A saucy, Indo-Chinese-style chilli paneer made with 200 g paneer, enough gravy to properly mix with rice, and balanced sweetness, spice, tang and garlic.

This version serves 3 people when paired with rice.

Paneer

• Paneer 200 g, cut into ~1-inch cubes
• Cornflour 1 tbsp (10 g)
• Salt 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper ¼ tsp
• Oil 1+1/2 tsp

Vegetables

• Onion 120 g, cut into chunky 1-inch pieces
• Capsicum 100 g, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Garlic 15 g, finely chopped
• Ginger 10 g, finely chopped
• Green chilli 1, finely chopped

Alternatives:

• Red/yellow bell pepper can replace some or all of the green capsicum.
• No fresh ginger? Can use 1/2 tsp ginger powder.
• No fresh garlic? Can use 1 tsp garlic powder, although fresh garlic is strongly preferred.
• No green chilli? Skip it and increase chilli flakes slightly.

Sauce Mixture

Mix these together in a small bowl before cooking:

• Kissan Sweet & Spicy Sauce 3 tbsp (45 g)
• Soy sauce 1 tbsp (15 ml)
• Vinegar 1+1/2 tsp (7.5 ml)
• Sugar 1/2 tsp
• Korean chilli oil 1 tsp (can skip)
• Chilli flakes 1/2 tsp

Alternatives:

• Kissan Sweet & Spicy can be replaced with 1+1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup + 1+1/2 tbsp red chilli sauce.
• Korean chilli oil can be replaced with 1 tsp regular chilli oil or skipped.
• No chilli oil? Add 1/2–1 tsp extra chilli flakes, depending on desired heat.
• White vinegar can be replaced with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• If using a very sweet chilli sauce instead of Kissan Sweet & Spicy, reduce or completely skip the 1/2 tsp sugar.

Gravy

• Water 400 ml

Cornflour slurry

• Cornflour 2+1/2 tsp (8–9 g)
• Cold water 4 tbsp (60 ml)

Alternative: If you prefer a thinner gravy for rice, start with 2 tsp cornflour instead of 2+1/2 tsp.

Final Seasoning

• Black pepper 1/2 tsp
• Salt 1/4-1/2 tsp, only as needed after tasting

Important: Do not automatically add all the final salt. Soy sauce, chilli sauce and ketchup/sweet chilli sauce already contain salt.

Method

1. Prepare the paneer

Add 200 g paneer, 1 tbsp cornflour, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper to a bowl. Toss gently until the paneer is evenly coated. Heat a wide pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1½ tsp oil. Add the paneer in a single layer and cook for approximately:

• 2 minutes on the first side
• Flip and cook 2 minutes
• Turn the remaining sides and cook 1 minute

The paneer should have light golden edges but should not become dark brown or hard. Remove the paneer and set aside.

2. Cook the aromatics

Keep the same pan on medium heat.

Add:

• 15 g garlic
• 10 g ginger
• 1 green chilli

Stir continuously for 40–45 seconds. The garlic should become fragrant but should not turn dark brown. If the garlic starts browning too quickly, immediately reduce the heat.

3. Stir-fry the vegetables

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 120 g onion and 100 g capsicum. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, tossing every 20–30 seconds. The onion should become slightly translucent while the capsicum should remain somewhat crunchy. Do not cook the vegetables for too long or they will become soft and watery.

4. Add the sauce

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the prepared sauce mixture:

• 3 tbsp Kissan Sweet & Spicy Sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1+1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Korean chilli oil
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Stir continuously for 45–60 seconds. Do not leave the sauce sitting on the bottom of the pan because the sugar can caramelize and burn.

5. Build the gravy

Add 400 ml water and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a proper simmer, which should take around 2–3 minutes. While the gravy heats, mix 2½ tsp cornflour with 4 tbsp cold water until completely smooth.

Once the gravy is simmering, reduce the heat to medium. Slowly pour in the cornflour slurry while continuously stirring.

Cook for 2 minutes. The gravy should become glossy and moderately thick.

The correct consistency

Because this chilli paneer is being served with riceI had this with rice, the gravy should be pourable and spoonable, not thick like a coating sauce. If it becomes too thick, add 30–50 ml hot water and mix. If it is too thin, simmer for another 1–2 minutes.

6. Add the paneer

Add the cooked paneer back into the gravy. Gently mix so the paneer doesn't break. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, then reduce to low heat for 1 minute. Do not boil the paneer for a long time because it can become chewy.

7. Final seasoning

Taste the gravy before adding more salt. Add 1/4 tsp salt, mix and taste again. If necessary, add another 1/4 tsp. Add 1/2 tsp black pepper and mix. Turn off the heat and let the chilli paneer rest for 2 minutes before serving. That's it. It was really taste btw :)