Healthy Dry Chilli Paneer
A simple, healthy version of Indo-Chinese Chilli Paneer made with lightly pan-fried paneer, bell peppers and spices — ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut paneer into cubes and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- Heat a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp oil on medium heat. Add paneer cubes and shallow fry until light golden on all sides. Remove and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed; add chopped ginger, garlic and sliced green chilli. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add sliced onion and cubed bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables soften but remain crunchy.
- Season with salt and pepper. Then add soy sauce and vinegar. Mix well so vegetables are evenly coated.
- Return the fried paneer cubes to the pan. Toss gently so paneer gets evenly coated with sauce and veggies.
- Cook for another 1–2 minutes on medium heat. Check seasoning and adjust salt or chilli if needed.
- Turn off heat. Serve hot as a main dish with rice or noodles, or as a side-dish/appetizer.
Notes
This version uses shallow frying instead of deep-frying and skips heavy batter/frying to keep the dish lighter and less oily. You can add fresh cilantro leaves for garnish. For a gravy version, add 2–3 tbsp water or veg stock toward the end and simmer for 2 minutes.