Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Paneer Jhaal Frazie
Paneer Jhaal Frazie (Stir-fried Paneer)

Paneer Jhaal Frazie

Stir-fried Paneer
Vegetarian●●●Origin AwadhPrep 20–30 minutesCook 10 minutes

A vibrant, fast-cooking stir-fry of paneer and tofu tossed with crisp vegetables and warming spices. It is richly spiced and savoury with a bright, tangy finish of lemon.

Stir-fry spices

6 gAdded to the hot pan with the vegetables (step 2)
02
0.9 g½ teaspoon
spice
03
1.3 g½ teaspoon
spice
05
0.8 g¼ teaspoon
spice
Leave the dried chilli whole alongside the ground spices.

Everything else

01
Tofucut into medium-sized cubes
100 g
legume
02
Paneercut into medium-sized cubesMake it: Paneer →
100 g
dairy
03
14–27 g1–2 tablespoons
oil/fat
04
Green chilli · Hari Mirchslit lengthways and de-seeded
12 g2 chillies
vegetable
05
Carrot · Gajarsmall, cut into small pieces
120 g2 carrots
vegetable
06
500 g1 head
vegetable
07
Red bell pepper or tomato · Shimla Mirch ya Tamatarlarge, de-seeded and cut into slices
120 g1 tomato
vegetable
08
2.5 g½ teaspoon
souring agent
09
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Warm a dry griddle, tawa, or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 100 g tofu and 100 g paneer, cooking for about 7 minutes while turning regularly until nicely browned on all sides, being careful not to let them scorch.
  2. Heat 13.5–27 g vegetable oil in a wide, shallow pan over high heat. Add the stir-fry spices, 12 g green chilli, 2 chopped small carrots, 1 small head of chopped broccoli or cauliflower, 1 sliced large tomato or red pepper, and the browned tofu and paneer. Stir-fry energetically for 3–4 minutes, tossing frequently so everything is evenly coated and heated through.
  3. Season to taste with salt, drizzle over 2.5 g lemon juice, and serve immediately.

Don't have something?

Tofu
  • Paneer

    Use the same weight; press 10 minutes and cube. Firmer, holds shape, not vegan.

  • Cottage cheese

    Use the same weight; drain and press 15 minutes. Softer and may break, so add late.

  • Mushroom

    Use the same weight, thickly sliced. Meaty texture but not protein-equivalent; cook until tender.

Paneer
  • Extra-firm tofu

    Use equal weight, pressed well to remove excess moisture and cut into cubes. Pan-fry lightly before adding; absorbs sauces similarly, though it lacks dairy sweetness.

  • Halloumi

    Use equal weight, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes to leach out excess salt. Holds shape during frying, but has a denser, saltier chew.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Dried red chilli
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Use equal weight whole. Fry in hot oil or ghee as tempered spice; gives a richer red colour with slightly milder heat.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 50% to 70% of the weight. Stir into the oil with ground spices; distributes heat evenly throughout the dish without whole chilli skins.

Green chilli
  • Chilli powder

    Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.

  • Dried red chilli

    Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Carrot
  • Turnip

    Use the same weight; peel and cut as for carrot. It is less sweet and slightly peppery, so add a pinch of sugar and expect a softer, more earthy result.

  • Potato

    Use the same weight; cut into similar pieces and add 5–10 minutes' extra cooking. It gives bulk but no carrot sweetness or colour.

  • Courgette

    Use the same weight; cut a little larger and add near the end. It releases water, so reduce other liquid slightly and expect a softer texture.

Broccoli or cauliflower
  • Cauliflower

    Use the same weight; it is the milder option and cooks slightly slower, so add 2 minutes.

  • Broccoli

    Use the same weight; it cooks faster and tastes greener, so check doneness early.

  • Cauliflower floret

    Use the same weight; florets cook faster than a whole head, so cut evenly.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Ground cumin
  • Cumin seed

    Dry-roast briefly and grind finely; use equal weight (1:1). Imparts an even punchier, nuttier, toasty aroma than pre-ground cumin.

  • Ground coriander

    Use equal weight (1:1). Adds mild, lemony sweetness rather than cumin's smoky, earthy bite; curries will taste lighter and less savoury.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Grind finely; use 60% to 75% of the weight. Produces a darker, more complex, smoky-herbal flavour suited to rich gravies.

Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

  • Chilli powder

    Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Red bell pepper or tomato
  • Red bell pepper

    Use the same weight; sweeter and firmer. Good when the recipe wants body without much acidity.

  • Tomato

    Use the same weight; more acidic and softer, so adjust lime or amchoor. Good for a saucier result.

  • Yellow bell pepper

    Use the same weight; similar to red pepper but less sweet. Colour will be lighter.

Lemon juice
  • Lime juice

    Use equal volume or weight; delivers almost identical sharp acidity with a faintly more aromatic, bitter-edged profile.

  • Dried mango powder

    Use 25% of the weight (about 1 g amchoor for 4 g juice); provides clean fruity tartness without thinning the sauce.

  • White vinegar

    Use 75% of the volume; gives direct sourness without any citrus floral fragrance.

Similar dishes

Thanda Achari Paneer
Cold Paneer in Pickling Spices
Thanda Achari Paneer tastes cooler and creamier with a pickling-spice aroma and yogurt-amchoor tartness, compared to the warm, peppery, and lemon-forward profile of this dish.
  • Same: Thanda Achari Paneer also features paneer seasoned with green chillies, dried red chillies, turmeric, and ground coriander.
  • Different: Rather than being stir-fried in vegetable oil with cumin and lemon juice, it is mixed into a cold yogurt base tempered with mustard oil, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and amchoor.
Chaaman
Kashmiri Paneer
Chaaman is richer and warmer with ginger and garam masala, lacking the sharp lemon tang and pungent chilli heat of this dish.
  • Same: Like this dish, Chaaman features paneer cooked with ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chilli powder.
  • Different: Chaaman is pan-fried and simmered into a sauce using ghee, ground ginger, asafoetida, and garam masala, whereas this dish is a dry stir-fry made with vegetable oil, fresh green chillies, and lemon juice.
Lehsuni Paneer Tikka
Garlic-flavoured Paneer
It delivers a smoky, pungent garlic flavour with dairy richness and vinegar tang, compared to the cleaner, cumin- and lemon-accented heat of this dish.
  • Same: Both dishes use paneer as the main ingredient, seasoned with green chillies, ground coriander, chilli powder, and turmeric.
  • Different: Lehsuni Paneer Tikka is coated in yogurt, chickpea flour, and garlic paste before being grilled, incorporating ajwain, garam masala, and vinegar while omitting the cumin, dried red chillies, and lemon juice used in this stir-fry.
Paneer Bhurji
Stir-Fried Paneer with Chilli, Turmeric and Peppers
Paneer Bhurji tastes softer and juicier from onion and tomato, with a stronger lemon and coriander lift, while this dish is more crisp and vegetable-heavy with tofu and a bright lemon finish.
  • Same: Paneer Bhurji shares with this dish paneer, vegetable oil, green chilli, turmeric, tomato, red bell pepper, lemon juice and salt, and both are stir-fried paneer dishes.
  • Different: Paneer Bhurji uses much more paneer and no tofu, adds onion, ginger, cumin seed, garam masala and coriander leaves, and crumbles the paneer with soft vegetables instead of stir-frying crisp carrot and broccoli or cauliflower with dried red chilli and ground coriander and cumin.