Chilli Paneer (Pan-tossed)

About this recipe

Chilli paneer is the dish that taught half our family that you don't actually need a deep fryer. We pan-toss the paneer in a teaspoon of oil until it's golden on every face, which gives you the crust without the grease bath. Keep the heat ferocious and the capsicum barely cooked so it still snaps — this is a fast, loud, last-minute dish, not a gentle simmer. Have everything chopped before the pan goes on, because once it starts there's no time to chase ingredients around the kitchen. Paneer cooked in a hot pan without oil develops a golden, slightly caramelised exterior while staying creamy inside. The small amount of oil is just enough to conduct heat; you're not deep-frying, you're searing. The paneer cubes need space in the pan to make proper contact with the heat; overcrowding means steaming rather than searing. Work in batches if you need to, then set the paneer aside and come back to it at the end. The vegetables need to be barely cooked so they retain their crunch and natural sweetness. The capsicum chunks should still snap when you bite into them; this textural contrast is what makes the dish special. The sauce — a simple combination of soy, chilli sauce and vinegar, thickened with just a little cornflour — clings to the vegetables and paneer without drowning them. This is a dry-ish curry, not a saucy one. Serve immediately as a starter or over fried-rice-style rice as a main course. Chilli paneer doesn't keep well; the paneer becomes chewy and the vegetables soften as it sits. Reheating damages both texture and flavour, so only make what you'll eat fresh. This is hot, quick, and genuinely addictive, the kind of dish that disappears in seconds.