Paneer 65

Paneer 65 is a popular restaurant style appetizer or starter perfect for parties and get together. Paneer 65 is made by marinating paneer in a spice mix, dipping them in flour batter and then deep frying it until crisp. Learn to make restaurant style Paneer 65 Recipe with step by step pictures and video for easy reference.

Paneer 65 is one of the most popular starters in restaurants as it is loved by all. I have recreated restaurant style paneer 65 however this recipe uses no fancy ingredients hence it is an easy and quick paneer 65 recipe. Do try and enjoy!

About Paneer 65

Paneer 65 is a dry starter or appetizer perfect for parties or make any weekend meal special. Paneer 65 can be made using paneer marinated in spices mix, then dipped in a flour batter and deep fried until crisp. Paneer 65 can be either deep fried or shallow fried or baked or even air fried.

Paneer 65 can be had as a starter or appetizer. When I make at home I make it often as a starter or even side dish for lunch. Paneer 65 is a vegetarian alternate to Chicken 65. Each 65 version have their origin from each region like Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore style but this paneer 65 recipe is unique in its own way.

In many hotels paneer 65 is misunderstood and a Chinese version is served with soya and chilli sauce. So we always end up adding a phrase ‘its crispy like pakoda’ while ordering paneer 65.  As there is a semi gravy version of paneer 65 there is always this confusion, But what we like is the dry crispy version of paneer 65 which I am sharing here.

Paneer 65 or any 65 recipes were named so because first Buhari hotel introduced Chicken 65 in the year 1965 and they wanted to make it unique they named it chicken 65. The same recipe was followed for many dishes and they became popular. Some of popular 65 recipes are baby corn 65, aloo 65, chicken 65, mushroom 65 etc etc.

I have tasted Paneer 65 in many restaurants as gugu loves it we order it often, when we dine out. Though he loves eating paneer 65 in any hotel, his most favorite is the one from Annapoorna. So my target was to achieve a recipe which was very close to it and yes I nailed it finally after few trials and yes only after I was completely satisfied with the results I am posting it here.

Paneer 65 Video

Similar Recipes

• Paneer makhani
• Paneer fry
• Matar paneer
• Chilli paneer
• Paneer butter masala

Paneer 65 marinade

First paneer is marinated with a spice mix which includes ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder, lemon juice, curd and salt to taste. This way paneer gets its flavor inside also else it will be bland inside.

If you are spicy paneer lover then this paneer 65 is a must try for you. You can even mix the spiced paneer in the batter mix well and set aside to rest. When you want to serve you can deep fry them and serve paneer 65 hot!

Now a batter is prepared using maida, cornflour, kashmiri red chili powder, cooking soda, salt to taste and water as needed. Then the spiced paneer cubes are dipped in the batter and deep fried until crisp. Finally fried green chilies and curry leaves are added for garnish. Serve with onion rings and lemon wedges.

More 65 Recipes

• Gobi 65
• Baby corn 65
• Chilli paneer
• Paneer pulao
• Paneer fried rice

Paneer 65 Ingredients

• Paneer – Use fresh soft paneer for best results. If the paneer is not fresh and is deep fried then paneer will become rubbery. Homemade paneer worls best, however you can buy from stores too.
• Flour – Plain flour(maida) and cornflour are used as binding agent. I have replaced maida with wheat flour too and it works well. Though you won’t get that perfect hotel taste, it will still taste good only.
• Spices – Spice powders like red chili powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder are used here. Instead of adding food color you can add kashmiri red chili powder to get that attractive look.
• Cooking Soda – Cooking soda gives a crunchy texture and also avoids gobi 65 from becoming hard.
• Oil – Any flavorless oil is best for deep frying. I often use refined oil.

How to make Paneer 65

Marinating paneer

1.To begin with first to a mixing bowl add paneer along with ingredients listed under ‘For marinade’.

• 200 gms paneer
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon curd
• salt to taste

2.Mix until the spices are coated well.

Preparing flour batter

3.To another mixing bowl – add the ingredients listed under ‘for the batter’.

• 3 tablespoon maida
• 2 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
• a tiny pinch cooking soda
• salt to taste
• water as needed

4.Mix this well first.

5.Add water little by little to form a slightly thickish batter.

6.Not too thick or not too thin.It should be thinner than idli batter consistency.

Coating paneer with batter

7.Add few paneer pieces into the batter, few at a time.

8.Coat it well using a fork. Remove excess batter.

Frying paneer

9.Add it to preheated oil.

10.Do not turn over at once. Leave it for few seconds then turn over.

11.If it sticks break it.

12.Turn over and fry well.

13.Fry until golden brown.

Paneer 65 ready!

14.Remove and add next batch.

15.Repeat to finish. Finally add curry leaves and green chilies and fry until crisp.

16.Garnish with it paneer 65. Enjoy!

Crispy restaurant style Paneer 65 ready!

Expert Tips

• Make sure to mix spices well with paneer otherwise it will be bland.
• I did not add any artificial coloring, instead used kashmiri chilli powder to get that beautiful orange-ish red color.
• I usually separate while deep frying itself if it sticks to get perfect shaped pieces just like in restaurants. But you can separate later after frying too.
• Adding all the paneer and mixing with batter can easily break paneer. So I would suggest to add few at a time coat well then add to hot oil.
• You can adjust spice level according to your preference.
• For gluten free version you can use cornflour and rice flour(replace with maida).
• If the batter is too thin then it will not coat the paneer well, if its too thick it will not be crispy. So make sure to make the perfect consistency batter, add water accordingly.
• Do not skip cooking soda as it gives the perfect texture. Without soda paneer 65 will be slightly hard.
• If you do not want to use maida then replace with wheat flour. There is not much of visible and taste difference.

Variations

• You can either deep fry or shallow fry in a tawa too.
• Baking or air frying is another option. But as we make this only occasionally, I prefer deep frying method as it gives perfect crisp texture.
• You can either cube the paneer as shown here or cut into strips or even small triangles.
• You can use fresh or frozen paneer. I used fresh. If using frozen thaw it first, soak in hot water for few mins then proceed.

Serving and Storage

• You can serve paneer 65 as a starter or appetizer.
• You can serve it s a side dish for pulao or fried rice too.
• Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala powder while serving.
• Goes well with onion rings and lemon wedges.
• You can marinade paneer with spices and refrigerate a day ahead. But prepare the batter only when deep frying to get best perfect results.

FAQS

1.How to make Paneer 65?

To begin with first marinade paneer with spice powders and few other ingredients along with salt, Set it aside. Next prepare a batter along with maida, cornflour, salt, yogurt, lemon juice etc. Dip and coat each paneer piece into the batter, remove excess add it hot oil and deep fry until crisp. Fry curry leaves, green chillies and garnish with it while serving. Serve with onion rings and lemon wedges.

2.Is paneer 65 and paneer fry the same?

More or less same. The main difference between paneer 65 and paneer fry is the batter ingredients. Paneer fry does not use any flour whereas paneer 65 uses maida and cornflour.

3.My Paneer 65 is not crispy. Why?

Even after using the exact measures in this recipe if  its not crisp the main reason might be frying in low flame or the oil temperature isn’t right. Oil temperature should be hot that when paneer is added it should rise up immediately and while frying the flame should be in medium. Also if the oil is smoking hot, it may burn the paneer.So keep maintaining the oil temperature.

4.Can I make paneer 65 without deep frying?

Yes you can. You can either bake paneer 65 using a oven or air fry them using a air fryer.

5.Can I make Paneer 65 ahead for parties?

Yes you can make the spice mixed with paneer and the batter ready ahead, store in fridge. Then deep fry them and serve hot when needed.

If you have any more questions about this Paneer 65 recipe do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

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