothly into the hot oil.
Fry over medium heat. Spoon hot oil over the exposed top with a skimmer to help the baking soda puff the coating. Turn them occasionally until the whole surface is crisp and golden brown.
Lift them out and drain the excess oil on thick kitchen paper. Finish with a dusting of extra chaat masala.
Sever the pakodas on a dramatic diagonal bias to reveal the steaming core, and demand instant consumption.

How to tell it's done

A heavily puffed, crispy, golden besan shell encasing a warm, unimaginably soft, and spicy-tangy core of melted paneer.

Getting it right

Tip

Marinating the raw paneer first is the master trick of street vendors. It guarantees a burst of tangy flavor instead of biting into a flavorless block of cheese.

What to serve it with

Serve steaming hot with a pungent Mint-Coriander Chutney and a hot cup of Chai.

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Ingredients