Kothimeera Podi Paneer Dry Fry
Kothimeera Podi Paneer Dry Fry is the kind of dish that makes you rethink how much a marinade needs to do. Cubes of paneer get coated in Kothimeera Tomato Podi, a splash of curd, and a little oil — and when they hit the hot kadai, the dehydrated tomato and hing in the podi form a sticky, slightly charred crust that tastes deeply savoury and faintly tangy, with the freshness of kothimeera coming through in every bite. No long marinating, no long ingredient list — just the podi doing what it was made for.
Prep: 12 min | Cook: 8 min | Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 3 tsp Kothimeera Tomato Podi
- 250g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
- 3 tbsp curd (perugu), whisked
- 2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp oil, for searing
- 1 small onion, sliced thin (optional, for serving)
- a squeeze lemon juice, to finish
Method
- In a bowl, mix the Kothimeera Tomato Podi, whisked curd, 2 tsp oil, and salt into a paste — it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add the paneer cubes to the bowl and turn them gently until every side is coated. Let them sit for 10 minutes — the curd will help the podi cling and the paneer will absorb the tang.
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai or heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat until it shimmers — you want the pan genuinely hot before the paneer goes in.
- Place the coated paneer cubes in a single layer. Do not move them for 2 minutes — let the crust form. You will see the edges turn deep reddish-brown and smell the hing and tomato beginning to char lightly.
- Turn each cube carefully and sear the other sides for 1 to 2 minutes until all faces have colour and the coating looks set and slightly sticky.
- Remove from heat, squeeze a little lemon juice over the top, and serve immediately — with thin-sliced raw onion on the side and a roti or as a standalone starter.
✓ High Protein | ✓ High Fibre | ✓ Rich in Calcium | ✓ Rich in Potassium