Chili Paneer Recipe
Homemade cheese with ginger, onions and bell peppers in a tomato sauce.
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Ingredients
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Homemade Paneer
Paneer Marinade & Frying
Sauce & Vegetables
To Serve
Method
Homemade Paneer
- 1
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- 3
Strain curds
Line a colander with a clean muslin/cheesecloth and pour the curdled milk into it. Rinse the curds briefly under cold water (use ~0.25 cups cold water) to remove lemon flavor and stop cooking. Gather the cloth and squeeze out excess whey.
- 4
Press paneer
Add 0.5 tsp salt to the curds, fold the cloth, flatten the curd mass into a block and place a weight on top (a heavy pan) for 20–30 minutes to press into a firm block. Chill for 10 minutes if needed. Unwrap and cut into 1-inch cubes (you should have ~400 g paneer).
Paneer Marinade & Frying
- 5
Prepare coating
In a bowl combine 0.5 cups cornflour, 2 tbs all-purpose flour, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 0.25 tsp red chili powder. Mix evenly.
- 6
Coat paneer
Toss the 400 g paneer cubes gently in the dry mixture so each cube is lightly but evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.
- 7
Fry paneer
Heat 4 tbs vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated paneer cubes in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Shallow-fry each side for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve.
Sauce & Vegetables
- 8
Prep slurry
In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tbs cornflour in 3 tbs cold water to make a smooth slurry. Set aside.
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Build the sauce
Lower heat to medium. Add 125 ml tomato puree and 3 tbs tomato ketchup; stir and simmer for 1–2 minutes. Then add 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs red chili sauce, 1 tbs white vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute so flavors meld.
- 12
Thicken sauce
Give the cornflour slurry a quick stir (it may have settled) and pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously. Cook for 1 minute until sauce thickens to a glossy, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. If sauce becomes too thick, add up to 2 tbs warm water to loosen.
- 13
Finish with paneer
Add the fried paneer cubes to the sauce and toss gently for 2–3 minutes so the paneer is heated through and well coated with sauce. Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil (optional) and toss once more. Taste and adjust salt/chili as needed.
Assembly & Garnish
- 14
Garnish
Transfer Chili Paneer to a serving dish. Sprinkle finely chopped green parts of 2 spring onion stalks on top as garnish. Add lemon wedges on the side if desired.
- 15
Serve
Serve hot with steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid toughening the paneer.
