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!
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.
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.
3) Now add paneer cubes and gently mix so the batter is coated to the each and every paneer cubes.
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.
5) I am satisfied with the air fryer results. The pieces are crispy around the edges and light, soft from inside.
6) Now to make the sauce, first in a small bowl mix red chili sauce, ketchup and yogurt really well. Keep it aside.
7) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, and green chilies. 
8) Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
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.
10) Now add fried paneer to the sauce and mix well to coat all the pieces.
Serve this paneer 65 hot as a starter. Have some lemon wedges and thinly sliced onions on side.
Check out more Paneer recipes
Paneer tikka // Tawa paneer // Paneer do pyaza // Paneer biryani // Paneer sandwich // Paneer jalfrezi
Paneer 65 Recipe (Hyderabadi Paneer Starter)
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.
The recipe looks delicious! Is there a substitute for ketchup?
Instead of tomato ketchup, you can use tomato sauce with pinch of sugar and vinegar.