Craving that spicy, tangy, street-style Chilli Paneer you get out of your favourite Indo-Chinese joint? This model brings the identical daring flavors residence and that signature shiny sauce you may’t cease consuming.

Chilli Paneer has that good stability of spice, crunch, and luxury that makes it everybody’s go-to Indo-Chinese dish. The gentle paneer, crisp veggies, and shiny, flavourful sauce come collectively so fantastically that it’s laborious to cease at only one chew.
Making it at house is a lot simpler than you would possibly assume. You simply want a handful of pantry staples and a sizzling wok to get these street-style flavours proper. These go completely with dishes like Veg Hakka Noodles or Egg Fried Rice, to make up the right meal for a comfy night time in with household & mates.
Jump to part: Chilli Paneer
Chilli Paneer Ingredients
- Paneer: Use contemporary, agency paneer so it holds form when fried however stays gentle inside.
- Coating Mix: A mix of cornflour, maida (all goal flour), Kashmiri chilli powder, soy sauce, salt, and a splash of water to present the paneer a crisp outer layer.
- Aromatics: Ginger, garlic, and inexperienced chillies add that signature Indo-Chinese punch and depth of flavour.
- Veggies: Onion and capsicum (inexperienced bell pepper) for added texture
- Sauces: Soy sauce, purple chilli sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and a contact of cornflour creates the shiny, spicy-sweet base.
- Oil: For frying and stir-frying.
- Spring Onions: To garnish and add freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Simply change the paneer with agency tofu. Pat it dry earlier than coating and frying so it crisps up properly and holds the sauce nicely.
Absolutely. Just add about half a cup of water or vegetable inventory to the sauce when cooking, and let it simmer for a number of additional minutes. You’ll get that good saucy consistency that’s nice with rice or noodles.
It may be! While it’s often fried, you may air fry or pan-fry the paneer as a substitute of deep frying. Use much less oil, add extra veggies, and also you’ll have a lighter model that also tastes superb.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Use high quality paneer: Good paneer will tackle flavours rather well and keep gentle as a substitute of changing into rubbery when deep fried. Store purchased paneer will do, however for those who’ve bought that additional 15 minute window, check out my Homemade Paneer Recipe!
- Fry on excessive warmth: Keeps the paneer crispy on the skin and prevents it from turning chewy.
- Keep the veggies crunchy: Onions and capsicum must be simply cooked, nonetheless vivid, crisp, and filled with chew. That’s the place the street-style texture comes from.
- Don’t skip the wok toss: Once you add the sauce, toss every part rapidly on excessive warmth to coat the paneer evenly and get that shiny end.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store leftover Chilli Paneer in an hermetic container for as much as 2 days. The paneer would possibly soften a bit, but it surely’ll nonetheless style scrumptious.
- Freezer: It’s finest to freeze simply the sauce (with out paneer) for as much as 10 days. When able to eat, thaw and toss with freshly fried paneer cubes.
- Reheating: Warm it up in a pan over low warmth. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and hold it from drying out. Avoid microwaving too lengthy, as paneer can flip rubbery.
Serving Ideas
This Chilli Paneer tastes superb by itself, however for those who’re placing collectively a full Indo-Chinese unfold, listed here are some scrumptious pairings to attempt:
Customisation Ideas
- Make it saucier: Want that restaurant-style gravy model? Just add an additional half cup of water to the sauce and let it simmer until barely thickened.
- Try it with tofu: Swap the paneer with agency tofu for a vegan-friendly model that’s simply as satisfying.
- Add veggies: Toss in diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or child corn for extra texture and taste.
- Use baked or air-fried paneer: Skip deep-frying for a lighter, equally tasty model that also has that crisp chew.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds or crushed roasted peanuts on high simply earlier than serving for a enjoyable twist.


And that’s your street-style Chilli Paneer, mouth watering crispiness, spicy, and filled with taste. You can belief it to at all times hit the suitable spot, whether or not you’re cooking for mates or simply craving a fast repair for your self. Every chew has that stability of warmth and tang that makes you attain for an additional piece earlier than you even understand it.
If you do that recipe, I’d like to see the way it seems! Share your model and tag @my_foodstory on Instagram, I can’t wait to see your kitchen magic.
Watch Paneer Chilli Recipe Video
Prevent your display from going darkish
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Add cornflour, maida, kashmiri chilli powder, soy sauce, salt to a bowl. Add the paneer cubes and toss to coat. Sprinkle a bit water simply to get the coating to stay to the paneer. Toss and put aside.
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Heat oil in a wok or pan and add the paneer piece by piece to forestall them from sticking to one another. Fry them on excessive warmth for 2-3 minutes, turning a few times until they’re golden brown. Take them out on a plate and put aside.
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Whisk collectively all of the components underneath sauce and put aside.
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Remove any extra oil from the wok, abandoning 1.5 tbsp oil. Once the oil is sizzling, add ginger, garlic and inexperienced chillies. Saute for a minute or two and add onions and capsicum.
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Stir fry for 2-3 minutes on excessive warmth and add the paneer cubes. Toss the paneer with the aromatics for a minute.
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Give the sauce a whisk and add it to the wok. Toss collectively on excessive warmth for two minutes until the cornflour is cooked and the sauce takes on a thick, shiny end and coats the paneer items. Add a bit water if you need a bit extra sauce. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve sizzling.
- Chilli Paneer Gravy: For saucier chilli paneer, add an additional half cup of water to the sauce
- Vegan Chilli Paneer: You can simply substitute the paneer for tofu to make chilli tofu
- You can substitute the shop purchased chilli sauce with home made chilli garlic paste. I extremely suggest making it your self. I used Kashmiri Red Chillies for this recipe which have extra color than warmth
- If utilizing home made chilli paste, when you add it to to the wok, you should definitely fry it till nearly all of the uncooked aroma goes. This will provide help to keep away from the uncooked chilli style and scent within the dish.
Calories: 308kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 850mg, Potassium: 191mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1152IU, Vitamin C: 46mg, Calcium: 264mg, Iron: 1mg
This article is researched and written by Harita Odedra.
