Chilli Paneer

My all time favourite! I already have the taste in my mouth! This mouthwatering Chilli Paneer is seriously the most delicious Indo-Chinese dish.

Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cook time 25 minutes | Serves: 2

Spice level: Medium | Airplane (Crew) friendly

450gr paneer
2½ tbsp sunflower oil

Paneer sauce:

2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 small bay leaves
4 whole black pepper corns
3 whole cloves
1 small dried chilli
1 medium onion (chopped in chunks/petal)
1 medium red onion (chopped in chunks/petal)
½ red pepper (chopped in chunks/petal)
1 whole green pepper (chopped in chunks/petal)

3 tbsp Hot and Sweet Sauce (I used Hot and Sweet Sauce from Maggi Brand)
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
½ Salt
1/4 black pepper
1 tsp tandoori masala
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp black bean sauce or teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp soya sauce
½ cup spring onions

Method

Cooking the Paneer:

1. Preheat oven to 200C (fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Cut the paneer pieces in bite size cubes, and place the paneer pieces on the baking sheet and coat the 2½ tbsp with oil.

3. Cook for 15 minutes, and turn the paneer to the opposite side to cook for another 15 minutes.

4. Once cooked, place a kitchen tissue paper in a medium bowl and drain off the oil.

5. If the paneer texture isn’t spongy when you touch it, then just before Step 3 of The Chilli Sauce, take the kitchen tissue paper out of the bowl and soak the paneer in warm water for 5 minutes and drain. If it is spongy then you can avoid this step and continue with the Chilli sauce.

For the Chilli Sauce:

1. In a non stick wok/pot heat up 2 tbsp oil on medium heat. Add 2 small bay leaves and 4 whole black peppercorns, 3 whole cloves and 1 small while dried chilli and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add chopped yellow onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add a handful of chopped pepper, chopped red onion and 1 tbsp finely chopped red and green chillies and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Take all of the sauté peppers out (doesn’t matter if you take some onions out)and place into the same bowl with the rest of the red onion, pepper and chilli that was not used

3. Add 3 tbsp hot and sweet sauce, 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup, ½ tsp Tabasco sauce, ½ tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp tandoori masala, 2 tbsp ginger paste, 2 tsp black bean sauce or teriyaki sauce, 2 tbsp soya sauce and mix it through.