Paneer Angara

Quick and simple restaurant style Paneer Angara recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Smoky cottage cheese curry – paneer angara is best served with any Indian flat bread!

Paneer Angara is a restauarant style smoky curry made using cottage cheese. Paneer is cooked in a flavorful onion tomato cashew curry base, spiced with whole spices and spice powders. There are many different paneer curries and gravy recipes, I find this recipe interesting as it is a cross between a smoky paneer tikka and a creamy paneer butter masala. It is super simple to make without having to spend a lot of effort cooking the ingredients. It has a great smoky flavor, without having to grill the paneer or veggies. It tastes brilliant with any Indian flat bread and stores well too!

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients
• Tips & Important Notes for Making Paneer Angara
• Substitutions & Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Similar Recipes
• Paneer Angara Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
• Recipe Notes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Key Ingredients

Paneer, known as Indian Cottage Cheese is one of the main ingredients. I chopped it into thick cubes so that it can soak up in all the creamy curry.

Onions & Tomatoes are cooked to a soft texture along with other whole spices to get a flavorful curry base.

Cashews are such an integral part of this curry and we will use in the curry base, ground into a smooth paste.

A dash of Fresh Cream is added towards the end of the curry to round up the flavor and enhance the taste.

Whole spices like Bay Leaf, Cumin Seeds, Dried Red Chillies are used to flavor the curry.

Spice Powders like Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Turmeric Powder, are used in making this masala gravy.

Fresh Cilantro, Kasoor Methi, Ginger, Garlic & Green Chillies are used to flavor the curry too.

For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.

Tips & Important Notes for Making Paneer Angara

This Paneer Angara recipe is beginner friendly and is very simple despite a few elaborate steps. Follow the below tips and notes to make it right every single time.

• This curry is all about flavor. Cook on low flame until the oil/fat separates from the curry at each step for developing the best flavor.
• To keep paneer soft, always blanch paneer cubes in hot water and then directly add it to the gravy. I don’t recommend frying paneer as it hardens quickly.
• Smoking the paneer curry adds a great flavor and is highly recommended. You can use a piece of coal or a coconut shell to heat up until red hot, place it in a bowl in the curry and add a few drops of ghee to induce smoke.

Substitutions & Variations

Paneer angara can be made with the addition of mixed vegetables too!

Optionally, you can roast the onions and capsicum cubes before adding them to the gravy.

I do not pan fry paneer for any of my gravy/curry recipes but it can be roasted in an oven or on a pan before adding to the curry.

This recipe can be made with tofu or mushrooms or eggs too!

For vegan version, skip yogurt/plain curd & fresh cream altogether and use tofu in the place of paneer.

Serving Suggestions

Paneer Angara tastes best when served hot with any Indian flat bread. It can also be served on a side with pulao or biryani. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro for a vibrant, restaurant style curry. Leftover curry can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a day, reheated before serving.

Similar Recipes

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Paneer Angara Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a heavy pan heat 2 teaspoon oil and add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 dry bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cardamom, 1 clove, ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 dry red chilli and fry for a minute.

Next add 2 medium onions roughly chopped along 6 garlic cloves, 2” ginger piece & 2 green chillies slit.

Cook until the onions are soft. Next add 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped.

As the tomatoes begin to turn mushy, add 8-10 cashews.

Cook covered until onions and tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and cool down the mixture completely.

Grind into a smooth paste and set aside.

In the same pan add 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds followed by ½ tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder. Cook for a few seconds.

Add the prepared curry paste.

Add water as needed, Mix well and cook on medium flame for another 3-4 mins until the oil separates.

Add salt as needed and cook again on low flame for 2 minutes.

Now add some water and mix it well. Continue cooking on low flame.

Next add 1 small onion and capsicum cubed. Cook covered for 4-5 mins.

Add ½ teaspoon sugar and salt as needed, mix well. Add water if needed as the curry can get thick very quickly.

Next add 100 grams paneer cut into thick cubes (blanched in hot water for a minute). Add 1 teaspoon kasoor methi. Mix well.

Now add 1 tablespoon fresh cream and mix well. Continue cooking on low flame.

Garnish with 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro. Remove from heat.

Place a bowl at the center of the curry. Meanwhile heat a coal piece or coconut shell until it is red hot and place it in the bowl carefully.

Add a few drops of oil or ghee to induce smoke.

Cover the pan with a heavy lid and let the curry get smoked for 10-15 mins.

Serve hot with any Indian flat bread of your choice.

Recipe Notes

• Adjust spices as per preference.
• It is optional to smoke the curry but is highly recommended.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

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