This Honey Toasted Paneer / Tofu With Sesame Seeds recipe is one of our family's favorite recipes. This is a recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's collection. I watched him make this on a show years ago and ever since has become one of our favorites.
This dish has a Chinese twist to it. I have made a few of my own improvisations to the recipe to suit our palette. This recipe was first published in 2010 on my website and now after 8 years, I get to redo the pictures and the post and republish the recipe.
It is so awesome to go back to an old post and find recipes that are still very popular in my family. I use either tofu or paneer when making the recipe. It really depends on what I have in hand.
If you are a Vegan and looking to make this a vegan-friendly dish, then all you have to do is use tofu instead of paneer and follow all the steps exactly.
The original recipe was exclusively paneer/tofu. I added the onions and the bell pepper to bring out more of the Chinese flavor. The best part of the recipe is the toasted sesame seed. The flavor it brings out is absolutely great and I hope all of you enjoy it.
Preparation time - 15 mins
Cooking time - 30 mins
Difficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Honey Toasted Paneer / Tofu With Sesame Seeds (Makes 4-6 servings)
- Paneer (Tofu) – 200 gms
- Onions ( cut into 1-inch cubes) – 1 large
- Tomatoes (cut into 1-inch pieces) – 2 large
- Bell Pepper – 2 (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- Green chilies (cut) – 3
- Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
- Tomato ketchup – 1 Tbsp
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Chili powder – ½ teaspoon or as needed
- Spring onions – 2 stems
- Cashews – 10 (Soaked in warm milk for 10 mins)
- Honey – 1 tablespoon dissolved in warm water
- Sesame seeds – 2 teaspoons (Toasted)
- Corriander leaves (Cilantro) – 1 tbsp
- Butter/Oil – about 3 tablespoons (divided)
- Salt – to taste
Procedure to make Honey Toasted Tofu With Sesame Seeds -
- Cut Paneer/Tofu into 1-inch cubes and shallow fry them in butter/oil. I never deep fry the paneer or tofu. Shallow frying them in a couple of tablespoons of oil works equally well. Drain the pieces on a paper towel and use the rest of the oil/butter in the pan to make the gravy.
- If needed, add a teaspoon more oil to the pan and fry the cut onion, and bell pepper. Once they are lightly cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and fry it for a minute more.
- Now add the cut tomatoes, green chilies, and ketchup and cook it on a medium flame until the tomatoes are soft (around 5 mins)
- Grind the soaked cashews into a smooth paste and pour it into the pan. Next add the soy sauce, chili powder, and salt and cook it for a few minutes.
- Add the fried paneer/tofu and mix well. If the gravy is too thick add little water and let it all come together.
- Once it starts boiling add the honey mixed in warm water.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a pan and add this to the gravy.
- Garnish with spring onions, and coriander leaves and serve hot with Chapathis or paratha.
More Paneer Recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter/X
Recipe
Honey Toasted Paneer (Tofu) With Sesame Seeds
Equipment
- Shallow Frying Pan
- Stove
Ingredients
- 200 gms Paneer or tofu
- 1 Onions cut into 1 inch cubes – 1 large
- 2 Tomatoes cut into 1 inch pieces – 2 large
- 2 Bell Pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 Green chilies cut – 3
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon Tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder
- 2 Spring onions stems
- 10 Cashews Soaked in warm milk for 10 mins
- 1 tablespoon Honey dissolved in warm water
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seeds Toasted
- 1 Corriander leaves Cilantro – 1 tbsp
- 3 tablespoon Butter / Oil divided
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut Paneer/Tofu into 1 inch cubes and shallow fry them in butter/oil. I never deep fry the paneer or tofu. Shallow frying them in couple of tablespoons of oil works equally well. Drain the pieces on a paper towel and use the rest of the oil/butter in the pan to make the gravy.
- If needed, add a teaspoon more of oil in the pan and fry the cut onion, bell pepper. Once they are lightly cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and fry it for a minute more.
- Now add the cut tomatoes, green chilies and ketchup and cook it on a medium flame until the tomatoes are soft (around 5 mins)
- Grind the soaked cashews into smooth paste and pour it in the pan. Next add the soy sauce, chili powder and salt and cook it for few minutes.
- Add the fried paneer/tofu and mix well. If the gravy is too thick add little water and let it all come together.
- Once it starts boiling add the honey mixed in warm water.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a pan and add this to the gravy.
- Garnish with spring onions, coriander leaves and serve hot with Chapathis or paratha.
Janet Einhorn says
How much water to mix with the honey?
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Just a couple of tablespoon.
Suja Ram says
This Paneer dish is loaded with veggies and love sesame seeds and the Chinese touch. Would love to try this week.
Sapana Behl says
Wow the honey toasted tof with sesame seeds sounds amazing dish to try. Love the entire setup in the pictures.
Pavani says
That is such a flavorful and delicious looking tofu dish Sandhya. I would love to try this dish some time.
Padmajha PJ says
When I read the title I was thinking of a dry dish and when I saw this gravy, I was drooling! One more paneer dish to add to my bookmarks. Sesame seeds would have given such a nice flavor! I too like to add capsicum to dishes to lend a Chinese flavor to the dish.Revisiting the old recipes are so nostalgic, right!
Priya Suresh says
Wowwing here, that bowl of ultimate dish looks absolutely irresistible. Am sure this dish will definitely please my chinese flavors loving family.
Priya Kumar says
This creamy and finger licking bowl of tofu recipe looks fabulous. Looks easy to cook as well.
harini says
Wow! that is one dish my kids would definitely love. Chinese flavors, tofu, honey, toasted sesame seeds - I am sold. Bookmarked to try this weekend!
I am not sure my previous comment went thru.
harini says
Wow! that is one dish my kids would definitely love. Chinese flavors, tofu, honey, toasted sesame seeds - I am sold. Bookmarked to try this weekend!
chef Mireille says
love this Asian paneer dish - would be so good on top of a bowl of rice!
Preeti says
Love the paneer recipe.. addition of til and veggies makes more healthy..
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
The masala looks so delicious! The honey and the sesame are the stars for sure... I guess many of us started with Sajeev Kapoor and branched out into all those chefs that we follow now... 🙂
Srivalli says
Awesome dish Sandhya, I think adding those sesame seeds must have taken this dish to a different level!..I am glad that some dishes are always popular with the kids. Like the paneer butter masala with mine!. we basically follow the same recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor, and must have modified here and there but still its the favorite!
Usha says
Some recipes are evergreen and continue to appear on our meal menu. Good side dish for chapati