Tawa paneer masala recipe with step by step photos. Tawa paneer masala is a semi dry curry with capsicum/bell pepper, onions, tomatoes and paneer cubes cooked on tawa or a griddle. A popular restaurant side dish.
It is one of the easiest and quick paneer recipe you can prepare. This semi-dry curry can be cooked in less than 30 minutes. So easy that you can make these when you have unexpected guests at home or you want to cook something easy for dinner after a day’s hard work.
The best part is You can easily serve the tawa paneer masala with wheat bread or brown bread or pav. You don’t need to make chapatis or parathas. Of course you can make chapati or parathas, if you have time and are not too tired.
Few other Quick and easy paneer recipes on the blog are:
The entire recipe is made on a tawa/tava – a concave shaped round pan (shown in the step by step pics below) used in Indian homes for making various Indian flat breads like rotis and parathas. Even dosa and cheela (gram flour crepes) are made on the tawa. They are also used for shallow frying snacks like aloo tikki and for dry roasting spices, nuts and seeds.
If you don’t have a tawa, then you can easily use a frying pan or a medium skillet. If using a tawa, then use a medium sized or a large tawa, so that the food does not spill from the sides while cooking.
To make this recipe, you will need paneer/cottage cheese, capsicum, onion, tomatoes and the regular Indian spices-herbs. I have made a puree of the tomatoes. However, you can just finely chop them and add to the dish.
While serving paneer tawa masala, drizzle some lemon juice on top and garnish with coriander leaves. Accompany with some side salad.
How to make tawa paneer masala
1. Add the chopped tomatoes (3 medium tomatoes or 180 to 200 gms) in a blender and make a smooth puree. Keep aside.
2. melt 2 tbsp butter on a tawa or skillet.
3. add ½ tsp carom seeds/ajwain and fry them for a few seconds or till aromatic.
4. add 1 large onion, chopped (about 100 to 120 grams) and saute till translucent.
5. add the ginger-garlic paste (1 inch ginger + 4 to 5 medium garlic), 1 chopped green chili, 1 medium finely chopped capsicum/green bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes.
6. then add the ¼ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp pav bhaji masala. If you don’t have pav bhaji masala, then add garam masala + amchur powder/dry mango powder. stir and saute for about a minute.
7. Add the tomato puree and stir.
8. Season with salt and saute with stirring at intervals.
9. Saute till you see butter releasing from the sides and the masala has thickened a bit. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame. if the tomato masala looks dry, then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water and continue to saute.
10. Add the paneer cubes (200 to 250 grams) and stir well, so that the masala coats the paneer cubes evenly.
11. cook the paneer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Stir very well and switch off the flame.
12. garnish with coriander leaves and Serve tawa paneer masala with chapatis, naan or bread or pav. Accompany a few wedges of lemon slices which can be drizzled on the tawa paneer and a side onion salad.
tawa paneer masala
Ingredients
- 200 to 250 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
- 1 large onion - finely chopped or about 100 to 120 grams onions
- 1 medium capsicum or about 80 to 100 grams capsicum (green bell pepper)
- 3 medium tomatoes - chopped or 180 to 200 grams tomatoes
- 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chili - chopped
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala or ½ teaspoon garam masala + ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- salt as required
- few chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
preparation
- Finely chop the onions and capsicum/green bell pepper.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, green chili, ginger and garlic.
- Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar-pestle to a paste.
- Add the chopped tomatoes in a blender and make a smooth puree. Keep aside.
- Chop the paneer in ½ inch cubes.
making tawa paneer masala
- Melt butter on a tawa or skillet.
- Add the ajwain (carom seeds) and fry them for a few seconds or till aromatic.
- Add the onions and saute till translucent.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, finely chopped capsicum/green bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes.
- Then add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala. If you don't have pav bhaji masala, add garam masala + amchur powder/dry mango powder.
- Stir and saute for about a minute.
- Then add the tomato puree and salt.
- Stir well and saute till you see butter releasing from the sides and the masala has thickened a bit. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame.
- If the tomato masala looks dry, then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water and continue to saute.
- Add the paneer cubes and stir well, so that the masala coats the paneer cubes evenly.
- Cook the paneer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Stir very well and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve tawa paneer masala with chapatis, phulkas, naan or bread. Accompany with a few wedges of lemon slices which can be drizzled on the tawa paneer and a side onion salad.
i made this today, it was incredible! thank you so much for your recipes, i don’t even bother checking other websites for indian recipes anymore because yours are so foolproof.
Thank you for the trust and the lovely feedback. So glad to know. Thanks for the rating too.
Excellent!