Chilli Paneer is a lip smacking restaurant style spicy Indo Chinese recipe of paneer sautéed with chillies, peppers and sauces. Serve it as a Chinese paneer starters making dry version or as a main course by making gravy version of it. This will surely be the hit recipe you will ever make at home
When we hear the word Chinese, the very first thing that comes in our mind are the Chinese food that we see on streets.
That unhygienic aroma of the junks, we crave for no matter how unhealthy it is. But, making the same thing at home has a lot of differences, like the ingredients you use are much more fresh and clean.
Here, today on the blog is very delicious and lip smacking Indian Chinese style recipe of Chilli Paneer that can be made dry as well in a gravy form. I’ve tried the very same with everyone’s favourite and most loved Indian cottage cheese i.e. Paneer.
Chilli Paneer dry is served as an Indo-Chinese starters whereas Chilli Paneer Gravy recipe as a main course dish. To make a vegan version, swap the paneer with tofu and you will have chilli tofu recipe ready for you.
Important Tips to make best Chilli Paneer Recipe in Restaurant style
- Always shallow or deep fry the coated paneer for NOT more than a minute or two. Over cooking the paneer makes it chewy/rubbery
- If you are serving chilli paneer dry as a starter/appetiser, then do not add any vegetable or chicken stock into the recipe
- To make the chilli paneer gravy recipe, add vegetable or chicken stock as per the consistency of the gravy you like.
- Adjust the amount of sauces and condiments as per you liking
- I have not added onion cubes to the gravy recipe, but if you wish to, you can surely add few cubes onions while tossing the bell peppers. I prefer adding onion cubes when I want to serve it as an appetiser. Onion cubes when added for dry version gives great crunch and flavour along with bell peppers.
- Here, in this recipe, I have used my homemade red chili garlic paste, you can use chilli sauce as well, but chilli paste gives better flavour to the dish.
∗ Furthermore, I individually like savour paneer dish without shallow or deep frying it, so I have used paneer as it in this dish. But, in the chilli paneer recipe method below, I have demonstrated it with coating and frying the paneer
What to serve with Chilli Paneer Dry and Gravy?
Paneer Chilli dry is usually served as a starters. But for gravy, pair it with nice hot steamed rice, noodles or fried rice of your choice. You can also serve chilli paneer on a sizzler plate with veggies, fried rice, noodles or fries.
How to make Chilli Paneer Recipe (Dry and Gravy) - Step by Step
In a bowl or plate, add ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and mix. Then, add paneer cubes and gently coat them with mixture. Now, add cornflour and dry coat the paneer gently.
In a pan or wok, heat enough oil. Carefully, slide-in the coated paneer cubes and fry for a minute only on high flame. Take them out and place them on to an absorbent paper, set it aside.
In a pan or a wok, heat oil. Add garlic and, green chilies, sauté for few seconds until aromatic
Add bell peppers and toss on high for another 30 seconds
Then, add red chili paste and soy sauce, vinegar and toss well , season with salt and pepper.
If you are making chilli paneer gravy recipe, then at this point, add vegetable stock and bring it to a boil for a minute or two. Add sugar and cornflour slurry, mix, cook for a minute or 2
Then, add paneer and toss
Add spring onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and mix.
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Restaurant Style Chilli Paneer Dry and Gravy recipe card
Chilli Paneer
Ingredients
to fry paneer cubes
- 200 grams paneer ( cut in ¾ inch cubes)
- 1 ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
to make chilli Paneer (dry and gravy)
- 5-6 garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon red chilli paste
- 2 teaspoons green chillies (finely sliced/slit)
- ¼ cup capsicum (cubed)
- ¼ cup bell peppers ((red & yellow), optional)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Spring onions greens ( for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons corn flour ( mixed with 3 tablespoons of water)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar ( or normal vinegar)
- ½ - ¾ cup vegetable stock (( needed only if you are making gravy))
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- Sesame seed for garnish
- Oil (to deep fry the paneer)
Instructions
- In a bowl or plate, add ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and mix. Then, add paneer cubes and gently coat them with mixture. Now, add cornflour and dry coat the paneer gently.
- In a pan or wok, heat enough oil. Carefully, slide-in the coated paneer cubes and fry for a minute only on high flame. Take them out and place them on to an absorbent paper, set it aside.
- In a pan or a wok, heat oil. Add garlic and, green chilies, sauté for few seconds until aromatic
- Add bell peppers and toss on high for another 30 seconds
- Then, add red chili paste and soy sauce, vinegar and toss well , season with salt and pepper.
- If you are making chilli paneer gravy recipe, then add vegetable stock and bring it to a boil for a minute.
- Add sugar and cornflour slurry, mix, cook for a minute or 2
- Then, Add paneer and toss. Add spring onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and mix.
Sonali Hebbar says
I have tried making Chili Paneer many times (literally so many times), but every time I somehow messed up the dish. I will try this recipe now exactly the way it says. I hope it turns out just like in the picture. Wish me luck. hehe. 🙂
Ruchita Das says
Ma'am, Generally I use onions while cooking chilli paneer. I saw that you have skipped onions. May I know why you haven't used onions in this recipe?
Farrukh Aziz says
Hi Ruchita,
Onion is the optional ingredient for the chilli paneer recipe, you can add or you can skip it as per the liking. I have written in the post that I am not adding it in this recipe but if you wish, you can surely go ahead.
Regards.
Kavita Mishra says
I can keep gazing at the photo of this Chilli Paneer. I am bookmarking it as the steps looks do easy and very well explained. Thanks
Farrukh Aziz says
Thank you very much Kavita 🙂
Sherien Ramzan says
Looks absolutely delicious . Seriously, I am drooling over the stunning click Farrukh Ji. Surely I am gonna try this recipe soon.
Farrukh Aziz says
Hey Shrerien,
JazakAllah 🙂
Do try and let me know how it turned out
Regards
Farrukh