By Aditi Saraswat
July 19, 2026
A rainy evening and a bowl of hot chilli paneer feel like made for each other. Crispy-coated paneer tossed in a spicy, tangy gravy makes a perfect monsoon snack that you can relish with your favourite mocktail, making a cafe-like feel at home.
250 g paneer, cubed 3 tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida) ½ tsp black pepper powder Salt, to taste ½ tsp red chilli powder 4 tbsp oil (for shallow frying) 1 onion, cubed 1 green capsicum, cubed 2 green chillies, slit 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp red chilli sauce 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp vinegar ½ tsp sugar (optional) 2 tbsp spring onions, chopped ¼ cup water 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
In a bowl, mix cornflour, maida, salt, pepper, and chilli powder to make a smooth paste. Coat the paneer cubes in this paste evenly.
Shallow-fry the coated paneer cubes over medium heat until golden and crisp on all sides.
In a pan, heat a little oil and sauté chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies, onion, and capsicum until they turn a bit crunchy and are half cooked through.
To the pan, now add soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and water. Mix everything well and then pour in the cornflour slurry and mix again.
Now, add the fried paneer, spring onions and toss everything so that each piece is coated in gravy. Serve instantly while hot and enjoy.