Chilli Paneer

The ultimate Indian snack food, Chilli Paneer is a firm favourite for most people I know! It is so popular that you will quite often see it served as an appetiser at most Indian weddings and you will always find it on the menu at Indian restaurants. I’ve posted a recipe for this popular hybrid Indo-Chinese food before, but you have got to try this new and improved recipe - the flavours from the garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce and sriracha all come together beautifully to create the perfect appetiser/side dish!

Here’s how you can make it:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

250g paneer, cut into 1cm cubes
Rapeseed oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
3cm fresh ginger, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 red onion, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped into cubes
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
Salt to taste
2 spring onions, finely sliced for garnish
Large handful of coriander, chopped

Method:

Grab a small pan, and heat a couple of glugs of rapeseed oil.
Once hot, on a medium heat fry the paneer until the cubes are golden brown and crisps - takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the paneer on kitchen paper and set aside.
Grab another, larger pan and heat a glug of rapeseed oil on a medium heat. Once hot, stir in the cumin seeds until sizzling and fragrant. Add garlic and saute until it just starts to colour - make sure it doesn’t burn!
Then add in the ginger and green chili and cook for a minute, and then add the red onion.
Once the onion has softened, add the red pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, and then stir in the soy sauce and the sriracha sauce, and a tiny splash of water if required.
Stir in the paneer it’s all coated in the sauce.
Serve and finish with the spring onions and coriander.