Whip It Up Wednesdays – Shweta’s Chilli Paneer Gravy

This week on Whip-it-up-Wednesdays we bring you another all-time favorite – chilli paneer in gravy style. No matter in which part of the world you are, if you love desi Chinese food, then this one is definitely something you will enjoy!

Chilli Paneer is a popular Indo-Chinese dish tossed in spicy sauces and seasoning, which is served as two varieties – with gravy and dry. Dry chilli paneer can be served as starters/ snacks with a dip of your choice while chilli paneer gravy can be served as a side dish with fried rice or noodles.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (4 Quarter Plates)

Ingredients:

1. Two and a half cups paneer cubes
2. Seven garlic cloves (finely chopped)
3. Two green chilies (finely chopped)
4. One teaspoon red chilli flakes
5. One big onion (chopped as a square)
6. One big bell pepper(chopped as a square)
7. One teaspoon red chili sauce
8. Two  teaspoons green chilli sauce  
9. Two teaspoons vinegar
10. Two teaspoons soy sauce
11.Two teaspoons tomato sauce
12. Quarter teaspoon red chilli powder
13. Quarter teaspoon black peppercorn powder
14. Salt to taste
15. Two cups of water
15. Two tablespoons cornflour
16 Spring onions to garnish
17. Oil as needed

Instructions:

1. Take a large saucepan over a medium-high flame and add oil in it
2. Add the paneer cubes and stir fry until golden in color
3. Drain off the paneer cubes from pan and keep aside

4. In the remaining oil, add red chilli flakes, garlic, green chilies and stir fry for one minute
5. Add onion, bell pepper and saute for two minutes
6. Add salt, red chilli powder, black peppercorn powder and mix well
7. Add red chili sauce, green chilli sauce,  vinegar, soy sauce, tomato sauce, and mix well
8. Mix cornflour in two cups of water and add it to the saucepan
9. Stir continuously for five minutes
10. Add fried paneer cubes and cook for five more minutes
11. Once the consistency of gravy is as per you required, switch off the stove
12. Garnish with spring onions

Tips:
1. If you want to make chilli paneer dry without any gravy then skip the part where you add cornflour water.
2. You can manage the spice level as per your taste by adding more green and red chilies or by reducing the same.
3. Instead of stir-frying the paneer cubes, you can deep fry them. Before frying, dip the paneer cubes in a paste of cornflour (quarter cup), all-purpose flour (two tablespoons), ginger-garlic paste (one teaspoon), chilli powder (half teaspoon), salt (half teaspoon), and water (quarter cup).