🧀🌶️ Paneer Thecha
A bold Maharashtrian-style spicy dish where soft paneer is coated or tossed with green chili–garlic–peanut thecha. It’s fiery, smoky, and super flavorful.
🧾 Ingredients
🧀 Paneer
- 250g paneer (cubed or sliced)
- 1 tbsp oil or butter
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
- ½ tsp red chili powder (optional for extra color)
🌶️ Thecha (spicy paste)
- 8–12 green chilies (adjust heat)
- 6–8 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make thecha (key flavor base)
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan
- Lightly roast green chilies + garlic for 2–3 minutes
- Add peanuts and roast 1 minute
- Let it cool slightly
- Pound or blend coarsely (don’t make it too smooth)
2. Cook paneer
- Heat butter/oil in a pan
- Add paneer cubes
- Lightly sauté until golden edges form
- Sprinkle salt + turmeric + chili powder
3. Combine
- Add thecha to the pan
- Toss gently so paneer gets coated evenly
- Cook 1–2 minutes so flavors mix
4. Finish
- Add lemon juice for brightness (optional)
- Garnish with coriander if you like
🍽️ Serve with
- roti or bhakri 🫓
- naan or paratha
- or even as a spicy sandwich filling 🌯
🌶️ Result
You get spicy, garlicky Paneer Thecha with smoky heat from chilies and crunch from peanuts coating soft paneer cubes.
⭐ Pro tips
- Don’t over-blend thecha—texture is important
- Adjust chili level (it can get very hot fast 🔥)
- Slight roasting of paneer improves flavor
- A little lemon balances the heat
If you want, I can also make:
- creamy paneer thecha gravy version 🍛
- sandwich/wrap street-food version 🌯
- or air fryer crispy paneer thecha bites 🔥
