Chilli paneer
- Portion size: Serves 2 as a starter or side
- Prep time 15 min. Cook time 10 min
- Difficulty: easy
Learn how to make Hakka chilli paneer with our easy recipe from London’s cult Indo-Chinese restaurant group Fatt Pundit. It’s delicious served in lettuce cups. Here’s what makes this dish so special…
- Authentic flavours: “If there’s one dish that showcases Indo-Chinese flavours the most, it would have to be Hakka chilli paneer,” says delicious. head of food Tom Shingler. “Cubes of Indian cheese are lightly battered and fried before being tossed in a simple combo of Chinese aromatics.”
- Simple starter: Served in lettuce cups, this chilli paneer makes for a beautiful vegetarian starter or side dish.
- Scale it up: You can easily double this recipe to serve more – cook the paneer in batches so you don’t overcrowd the wok (in any case, it’s reheated when it’s returned to the wok later).
Loved this recipe? Cook Fat Punditt’s crispy cauliflower Manchurian next.
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Ingredients
- 200g paneer, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 200ml vegetable oil to deep-fry
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
- 50g onion (about ½ onion), finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 little gem lettuce, separated into leaves and soaked in cold water
- Microcress to serve (optional)
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Method
- Tip the paneer, plain flour and half the cornflour into a bowl. Add a splash of cold water to create a thick batter, mixing the paneer cubes well so they’re completely coated.
- Pour the oil into a wok over a high heat – it’s ready when a drop of the batter sizzles and hardens instantly. Carefully add the paneer, working in batches
if needed, and gently separating the pieces with a spoon or tongs if they stick together. Fry for 2-3 minutes until just crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. - Pour away most of the oil, leaving 2-3 tbsp in the wok. Put it back over a medium-high heat and add the garlic, ginger and chillies. Cook for a minute until fragrant, then add the onion and spring onions and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
- Return the paneer to the wok, tossing gently and cooking for 1 minute (be careful not to break them). Add 50-100ml water to the wok to prevent them sticking, followed by both soy sauces and both peppers. Turn up the heat to high and toss well to combine.
- Mix the remaining 1 tbsp cornflour with a splash of water to create a slurry, then add a splash of it to the wok. Stir it into the liquid to thicken it, then remove from the heat.
- Drain and pat dry the lettuce leaves, then arrange them on a platter. Fill the leaves with the paneer mixture and serve immediately, sprinkled with microcress (if you like).
Nutrition
- 565kcals Calories
- 38g (16g saturated) Fat
- 29g Protein
- 27g (6.9g sugars) Carbs
- 1.9g Fibre
- 2.7g Salt
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