A delicious Indo-Chinese fusion, This very soft but flavourful paneer is prepared in bold, tangy, spicy flavours typical of Chinese food - an exceedingly popular appetizer or side dish, liked by those who like a savoury mix of textures and tastes, becoming a favourite in several Indian homes as well as restaurants. The recipe is based upon coating paneer cubes with light batter made from cornflour and all-purpose flour and then deep-frying them until crispy on the outside and soft within. This fried paneer is tossed into a zesty spicy Manchurian sauce comprising soy sauce, chilli sauce, ginger, garlic, and a dash of vinegar. This sauce is a little sweet and tangy with rich umami flavours marrying well with soft paneer. There are two types of styles: Paneer Manchurian-dry and gravy. The former is mostly used as a starter or snack, where the sauce clings to the fried pieces of paneer. The latter has a thick sauce, to be served along with rice or noodles. Sprinkle some finely chopped spring onions or cilantro, and it's a fresh, contrasting finish to the tangy, rich flavours. It is this delicate balance of spice, sweetness, and the mild creaminess of paneer that makes paneer Manchurian the go-to favourite with Indo-Chinese foodies. It's always the winner at parties or dinners at home.

• 200 gms paneer
• 1/2 cup maida
• Salt
• 6 green chillli
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 4 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• Oil
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ajinamoto

• Slice 200 gms of paneer in triangular shapes. You may also cut the paneer in cubes, but triangular shapes give a more restaurant-like feel.
• The flat surface of the paneer will absorb the flavours of the marinade and sauce later.
• Add 2 Tsp of salt and 3-4 Tsp of ginger-garlic paste to the paneer pieces. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes. This allows the paneer to soak up the salt as well as the ginger-garlic paste, making it taste better. Even before frying, marination will give the paneer rich flavours.
• Mix, in a bowl, half a cup of cornflour and half a cup of all-purpose flour. These two flours aid in developing a crispy layer on the paneer.
• Add 3Tsps of egg white, which gives the batter a light crispy texture, and 3-4Tsps of ginger-garlic paste for extra flavour. Add salt to taste.
• Add water gradually to the mixture of flour, stirring constantly until you get a smooth lump-free batter. The batter should coat the paneer evenly. However, it should not be runny and thick enough to stick well to the paneer. That is where the key consistency kicks in, ensuring that once fried, the paneer acquires the crispy outer layer.
• Dip every piece of paneer, marinated into the batter in such a way that both sides of the paneer piece are coated quite well. The batter will give a golden crust to the paneer, and from inside, it will be soft and tender.
• In a pan or deep fryer, heat enough oil to fry paneer sufficiently.
• When the oil is enough at about 180 C or 350 F, slide the pieces of paneer coated in batter gently into the oil.
• Fry them until they are golden brown from all sides. That should take about 3-5 minutes for each batch. You may now remove the paneer from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
• In another pan, heat about a tablespoonful of oil over medium heat. Add 5-6 chopped garlic cloves to the pan and fry them till they turn golden brown. The garlic will release flavour deep into the oil, which will give the Manchurian sauce a rich taste.
• Add 6 chopped green chillies to the pan and fry them for about 30 seconds. This will give a lightly spicy touch to the dish. The number of green chillies is optional according to individual preference.
• Now add 3Tsps of soy sauce and 2 chopped spring onions into the pan. The soy sauce brings the flavours of umami; meanwhile, the spring onions add freshness with a slight sweetness. Stir everything up thoroughly to mix the ingredients and let the flavours know each other for a minute or so.
• Pour 2 cups of water into the pan, and bring this mixture to a simmer. This is the base of your Manchurian sauce. As you pour the water into the pan, it deglazes all the flavours of garlic, chillies, and soy sauce that are left behind in the pan.
• Using another very small bowl mix with 3Tsps of cornflour and add in 1/2 cup of water to make a slurry. This will thicken the sauce. Make sure that the cornflour completely dissolves in the water so as not to form lumps.
• Slowly add the corn flour mixture to the sauce while constantly stirring. The sauce should begin to thicken as the corn flour gets cooked.
• Continue to stir until the sauce is just thick enough, so it doesn't run off a spoon but it also doesn't crust to the back of one.
• Season with salt to taste, with an optional 1/4 Tsp of Ajinomoto for that extra oomph of umami flavour and refreshing 3-chopped coriander leaves. Stir everything very well so that seasoning may be able to mix well.
• Finally, this can be served hot with plain steamed rice or fried rice. The crispy paneer with the tart spicy sauce is so irresistible for lunch or dinner and can be presented at any party as a snack.