Paneer Podimas Recipe | Paneer Bhurji South Indian Style

Crumble the fresh paneer by hand into small bite-sized pieces resembling scrambled texture. Do not use a grater as hand-crumbled paneer gives a better texture to the podimas. Set aside on a plate.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai or wide pan over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely. Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.

Add the curry leaves and slit green chillies to the pan and fry for 20 to 30 seconds until the curry leaves become crisp and aromatic. This step is very important as it builds the base flavour of the Tamil-style seasoning.

Add the finely chopped onions to the pan and sauté on medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes until they turn soft, translucent, and lightly golden at the edges. Add the grated ginger and minced garlic and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes to the pan along with a pinch of salt to help them soften faster. Cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes become mushy and the oil begins to separate from the masala.

Reduce the flame to low and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder. Mix everything well and cook the masala for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw smell of the spice powders is completely gone.

Add the crumbled paneer into the masala and gently mix everything together so that every piece of paneer is well coated with the spiced tomato-onion masala. Be gentle while mixing to keep the paneer soft and not overly dense.

Cook the paneer podimas on low to medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently once or twice. Do not overcook as paneer can become rubbery and dry. The mixture should remain moist and soft.

Turn off the flame and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a generous handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves. Give a final gentle mix. Your Paneer Podimas is ready to serve hot.