Chilli Panner (Cheese) Recipe

Being from India it may sound strange when I say, I have never cooked with paneer till recently. But if you are from Goa and grew up Catholic than there is nothing strange about my statement. I have eaten paneer at my friend’s place and in restaurants but since Goan food culture is so different I have never felt the need to cook with it till now. Paneer is very close to a pressed down and shaped ricotta cheese. You can make it at home if you have the patience. Which is on my list to try sometimes soon. Paneer is used in many Indian vegetarian foods like palak paneer, paneer tikka masala, butter paneer, paneer pakora, paneer burji and paneer parathas.

Since it is Lent season for a lot of Catholics around the world as an adult we try to make some sacrifice for the 40 days during lent in remembrance of Jesus’s 40 days of fasting. In our household it is giving up eating meats. I have fallen off the wagon a couple of times already this season, my husband has a stronger self-control than me. I had this recipe at a good friend’s place Kimmy for the first time about 2 years ago and since then she has made it a couple of times more. As my kids enjoyed it a lot I decided to make it. It is a very quick and easy recipe that is lightly sweet and sour. It can be enjoyed as a side dish to eat with rice or bread.

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 block of paneer cut in length

3 multicolored bell-pepper cut in length

1 medium onion cut in length

1″ ginger diced finely

6-8 cloves garlic diced finely

3 tbsp of ketchup

2 tsp of chilli paste or sriracha sauce

1 tbsp of vinegar

2 tbsp of soy sauce

1/8th tsp of sugar

salt to taste

Directions:

In a pan add some little oil and lightly brown the paneer on each side for about 1-2 minutes. Keep aside.

Now add the onions and bell-pepper and saute till they softened. Next add the ginger garlic and saute quickly.

To this add the ketchup, sriracha, vinegar, sugar, soy and salt to taste.

Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Next add the paneer and mix throughly.

Garnish with sliced fresh spring onions (scallion).