Paneer Bhurji Recipe | How to Make Crumbled Cottage Cheese - My Dainty Kitchen (2024)

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Paneer Bhurji Recipe | How to Make Crumbled Cottage Cheese - My Dainty Kitchen (1)

Paneer Bhurji Recipe | How to Make Spicy Crumbled Cottage Cheese

Paneer bhurji or dry paneer bhurji is a North Indian main course dish. This is a crumble paneer recipe. This is one of the simplest and easiest paneer recipes made in 15 minutes. So this is a quick lunch box recipe also.

Paneer bhurji goes best with roti or paratha. This will be a healthy and protein-rich breakfast also.

There is another recipe of Veg Mughlai Paratha on this blog, which is a paneer bhurji stuffed paratha. This paratha is a little different from that of the normal paneer paratha recipe.

This is an alternate version of egg bhurji (crumbled egg). If you are vegan then use vegan paneer or tofu for this recipe. Rest all ingredients will be the same.

You can also serve it as a sandwich with 2 slices of bread. Read my paneer cheese sandwich which is an almost similar recipe and makes a hearty whole breakfast.

There is another way to serve this bhurji. Just wrap it in roti or chapati and serve as paneer frankie. What an idea for your kid's tiffin box recipe.

What is Paneer Bhurji?

Paneer bhurji is a crumbled paneer or cottage cheese recipe. Here in this recipe paneer is sauteed with onions, tomatoes, and other aromatic spices.

How to make paneer?

Ahh, you can use the store brought paneer or homemade paneer for this recipe. I love homemade paneer for any of my paneer recipes. However, if you are using store brought ones (pressed) then you need to grate or just crumble with fork or spoon for use.

If you are making paneer at home this is going to be the easiest job. Read my recipe on how to make paneer at home. But the main advantage is you don't need to keep it pressed for long.

Once the milk curdles completely just strain it with a cloth and keep it hanged for 5 minutes. that's all to remove little excess liquid after squeezing the liquids.

How can I make Vegan Paneer Bhurji?

Since vegans don't use dairy products as well. Tofu is an alternative for vegans. So just replace paneer with tofu. Rest all ingredients will be same.

Is Paneer Bhurji is Healthy?

Yes, Paneer bhurji is healthy food and aids in weight-loss. If you are following a low carb diet, add olive oil or very little oil to make this recipe. This is good for diabetic patients also. Paneer is low in carb and high in protein. This keeps us full for longer. So stops craving for food. And helps in weight-loss.

Is Paneer Bhurji Keto Friendly?

And the answer is yes, of course, you can make your keto paneer bhurji with little modification in the quantity of ingredients we will be using in this recipe.

You only need to limit your onion and tomatoes adding to the recipe and again give it a boost with a dollop of extra butter so that macros will be balanced.

For keto-friendly Paneer Bhurjee, You should limit your onion, not more than 30gms (appx 2 tbsp) and tomatoes not more than 40 gms (1/2 tomato). So that your macros will not go unbalanced. Rest all spices are okay for the keto diet. So not a problem.

Paneer Bhurji Recipe | How to Make Crumbled Cottage Cheese - My Dainty Kitchen (2)

How to make Crumbled Cottage Cheese?

Crumble paneer or grate with the help of a cheese grater.

Heat oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Now add chopped ginger, garlic, and onions. Saute till translucent.

Then add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are a little soft. You can add some green peas here if you want some more veggies to this.

Now add all spices (coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder) and add little water. Simmer it for a minute.

Now add chopped bell peppers and crumbled paneer to this. Mix it well. Paneer will start releasing some moisture. Let it simmer till dry. garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with any breads (roti, paratha, naan, etc) or even with soups and stews.

Recipe Card for Paneer Bhurjee

Paneer Bhurji/ Spicy Crumbled Paneer

Ipsa Faujdar

This is a protein-rich Indian cottage cheese recipe that is cooked with aromatic spices.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Course Main Course, Paneer Special, Sabzi & Curry

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Servings 2 People

Calories 372 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Grate or crumble the paneer.

  • Heat ghee in a pan or Kadai.

  • Add cumin seeds and let it crackle.

  • Then add chopped onions, green chili, ginger, and garlic and saute till translucent.

  • Now add tomatoes and salt. stir well.

  • Once it's soft, add all spices and sprinkle some water.

  • Let it simmer for a minute.

  • Now add chopped bell peppers and grated paneer.

  • Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and dash of lemon juice.

  • Give it a nice stir and simmer in low flame for 2 minutes.

  • Cover with a lid. Turn of heat after 2 minutes.

  • Add some more freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha or chapati (breads)

Notes

For Keto Friendly Paneer Bhurji add 1 tbsp of additional butter to this. Reduce the quantity of Onion to 2 tbsp (< 30 gms) and tomatoes to 3 tbsp (< 30-40gms).

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcal

Keyword high protein high fiber food, Keto Recipe, Protein Rich Food

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Paneer Bhurji Recipe | How to Make Crumbled Cottage Cheese - My Dainty Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is difference between cottage cheese and paneer? ›

The main difference between paneer and cottage cheese is the process of making them. While paneer is pressed and compacted to form a solid block, cottage cheese is typically sold in small curds or chunks. Paneer also has a higher fat content than cottage cheese, making it more suitable for frying or grilling.

Can I replace paneer with cottage cheese? ›

Yes, you can use cottage cheese as a substitute for paneer in a curry, but be mindful of the texture differences. What are the different ways of curdling the milk solids? The different curdling agents that you can use to make these soft cheese include lemon juice, yogurt, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or citric acid.

Can we make paneer from curd? ›

Curd or yogurt: Fresh curd will give you more softer and moist paneer. You could add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh curd or yogurt when making paneer recipe with 1 litre milk.

Can I substitute ricotta for paneer? ›

Both ricotta and paneer are a new variety of cheese. Ricotta can even be used in place of paneer in some recipes because of how similar it looks to paneer. But they are both made differently, with a few differences.

Is paneer cottage cheese healthy? ›

The most common dairy products found in every home are paneer and cottage cheese. They're both great ways to get protein into your body, making them a great option for vegetarians. Cottage cheese and paneer are high in protein and have numerous other health benefits too.

Is cottage cheese healthy or not healthy? ›

Cottage cheese is a curd cheese with a mild flavor and smooth texture. It's high in many nutrients, including protein, B vitamins, and minerals like calcium, selenium, and phosphorus. If you're looking to lose weight or build muscle, cottage cheese is among the most beneficial foods you can eat.

Which method is also used to prepare cottage cheese paneer? ›

Filtration method can be used for the separation of cheese from milk.

What is paneer called in USA? ›

Although many Indians translate "paneer" into "cottage cheese", cottage cheese is made using rennet extracted from the stomach of ruminants, and cow's skim milk. Queso blanco or queso fresco are often recommended as substitutes in the Americas and Spain as they are more commercially available in many American markets.

Is paneer good for diabetes? ›

Paneer (cottage cheese) - A healthy Indian snack for diabetes. Turns out, cottage cheese, or paneer in Hindi, makes a great snack option for people with type 2 diabetes. The good thing is that cottage cheese is low in carbs but high in protein, which can help lower blood sugar.

Why is my paneer crumbly? ›

Make sure you do not put too much weight as it will dry out the paneer making it very crumbly. If you do not have time to wait for the water to drain out, you can continue to gently squeeze out all the water and then knead and shape it while still in muslin cloth. Gently remove the Paneer from the cheesecloth.

Why is my homemade paneer hard? ›

Do not continue to boil after the milk has curdled completely. This makes the paneer very hard & grainy. Use just the right amount of acids to curdle the milk. Using too much of acidic ingredient makes the chenna or paneer grainy and rubbery.

What is the difference between paneer and homemade paneer? ›

Shop-bought paneer is normally denser, chewier and makes a squeaky sound as you bite into it. On the other hand, homemade paneer tends to have a somewhat crumbly texture and tastes so much fresher! As I said, I almost always used ready-made paneer for cooking in India.

Which cheese is closest to paneer? ›

Halloumi Cheese

Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese usually made with sheep's or goat's milk. It has a similar firmness to paneer. It's known for its ability to hold its shape when cooked, making it a suitable replacement in certain recipes.

What is the closest cheese to Indian paneer? ›

Halloumi is a good substitute for paneer. Although halloumi has a more intense flavor to it because it's made with goat's and/sheep's milk. If it's made with cow's milk, it's pretty close to paneer. It can be cut into cubes and used in saag (greens) as is.

Does paneer taste like ricotta? ›

It is not quite correct to call this a ricotta, but there is no difference in either the taste or the applications. Traditionally ricotta is made with the whey left over from plain cheese production.

What is cottage cheese called in India? ›

Paneer, sometimes known as 'Indian cottage cheese', is a mild, white cheese, widely used in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and often served cut into cubes and fried.

Is cottage cheese same as paneer in India? ›

Paneer (or Chenna) is Indian cottage cheese that is made by curdling milk with an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar. … Khoya, on the other hand, is made by slowly simmering milk in a large iron Kadai (cast iron deep pan with steep sides) until all the moisture evaporates and reduces to solids.

Why is cottage cheese called paneer? ›

Cheese is called "paneer" in Hindi because "paneer" is a word in the Hindi language that refers to a type of cheese that is commonly used in South Asian cuisine. Paneer is a fresh cheese that is made by curdling milk with an acidic agent such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then straining the curds to remove the whey.

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