Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO)

Buttery crumbled paneer cooked with fresh herbs and spices, mixed with creamy savory cheese and served it as dip with buttery garlic naan dippers!

Ghotado or Gotado or Ghotala means scrambled, also knows as bhurji in India. Egg Bhurji (scrambled eggs) is one of the very common and easily found street foods of India, and honestly across the world. Be it with Indian spices or simple creamy buttery scrambled eggs with salt and pepper. Scrambled eggs make super easy and quick meal. There are many people in India who do not consume eggs, which is the reason the Paneer Bhurji is becoming very famous in many regions.

Paneer is Indian cheese made with milk fats. It has extra firm tofu like texture, however it is richer and creamier than tofu. Paneer bhurji is easy and simple dish that has basic spices, onions and tomatoes. Check out my Tofu Bhurji recipe with can be made exact same way with paneer instead of tofu if you like.

These simple and classic dishes of India are having their moments with a touch of fusion concept that includes a lot of cheese, butter, cream and mayo these days. I personally am a big fan of all the OG classics of India. And one of the biggest reason behind that is the original flavors and healthy touches of original dishes. However I am not completely against the new cheese, cream, mayo era of Indian street foods. Hence this Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO) making its way to my blog!

Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO) is the next level of the OG Paneer Bhurji. It has a lot of fresh seasonal produce, simple spices along with a touch of cheese, butter and cream. You will find this fun recipe being made on the streets of India and people enjoying it a whole lot. I personally cannot justify the amount of fats in this new concept paneer bhurji, aka Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO). But I also cannot deny the fact that it is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS.

I love me a delicious treat once in a while, especially when eaten in moderation. Which is the reason, I am presenting this Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO) as a dip/appetizer instead of a main course. This would make a wonderful addition to your festive feast or special meals. My recipe is still lot healthier than what you will get on the streets of India as I am a bit conservative when it comes to using cheese, butter & cream. I have used all those ingredients in my recipe in moderation while giving you guys that street style flavors.

This Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO) makes an amazing appetizer for Diwali dinners as well as Holiday season. Make a big batch and serve it with garlic naan dippers (recipe shared below). I guarantee your guests will go crazy over this absolutely delicious dish and end up asking for a recipe. This dish is super simple to make. Honestly the biggest efforts will go into prepping the fresh produce, then rest is super quick and simple.

Tips if making it ahead:

• This dip tastes the best when its hot. If you are making it ahead of time, simply make it runny by adding more water/milk/heavy cream to it. Then you can simply reheat by baking it before serving. Lay it out in a wide baking tray to ensure not to thick layer of it, then simply bake it on 375F for 20-25 minutes.
• Same goes with naan bites. You can prep them with garlic butter ahead of time, then simply reheat them in the oven on 400F for just 5-8 minutes while covering the baking tray.

I am definitely adding this delicious treat to my Diwali dinner. And I hope you do the same. Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots. I would love to get your feedback.
Happy & Healthy Eating!

Print Pin

Buttery Paneer Cheese Dip (GHOTADO)

Buttery crumbled paneer cooked with fresh herbs and spices, mixed with creamy savory cheese and served it as dip with buttery garlic naan bites!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Salted Butter preferably Amul butter
• 2 tbsp Avocado Oil or Peanut Oil
• 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 inch Ginger Root
• 3 xlarge Garlic Cloves
• 6 Thai Green Chili less for less spicy
• ⅓ cup Finely Chopped White part of Scallions
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Cilantro Stems
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onions
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tsp Cumin Coriander Powder
• ¾ cup Finely Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 cup Finely Chopped Baby Spinach
• ⅓ cup Finely Chopped Green part of Scallions
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Fresh Chives or fresh green garlic if available
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 4 cup Shredded Paneer about 350 grams
• 1½ cup Shredded Amul Cheese white cheddar can be a good sub, about 150 grams
• 1 cup Water ½ cup more if it gets thick
• 1 tsp Salt ½ tsp to cook onions + ½ tsp with other spices after tomatoes cooked
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tbsp Salted Butter preferably Amul butter
• ½ cup Finely Chopped Cilantro
• 2-3 tbsp Heavy Cream

Garlicky Naan Bites

• 19.4 oz Stonefire Naan Dippers, Original
• 4 tbsp Salted Butter preferably Amul butter
• 4 tbsp Avocado Oil or Peanut Oil
• ⅓ cup Minced Garlic
• ½ tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• ⅓ cup Finely Chopped Cilantro

Instructions

• Melt 2 tbsp of salted butter and add 2 tbsp of oil. Let it heat up, then add cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds get fragrant and golden brown.
• Add in finely chopped thai green chili, grated ginger, minced garlic, finely chopped white part of scallions and finely chopped cilantro stems. Saute it all on medium heat until raw smell of garlic is gone. The mixture will reduce in half and will start to get light & fluffy.
• Add in finely chopped onions with ½ tsp of salt. Cook it until onions are translucent, do not brown them.
• Add in finely chopped tomatoes, cook it until tomatoes are fully softened. Then add in all dry spices listed above along with ½ tsp of salt. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.
• Use potato masher to mash the mixture. Add in finly chopped baby spinach ribbons, green part of scallions, finely chopped chives & cilantro. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
• Add in shredded paneer along with ½ cup of water. Mix well and mash it with potato masher.
• Once the mixture start to get mushy and creamy, add in shredded amul cheese. Add in ½ cup of water and mix well. The mixture should get even more creamier.
• If it looks too thick, add in a bit more water until you get desired dip like consistency. Cover and cook for couple of minutes on low heat.
• Uncover, drop in 1 tbsp of butter and drizzle heavy cream. Mix well and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve it with buttery garlic naan bites.

Buttery Garlic Naan Bites

• Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan, add in 4 tbsp of oil.
• Once butter is melted and mixed well with oil, add in ⅓ cup minced garlic. Keep mixing and cooking the garlic on low/med heat until raw smell of butter is gone while garlic starts to crisp up, as well as start to get light and fluffy. Do not burn it.
• Turn the heat off, add in kashmiri red chili powder and salt to garlic butter. Mix well, add in cilantro and spread this garlic butter on each naan bites. Simply stack all the garlic covered naan bites in a baking sheet. Cover it with aluminum foil, and bake it for 3-5 minutes on 375℉.

Notes

Tips if making it ahead:

• This dip tastes the best when its hot. If you are making it ahead of time, simply make it runny by adding more water/milk/heavy cream to it. Then you can simply reheat by baking it before serving. Lay it out in a wide baking tray to ensure not to thick layer of it, then simply bake it on 375F for 20-25 minutes.
• Same goes with naan bites. You can prep them with garlic butter ahead of time, then simply reheat them in the oven on 400F for just 5-8 minutes while covering the baking tray.