Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (2024)

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My 110th recipe, "Chilli Paneer (Dry)", a wonderful appetizer from the Indo Chinese cuisine. Paneer tossed in delicious Asian sauced until dry and succulent.

Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (1)

Indo Chinese cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes through a larger offering of vegetarian dishes. It was basically developed by the Chinese community that settled down in the Eastern states of India. With an enormous number of mouth watering vegetarian dishes, it is one among my very favorite cuisines.

There was a time in my life when I would place an order in a restaurant without any second thoughts and even without looking at the menu. It would be always Butter Naan and Paneer Butter Masala. That is basically because I love Paneer so much. How would it be when both my loves combine ? It would be surely a party in my mouth. That is exactly what Chilli Paneer brings to the table.

Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (2)

Soft Paneer cooked in the best of Indo Chinese sauces and flavors. I absolutely loved it when I tried it for the first time at the Paradise Restaurant here in US. While I have happily eaten it multiple times at the restaurant, only recently I decided to give it a try in my kitchen. Ever since, I never had to return to the restaurant again to have my favorite Chilli Paneer 😉

Chilli Paneer (Dry)

Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (3)

Chilli Paneer

Revathi Palani

Chilli Paneer is a wonderful appetizer from the Indo Chinese cuisine. Soft Paneer cooked in the best of Indo Chinese sauces and flavors.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • Oil - 1 Tbsp
  • Onion - 1 Medium (Cubed)
  • Capsicum - ½ Medium (Cubed)
  • Sugar - a large pinch
  • Salt - a pinch (Adjust as needed)
  • Spring onion - 3 (Finely chopped)

For fried paneer

  • Paneer - 7oz (½ Packet)
  • All purpose flour/Maida - 1 ½ Tbsp
  • Corn flour - 1 ½ Tbsp
  • Salt - ¼ tsp (Adjust as needed)
  • Oil - For frying

For Chilli garlic sauce mixture

  • Oil - 1 Tbsp
  • Garlic - 1 ½ Tbsp (Finely chopped)
  • Ginger - 1 ½ Tbsp (Finely chopped)
  • Asian hot sauce (Sriracha) - 1 tsp
  • Tomato ketchup - 1 Tbsp
  • Crushed red pepper/Chilli flakes - ½ tsp
  • Fresh ground black pepper - ¼ tsp
  • Soya sauce - 4 drops
  • Salt - A large pinch (Adjust as needed)

Instructions

  • First cut the paneer into smaller cubes and let it sit in hot water for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile take a mixing bowl add the all purpose and corn flours, Salt and required amount of water (about 3 Tbsp) mix well to get a thin paste.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (4)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (5)
  • Now remove the paneer from water and add to the prepared batter and mix in such a way that the batter gets coated evenly over the paneer cubes. Keep aside and let it rest for 3 minutes.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (6)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (7)
  • Meanwhile heat the oil for frying. Fry the batter coated paneer in batches until golden brown. Drain the excess oil on a paper napkin.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (8)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (9)
  • Now will move on to the chilli garlic sauce mixture for chilli paneer. Heat a pan with oil, add the garlic, ginger and saute until they are golden brown. Turn the flame to low-medium. Now add the other ingredients listed under "For chilli garlic sauce mixture" in given order and saute until the mixture becomes slightly thick and starts to ooze out the oil. Turn off the flame and keep aside.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (10)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (11)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (12)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (13)
  • Now heat a large pan / wok with oil, add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the capsicum, salt, sugar and saute for a minute. Follow it by the prepared sauce mixture and give a stir until well combined.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (14)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (15)
  • Finally, add the fried paneer and toss until they are well combined with the mixture. Add the chopped spring onion give a quick toss and turn off the flame. Transfer to the serving plate.

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (16)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (17)Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (18)
  • Enjoy hot as an appetizer.

Notes | FAQ

- Soaking paneer in hot water is purely optional. It is needed to soften the paneer. In case of using home made paneer you can skip that step.

- The batter should not be too thin or thick. It should get coated over the paneer, but it should not be a thick coating.

- You can shallow or deep fry the paneer.

- Do adjust the spiceness (Hot sauce, Black pepper, Chilli flakes) according to your comfort level. The quantity mentioned is for a spicy version.

- Do adjust the salt according to your taste keeping in mind that the sauces added have salt in them.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avanish says

    Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (19)
    My favourite recipes of indo Chinese cuisines it is a very easy recipe and it taste was yummy nd delicious thanks for recipe

    Reply

    • revifood says

      Thanks for trying Avanish. Glad you love it 🙂

      Reply

  2. Mukesh Dua says

    Thanks for the yummy recipe. I love chilli paneerand tried your method it was really good. Thanks a lot.

    Reply

    • revifood says

      Thanks for trying Mukesh. Glad that you liked it 🙂

      Reply

  3. Farisha says

    Thanks for sharing paneer recipe. ...please post some more of your favorite recipe

    Reply

    • revifood says

      Thanks Farisha 🙂

      Reply

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Chilli Paneer | Easy Indo Chinese Appetizer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make chilly paneer? ›

Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat. Combine the cornflour, plain flour, chilli powder, 1 tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper and 2 tbsp water in a bowl until you have a smooth paste, adding a splash more water if it's too thick. Add the paneer cubes and toss to coat.

What does chilli paneer contain? ›

Chilli Paneer is an Indo-Chinese appetizer where crisp batter fried paneer is tossed in slightly sweet, spicy, hot and tangy chilli sauce. While Garlic and green chilies bring in hot & pungent aroma, various sauces like chilli sauce, soya sauce and vinegar are used to impart some Chinese flavors.

What are the ingredients in Ching's secret paneer chilli masala? ›

Corn Flour, Salt, Mixed Spices, Garlic, Onion, Chilli, Ginger, Cumin, Coriander, Pepper, Sugar, Natural Colour, Soy Sauce Powder, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Flavour Enhancer, Tomato Powder, Anticaking Agent, Dried Glucose Syrup, Emulsifying Stabilizing Agent, Sunflower Oil, Acidity Regulatory.

Is chilli paneer good for health? ›

Around 15 grams of protein are present in one serving of paneer chilli, which is good for muscle growth and repair. - Additionally, paneer chilli may contain dietary fibre, particularly if bell peppers are added to the recipe. Fibre helps to maintain a healthy gut and is good for digestion.

Why do you soak paneer before cooking? ›

Softening the paneer prior to cooking prevents that unwanted chewy, rubbery texture. Soften it by following the cut, soak, steam, boil or pan-fry softening methods.

What is paneer called in English? ›

Likely originating in India, paneer is also known as Indian cottage cheese. You might find that the mild taste of paneer reminds you of American cottage cheese.

What does paneer taste like? ›

Paneer is milky, fresh, and very mild in taste. Paneer is firm in texture and is closer in taste to cottage cheese and Italian ricotta and is easily adapted to any recipe.

What is the difference between paneer tikka and paneer masala? ›

A paneer tikka recipe is made of grilled paneer and no sauce (this is typically served as an appetizer). Paneer tikka masala also features cooked paneer, but it's in a creamy sauce.

What is the difference between paneer masala and paneer tikka masala? ›

What is the difference between paneer butter masala and paneer tikka masala? Paneer butter masala is essentially cooked in butter, has a smooth silky curry to which raw paneer is added. But paneer tikka masala is made with grilled paneer and is predominantly spicy and has some texture in the curry.

Can diabetic patient eat paneer chilli? ›

Paneer releases carbohydrates in a slower manner and it takes longer to digest. Also, it won't lead to a spike in your sugar levels. Therefore, it can be considered suitable for diabetics. A diabetic person can consume paneer once or twice in a week.

Is paneer healthier than chicken? ›

Both chicken and paneer offer their unique set of nutritional benefits, making the decision a matter of personal preference and dietary requirements. For those looking for a lean protein option with lower fat content, chicken might be the preferred choice.

Is cholesterol a side effect of paneer? ›

Consuming excess paneer can lead to bloating and an upset stomach. Moreover, it also increases LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Further, paneer may trigger allergic reactions in people who have dairy allergies.

How is paneer made? ›

Paneer manufacture involves the coagulation of milk proteins to form curd. During this process large clumps of proteins are formed in which fat and other colloidal and dissolved solids get entrapped. The coagulation of milk occurs when pH of milk reaches 4.6 which is the isoelectric point of its major protein, casein.

How to make cold paneer soft? ›

Put Paneer In Warm Water

The water should be enough to completely cover all of the paneer cubes. If you soak the paneer in warm water for more than 5 minutes, it will soften more quickly. If you soak the paneer in warm water for too long, it will become too soft and will break when you use it in your recipe.

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