Paneer Fry is a simple one pan recipe made with sweet onions, tangy tomatoes, flavorful herbs, fragrant spices and of course Paneer. Making this easy-peasy recipe does not need a lot of prep and the dish comes together in 25 minutes. Your best bet when you want to make a wholesome quick meal for weekend nights.

About Paneer Fry

This Paneer Fry recipe is one of the ways when you can have a delicious and satisfying meal on your busy, hectic days. It is because all the ingredients are usually available in a home kitchen, wherever you go in India. In addition to the cottage cheese (paneer), there’s onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste and other spice powders, which are all very basic.

I have adapted this recipe of Paneer Fry from my recipe of Goan style Mushroom Fry. This stir fry of paneer with other ingredients has flavors and texture, one which is not too oily, spicy or pungent. However, you can add or subtract the spices according to what your taste buds demand on a particular day.

This Paneer Fry also uses a variety of green chilies which are less on heat. But if you want a spicier profile in the dish, go for the green chilies which sit somewhere between medium to high on the Scoville scale. Scoville is the unit to measure the pungency of peppers/chilies and the likes.

My recipe calls for sautéing the ingredients and not actually deep frying the paneer. So while making the recipe, nothing is deep fried. The word “fry” is usually used for sautéed ingredients in the Indian lingo and thus the name of this recipe.

You are even free to use any variety of tofu in this recipe. That’s also a good substitute for paneer. Have Paneer Fry with paratha, roti, chapati or naan. Or use it as a stuffing for rolls, wraps and frankies, the choice is absolutely yours.

Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Paneer Fry

Make Masala Fry

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Keep heat to medium-low and add 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions.

2. Mix the onions with the oil and begin to sauté them.

3. Onions take a lot of time to sauté. So, you can add a pinch of salt while cooking them.

4. Stirring often, sauté onions till they start to become light golden. Do not brown the onions.

5. Now, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.

6. Sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

7. Then, add 3 to 4 slit green chilies.

Tip – Use green chilies which are not very spicy or hot.

8. Mix well and sauté for a minute.

9. Then, add ½ cup diced tomatoes.

10. Mix again and begin to sauté tomatoes. When sautéing tomatoes, if the masala mixture starts sticking to pan, sprinkle some water. Mix again and continue to sauté.

11. Sauté till the tomatoes soften.

12. Keep the heat to its lowest. Now, add the following listed spices:

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder¼ teaspoon black pepper powder½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder½ teaspoon coriander powder½ teaspoon cumin powder½ teaspoon garam masala powderYou can add less or more spice powders as per your requirements.

12. Mix very well. If the mixture starts sticking to pan, sprinkle some water.

Make Paneer Fry

13. Season with salt as required. Mix again.

14. Add 200 grams cubed paneer.

15. Mix the paneer cubes with the masala.

16. Switch off the heat and add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

17. Mix again.

18. Serve Paneer Fry with chapati, phulka, paratha, naan or bread.

Expert Tips

An alternative to paneer in this recipe is tofu. Press the tofu first to remove any liquids or moisture from it. You could also pan fry tofu cubes and mix with the cooked onion and tomato fry mixture.Use good quality paneer and make sure it is fresh and not rancid. Homemade paneer works best in this recipe.While sautéing onions, add a pinch of salt in them to fasten the process of cooking. Use green chilies that are not very hot. To make the dish spicier, use the ones that are medium to high on the spice meter.Sprinkle some water on the tomatoes, if they are sticking to the pan while sautéing. Then, mix and continue to sauté.You can add less or more of the red chilli powder, black pepper powder and green chillies as per your requirements.More Easy Paneer Recipes To Try!Easy • 20 minsPaneer RecipesPaneer BhurjiModerate • 50 minsPaneer RecipesPaneer Do Pyaza25 minsPaneer Recipesmalai paneer recipe, easy & quick malai paneer recipe in 20 minutesModerate • 30 minsPaneer RecipesPaneer Khurchan

Sundal is primarily a Tamil specialty, which is nothing but a simple, yet sumptuous stir fry. The main ingredient can be varied – from legumes and lentils to even grains. Just like this easy-peasy Kondakadalai Sundal, a.k.a Black Channa Sundal or Kala Chana Sundal made with black chickpeas. Since it is typically also a no onion, no garlic and vegan preparation, it is often made during festivals like Navratri and Ganesh Chaturthi as well.

About Sundal

A traditional dish, Sundal is a preparation of lentils, legumes or grains which is mildly spiced and sautéed. The dish is also sprinkled with a generous helping of freshly grated coconut which boosts the overall flavors.

A classic recipe from the cuisine of Tamil Nadu, sundal is most of the times made with satvik ingredients and is without any onion or garlic in it. This is the reason it is also preferred as an apt snack or side dish during religious festivals. More in Navratri, Bommai Golu or Ganesh Chaturthi festivals in Tamil Nadu.

Sundal is also common as a ‘prasadam’ or ‘naivedya’ during these religious festivals. Apart from being easy to prepare, the dish provides energy, keeps one full and hence is good for the health too.

Apart from the Black Channa Sundal, other variations of this dish that I have shared are:

About Kondakadalai Sundal

The Tamil word ‘kondakadalai’ translates to chickpeas in English and chana in Hindi. Thus, the Tamil name of the dish means a sundal made with chickpeas. Here in this Black Channa Sundal, the cooked black chickpeas are sautéed with spices, chilies, curry leaves and finished with coconut.

Other than the ones that I have listed above plus the Kondakadalai Sundal, sundals can also be made with dried white peas, black eyed peas, moong beans and even peanuts. The method to prepare each sundal is more or less similar. There might be minor changes as the recipe varies.

Cooking Black Chickpeas

For this Kala Chana Sundal, I soaked the dried black chickpeas overnight which made them easier to pressure cook. I usually do this for all my dishes with chickpeas or kidney beans. I soak them for 8 to 9 hours or overnight, and then later cook with water.

Soaking is also beneficial as it reduces the phytic acid from the legumes. The phytates present naturally in beans or chickpeas can cause indigestion. Soaking also ensures that the chickpeas cook perfectly and thus are easily digestible.

There are a few options when you want to cook the black chickpeas. For quicker and faster cooking, either use a stovetop pressure cooker or the Instant Pot. If you have neither than cook the black chickpeas in a pot on the stovetop. But make a note that cooking chickpeas in a pan or pot takes lot of time.

Once you have the black chickpeas cooked and ready, making the dish is a breeze. Then you simply sauté the spices and herbs, add the cooked black channa, sauté for a few more minutes and then finish with some fresh coconut.

Black Channa Sundal tastes good as is. You do not need any side with it. You can have this Kondakadalai Sundal as a guilt-free snack any time of the day or as a healthy accompaniment with your meals.

More Black Chickpea Recipes To Try!Moderate • 8 hrs 55 minsChickpeas RecipesKadala Curry | Kadala KariModerate • 9 hrs 30 minsDal (Lentils) & LegumesKala Chana (Black Chickpea Curry)Easy • 30 minsChickpeas RecipesKala Chana ChaatModerate • 8 hrs 20 minsChickpeas Recipesbihari style ghugni recipe, how to make kala chana ghugni