Garlic Paneer
Garlic Paneer is a quick, delicious and easy Paneer appetizer made with Indian Cheese, garlic, red chilies and spices. This 15 mins paneer starter is going to be your new favorite & I am sure you will turn back to it time & again, just like the way we do. Garlic Paneer is super flavorful, spicy, hot and delicious enough to serve as a starter or side in your meal. Feel free to use it in your kathi rolls, wraps, burgers & sandwiches.
About Garlic Paneer
Indo-Chinese Garlic Paneer is an item you will find often on the restaurant menus. But that’s a completely different version where paneer is deep fried like it is done for Chili Paneer and Paneer Manchurian. It is later tossed in a sweet spicy and pungent garlicky sauce.
My version of Garlic Paneer is made healthier by simply tossing the paneer in a wok or pan. But let me tell you the sauce is going to tickle your taste buds & you may turn out to be obsessed with this homemade garlic sauce, like me.
This recipe is adapted from our family favorite – Garlic Chicken. I end up making so many dishes with this sauce like Garlic Mushrooms, Garlic prawns, Garlic Noodles and even Garlic rice.
Homemade Sauce
Homemade garlic sauce forms the base of this dish and it is made with fresh garlic, red chilies, salt, vinegar and sugar. We simply blend the ingredients in a spice grinder to a coarse paste and toss it in hot oil. Later paneer is tossed in this. How simple right?
Sometimes, I make a giant garlic paneer sandwich with French baguette. Simply use some hung curd/ strained yogurt to spread, place a lettuce, add garlic paneer, and load with some fresh onions, tomatoes & grated carrots. I have a similar sandwich recipe made with mushrooms – Mushroom Sandwich.
Garlic paneer is a dry dish but it still goes well as a side with Hakka Noodles, Fried rice or Egg Fried noodles. It can also be served simply as a side with any meal.
How to Make Garlic Paneer
Prepare Sauce
1. Add 6 large garlic cloves, 5 to 6 deseeded dried red chilies (optionally soaked for 15 mins), 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider) to a blender jar. Make sure your garlic isn’t sprouted else your sauce is likely to taste bitter. To check slice each clove to 2 parts and check inside. If you do not like red chilli seeds, please deseed and use.
2. Add 2 tbsp. water and blend to a smooth or coarse paste to suit your liking.
Make Garlic Paneer
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. You can skip cumin and add a single small strand of mace as well. Add half cup finely chopped onions. You can skip onions and use spring onions.
4. Saute until lightly golden. You can also add capsicum if you want and saute for a while.
5. Add the ground paste.
6. Saute on a medium flame until the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan or begins to release oil begins. There is not much oil used but still you can make out when the sauce is ready. It turns fragrant. But do not overcook, garlic turns bitter.
7. Taste test and adjust salt and vinegar. If you want you may add 1 teaspoon soya sauce. Add 1 ¼ cup diced paneer and toss gently to coat the mixture. If the sauce is too thick for you to coat the paneer, splash some water.
8. Saute for just 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. It just takes one to 2 minutes.