Amritsari Paneer Bhurji

What Is Amritsari Paneer Bhurji?

This recipe is a street food recipe famous from the streets of Amritsar, Punjab. This creamy scrambled paneer recipe is traditionally served with bread or Kulcha, along with onion salad and green chutney. This recipe uses besan to act as the thickening agent, along with adding the smokiness to this recipe. Traditionally, yogurt is added to the recipe, which gives it a tangy edge. I don’t prefer to add it, because adding lime juice in the end makes it delicious too. My recipe might not be very authentic but, it definitely is the best paneer bhurji recipe you will make. It is creamy, smoky, and so flavorful! Serve it with Naan, Kulcha, or bread, and it makes for a very delicious meal!

What Kind of Paneer Should You Use to Make This Recipe?

Using fresh homemade paneer works best for this recipe. It is moist, soft, and tender which makes it so good to make this paneer bhurji recipe. You can also use store-bought paneer if you don’t have time to make paneer at home. I like to grate the paneer, using a box grater when I use store-bought paneer.

How to Make Paneer at Home?

Paneer is an Indian-style cottage cheese that is made by curdling milk, using lemon juice or vinegar. This is a delicious cheese we make at home, and is super popular in India. Some famous paneer recipes that you might know are Palak Paneer, Matar Paneer, and Paneer Tikka Masala.

1. Add 4 Cups of Milk in a saucepan.
2. Bring this to a boil, stirring it now and then, to make sure the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Once the milk is boiling, and rising, switch the flame to low flame. Now add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Stir this mix for 30 seconds. Turn off the flame.
4. You will notice the milk has curdled and separated the whey.
5. Line a strainer over a bowl with a cheesecloth. Now, transfer the curdled milk solids aka paneer to the lined cheesecloth. Wash it under cold running water, to get rid of the lemon/vinegar taste.
6. Pinch the corners of the cheese cloth and roll. Squeeze all the excess water out, and put some weight like a mortar pastel on it. Leave it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
7. Your homemade paneer is ready!

Ingredients to Make Amritsari Paneer Bhurji Recipe

Ghee + Oil - I prefer using ghee and oil in this recipe, but you can also use butter and oil. Onions - We will be using finely chopped onions to make this recipes curry base. Aromatics - Use freshly pounded ginger garlic and green chilies for this recipe. Besan - Besan is chickpea flour. It will act as a thickening agent for this curry, which also adds a beautiful nutty and smoky flavor. Tomato Puree - Pulse 2 tomatoes until pureed, and we will be using this tomato puree to make the curry base. Spices - Use Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, cumin-coriander powder, garam masala, pav bhaji masala, and salt. If possible please don’t skip the pav bhaji masala, it is a game changer for the paneer bhurji recipe. Herbs - We will be using kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and cilantro leaves. Milk - I like to use milk, but you can also add heavy cream to make this gravy creamy.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Add ghee and oil to the heavy bottom pot.
2. Once the oil and ghee are hot, add finely chopped onions, freshly pounded ginger, garlic, and green chilies, along with besan. Roast it until the onions are golden brown, and the oil separates. Also add some freshly chopped cilantro and kasuri methi to add depth of flavor.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, along with ground spices. We will be adding turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala along with salt.
4. Let the masala base simmer on a medium-low flame until the oil separates.
5. Once the masala for the gravy is cooked add, crumbled paneer. Mix it well.
6. Add some milk, to make the gravy and give the paneer bhurji a creamier texture.
7. Finish the curry by adding more crushed kasuri methi and freshly chopped cilantro, and squeeze of lime juice. Turn off the stove.
8. Serve piping hot with naans, kulchas or bread along with some onion salad.

Expert Tips to Make This Recipe

Use fresh paneer, than store bought paneer to make this bhurji recipe. It adds to the beautiful creaminess to this recipe. You can make the paneer a couple of days ahead, and store it in the refrigerator. The authentic recipe uses yogurt in the curry base. I am not adding it in this recipe, as lemon juice adds a beautiful zesty flavor to the recipe. You definitely can add 2-3 tablespoons of whisked plain yogurt after the tomato puree is cooked along with spices. I highly recommend using pav bhaji masala for this recipe. It is a game changer, and it tastes street-style paneer bhurji recipe. I add milk to make the curry creamier, but you can skip milk and add some heavy cream too. If you want to make it healthier, add cashew paste instead. To make it vegan, you can substitute ghee with oil or vegan butter. Substitutr paneer with tofu, and milk with plant-based milk of your choice.

Storage Instructions

This recipe stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I also freeze the paneer bhurji leftovers to make quick quesadillas, sandwiches, taquitos, etc. You can freeze the paneer bhurji for up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, so it will be ready for you to use it the next day.

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