Chilli paneer with hakka noodles
Paneer cubes coated in cornflour and maida, fried crisp and tossed with capsicum, onion, garlic and green chillies in a soy, vinegar and chilli sauce gravy, with simple stir-fried hakka noodles. As a starter it's made dry, and with veg fried rice instead of noodles it's just as common.
- 40 minTime
- 40 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 32 gprotein per portion
- 870kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 400 gPaneer, cubed
- 3 tbspCornflour
- 2 tbspMaida
- 3 mlBlack pepper
- to tasteSalt
- 5 tbspRefined oil
- 6 clovesGarlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbspGinger, finely chopped
- 3Green chillies, slit
- 1Onion, in squares
- 1Capsicum, in squares
- 3Spring onions, whites and greens chopped separately
- 2 tbspSoy sauce
- 2 tbspChili sauce
- 1 tbspVinegar
- ≈ 250 mlWater
On the side
- 300 gHakka noodles
- 2 tbspRefined oil, for the noodles
- 3 clovesGarlic, finely chopped, for the noodles
- 100 gWhite cabbage, shredded
- 1Carrot, in thin strips
- 1 tbspSoy sauce, for the noodles
- 1 tspVinegar, for the noodles
Method
- Put a large pan of water on to boil for the noodles. Meanwhile, cube the paneer, chop the garlic and ginger, slit the green chillies, cut the onion and capsicum into squares, chop the spring onions and cut the cabbage and carrot into thin strips.
- Salt the water and boil the noodles until just done, 3–4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and toss with a little of the noodle oil.
- Toss the paneer cubes with two-thirds of the cornflour, the maida, pepper and a little salt, sprinkling over a little water so it sticks.
- Heat most of the oil in a kadai and fry the paneer on medium-high heat, turning, until crisp and golden, 5–6 minutes. Lift it out.
- Heat the rest of the noodle oil in a wok on the highest heat. Fry the noodle garlic for a few seconds, then the cabbage and carrot for 2 minutes. Add the noodles, soy sauce and vinegar and toss for 2 minutes until hot. Keep warm.
- Heat the rest of the oil in the kadai on high heat. Fry the garlic, ginger, green chillies and spring onion whites for 30 seconds, then the onion and capsicum for 2 minutes, so they stay crunchy.
- Add the soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar and water and bring to the boil. Stir in the rest of the cornflour mixed with a little water and cook until glossy, about 1 minute.
- Toss in the paneer and spring onion greens and serve straight away with the noodles.
