Name: Paneer Khurchan
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 250 grams paneer ((cottage cheese)); 90 to 100 grams onions (or about 2 medium onions or ½ cup heaped sliced onions); 150 grams tomato (or 1 large tomato or 2/3 cup chopped tomatoes); 1 large green capsicum ((bell pepper) or 100 grams capsicum or ½ cup chopped capsicum); 1 inch ginger (- julienne); 1 or 2 green chilies (- slit); 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing)); ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder (or add as required); ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder; ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or add as required); ½ teaspoon coriander powder; ½ teaspoon cumin powder; ½ teaspoon kasuri methi ((dry fenugreek leaves) - crushed); 1 tablespoon low fat cream ((optional)); 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (for garnish); 1.5 tablespoon oil; salt as required

Paneer khurchan recipe with step by step photos – paneer khurchan is an easy, quick and delicious North Indian semi dry curry made with paneer in a onion-tomato-capsicum base. This is a North Indian Punjabi paneer recipe which at times you will find in dhabas and restaurants.

To make paneer khurchan is very easy and just takes about 30 minutes. All you need is paneer and veggies like capsicum, tomatoes and onion, including the regular Indian spices.

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The word ‘khurchan’ is derived from the hindi word “khurachna” which means ‘to scrape’. So the dish is basically scraped paneer in a semi dry sauce or gravy of onion, tomatoes and bell pepper.

There are quite a number of variations of making paneer khurchan and this is my own version. Mildly spiced, tangy from the tomatoes with a faint sweetness from the onions, bell pepper and cream.

To make paneer khurchan, you need a heavy and thick bottomed iron tawa/griddle. You can also use steel or aluminium tawa. The tawa should not be thin from the bottom as then the paneer will get browned quickly and burn too. You can also use a thick bottomed iron or steel kadai. The recipe cannot be made in non stick pans. Here I have used iron tawa.

Paneer khurchan goes best with chapatis, tandoori rotis or naan. Also remember to drizzle in some lime juice before serving.

How to make paneer khurchan

1. slice 250 grams of paneer/cottage cheese into an inch batons or strips.

2. chop all the veggies. 2 medium onions, thinly sliced. 1 large tomato, chopped. 1 large capsicum/bell pepper, cut in small cubes. 1 or 2 green chilies & 1 inch ginger, julienne. Reserve a few ginger julienne for garnish.

3. Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in medium to large iron tawa. Don’t use non-stick pan. You can also use a thick bottomed iron or steel kadai.

4. add the sliced onions and stir.

5. saute them till they turn translucent.

6. then add the capsicum cubes and chopped tomatoes.

7. stir very well.

8. keep on sauteing and stirring them for about about 7 to 8 minutes on a low flame.

9. the tomatoes need to get softened and the capsicum just about cooked.

10. then add the spice powders – ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, ¼ tsp garam masala powder, a generous pinch of asafoetida and salt. For a spicy version, increase the amount of red chili powder and garam masala powder.

11. stir the spice powders very well with the sauteed onion tomato capsicum mixture.

12. Add the slit green chilies and ginger juliennes. You can also add 1 or 2 more of the green chilies if you prefer.

13. Stir.

14. then add the paneer strips.

15. stir very well and increase the flame to high. Paneer will leave moisture once you mix them with the rest of the masala base.

16. With a spatula, align and place each paneer strip touching the tawa, so that they are cooked evenly as well as get a bit golden from the base.

17. cook for a minute and then scrape the paneer strips from the base. Reduce the flame if everything starts to get brown quickly. turn over and let the other side get browned a bit.

18. again scrape and stir. Keep on scraping if you see the paneer or onion-tomato bits on the tawa. a note is not to cook too much as then the paneer would harden. the scraping as well as flipping has to be done quickly. Scrape all the bits and pieces of paneer as well as the onion, tomato and capsicum.