Chilli paneer recipe is made with Indian cottage cheese marinated in a batter, fried, and mixed with a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce.
An Indo-Chinese vegetarian recipe with bold flavours and a variety of textures to please any palate.

This Indo-Chinese chilli cheese dish is a must-try and a perfect substitute to replace your weekly meat options.
With a few adjustments in cooking time, it’s easy to serve restaurant-style chilli paneer with gravy or as a dry curry.
Serve this paneer(cottage cheese)recipe as an appetiser or main dish for anyone who is following a vegetarian diet or a meatless meal.
If you want to serve this recipe for kids or non-spicy eaters, reduce the spiciness of the dish by adding more of the sweeter ingredients, which is how my kids like it.

What to serve with the chilli paneer.

• Serve as an appetiser with a few soft pita bread strips to scoop up the paneer cubes and sauce.
• Serve with home-cooked rice, yellow rice, lemon rice or Indian ghee rice, vegetable pilaf.
• Serve with some stir-fried noodles.
• Serve with chapati, roti or plain paratha.
• You can make some paneer buns by stuffing some hot dog buns with this chilli cottage cheese.

Tips & questions on chilli paneer.

• Tips.
  • Make sure to get the coating batter to the correct consistency as you want it to stick to the paneer(cottage cheese).
  • While frying the paneer, place the paneer cubes apart from each other and let them shallow fry at least 2-3 minutes before flipping them over.
  • If you flip them over too soon the batter coating tends to fall off.
  • Once you make the chilli paneer sauce, taste and make necessary adjustments and then add the fried paneer.

What you will need in the kitchen.

• Chopping board and knife
• A bowl or plate to make the coating.
• Medium-sized frying pan.
• Tongs
• Kitchen paper towels.
• Serving bowl and spoon.

More Paneer recipes.

chilli chicken dry(Indo Chinese recipe)
gobi Manchurian(cauliflower Manchurian)

Storage, freezing and reheating guide.

Storage– chilli paneer is best consumed within 24 hours.
Freezing-avoid freezing.
Reheating- reheat over low flame for 2 minutes or microwave for 1 minute.
Stop food waste- simply add the remaining chilli paneer leftover to make a tasty omelette for breakfast the next day.

RECIPE DIFFICULTY- EASY

Ingredients to make chilli paneer.

• To coat the paneer(cottage cheese)cubes.
  • Flour(all-purpose).
  • Salt to season.
  • Red chilli powder(substitute with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce).
  • Tablespoons of water(just enough to make a paste-like consistency batter)
• To fry the Paneer.
  • Paneer(cottage cheese)cut into 1″ cubes.
  • Oil to shallow fry the paneer cubes.
• To make the chilli paneer sauce.
  • Oil.
  • Minced garlic.
  • Minced ginger.
  • Green chillies sliced(reduce for less spiciness).
  • Onion cut into wedges.
  • Capsicums sliced(substitute with red or green bell pepper).
  • Red chilli sauce(can substitute with tomato sauce to reduce spiciness).
  • Red chill flecks(substitute with paprika or cayenne pepper).
  • Soy sauce
  • Sugar
  • A cup of water
  • Cornstarch

step-by-step photo tutorial

How to cook chilli paneer.

Frying the paneer cubes.

Add flour to a bowl. Season with salt. Add red chilli powder or hot sauce.
Pour in a few tablespoons of water. Mix until you have a smooth and thick batter.

Cut the paneer into 1″cubes and add them to the batter.
Coat the paneer cubes with the batter; if the consistency of the batter is correct, it should stick to the paneer cubes.

Once the paneer is coated in batter, set it aside.
Place a medium-sized frying pan over low-medium heat and add the oil.
Gently place the batter-coated paneer and let them fry for at least 2-3 minutes before flipping them over.
Fry until crispy and golden in colour. This should take 5-7 minutes.
Transfer the fried paneer onto some kitchen paper towels.

Making the chilli paneer sauce.

Place the same pan over low to medium heat.
Add oil, followed by minced ginger, minced garlic, green chillies, onion wedges and capsicums.
Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions turn soft.

Reduce heat to low and add the red chilli sauce and red chilli flakes.

Followed by soy sauce and sugar.

In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with water.
Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture before adding it to the ingredients in the pan.
Reduce the heat to a low and slow simmer until you notice the gravy thickening.
If you decide to have more sauce in the chilli paneer, then remove the pan from the stove as soon as you notice the sauce thickening.
If you want less sauce, then continue to cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
Before adding the paneer cubes, taste and make necessary adjustments to the sauce.
You can increase the heat, saltiness and sweetness of the sauce as per your need.

Let the chilli paneer sauce rest for 5 minutes.
Then add the fried paneer cubes, and gently mix with the sauce.

Serve while still warm and enjoy any of the dishes mentioned above.

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chilli paneer(Indo Chinese recipe).

Yield: 3

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Chilli paneer recipe is made with paneer which is a block of Indian cottage cheese.

To make chilli paneer you first coat the cubes in a simple batter, shallow fry and then toss in a sweet and spicy thick sauce.

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Ingredients

To coat the paneer(cottage cheese)cubes

• 4 tablespoons of flour(all-purpose)
• Salt to season
• 1/2 a teaspoon red chilli powder(substitute with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce)
• 4 tablespoons of water(just enough to make paste-like consistency batter)

To fry the Paneer

• To fry the Paneer
• 1/4 cup oil to shallow fry the paneer cubes

To make the chilli paneer sauce/gravy.

• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic(3 cloves of garlic)
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger(1″root minced)
• 3 green chillies sliced(reduce for less spiciness)
• 1 large onion cut into wedges
• 2 capsicums sliced(substitute with red or green bell pepper)
• 1 tablespoon of red chilli sauce(can substitute with tomato sauce to reduce spiciness)
• 1 teaspoon of red chill flecks(substitute with paprika or cayenne pepper)
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Salt to season
• 1/2 a cup of water
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch

Instructions

Making the coating for the cottage cheese.

1. Add flour(4 tablespoons)to a bowl. Season with salt.
2. Add red chilli powder(1/2 teaspoon, or 1 tablespoon of hot sauce).
3. Pour in the water(1/4 cup). Mix until you have a smooth and thick batter.
4. Cut the paneer into 1″cubes and add them to the batter.
5. Coat the paneer cubes with the batter; if the consistency of the batter is correct, it should stick to the paneer cubes.
6. Once the paneer is coated in batter, set it aside.
7. Place a medium-sized frying pan over low-medium heat and add the oil(1/4 cup).
8. Gently place the batter-coated paneer and let them fry at least 2-3 minutes before flipping them over.
9. Fry until crispy and golden in colour. This should take 5-7 minutes.
10. Transfer the fried paneer onto some kitchen paper towels.

How to make the chilli paneer sauce.

1. Place the same pan over low to medium heat.
2. Add oil(3 tablespoons), followed by ginger(1 teaspoon), garlic(1 tablespoon), green chillies(2-3), onions(1 large, cut into wedges), and capsicums(2 chopped).
3. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions turn soft.
4. Reduce heat to low and add the red chilli sauce(1 tablespoon), red chilli flakes(1 teaspoon).
5. Followed by soy sauce(3 tablespoons) and sugar(1 tablespoon).
6. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch(1 and 1/2 tablespoons) with water(1/2 cup).
7. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture before adding it to the ingredients in the pan.
8. Reduce heat to a low and slow simmer until you notice the gravy thickening.
9. If you decide to have more sauce in the chilli paneer, then remove the pan from the stove as soon as you notice the sauce thickening.
10. If you want less sauce, continue to cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
11. Before adding the paneer cubes, taste and make necessary adjustments to the sauce.
12. You can increase the heat, saltiness and sweetness of the sauce as per your need.
13. Let the chilli paneer sauce rest for 5 minutes.
14. Then add the fried paneer cubes, gently mix with the sauce.
15. Serve while still warm and enjoy any of the dishes mentioned above.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 891Total Fat: 64gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 44gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 2059mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 5gSugar: 13gProtein: 21g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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