Paneer Schezwan Dry

Name: Paneer Schezwan Dry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indo_chinese
Ingredients: 300 g paneer (cut into cubes); 3 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 pinch black pepper; 0.5 tsp salt (divided); 6 tbsp water (for batter and sauce); 3 tbsp oil (for frying paneer and stir-frying); 8 pcs garlic (cloves, finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 6 pcs dried red chili (soaked in hot water 15 minutes); 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 2 tsp soy sauce; 1 tsp vinegar; 0.5 tsp sugar; 1 pcs onion (medium, cut into petals); 1 pcs capsicum (medium, cut into squares); 2 pcs spring onion (greens and whites chopped separately)

RATING

4.6/5(98)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Crisp paneer tossed with garlic, ginger, chilies, and a bold homemade Schezwan-style sauce makes this Indo-Chinese favorite punchy, spicy, and perfect as a starter or side with fried rice or noodles.

PREP

20m

COOK

20m

SERVES

1 KATORI

407 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Soak the chilies and prep the vegetables.
1.Soak the dried red chili in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
2.Cut the paneer into bite-size cubes.
3.Cut the onion into petals and the capsicum into medium squares.
4.Chop the garlic, ginger, and spring onion, keeping the greens separate.
TIPRemove some chili seeds before soaking if you want the sauce less fiery.
mix · ~3 min
Make the Schezwan-style chili paste.
Drain the softened dried red chili and blend or crush it with 2 tablespoons water and half the chopped garlic to a coarse paste.
mix · ~3 min
Coat the paneer.
Mix the cornflour, all-purpose flour, black pepper, 0.25 teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons water into a light batter. Add the paneer cubes and coat them gently.
TIPKeep the batter light and clingy so the paneer stays crisp without turning doughy.
fry · ~6 min
Fry the paneer until lightly crisp.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide pan and fry the coated paneer on medium heat, turning gently, until light golden on most sides. Remove to a plate.
TIPDo not crowd the pan or the coating will steam instead of crisp.
saute · ~4 min
Cook the aromatics and chili paste.
1.Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium heat.
2.Add the remaining garlic and chopped ginger, then sauté until fragrant (30-40 sec).
3.Add the chili paste and red chili powder.
4.Cook until the paste darkens slightly and smells roasted (2-3 min).
TIPUse medium heat here so the garlic and chili paste cook through without burning.
saute · ~3 min
Season the sauce and toss the vegetables.
1.Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and the remaining 0.25 teaspoon salt.
2.Stir in 2 tablespoons water to loosen the paste slightly.
3.Add the onion petals, capsicum, and spring onion whites.
4.Toss on high heat until the vegetables are glossy but still crisp (2-3 min).
assemble · ~2 min
Toss the paneer with the sauce.
Add the fried paneer to the pan and toss gently until every piece is well coated and the mixture looks dry and glossy.
garnish
Finish with spring onion greens.
serve
Serve hot as a starter or side.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Pat the paneer dry before battering so the coating clings and fries up crisp.
2
Blend the soaked chilies to a coarse paste, not completely smooth, for a more restaurant-style texture.
3
Fry paneer only until light golden; over-frying can make it chewy once tossed in sauce.
4
Cook the chili-garlic paste until the raw smell disappears and the oil starts to separate slightly.
5
Keep the onion petals and capsicum slightly crunchy; they should stay glossy, not soft.
6
Toss the fried paneer with the sauce just before serving to keep the coating from turning soggy.
7
If making ahead, prep the chili paste and chopped vegetables earlier, but fry and toss the paneer at the end.