Honey Chili Paneer

Introduction to Honey Chili Paneer

If you’ve followed my page for a while, you’ll remember that chili paneer was actually my first video to go viral on TikTok, and this honey chili version is one of my favorite ways to make it. I started this blog at the beginning of quarantine out of sheer boredom and my growing desire to experience eating my favorite foods again. And before going to restaurants on a weekly basis became a distant memory, I used to love going out for this street food favorite.

Chili paneer is a popular Indo-Chinese dish that’s made with pan-fried paneer and covered in a mixture of sauces and spices. It’s best served with rice or naan, and you can enjoy it as either an appetizer or a full main course. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and satisfying.

Breakdown of the Ingredients:

The ingredients in this dish are pretty simple. And of course, the star of the show is paneer. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this ingredient, paneer is a firm cheese that doesn’t melt when you heat it. In that sense, it is similar to halloumi. If you’re vegan, unfortunately you’re out of luck here since paneer is made with dairy.

However, I have tried this exact recipe with tofu and it still tastes great. I recommend using extra firm tofu and baking it. To do this, first, begin by pressing the tofu for 10-15 minutes. Then, cut the tofu into cubes and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. You can also coat it lightly in some cornstarch before placing in the oven if you want the tofu to be extra crispy. Another option which is a little faster but more labor intensive is the method of pan-frying your tofu. You can simply heat some oil in a skillet and fry the tofu on either side until each side is golden brown.

Spices/Dry Ingredients

• Garlic powder
• Kashmiri mirch
• Corn starch

Sauces

• Ketchup
• Honey
• Soy
• Sriracha
• Rice vinegar

Other

• Paneer
• Oil
• Water
• Red onion
• Jalapeño

Process + Keys to Success:

• In a heavy-bottom sauce pan, fry your paneer on medium heat and make sure to keep turning the pieces so they cook evenly on both sides. Cook until golden brown.
• In a separate pan, sauté onions in oil until translucent and then add in the sliced jalapeño.
• Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Once your paneer is done, add it in with your sauce, cover with a lid, and cook until all of the water cooks out.
• Keep stirring every few minutes so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom.