Restaurant Style Paneer Angara | Air Fryer Paneer Angara-The Smoked Cottage Cheese/Paneer Curry!

How to Make Dhaba Style Paneer Angara

Hello Foodies,

Savor the flavor with this spicy and easy-to-make smoky Paneer Angara dish! These soft delicious cubes of paneer are served together with peppers and onions. It is a perfect desi feast for a perfect weekend meal! Smoking a dish is an ancient technique of enhancing the flavor of a dish by infusing the flavor of smoke from burnt charcoal, ghee, and spices. It is a special recipe that has an exotic smokey flavor.

It was mighty interesting to follow the dhungar method of smoking and infusing the flavor of burnt charcoal smoke into our paneer dish. The wonderful flavor of this smoked paneer dish will surely leave you licking your fingers.

Video Recipe:

This has a slightly hot and spicy, thick, smooth, creamy gravy, flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, and sweetness derived from the onions, the goodness of ginger and garlic, and the divine aroma from charcoal and ghee (clarified butter). Not only does smoke impart a rich flavor to almost anything from vegetables, curries, dals, meats, and even beverages but also adds a bit of drama, making the process a visual treat. So guys give it a try!

We LOVE this Paneer Angara because it’s-

Creamy, flavorful, and delicious dinner/lunch recipe
Ready in less than 30 minutes
No preservatives or artificial ingredients used
Easy and Quick Instant Pot & Air Fryer Meal
Easy to make and packed with delicious flavors
It makes a comforting and flavorful meal
It’s the perfect dish for any day of the week

Some More Paneer Recipes to Try:

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes

Each Serving of Paneer Angara Contains 214 Cal.

Ingredients:

To Make Gravy for Paneer Angara:

1 Tsp Oil
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Cardamom
3 Red Chilies
6-7 Black peppercorns
2 Onions, sliced
3 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger
3 Green chilies
9-10 Cashews
2-3 Tomatoes, small, sliced
Salt to taste

To Make Paneer Angara:

3 Tsp Oil
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
Prepared Gravy/Tomato-Onion Paste
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 Tbsp Red chili powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder
1 Tsp Cumin Powder
½ Tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Kasuri methi
3 Tbsp Fresh Cream
1 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
Water as needed

Veggies & Paneer:

½ cup Onion (big dices)
½ cup Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum (big dices)
200 g Paneer (diced)

For Smoking/Dhungar Method:

1 small Metal/Steel Bowl
1 coal/charcoal piece
½ Tsp of Ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions:

To Make Gravy for Paneer Angara in Air Fryer:

Grease baking pan/Air fryer safe pan with oil.
In an oil greased pan add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorn, dried red chilies, cashews, ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes, green chilies, and salt to taste.
Place the pan in the air fryer’s basket and close it.
Air Fry for 10 minutes.
Once done take the pan out from the air fryer and let it cool.

To Make Gravy for Paneer Angara in the Instant Pot:

In a bowl, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorn, dried red chilies, cashews, ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes, green chilies, salt to taste, and water ½ Cup.
Turn on the instant pot and pour 2 cups of water into the pot.
Place the trivet and the masala pan.
Close the lid and place the vent in the sealing position.
Pressure Cook on Manual Mode(Hi) for 3 minutes.
Quick Release the Pressure and let the mixture cool.

To Blend the Gravy:

In a blender jar, add the cooked onion-tomato mixture, and pour 1 cup of water.
Blend it at high speed and make a smooth paste.
To get a smooth gravy, strain the blended mixture using a strainer and discard the mixture's remaining grainy part.
Silky-Smooth and creamy gravy/sauce are ready to make paneer Angara.

To Make Paneer Angara:

In a pan heat oil, and splutter cumin seeds,
Add bay leaf, ginger garlic paste, and sauté for a minute.
Add prepared tomato-onion gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now, add red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt to taste and cook for a minute or two.
Add the diced onions and capsicum mix and cook for a minute.
Add the cubed paneer, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now, add Kasuri methi and fresh cream, mix and lower the flame.
Add freshly chopped coriander and stir once.

To Smoke the Dish:

Transfer prepared curry to the bowl and place a small Metal/Steel bowl in the center.
Heat the charcoal on an open flame till it's red hot.
Place in a Metal/Steel bowl/Katori.
Now place burning charcoal to the Metal/Steel bowl and pour ghee over the charcoal.
Cover the bowl with the lid and keep it aside for 5-10minutes.
Or you could even leave it as it is till there is no smoke so that the smokey flavor blends with the curry well.
Serve smoked paneer curry with Naan/Roti or with Jeera Rice. Enjoy!!!

Tips/Substitute:

You can increase or decrease the quantity of red chili powder according to your taste.
You can make thick or thin curry or your desired consistency.
You can add 2 to 3 tbsp butter instead of oil.
Don’t use very sour tomatoes.
You can garnish the curry with grated paneer or fresh cream too.
Straining of gravy is a must to get a smooth paste.
You can make the gravy paste in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Dietary Comment:

The calorie count is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Per serving contains 54 calories, along with 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 0.5 g fats, and 1.23 g protein.
Portion size can always be increased or decreased depending on your health goals and activity level.
(Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.)

Good Time To Eat:

It is good to eat Paneer Angara for lunch, brunch, and dinner.

If you make this recipe, share your food picture with hashtag #aaichisavali on Instagram and Facebook so that everyone can enjoy it too!
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Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!!!