Dry chili paneer is a popular dish made with raw or fried fresh paneer cubes tossed in a spicy, tangy sauce with capsicum, garlic, green chilies and a variety of sauces. Follow my simple recipe to learn the easy steps to make dry chili paneer at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Dry chili paneer is a hugely popular starter served in restaurants and street stalls across India.
- Serve it hot with fried rice, hakka noodles, or as a starter at parties.
- Dry chili paneer has a spicy, tangy flavor with a slight sweetness due to the sauces.
- Other similar recipes are paneer manchurian, gobi manchurian, and chilli mushroom.
The Ingredients:
- 200 grams paneer (cut into small cubes)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 pieces green chilies (slit from the middle)
- 8 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 piece onion (medium size, cut into cubes, layers separated)
- ¼ cup capsicum (cut into cubes)
- 1 piece tomato (small size, without seeds, cut into cubes)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp schezwan sauce
- 1 tsp red chili sauce
- 1 tsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
The first time I discovered this dry chili paneer recipe was at a neighbor’s gathering that I attended. She prepared simple Indo-Chinese food, and this dish attracted my attention because of its shiny appearance and delicious scent. She shared the recipe with me after I complimented her, telling me how to achieve perfect taste through sauce balance. I recorded all the recipe ingredients together with their respective measurements into my kitchen diary while I made note of her minor cooking recommendations.
The next weekend I prepared it for my husband and two sons. The dish achieved excellent results through its combination of spicy flavors and balanced tanginess. My husband enjoyed the restaurant-style flavor while my sons finished their meal in minutes and requested additional food with fried rice. I was so happy to see them enjoy their food and felt lucky to have learned this recipe.
How to Make Dry Chili Paneer? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a large kadai or wok and put in 4 pieces of green chilies (slit from the middle) and 8 cloves of garlic (finely chopped). Fry on high heat for about 10 seconds. Then add 1 piece of onion (medium size, cut into cubes, layers separated) and fry for 15 seconds. Now, add ¼ cup of capsicum (cut into cubes) and 1 piece of tomato (small size, without seeds, cut into cubes) and fry for 10 seconds.
Step 2: Now, add ½ tsp of salt and 1 teaspoon each of soy sauce, Schezwan sauce, red chili sauce, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Stir-fry for a minute. Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp of white pepper powder and fry for 15 seconds. Then, add 200 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes). Mix well.
Step 3: Now, add 4 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of tomato sauce again. Cook for a minute and check the consistency of the gravy. Switch off the flame and let it rest for a minute.
Step 4: Your tasty and spicy dry chili paneer is ready. Transfer it to a plate and enjoy.
Recipe Card
Dry Chili Paneer
Ingredients
- 200 grams paneer cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 4 pieces green chilies slit from the middle
- 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 piece onion medium size, cut into cubes, layers separated
- ¼ cup capsicum cut into cubes
- 1 piece tomato small size, without seeds, cut into cubes
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp schezwan sauce
- 1 tsp red chili sauce
- 1 tsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a large kadai or wok and put in 4 pieces of green chilies (slit from the middle) and 8 cloves of garlic (finely chopped). Fry on high heat for about 10 seconds. Then add 1 piece of onion (medium size, cut into cubes, layers separated) and fry for 15 seconds. Now, add ¼ cup of capsicum (cut into cubes) and 1 piece of tomato (small size, without seeds, cut into cubes) and fry for 10 seconds.
- Now, add ½ tsp of salt and 1 teaspoon each of soy sauce, schezwan sauce, red chili sauce, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves, 1 tsp of white pepper powder and fry for 15 seconds. Then, add 200 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes). Mix well.
- Now, add 4 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of tomato sauce again. Cook for a minute and check the consistency of the gravy. Switch off the flame and let it rest for a minute.
- Your tasty and spicy dry chili paneer is ready. Transfer it to a plate and enjoy.
