Chilli Paneer Dry | Honey Sriracha Tossed Paneer

Chilli Paneer recipe is a quick, easy, sweet, and spicy Indo-Chinese dry snack in which paneer cubes are tossed in a creamy mustard honey sriracha sauce.

You can make this in just 15 minutes!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Maille®‎. The opinions and texts are all mine.

Asian snacks

I am heavily influenced by Indo-Chinese flavors when it comes to Asian food! It may not be authentic Asian cuisine but it's what we grew up eating!

Indo-Chinese cuisine was basically developed by the Chinese community that settled down in the Eastern states of India. It is a perfect blend of Chinese seasoning with Indian tastes.

I have heard that most of the Asian dishes that are available in India as part of the Indo-Chinese cuisine may not even exist elsewhere.

But we are fans of these dishes nevertheless and in fact, you must try them out too. Be it Spring Rolls, Hakka Noodles, Momos, Manchurian, or Fried Rice, they are all so good!

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This is my quick version

Chilli Paneer is one of my absolute favorite dishes to order at an Asian restaurant back in India. It is also a popular street food there!

It's loaded with flavors. It's got a bit of everything - sweet, spice, and sourness. There's a gravy version and a dry version and they both taste great.

Basically in this recipe, paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is tossed in a sweet and spicy chili sauce.

If you are looking for a gravy recipe, then check out this recipe - Paneer Chilli Gravy. It's not the typical paneer chili recipe, since I have given it my own twist!

Even this Dry Chili Paneer recipe is my version! I call it my quick or lazy version because there's minimum prep required and 100% satisfaction is guaranteed.

Why make this

You will find many recipes online, but this is how I make it! My Chilli Paneer recipe is easy, simple and every bite is delicious!

• Is a vegetarian dish
• Contains no MSG
• Can be served as a snack or as an appetizer
• It can be made in 15 minutes
• Minimal prep required
• Requires basic pantry staples
• A perfect recipe for beginners
• It's healthy

Why Maille Mustard

We love Maille Mustard! There is a jar always in my fridge because we love it in our sandwiches, burgers, fries, and even in dishes like Alfredo Mustard Pasta Bake and Mustard Rice.

For this recipe, I have used the Maille Dijon Originale Mustard because its smooth and creamy texture is just what I need here.

Although it's not traditionally used in this recipe, I thought the crisp, tart-and-tangy flavor would work best here.

It is easily available in all leading grocery stores or you can also order from Amazon.

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Ingredients needed

Paneer - you can use fresh homemade or store-bought paneer. It's easily found in Indian grocery stores, Whole Foods, and sometimes even in Costco. Read the notes section below for substitutions.

For those who don't know, paneer is made by coagulating the milk with lemon juice. This results in cottage cheese that can be used in a variety of ways.

Paneer is used in appetizers, curries, and even sweets! It is delicious to taste and is a staple food in many parts of India. Paneer is made from milk but is very similar to tofu which is made from soy!

It is also considered healthy and is rich in protein. It can be consumed raw.

Sriracha - While this is the hot sauce I have used, you can use any hot sauce available to you.

Honey - It helps bring in a certain sweetness to this dish.

Maille Dijon Originale Mustard - The mustard sauce is a nice addition to this recipe. It gives it the required balance of flavor.

Corn starch - This is used to coat the paneer cubes and make them crispy.

Garlic and sesame seeds give this dish an aromatic flavor. You can also add ginger.

Naturally fermented soy sauce is preferred. I use Coconut Aminos (you can also use Tamari) and rice vinegar to bring in the true Asian flavors.

Cilantro or spring onions for garnish.

I didn't need to use any additional salt in this recipe because of all the sauces. Also, I used sesame oil for this Chilli Paneer.

Here's how to make it

If you want the authentic street food flavor, cook this dish in a wok on high flame. It will lend a nice smoky and aromatic flavor to this honey sriracha paneer!

• Cut paneer in desired shape and size. I prefer to cut them into small cubes.
• Transfer to a bowl and add corn starch. Toss and coat the paneer cubes with corn starch. Set it aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the garlic and cilantro.
• In a small bowl, add Coconut Aminos, and rice vinegar.
• Then add Maille Dijon Originale to the bowl.
• Next, add the honey followed by sriracha sauce.
• Whisk it all together and keep it aside.
• Heat sesame oil in a pan and fry garlic and sesame seeds.
• Then add the paneer cubes and fry till they turn crisp. Keep turning them on all sides to cook evenly and do not crowd the pan.
• Lastly, pour the prepared sauce and coat the paneer. Take it off the flame once its coated

Serving Suggestions

There are many ways to enjoy Paneer Chilli Dry! We like to eat it by itself like a snack or mix it with rice.

However, you can mix it with your noodles or fried rice, stuff it in (lettuce) wraps, tacos, over a pizza, etc. The options are plentiful.

Surprisingly, Chilli Paneer also pairs well with Indian dishes like Jeera Rice, Cauliflower Rice, roti, naan, or pulao.

They can be served as starters or appetizers at a party or get-together. Just insert 2-3 in toothpicks or skewers and serve!

Ensure the paneer is not too soft, else it will crumble. It needs to hold its shape. You can use frozen paneer cubes for this recipe. Just thaw it before using it.

If using homemade paneer, cut in cubes and freeze it overnight. The Paneer should not be hard but should still hold its shape and be soft to bite.

If the paneer turns hard after frying, soak it in hot water for 15 minutes. It will get some softness. 

In case you don't have corn starch, you can substitute it with arrowroot powder, rice flour, or potato starch. To give it more flavor, mix in some pepper, and paprika along with the flour.

Feel free to add some dried or fresh herbs like basil to the creamy honey sriracha sauce for more flavor.

You can either deep-fry the paneer cubes or air-fry them instead of sautéing them.

Add some bell peppers, celery, and onions/shallots to this to make the Chilli Paneer recipe crunchier and filling. It also helps to increase the quantity.

Feel free to experiment with other flavors of Maille mustard in this Chilli Paneer recipe.

If sesame oil is unavailable to you, you can use any other vegetable oil. Use naturally fermented soy sauce like Coconut Aminos or Tamari.

Can this be baked?

Yes, you very well can. Dip the coated paneer into the prepared sauce and place them on a baking tray. Grill in a preheated oven at 450 degrees F for 5-6 minutes.

Paneer Alternatives

Simply swap paneer with Brussel Sprouts to make Honey Sriracha Brussel Sprouts.

Another alternative is to use cauliflower florets, baby corn, potatoes, or plant-based meatballs.

How to make this vegan?

Swap paneer with extra firm tofu and honey with sweet seasoning sauce or maple syrup. Sriracha Tofu tastes amazing!

The rest of the ingredients are vegan-friendly.

How to store this?

It stays well in the fridge for 2 days. But the paneer will harden in the fridge. Microwave or reheat it before serving.

You can also freeze them either before adding the honey sriracha sauce or after. But this will affect the texture.

The creamy sriracha sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for 5-6 days.

More ways to use leftover sauce

Here are some ways that you can make with this creamy sriracha sauce.

Serve it as a dip for Scallion Pancakes, wontons, momos, toss some noodles/pasta in this sauce and enjoy, or drizzle some creamy honey sriracha sauce over your salad.

More Paneer recipes

• Kadai Paneer
• Palak Paneer
• Achari Paneer Masala
• Paneer Peshawari
• Thai Matar Paneer
• Paneer Pizza
• Spinach Paneer Puffs
• Rose Sandesh

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