Paneer cheese is such a versatile ingredient and lends itself to any dish so well. It absorbs the flavors of anything it is put into. This makes it a really good vegetarian option to swap out meat and still be able to enjoy a particular dish. I absolutely adore Indian paneer dishes like shahi paneer, palak paneer, matar/mutter paneer, paneer tikka, kadai paneer, paneer paratha, malai paneer kofta, paneer makhanwala/makhani and the likes. Today, let’s learn how to make this Indo-Chinese chilli paneer with step-by-step pictures, a quick and delicious paneer recipe for those busy weeknights!
What is chili paneer?
Chilli paneer is a delicious Indian-style, stir-fry made with cubes of paneer, onions, and bell peppers all dunked in a delicious, spicy and sweet sauce. It can be enjoyed as a delicious paneer starter or as a paneer snack, or stuff some in a bread roll and enjoy it as chilli paneer roll. You may also add a corn flour slurry to make chilli paneer gravy, which makes a delicious side to veg fried rice. Yum!!!
How to make chilli paneer dry?
To make this recipe, you start off by marinating the paneer and coating it with cornflour and refined flour. It is then deep-fried and the crispy paneer pieces are coated with a lip-smackingly delicious sauce mix, a standard norm for most Indo-Chinese dishes! Chilli paneer sauce is a mix of dark soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, along with a little sugar and black pepper powder. For a twist, you can add a tablespoon or two of schezwan sauce to make a schezwan paneer chilli.
I’m sharing a lighter version, one that doesn’t involve any deep frying thereby making this a relatively healthier chilli paneer recipe! I will be honest, and tell you that it doesn’t replace the crunchiness as the deep fried ones, but it is delicious nonetheless once everything mingles! Actually, there is enough crunch from the bell peppers and onions, and I think it is a nice contrast from the creaminess of the paneer. You really won’t miss the deep fried paneer, as there are enough textures and flavors to satisfy your taste buds. Sometimes, I even skip shallow frying the paneer, if I’m short on time. You can also make this chilli paneer recipe without cornflour, simply add some rice flour, or shallow fry it as it is after the marination time. If you want a really crispy chilli paneer, go ahead and deep fry. I’m adding instructions in the notes on how to go about it. We enjoyed this delicious paneer recipe along with some quinoa fried rice, which made for a hearty and wholesome meal while still keep the health quotient up!
You may also enjoy these vegetarian Indo-Chinese dishes
Schezwan baby potatoes stir fry Schezwan noodles stir-fry Veg Manchurian rolls (baked) Vegetable fried rice Chilli garlic noodles Or these soups- Hot and sour soup Sweet corn veggie soup
How to make Indian paneer chilli dry – Step by step instructions
Step 1: Marinate paneer
In a mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon each dark soy sauce and red chilli sauce, along with 1 tablespoon cornstarch or cornflour, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and sat, to taste. Mix well and add paneer pieces (225 grams), toss to coat the paneer with the marinade. Sprinkle very little water if it looks too dry. I didn’t add any water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Fry paneer pieces
Heat 1.5 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Shallow fry the paneer pieces until golden brown from all sides.
Step 3: Chilli paneer sauce
In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of red or green chilli sauce, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix and set aside.
Step 4: Sauté aromatics, spring onion greens and green chilies
Heat 1.5 tablespoon oil in a wok, add in 1 tablespoon each of minced ginger and garlic, sauté until aromatic on medium-high heat.
Next add in white portion of scallion greens (5-6 stalks) and 3-4 green chillies, slit lengthwise, sauté another 30 seconds.
Step 5: Stir-fry the veggies
Add in 1/2 cup onion cubes and 1.5 cups bell pepper cubes, sauté for 1-2 minutes. They should retain the crunch.
Step 6: Add the prepared sauce
Add the prepared sauce, mix well and let it bubble.
Add 2 teaspoons of vinegar, give it a good mix.
Step 7: Add fried paneer
Immediately tip in the paneer pieces, mix well to coat the paneer with the sauce. Switch off the heat. Garnish with scallion greens.
Step 8: Serve
Dish out and serve immediately.
Notes
1.If you wish to deep fry- In a large bowl, add 2 tbsp maida, 4 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp red chilli sauce, salt, to taste and 1/4 tsp pepper powder. Add water to make a thick batter. If you eat eggs, you can add eggs instead and add more water if required. Coat the paneer pieces, set aside for 10 minutes. Deep fry over medium heat until golden brown. ★ If you try this easy chilli paneer recipe made without deep-frying, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂 You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
