Restaurant Style Paneer Crispy Recipe


Restaurant Style Paneer Crispy Recipe



40 Mins
4-5 People
05 Mins




Restaurant Style Paneer Crispy Recipe

Namaskar! I am Chef Ajay Chopra and today I want to share a very tasty and crispy paneer starter with you. When you eat this, you will love the flavour, the crispiness, and the overall taste. You will be surprised how amazing it tastes. This is a restaurant-style dish and still very easy to make. If you follow a few simple steps, your paneer crispy will turn out perfect every time. Let’s begin this delicious journey together.

 

Portion, Prep, and Cook Time

  • Portion Servings: 4–5 pax
  • Preparation Time: 05 mins
  • Cooking Time: 40 mins

 

Ingredients of Restaurant Style Paneer Crispy

  • Paneer – 250 gms
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Red chilli powder – a pinch
  • Cornflour – ½ cup
  • Oil – for frying
  • Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Dry red chilli (diamond cut) – 2 pcs
  • Green chilli (diamond cut) – 3 pcs
  • Garlic (chopped) – 1 tbsp
  • Ginger (chopped) – 1 tsp
  • Red chilli paste – ½ cup
  • Tomato ketchup – ¼ cup
  • Red chilli sauce – 2 tbsp
  • Soya sauce – 1 tsp
  • Vinegar – 1½ tbsp
  • Salt – ½ tsp
  • Black pepper (crushed) – a pinch
  • Green capsicum (sliced) – 1 pc
  • Spring onion whites – 2 tbsp
  • MSG (optional) – a pinch
  • Cornflour slurry – 2 tbsp
  • Fried paneer – as prepared
  • Spring onion greens (chopped) – 1 tsp

 

Instructions of Restaurant Style Paneer Crispy

 

Step 1: Prepare and Marinate the Paneer

Cut the paneer into medium-sized batons or cubes. Make sure the pieces are thick and uniform so they fry evenly.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt and red chilli powder over the paneer. Gently toss so the spices coat the paneer well.

Paneer cubes being marinated with chilli powder and salt for crispy paneer recipe

 

Step 2: Coat and Fry the Paneer

Add cornflour over the marinated paneer pieces and mix gently so each piece is dry-coated with the cornflour.

Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan or kadai. Fry the paneer in small batches over medium heat.

Fry till each piece is golden and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove and place on tissue paper to absorb extra oil.

Crispy golden fried paneer cubes coated in cornflour for starter dish

 

Step 3: Prepare the Base of the Sauce

In a hot wok, pour 2 tbsp oil. Add diamond-cut dry red chillies and green chillies.

Stir-fry briefly till fragrant. Add chopped garlic and chopped ginger.

Stir on high flame till they are golden and aromatic. Be careful not to burn them.

Ginger, garlic, dry red chilli and green chilli sizzling in wok for Indo-Chinese sauce

 

Step 4: Mix the Sauces and Season

Add red chilli paste, tomato ketchup, red chilli sauce, and soya sauce. Stir everything well.

Add vinegar, salt and crushed black pepper. Mix and cook till the sauce begins to bubble slightly and reduces a little.

Spicy red sauce with chilli paste, ketchup and soya sauce simmering in wok

 

Step 5: Add Veggies and Enhance the Flavour

Add thinly sliced green capsicum and spring onion whites. Stir-fry on high flame for a minute so they stay crunchy.

If you wish, add a pinch of MSG for extra umami flavour.

Pour in cornflour slurry and stir well till the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

Green capsicum and spring onion whites stir-fried in spicy sauce for paneer

 

Step 6: Combine and Serve

Add the fried paneer cubes to the thick sauce. Toss everything together quickly and evenly on high flame.

Make sure the sauce coats the paneer well without making it soggy.

Turn off the flame and garnish with chopped spring onion greens. Serve hot and crispy!

Restaurant-style paneer crispy tossed in red sauce, garnished with spring onions

 

Info About the Recipe

In this recipe, I first cut the paneer into thick slices like batons so that they look nice and become crispy. I marinate the paneer with a little salt and red chilli powder, then coat it with dry cornflour. This makes the paneer crispy from outside and soft from inside. After frying the paneer, I make a hot and tasty sauce using garlic, ginger, red and green chillies, and many sauces like red chilli paste, ketchup, and soy sauce. I add a bit of vinegar, salt, pepper, and some chopped capsicum and spring onion. I also use a small amount of MSG to make the taste even better. Finally, I mix the fried paneer with the hot sauce and serve it fresh with spring onion on top. It’s very tasty and perfect for any party.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use Schezwan chutney instead of chilli paste?

Yes, you can use bottled Schezwan chutney. There is no problem in using that. But chilli paste gives better color and taste.

2. What is Hello Panda or MSG?

Hello Panda is what I call MSG. It gives a great taste to the food. You can check “Discover MSG” on Instagram for more information.

3. Why do we use Kashmiri red chilli paste?

We use it because it gives a nice red color and looks very good. Without it, the dish looks faded.

4. What should I do if I don’t want to use MSG?

If you don’t want to use MSG, you can skip it. It’s optional. But it gives a very nice taste.

5. Can I make the sauce first and mix later?

You can make the sauce first, but only mix the paneer when you are ready to serve. Otherwise, it will become soggy.

6. What type of chilli should I use?

I use Kashmiri red chillies. Boil them and make a paste. It gives a nice red color without too much spice.

7. Why is my paneer not crispy?

Maybe your oil was not hot enough. Also, make sure you use dry cornflour and fry the paneer in hot oil.

8. How long should I cook garlic and ginger?

Just cook it for 1 minute till it turns golden brown. Then add the sauces.

9. Can I skip spring onions?

Spring onions give a nice flavor and look. If you don’t have them, you can skip, but they are recommended.

10. How fast should I serve this dish?

You should serve it immediately after mixing the sauce and paneer. That way it stays crispy and tasty.