Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (2024)

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Paneer 65 - better than you’ve ever had before! This Hyderabadi paneer starter recipe is deliciously bright, flavorful, spicy and super easy to make. Traditionally batter coated paneer are deep-fried into the hot oil. But to cut down the fat content, I have used the air fryer.

You get bite-sized pieces of paneer that are ("air") fried to golden brown perfection, and the fried cubes are then coated in the most amazing, spicy, slightly tangy sauce. Talk about delicious street/restaurant food made healthy!

Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (1)

Hyderabadi Paneer 65

This easy paneer 65 recipe is a vegetarian variation to super popular classic Hyderabadi starter chicken 65. It’s battered and fried pieces of paneer coated with an irresistibly spicy and tangy sauce. It’s just too good!

There are many different variations and versions of paneer 65 you will find. At many places, you will find dry or semi-dry while at some places you will find paneer 65 gravy. Today I am sharing the dry version.

For some health reasons, from now on I am going to cut down on deep-fried food whenever possible. So I will be using my air fryer to replace the deep-frying process. So far I am satisfied with the results.

By looking at the paneer 65 dish, you will say it is the brother or sister of paneer manchurian. But let me tell you, the taste and flavor are completely different. It has tempering of curry leaves that gives nice aromatic curry leaves flavor. Also, it has slight tang from yogurt and ketchup.

How to make Paneer 65?

1) To make the batter, take ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, curry leaves, all purpose flour, corn flour and rice flour in a bowl and mix well.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (2)

2) Add lemon juice and water to make the thick, smooth (lump-free) batter). Add oil in the batter if doing air frying method, otherwise, skip.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (3)

3) Now add paneer cubes and gently mix so the batter is coated to the each and every paneer cubes.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (4)

4) Air Fryer: Grease the basket or tray with oil and arrange the batter coated cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes.
- To shallow fry, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide saucepan. Arrange the pieces in a single layer. Once fried bottom side, flip and cook other sides similarly. The similar method used in my chilli paneer recipe.
- To deep fry, heat good amount of oil in a pan/kadai on medium heat. Once hot add paneer pieces one by one. Fry till they are crispy and golden brown from all the sides. Remove it using a slotted spatula, drain excess oil and keep on paper towel lined plate. Similar method use in my paneer manchurian recipe.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (5)

5) I am satisfied with the air fryer results. The pieces are crispy around the edges and light, soft from inside.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (6)

6) Now to make the sauce, first in a small bowl mix red chili sauce, ketchup and yogurt really well. Keep it aside.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (7)

7) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, and green chilies.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (8)

8) Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (9)

9) Then add prepared sauce and immediately stir so the yogurt does not curdle. Let it simmer for a minute or so. Then turn off the stove. Let the sauce cool down for a few minutes. To keep the pieces crispy, sauce has to be cooled down.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (10)

10) Now add fried paneer to the sauce and mix well to coat all the pieces.
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (11)

Serve this paneer 65 hot as a starter. Have some lemon wedges and thinly sliced onions on side.

Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (12)

Check out more Paneer recipes
Paneer tikka // Tawa paneer // Paneer do pyaza // Paneer biryani // Paneer sandwich // Paneer jalfrezi // Paneer pakora

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Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!

Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (13)

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Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter)

5 from 1 vote

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This is the best Paneer 65 I’have ever had! It is spicy and deliciously flavorful. This paneer 65 recipe is made in the air fryer.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Hyderabadi,Indian

Calories: 402kcal

Servings 3

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

Ingredients

For frying paneer:

  • 300 grams or 10 oz Paneer cut into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
  • 6 Curry leaves chopped finely
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons Corn flour (corn starch)
  • 1 tablespoon All purpose flour (Maida)
  • 1 tablespoon Rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons Water
  • 2 teaspoons Oil for airfrying (if shallow frying or deep frying then you will need more oil)

For paneer 65:

  • 1 tablespoon Chilli sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Yogurt (curd or dahi)
  • 1 tablespoon Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Ginger garlic paste
  • 2 Green chilies slit
  • 8-10 Curry leaves

Instructions

Frying Paneer:

  • To make the batter, take ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, curry leaves, all purpose flour, corn flour and rice flour in a bowl and mix well.

  • Add lemon juice and water to make the thick, smooth (lump-frebatter. Add oil in the batter if doing air frying method, otherwise, skip.

  • Now add paneer cubes and gently mix so the batter is coated to the each and every paneer cubes.

  • - Air Fryer: Grease the basket or tray with oil and arrange the batter coated cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes.

  • - To shallow fry, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide saucepan. Arrange the pieces in a single layer. Once fried bottom side, flip and cook other sides similarly. The similar method used in my chilli paneer recipe.

  • - To deep fry, heat good amount of oil in a pan/kadai on medium heat. Once hot add paneer pieces one by one. Fry till they are crispy and golden brown from all the sides. Remove it using a slotted spatula, drain excess oil and keep on paper towel lined plate. Similar method use in my paneer manchurian recipe.

Making paneer 65:

  • In a small bowl mix red chili sauce, ketchup and yogurt really well. Keep it aside.

  • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, and green chilies.

  • Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.

  • Then add prepared sauce and immediately stir so the yogurt does not curdle. Let it simmer for a minute or so.

  • Then turn off the stove. Let the sauce cool down for a few minutes.

  • Now add fried paneer to the sauce and mix well to coat all the pieces.

  • Serve this paneer 65 hot as a starter.

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.9g | Protein: 18.6g | Fat: 29.2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 2g

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving

Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter) - Spice Up The Curry (2024)

FAQs

What is paneer 65 made of? ›

Paneer 65 is a vegetarian variation of the popular South Indian Chicken 65. Similar to the original version, Paneer 65 is made by deep frying marinated and batter coated paneer until crisp. It is later tossed in a spicy tempering made with spices, garlic, curry leaves and sometimes yogurt or lemon juice.

Should you fry paneer before adding to curry? ›

Paneer is already cooked.

So it's not essential that you cook it prior to adding to curry. Some people like a golden brown colour on the outside. If you like, you can shallow fry, deep fry, or grill paneer before adding it to a curry. This will create a golden crust on the outside.

How to make paneer soft? ›

Put Paneer In Warm Water

The water should be enough to completely cover all of the paneer cubes. If you soak the paneer in warm water for more than 5 minutes, it will soften more quickly. If you soak the paneer in warm water for too long, it will become too soft and will break when you use it in your recipe.

Does paneer need to be fried? ›

Do you have to fry the paneer? Absolutely not! The thing is, raw paneer has a tendency to fall apart when added to a sauce. By frying the cubed paneer, you create a crispy crust to the cheese which helps it retain its shape when cooked into a hot curry sauce.

Is paneer 65 good for health? ›

Paneer fries are healthy and rich in protein and calcium as well as filling when compared to french fries, so it is a healthier choice. The easy and quick recipes of paneer 65 and paneer fries are given below, you can try and enjoy them. Talk about delicious street/restaurant food made healthy.

Why is it called paneer 65? ›

The origin of the name "Paneer 65" is associated with various stories. Some believe it was named so because it was the 65th dish on a menu, others claim that it originally contained 65 different spices, and some believe it originated in 1965.

Do you cook paneer before adding to sauce? ›

Simply chop up your paneer into cubes and add to your curry sauce. Allow to simmer so it can soak up all the lovely flavours. You can even fry it off before adding for an extra crunchy texture.

Why does paneer become hard after frying? ›

Paneer cooking mistakes: Over cooking paneer, that too in high temperature, may affect the fat molecules in paneer, resulting in its tough and chewy texture.

Should we boil paneer before cooking? ›

Boiling: Soaking the paneer in cool water after boiling keeps it soft during cooking. Otherwise, it will turn hard and rubbery. Pan frying: Keep in mind that pan frying will add an additional amount of fat and calories.

Should you soak paneer before cooking? ›

“You can also soak your fresh paneer if it's tough after soaking in warm water. It makes a big difference,” he says. You can make a variety of dishes from paneer like palak paneer, matar paneer, kadhai paneer, paneer tikka, and the chef's favorite palak chole paneer chawal.

What paneer is called in English? ›

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.

Why do people soak paneer in water before? ›

10 minutes makes it extra soft and crumbly!

How do you know when paneer is cooked? ›

Place it in boiling water and keep it for 5 minutes. Uncooked Paneer tastes like putty. No taste. Paneer aught to be fried to a golden crust.

What is the difference between paneer 65 and Manchurian? ›

Unlike paneer manchurian, this step by step photos recipe of paneer 65 does not use soya and chilli sauce to get spiciness; instead, it uses varieties of Indian spices and combination of cornflour, all purpose flour and curd to get its signature tongue tickling taste.

What is the material for paneer? ›

According to the PFA (2010), paneer means “product obtained from cow or buffalo milk or combination thereof, by precipitation with sour milk, lactic acid, or citric acid. It shall contain not more than 70% moisture and the fat content should not be less than 50% expressed on dry matter”.

What are the benefits of Paneer 65? ›

7 nutritional benefits of eating paneer
  • Reduces the risk of cancer. ...
  • Building better bones and teeth. ...
  • An essential component in weight loss programs. ...
  • Aids in the normal functioning of the digestive system. ...
  • Ideal food for diabetic patients. ...
  • Building a strong immune system. ...
  • Paneer prevents and protects you from diseases.

What does paneer contain? ›

Every 100 grams of paneer contains 265 calories, 20.8 grams of fat, 1.2 grams of total carbohydrate. 18.3 grams of protein and 208 mg of calcium. People who undergo weight training in the gym need to consume large amounts of protein.

References

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