Riya Patel’s nachodums with homemade paneer recipe – a vibrant Indian‑inspired starter or sharing platter that swaps tortilla chips for crisp mini poppadoms. Freshly made paneer glazes with sweet mango chutney and chaat masala, then layers with bright tomato salsa, cooling cucumber raita, and two punchy chutneys. A show‑stopping fusion of flavours and textures.
Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves: Serves 4
Dietary: Vegetarian, Gluten‑free option
Original Recipe By Riya Patel
From Saturday Kitchen 07 Nov 2026
Optimised by our culinary team – featuring a Nutri-Score B, 6 possible customisations, and a 4-stage timed method.
Good overall nutritional quality. Homemade paneer provides fresh protein and calcium; generous portions of fresh tomato, cucumber, coriander and pomegranate boost vitamins and fibre. Moderate sugar in chutneys and oil in poppadoms keep this from an A rating – enjoy as a balanced starter or light meal.
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The kit that makes this recipe easy:
- Muslin cloth – a must for straining and pressing homemade paneer to perfect firmness
- Heavy‑based frying pan – ideal for gently warming paneer without sticking or burning
- Small food processor – great for blending smooth, vibrant coriander chutney in seconds
- Fine‑mesh sieve – perfect for straining tamarind pulp to remove fibres and seeds
Ingredients
For the homemade paneer
- 2 litres/3½ pints whole milk
- 4–6 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
For the nachodums
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200g/7oz paneer (made above), crumbled or cubed
- 2 tbsp mango chutney
- ½ tsp chaat masala (optional), plus extra to garnish
- pinch chilli powder (optional)
- 85g/3oz mini poppadoms
- 75g/2½oz fresh pomegranate seeds, to garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
For the raita
- 200g/7oz thick Greek‑style yoghurt
- 2 tbsp cucumber, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch ground roasted cumin
- splash whole milk, to thin
For the tomato salsa
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- ¼ small red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, very finely chopped (deseeded for less heat) or 4–5 pickled jalapeños, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice (reduce or omit if using pickled jalapeños)
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
For the coriander chutney
- 60g/2¼oz fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 green chilli, roughly chopped, deseeded for less heat
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
- ½–1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- small handful fresh mint, chopped (optional)
- handful unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
For the tamarind chutney
- 100g/3½oz tamarind block or pulp
- 250ml/9fl oz hot water
- 125–150g/4½–5½oz jaggery or soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground roasted cumin
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder, such as Kashmiri
- ½ tsp ground ginger or 1cm piece fresh root ginger, grated
- ½ tsp black salt
- salt, to taste
Customise
- Paneer – buy ready‑made paneer to save 45+ minutes; use 200g crumbled or cubed
- Poppingadoms – use plain or spiced; check label for gluten‑free if required
- Heat level – keep seeds in chillies for extra fire; reduce or omit for milder taste
- Chaat masala – omit if unavailable; add extra lemon juice and pinch toasted cumin for similar tang
- Tamarind chutney – use 4–5 tbsp good‑quality shop‑bought tamarind chutney to shortcut
- Nuts – leave peanuts out of coriander chutney for nut‑free version
How the timings work
- Make the paneer first – it needs 30–60 minutes pressing time; use this gap to prep all chutneys, salsa and raita
- Prepare tamarind chutney early – it benefits from cooling and can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week
- Blend coriander chutney and mix raita while tamarind simmers – both keep well covered in the fridge
- Chop tomato salsa and warm paneer just before serving – these taste best fresh and crisp
- Assemble at the very last minute – poppadoms lose crunch quickly once topped
Method
Make the paneer (15 mins + 30–60 mins pressing)
- Heat the milk – pour 2 litres whole milk into a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to just below boiling point – about 90°C, with steam and small bubbles around the edge.
- Add the acid – remove from heat. Stir in 2–3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar slowly. Milk separates into curds and pale green whey. Add more acid, 1 tsp at a time, if needed.
- Rest and strain – leave undisturbed for 10 minutes. Line a sieve with muslin cloth and pour in curds and whey. Rinse briefly under cold running water.
- Press – gather the muslin and squeeze out excess liquid. Place on a plate, weigh down with a heavy pan or press. Leave 30–60 minutes until firm. Unwrap and cut or crumble.
Make the tamarind chutney (25 mins + cooling)
- Soak and strain – soak 100g tamarind block in 250ml hot water for 15 minutes. Mash gently, then strain through a fine‑mesh sieve, discarding fibres and seeds.
- Simmer – put strained pulp in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 125–150g jaggery or brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Flavour and thicken – add 1 tsp roasted cumin, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp black salt and salt to taste. Simmer 10–15 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool slightly – it thickens more as it cools.
Make coriander chutney, raita and salsa (20 mins)
- Blend chutney – put 60g coriander, 1 green chilli, 1 garlic clove, ginger, cumin, sugar, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water into a food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed. Pulse in mint and peanuts if using. Taste and adjust.
- Mix raita – combine 200g yoghurt, 2 tbsp cucumber, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pinch roasted cumin and milk to thin in a bowl. Season. It should pour easily.
- Stir salsa – mix 2 chopped tomatoes, ¼ red onion, green chilli or jalapeños, lime juice and coriander in a small bowl. Set aside for flavours to mingle.
Warm the paneer and assemble (10 mins)
- Glaze the paneer – heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy‑based frying pan over medium heat. Add crumbled paneer and warm through for 2–3 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp mango chutney, chaat masala and chilli powder if using. Coat evenly.
- Layer up – arrange 85g mini poppadoms in a single layer on a large platter. Spoon warm glazed paneer onto each. Top with tomato salsa.
- Drizzle and garnish – drizzle raita, coriander chutney and tamarind chutney over the top. Scatter with pomegranate seeds, fresh coriander and extra chaat masala.
- Serve immediately – while the poppadoms are crisp. Don’t let them sit once topped.
Techniques for Success
- Get the paneer right – milk must be hot but not boiling when you add lemon juice. Too hot = tough curds; too cool = won’t separate. Press firmly for a firm, sliceable texture. Success: clean curds, mild fresh flavour, holds shape. Failure: rubbery, crumbly or sour.
- Balance the chutneys – tamarind should be sweet‑sour; coriander chutney bright, zingy and fresh. Taste and adjust sugar, salt or lemon. Success: each chutney distinct and bright; layers build rather than clash. Failure: one flavour dominates, flat or unbalanced.
- Assemble last minute – poppadoms are crisp by design but absorb moisture fast. Have every component ready and only plate when your guests are at the table. Success: audible crunch with every bite. Failure: soggy, soft, disappointing texture.
| Technique | Failure if done wrong | Success looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Paneer making | Sour, rubbery, won’t hold shape | Soft but firm, mild milky flavour, clean curds |
| Chutney balance | Too sweet, too sour, or one‑dimensional | Sweet‑sour‑spicy layers bright and distinct |
| Timing assembly | Poppadoms go soft and limp | Crisp base, generous toppings, fresh texture |
Tips & Swaps
- Get ahead: Make paneer, tamarind chutney and coriander chutney up to 3 days in advance – store covered in the fridge. Bring paneer to room temperature before glazing.
- Shortcuts: Buy good‑quality ready‑made paneer and shop‑bought chutneys to cut prep time to under 20 minutes. Freshly made will always taste best though.
- Dietary notes: Naturally vegetarian and gluten‑free if you choose GF poppadoms. Leave peanuts out for nut‑free. Use plant‑based yoghurt for vegan raita – note homemade paneer is not vegan.
- Leftovers: Best eaten fresh. Store chutneys separately in sealed jars in the fridge for up to 1 week. Paneer keeps for 3 days – reheat gently in a pan with a little extra chutney.
- Serving ideas: Perfect as a starter for 4 or a sharing platter for 6–8. Add a side of steamed basmati rice and extra raita for a light main meal.
- Flavour boosts: Sprinkle extra chaat masala and a pinch of roasted cumin over the top just before serving for that authentic street‑food finish.
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Nachodums with homemade paneer