Indo-Chinese Recipe
Chili Paneer
Chili paneer is an Indo-Chinese dish of paneer tossed with peppers, onions, soy sauce, vinegar, chile sauce, garlic, and ginger.
Why this dish works
The dish teaches Indo-Chinese sauce logic in a vegetarian format. Paneer carries a sharp, salty, chile-garlic sauce well.
Recipe at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Serves | 3–4 |
| Time | 35 minutes |
| Core technique | Frying and saucing |
| Heat level | Medium |
| Best with | Hakka noodles or fried rice |
Ingredients
- 12 oz paneer, cubed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chile sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ketchup, optional
- Scallions
Method
- Coat paneer lightly with cornstarch.
- Pan-fry paneer until lightly browned.
- Stir-fry garlic, ginger, onion, and bell pepper.
- Add soy sauce, chile sauce, vinegar, and ketchup if using.
- Return paneer and toss until coated.
- For gravy, add water and thicken lightly.
- Finish with scallions.
Variations and substitutions
- Use tofu instead of paneer.
- Add celery for restaurant-style aroma.
- Use gluten-free tamari if needed.
- Increase green chiles for more heat.