Schezwan paneer recipe is a Indo Chinese paneer starter which is a close variation to the Chilli Paneer. Most people love to enjoy this as a appetizer or as a side with Noodles or Fried rice. Schezwan paneer is very quick to make and this post includes making the sauce. You can also check this Schezwan sauce recipe if you like to make it for further use.
If you wish to use a ready sauce, then skip the steps of making it from the recipe. The taste of the sauce depends on the kind of red chilies used to make it. Please use dried chilies that are of good quality and low in heat. They should not smell or taste bitter and pungent.
For more Paneer Recipes check
Paneer popcorn
Garlic paneer
Paneer tikka
Paneer manchurian
Schezwan paneer recipe
Schezwan paneer recipe | Indo chinese spicy schezwan paneer recipe
A spicy hot and flavorful paneer starter from Indo chinese cuisine. This recipe also shows how to make schezwan sauce to make the starter.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
- 2 tbsp red chili paste (or 7 to 8 red chilies)
- Hot water to soak chilies
For batter
- 3 to 4 tbsps corn flour
- 3 to 4 tbsps all purpose flour or maida (organic)
- salt as needed
- ¼ tsp pepper
- water as needed to make the batter
- 200 grams paneer
to make schezwan paneer
- oil for deep frying
- 1 to 1½ tbsp oil for seasoning
- ¾ tbsp. garlic chopped finely
- ½ tbsp. ginger chopped finely
- ½ tsp schezwan pepper or 3 to 4 crushed (optional)
- 2 tbsps spring onion whites chopped
- 2 to 3 tbsps celery chopped (optional)
- salt as needed
- ¾ to 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ tbsp soya sauce
- ½ to ¾ tbsp vinegar ( or tomato sauce)
- 4 tbsps water
- ¼ cup capsicum (optional)
- ½ to ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp corn flour or corn starch or arrow root powder
How to make the recipe
- Deseed & soak red chilies in hot water. Set aside for 30 mins.
- Blend them well with just 2 tbsps of water to a smooth or coarse paste. Discard the rest of the soaked water.
- To a mixing bowl, add cornflour, maida, pepper and salt.
- Pour water just enough to make a free flowing batter of slightly thick consistency.
- Add the paneer bites and coat them in the batter well.
- Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.
- When the oil turns hot, drop the batter coated paneer in the hot oil.
- Fry them on a medium high flame until the paneer bites turn crisp.
- Drain them to a kitchen tissue.
Making schezwan paneer
- Heat oil in a pan or wok.
- Fry ginger garlic for a minute.
- Add spring onions, celery and schezwan peppers. Saute for 2 mins.
- Add red chili paste, salt and sugar. Fry for 2 to 3 mins.
- Remove the schezwan pepper. I remove them o remove a pungent flavor.
- Pour water and cook until the mixture leaves oil.
- Pour soya sauce and vinegar or tomato sauce.
- Mix and saute for a minute.
- Add capscium and fry for 2 mins.
- Mix corn flour with water.
- Pour that to the pan. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens. Check the taste and adjust the spice and sourness as desired.
- Turn off the stove. Cool this sauce a bit.
- Add the paneer and mix well to coat the sauce.
- Serve the schezwan paneer hot with noodles or fried rice.
Recipe Video
Preparation for schezwan paneer recipe
1. Soak red chilies in hot water for 30 mins. I have deseeded the chilies as we do not like the seeds in the sauce.
2. Add the chilies along with 2 tbsps of water. You can also use fresh water to make the paste less spicy.
3. Make smooth or slightly coarse paste. Set this aside.
4. Add corn flour, maida, salt and pepper.
5. Pour water and make a free flowing batter. The batter must be of medium thick consistency. If the batter is too thick, the paneer bites will turn hard.
6. Transfer the paneer cubes.
7. Coat them.
Frying paneer
8. Heat oil in a kadai on the highest flame. When the oil is hot enough, drop a small portion of batter to check if the oil is hot enough. The batter will rise if the oil is hot.
9. Drop the batter coated paneer bites to the hot oil and fry on a medium high flame.
10. Remove them to a kitchen tissue when they turn crisp. Do not over fry as they turn hard. Set these aside.
Making sauce for schezwan paneer
11. Heat 1½ tbsp of fresh oil in a pan or wok. Next add ginger and garlic too. Saute for a min. Add chopped spring onions, celery and slightly crushed schezwan peppers as well. Saute for 2 to 3 mins.
12. Add 2 tbsps of red chili paste. Do not use more than that otherwise it may make the dish very spicy. Add salt and sugar.
13. Saute for 2 to 3 mins. Remove the schezwan peppers if you have used. I prefer to remove them before adding water as the cooked peppers flavor do not go well with us. Pour water.
14. Mix and cook until the oil separates.
15. The moisture evaporates and the sauce thickens. Add vinegar or tomato sauce.
16. Pour soya sauce. Saute for just a minute.
How to make schezwan paneer recipe
17. Add capsicums. You can also skip if you do not have. Saute for a minute.
18. Mix corn flour with water and pour it to the pan.
19. Mix well and check the taste. The gravy has to be spicy, sweet and slightly sour. Next when the sauce turns thick, then turn off the stove.
20. Allow the sauce to cool down a bit. Then add the fried paneer bites. Coat the paneer well in the sauce.
Serve schezwan paneer as a starter or side with fried rice or noodles.
Sunitha says
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swasthi says
Hi Sunitha,
Thanks for your interest. I have already registered your email in the list. Please check you email and confirm the subscription. Just to let you know – You will mostly receive only 2 mails in a week as I do not post daily. Thanks again