Chilli Paneer Recipe (Spicy Indo Chinese Style)

Chilli paneer is one of the most popular recipes in Indo-Chinese cuisine It is simply flour or batter coated fried paneer cubes tossed in a spicy, salty, tangy and sweet sauce made with green bell peppers, garlic, ginger, green chilies, soy sauce and more seasonings. There are three primary ways of making it, dry, semi-dry or gravy versions In this post I am sharing the semi-dry (restaurant style) version 

What is Chilli Paneer

Chilli paneer is a popular Indo-Chinese dish made with cubes of paneer (cottage cheese) that are coated with a spicy batter and then fried until crispy. The fried paneer cubes are then tossed with onions, capsicum, and a spicy sauce made with soy sauce, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, and other seasonings. It is a vegetarian version of chili chicken and a popular appetizer or side dish in Indian restaurants. It is a favorite among paneer lovers and is often served with rice or noodles.

How to Make Chilli Paneer

Prep and Fry Paneer

Take 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (flour) in a bowl.

Next add ½ teaspoon ginger paste and ½ teaspoon garlic paste.

Add ¼ tsp crushed black pepper or black pepper powder and ¼ tsp Kashmiri red pepper powder. Season with salt to taste

Next add ¼ cup water or add as needed Mix with a wire whisk or a spoon to get a smooth batter without any lumps. The batter is of medium consistency

 Add paneer cubes in the batter. With a spoon, gently coat the paneer cubes with the batter.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy frying pan or skillet. I have fried paneer cubes You can also deep fry them

Let the oil become hot and then place the batter coated paneer cubes in the oil. Fry on medium-heat.

Once one side is done, flip it over and fry the other side Flip twice and fry the paneer cubes until crisp and golden

Be sure not to overcook them as the paneer cubes can become chewy.

Remove the fried paneer cubes and keep them on a kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Make Chilli Sauce

There will be some oil left in the same pan, so there is no need to add any extra oil

Add 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic and 3 to 5 green chilies (sliced or sliced).

Stir fry on medium to high heat for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Then add ⅓ cup chopped spring onions (scallions). Saute the spring onions over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes

. Next add ½ cup sliced capsicum.

Stir fry on medium to high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. The capsicum only needs to slightly cooked.

Reduce the heat and then add ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or sweet paprika.

Then add 2 teaspoons soy sauce.

Next add 1 tsp red chili sauce The red pepper sauce needs to be spicy

Stir and mix the sauce and red chili powder with the rest of the fried ingredients

Add ½ to ⅔ cup water.

 Mix well.

Let the chili sauce mixture simmer over medium to medium-high heat

Make Chilli Paneer

Take 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to dissolve the cornstarch into a slurry or paste. (Cornstarch is known as cornflour in India.)

Mix very well to get a fine and smooth paste without any small lumps

. Reduce the heat and then add the slurry or paste to the sauce

Mix the pan ingredients very well as you add them, making sure no lumps form.

Add ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar to taste.

Season with salt to taste Be sure to taste the sauce first as soy sauce and red chili sauce have salt in them.

. Mix well and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the cornstarch is cooked

You can taste test and you shouldn't taste any raw flour coming from the cornstarch.

Add the fried paneer cubes.

Mix paneer cubes very well with the gravy.

Turn off the heat and then add ¼ teaspoon of rice vinegar or ¼ of the white vinegar. You can leave out the vinegar if you like, but the slight tang really enhances the flavor of the dish.

Then add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped spring onion greens Mix very well

Check the taste and if you want, you can add more soy sauce, chili sauce, salt, black pepper or sugar.

Serve restaurant style garnished with some spring onions You can serve it with any Chinese-style fried rice or noodles recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Chilli paneer goes well with rice varieties such as fried rice, Szechuan fried rice or roasted garlic fried rice and noodles such as Hakka noodles and vegetable noodles.

It pairs well with a side dish of veg pulao, jeera rice or ghee rice. You can also get it with tandoori roti, naan, paratha, chapati or rumali roti.

You can also have it as an appetizer snack with any sweet, salty and spicy dipping sauce.

Expert Tips

Paneer: Use homemade paneer for best results If using frozen paneer, soak it in hot water for a few minutes before cooking. Drain the water and dry the pan before mixing with the batter

Soy sauce: If possible, use naturally fermented soy sauce If you are gluten free, swap in tamari or coconut aminos Bragg's Liquid Amino is also an acceptable option

Spring onions: If you don't have spring onions (also known as scallions), you can use chopped or regular onions.

Flour: Commonly in restaurants, both cornflour and all-purpose flour are used to make batter for fry pans. You can choose to use whole wheat flour or rice flour instead of all purpose flour In place of cornstarch, you can use potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot bread

Spices: You can add soy sauce, red chili sauce, green chili, black pepper, sugar and vinegar amount as you like. I think the ratio in the chili paneer recipe is perfect, but that's just me 🙂

Consistency: In this recipe, you can thicken the gravy a bit or thin it a touch as indicated in the recipe. Add just a little more water (about ¼ to ⅓ cup), but don't add too much or you risk diluting the flavor. You can always check the seasoning and add more if needed

Frying: You can deep fry, shallow fry or fry paneer cubes. Be sure not to over fry the paneer as it may become chewy and tough

Vegan Alternative: To make this a vegan recipe, just swap out the firm or extra-firm tofu cubes for the paneer. Just be sure to press the tofu ahead of time to remove any excess moisture before freezing.

FAQs

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Of course! Just swap in some pressed firm or extra firm tofu for the paneer

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Since the paneer is lightly battered before frying, it is best to serve the dish straight. If you have leftovers, they will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days Just note that the paneer does not deteriorate after heating

How do I serve dry chili paneer?

The street style paneer can be eaten alone, or wrapped in a roti for a nice handheld snack.

What can I use instead of cornflour for recipes?

If corn is not part of your diet, substitute potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot flour.

Notes

Paneer: It is better to use homemade paneer in this recipe When using frozen paneer, soak it in hot water for a few minutes Drain the water well and dry the paneer cubes thoroughly

Frying Paneer: Paneer can be pan fried, lightly fried or deep fried. While frying, do not over fry the paneer as they become thick and lose their softness.

Soy Sauce: Use naturally brewed soy sauce if possible You can use Tamari or Bragg Amino Liquid instead

Spring Onions: If you don't have spring onions (scallions), you can use chopped or regular onions.

Flour: Both cornflour and all-purpose flour are commonly used in restaurants to make batter. You can use whole wheat flour or rice flour instead of all purpose flour In place of cornstarch, you can use potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot bread

Spices: Add more or less spices or sauces according to your taste buds

Consistency: In this recipe, you can make the gravy slightly thick or medium consistency Add just a little more water (about ¼ to ⅓) but don't add too much as the flavor mixes with the water. You can always check the seasonings and add more if needed

Vegan option: Replace extra firm tofu with paneer

Serving Suggestion: Serve the Chilli Paneer with Veg Fried Rice or Skewer Fried Rice or Garlic Fried Rice. It goes well with pulao or jeera rice or ghee rice as a side dish. You can also have it with tandoori roti or naan or chapati or paratha You can also have it as an appetizer snack with any favorite dipping sauce