Chilli Paneer

With chunks of paneer fried and dunked in delicious sauces, chilli paneer is one of those dishes that is loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. With a kick from the heat of spices perfectly balancing with slight tanginess and sweetness from the vegetables added, this fried paneer dish makes it to the top of the menu list in most Indian restaurants.

Great as an appetizer and grand as a starter, chilli paneer is also easy to prepare at home. With a handful of ingredients, cook this hot and spicy chilli paneer in just 15 minutes. It stores well too, just make a batch of these and store them in an insulated storage container, and you are all sorted for an evening snack, or a starter course for dinner.

Health Benefits of Chilli Paneer

It is a known fact that paneer is rich in protein. It is a lesser-known fact that paneer is also loaded with calcium. Calcium is great for your teeth and bones, and to keep them healthier.

Making chilli paneer at home has its own health benefits. The chilli paneer you normally would order in a restaurant is filled with MSG. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is added to most Chinese dishes cooked in restaurants. MSG enhances the flavour of the dish, but it is linked to health issues as well. When you cook this recipe at home, you are avoiding it, yet having a dish that tastes delicious!

Ingredients

paneer: 200 g

corn flour: 3 tbsp

spring onions: 3 tbsp

onion: 1

bell pepper, cubed: ½ cup

garlic, finely chopped: 1 tbsp

pepper powder: ½ tsp

red chilli powder: 1 tsp

green chilli: 1

tbsp oil: 3

vinegar: 1 tsp

soya sauce: 1 tbsp

red chilli sauce: 1 tbsp

tomato ketchup: 1 tbsp

How To Make Chilli Paneer

How to Make Corn Starch

1. To a bowl, add ½ cup of water.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of corn flour and mix well.
3. Ensure the batter is in pouring consistency.

How to Make Chilli Paneer

1. To a mixing bowl, add corn flour, red chilli powder, pepper, salt and water to make a consistent batter.

2. Add paneer cubes to this batter, gently dipping it in the batter.

3. Heat oil in a pan, and fry the paneer cubes.

Tip: Make sure you do not fry the paneer longer than required. Frying paneer in low flame, might require frying for a longer time which in turn could make it hard or quite chewy.

4. When the paneer cubes turn golden brown, stop frying and keep them aside.

5. To the oil in the pan, add garlic and sauté till they are cooked well.

6. Add onions, green chilli, capsicum and spring onions.

7. Sauté for about 2 minutes, and then add soya sauce, red chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and vinegar.

8. Mix well.

9. Add the corn starch prepared earlier and cook till the gravy thickens.

Tip: If you like chilli paneer, and would love to have it with roti or dosa, then you can turn it into a gravy. Just increase the portions of corn starch, and the spices you have added here. Add water while you are cooking and you are all set for a chilli paneer gravy that is as spicy and as Chinese as the dry version.

10. Add red chilli powder and salt as per your taste.
11. When the gravy thickens, add paneer cubes and spring onions.

12. Toss and cook in low flame for a minute.
13. Serve warm and enjoy.

Did You Know?

The word paneer originated from Persia. The word ‘panir’ in Persian, the word ‘peynir’ in Turkish, the word ‘panir’ in Armenian, and the Azerbaijani word ‘panir’ are all derivatives of the word paneer, which refers to cottage cheese.