Paneer Manchurian Dry - Restaurant Style

Paneer Manchurian Dry Restaurant Style

Ingredients
Paneer cubes - 2 cups
Diced onion - 1 no
Minced onion - 1 no
Diced capsicum - 1 no
Minced ginger - 1" piece
Minced garlic - 3 cloves
Soy sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato sauce - 1 tsp
Red chilli paste - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - 1/4 tsp
Cornflour - 4 tbsp
Maida / All purpose flour - 1 tsp
White pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil required
Chopped spring onions to garnish.

Paneer Manchurian

Method
1. In a bowl combine cornflour, maida, white pepper and 1/4 tsp salt, mix well. Add paneer cubes to this flour mixture and coat well. Deep fry the flour coated paneer pieces in hot oil until golden browned. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add diced onion and capsicum. Quickly stir fry on high heat until onion and capsicum retain its crunchiness and set aside.
3. In the same pan heat 2 tsp oil, add minced onion, garlic and ginger, quickly stir fry for a second.
4. Add soy sauce, red chilli paste, tomato sauce, ajinomoto, required salt and sprinkle tsp of water to the pan and stir well.
5. Add the deep fried paneer pieces to the pan and toss well to coat the sauce. Toss paneer manchurian until dry.
Garnish with chopped spring onion greens and serve.

Manchurian Dry

Crispy Chilli Vegetable Recipe

Crispy chilli vegetable aka crispy fried vegetable is served at one of the popular Indian Chinese restaurants in Chennai. The light crispy batter on the vegetables and hot chilli sauce coating makes this dish a flavorful tongue tickling appetizer or a dry side dish.

Crispy chilli vegetables chinese style 

Ingredients

Mixed vegetables - 1 cup( preferably all veggies to be diced or cut into squares)*

Cornflour - 1/4 cup

Rice flour - 1/4 cup

Maida / all purpose flour - 2 tbsp

Baking soda- little

Salt- 1/4 tsp

White pepper- 1 tsp

Water few tbsp

Oil to deep fry

Spring onion green parts chopped- few tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Spicy Chilli paste to grind

Whole dry red chilli- 5 nos

Garlic - 3 cloves

Vinegar - 1/4 tsp

Salt - few pinch

Ajinomoto - few pinch( optional)

To garnish
Chopped spring onion whites - 2 tbsp
Chopped spring onion greens - 2 tbsp
Minced garlic - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp 

Crispy fried vegetables

Method

First prepare the spicy chilli paste -

soak the red chilli and garlic in few tbsp hot water until they become soft. Grind the soaked red chilli and garlic along with vinegar, salt and ajinomoto to fine paste.

Heat oil in a deep pan to deep fry. Meanwhile in a bowl add mixed vegetables, corn flour, rice flour, maida, salt, white pepper and few pinch of baking soda. Mix well the veggies, adding few tbsp water at a time until light batter is coated on veggies. Sprinkle and add batter coated veggies to hot oil so each veggie cooks separate, deep fry the veggies until golden brown and crispy. Drain fried vegetables from oil and place on oil absorbent papper towel.

In a wok / pan heat 2 tbsp oil, on low heat add the ground spicy chilli paste to the pan and stir fry for 2 mins. Once the chilli paste is cooked add chopped spring onion whites, greens and garlic to the pan, saute for a minute. Now add deep fried vegetables to the pan and toss quickly the veggies with chilli paste.

Remove crispy fried vegetables to a plate and serve immediately as appetizer or dry sidedish.

Deep Fried Vegetables Chinese Restaurant Style

Gobi Chettinad/ Cauliflower Chettinad Recipe

This yet another delicious dish from my chettinad kitchen. This restaurant style Chettinad Gobi recipe goes well with pulao, roti or with steamed rice.

Gobi Chettinad

Ingredients

Cauliflower medium-1 no

Onion large sliced-2 nos

Tomato medium chopped-2 nos

Garlic cloves sliced-2 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp

Curry leaves and coriander leaves- few

Fennel seeds-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Oil required 

Salt to taste

Masala paste

(Roast and grind below ingredients to fine 

paste with few tbsp water)

Whole dry red chilli-7 nos

Fennel seeds/ Sombu-2 tbsp

Cumin seeds/ Jeera-1 tbsp

Grated fresh coconut-3 tbsp

Cinnamon-1" stick

Cardamom-2 nos

Cloves-4 nos

Cauliflower Chettinad

Method

Separate cauliflower into florets, boil in hot water, cook until firm or for 3 mins, drain the florets and allow to cool. Grind the masala paste and set aside. Heat oil in a pan when hot add the fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Now add the chopped onion and garlic, fry for few secs. Add the ground masala paste, turmeric powder and required salt. Fry the masala 

paste on low heat until oil seprates on sides of pan. Next add 1/4 water to the pan 

and bring the gravy to boil. When the gravy slightly thickness add the boiled cauliflower and mix well so the masala coats well on the cauliflower and cook till semi dry. Finally garnish with curry and coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

Either cauliflower florets can be boiled or deep fried before adding to the gravy.

I have used Kashmiri red chilli instead of whole dry chilli this recipe to get bright red color. 

If using Kashmiri red chilli, soak chillis in 2 tbsp hot water before grinding.

This Gobi Chettinad is a semi dry dish if more gravy is needed, add more coconut and 1 tbsp roasted kuskus while grinding masala paste.

Chettinad Gobi Fry

Paneer Bhurji/ Paneer Recipes

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients

Paneer-250 gms( crumbled)

Onion medium minced-2 nos

Tomato medium finely chopped-1 no

Green chilly minced-3 nos(+/- to taste)

Ginger minced-1/2" piece

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Coriander leaves chopped-few tbsp

Garam masala-1 tsp( optional)

Salt to taste

Oil-2 tsp

Paneer Side Dish

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add cumin seeds and allow to crackle. Add onion, green chilly and ginger, saute for few minutes. Add paneer and tomato, season with garam masala and required salt. Mix everything and cook well until dry. Finally add chopped coriander and serve hot paneer bhurji with pulkas, roti or with toasted bread.

Paneer Bhurji

Pepper Paneer- Indo Chinese recipe

This is a Restaurant Style Indo Chinese Pepper Paneer recipe. Creamy paneer cubes coated with soy sauce and then tossed with crunchy black pepper and chilli flakes. Serve this delicious Paneer Pepper Fry as starter or with fried rice, noodles or can be used as filling for spring rolls and Frankie.

Pepper Paneer Recipe

Ingredients

Paneer( Indian cottage cheese)- 250 gms

Onion medium( minced)- 2 nos

Onion small( diced and peeled into layers)- 1 no

Green onion/ scallions- 3 nos

Garlic cloves( minced)- 3 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste-1 tsp

Ginger( minced)- 1/2" piece

Dark Soy sauce- 1 tsp

Tomato sauce- 1 tsp

Ajinomoto- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 3 tbsp

Whole red chilli- 3 nos

Black pepper corns- 1 tsp( +/- to taste)

Paneer Pepper Indo Chinese

Method

Cut paneer into tiny cubes. Cut the green parts of spring onions into 1/2" pieces and mince the onion bulbs. Fry both red chilli and black pepper in 1/2 tsp oil until crisp, drain and set aside. Pound both red chilli and black pepper coarsely in a mixer and set aside.

Heat rest of oil in a pan when hot add minced onion, garlic, ginger and minced spring onion bulbs. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for few secs. Add the paneer, tomato sauce, soy sauce, ajinomoto and salt to taste, stir fry paneer for few seconds. Finally add the diced onion peels, coarsely crushed chilli and black pepper to the pan and toss well. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Paneer Pepper Fry

Potato Podimas/ Urulaikizhangu Podimas

Potato Podimas

Ingredients

Potato medium- 4 nos

Onion large( chopped)- 1 no

Green chilly broken- 3 nos

Ginger minced- 1 tsp

Curry leaves few

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Urulaikizhangu Podimas

Method

Boil the potatoes until tender, peel the skin and mash. Add mashed potatoes to a bowl season with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and required salt, mix thoroughly. Heat oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Now add curry leaves, onion, green chilly and ginger. Fry for few seconds until onion turns slightly brown. Add the mashed potatoes to the pan and fry on low heat until the onions are mixed with potatoes and potato are dry and doesn't stick. Serve hot with steamed rice and vathal kuzhambu. Can be also served with poori or chapati as side dish.

Chilli Mushroom

Chilli Mushroom

How to make Chilli Mushroom dry recipe

Ingredients

Button mushroom( cleaned and quartered)- 250 gms

Egg- 1 no( optional)

Cornflour- 3 tbsp

Maida/ All purpose flour- 3 tbsp

Rice flour- 1 tbsp

Baking soda/ Cooking soda- few pinch

White pepper powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp

Ajinomoto- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Water required

Onion minced- 1/2 no

Green chilli minced- 1 no( +/- according to taste)

Ginger minced- 1 tsp

Garlic minced- 1 tsp

Chilli Vinegar- 1/2 tsp

Dark soya sauce- 2 tsp

Spring onions/ Scallion greens( chopped)- few tbsp

Chopped coriander/ cilantro leaves- few tbsp

Oil to deep fry

Chilli Mushroom Dry

Method

In a bowl add 1 egg, white pepper powder, salt, ajinomoto, cooking soda, cornflour, maida and rice flour. Beat all the ingredients well with a beater or a fork and add water if required. Beat until a smooth and lump free batter is formed. Heat oil in pan to deep fry, dip the mushroom pieces in the prepared batter and drop it into the hot oil. Deep fry the mushroom pieces until crisp and transfer the fried mushroom pieces to a plate. Next heat few tbsp oil in a pan, when hot add minced onion, green chilli, garlic and ginger toss well for few sec. Reduce heat and add soy sauce, chilli vinegar and required pepper, salt. Again toss well and add prepared mushroom pieces, increase heat and toss the mushrooms until well coated with sauce. Garnish the chilli mushrooms with chopped spring onion greens, coriander leaves and serve hot. 

Chilly Mushroom Recipe

Mealmaker Fry/ Soya Chunks Varuval

Mealmaker fry

Ingredients

Soya Chunks/ Mealmaker-20 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Fennel seed/ Sombu powder-1 tsp

Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves few

Oil-2 tbsp

Soya Chunks fry

Method

Bring water to boil in a pan, add the soya chunks to the boiling water, cook for a

minute and drain from water, squeeze excess water from the soya chunks and set aside. In a bowl combine ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, black pepper powder and salt. Add 1 tsp water if required and mix well. Add the cooked soya chunks to this masala paste, mix well and marinate the soya chunks for 10 mins. Heat oil in kadai, when hot add curry leaves and marinated soya chunks, fry for couple of minutes in medium heat until the soya chunks are dry and roasted.

Simple version of mealmaker fry

Instead of all the spice powder use 2 tbsp everest meat masala or chicken masala powder and prepare the soya chunks following the same above method.

Mealmaker - Soya Chunks Varuval

Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer

Ingredients

Paneer cubed- 200 gms

Onion finely chopped- 1 no

Tomato finely chopped- 1 no

Capsicum/ Bell pepper diced- 1 no

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Kasoori methi- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon stick- 1"

Cloves- 2 nos

Cardamom- 2 nos

Bay leaf- 1 no

Oil- 3 tbsp

Kadai Masala

Dry roast and coarsely crush following ingredients

Coriander seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Dry red chilli- 2 nos

Paneer Sabji

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf and fry for few secs. Add onion and fry until browned. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for few mins. Now add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are mashed. Add diced Capsicum, crushed kadai masala spices, red chilli powder, lightly crushed kasoori methi leaves and required salt. Add few tsp water to the pan and cook until sauce like consistency is formed. Now add the paneer pieces and cook for few mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Paneer sidedish for chapati

Kathirikai Podi Varuval/ Stuffed Brinjal Fry

Kathrikai Podi Varuval

Ingredients

Purple brinjals/ small eggplants- 8 nos

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Chana dal/ Bengal gram dal- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Oil- 5 tbsp

Podi/ Masala ingredients

Chana dal/ Bengal gram dal- 3 tbsp

Coriander seeds/ Dhaniya- 1 tbsp

Black sesame seeds- 2 tsp

Red dry chilli- 7 nos

Peppercorns- 6 nos

Tamarind- very small piece

Chopped coconut- 1/4 cup

Crispy Brinjal Fry

Method

Dry roast the Podi masala ingredients and grind to coarse powder with less than 1/4 tsp salt. Wash and trim the Brinjal stems and make four slits on the Brinjal without detaching the base. Pat dry the brinjals and stuff the coarsely ground Podi masala powder inside each brinjal, keep the excess Podi masala powder aside. Heat oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds and allow to crackle, add urad dal, chana dal and fry until browned. Now add the curry leaves, stuffed brinjals and 1 tsp salt, fry until the brinjal turns color. Sprinkle some water on brinjal and cover with lid, simmer for 5 mins and cook until brinjals are done. Once brinjals are done add the rest of Podi masala powder and stir fry until the Brinjal are dry and crisp. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambar and Rasam.

Stuffed Brinjal Fry Dry

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Ingredients

Paneer- 200 gms

Capsicum/ Bell pepper medium- 1

Peas- 1 cup

Onion medium chopped- 1

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder- 2 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Cloves- 4

Cardamom- 2

Cinnamon- 1" piece

Oil- 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves- few

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Method

Heat enough oil in a pan. When hot add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds, fry for few seconds. Next add the chopped onions, capsicum, peas and paneer cubes, fry for 2 mins.

Add red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt to the frying vegetables. Sprinkle 2 tbsp water and fry on medium heat until dry. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with pulka, nan or pulao.

Paneer Peas Capsicum Sabzi

Baby Potato Fry Chettinad

Baby Potato Fry Chettinad Style

Ingredients

Baby potatoes- 250 gms

Onion medium( chopped)- 2 nos

Garlic cloves crushed- 4

Curry leaves- few

Kashmiri Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- 2 tbsp

For masala powder

( roast and grind the below ingredients to fine powder)

Pepper corns- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Fennel seeds/ Sombu- 1 tbsp

Chettinad Potato fry

Method

Boil the baby potatoes until tender, peel the skin and set aside.

In a sauce pan heat oil, when oil is hot add the mustard seeds and allow to crackle.

Add the chopped onions, crushed garlic cloves and curry leaves, fry the onions until they turn brown.

Add the red chilli powder, ground masala powder and turmeric powder to the onions, fry for few more mins.

Add 1/4 cup of water to the frying onions and bring the mixture to boil. 

Add the boiled potatoes to the boiling onion mixture and season with salt.

Fry the potatoes on high heat until the water is absorbed and baby potatoes are dry.

Serve hot Chettinad potato fry with Rice or with Rotis.

(Note: I used kashmiri red chilli powder for giving gorgeous color to the recipe, you can also use normal red chilli powder.)

Paneer 65/ Paneer Pakora.

Paneer 65

Ingredients

Paneer/ Indian cottage cheese- 200 gms( cut into bite size cubes)

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

All purpose flour/ Maida- 1 1/2 tbsp

Cornflour/ Cornstarch- 2 tbsp

Lemon juice- 1 tsp( optional)

Red food color- few pinches

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry.

Paneer Pakora

Method

In a bowl add ginger- garlic paste, lemon juice, red chilli powder, food color and required salt and mix well. 

Add the Paneer cubes to the above masala paste, mix well and marinate the Paneer cubes in the masala for 10 mins. 

In another bowl add maida flour, cornflour and pinch of salt, make a smooth batter by adding couple of tbsp of water. 

Add the marinated Paneer cubes to this batter and mix well without breaking the paneer cubes. 

Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry. 

Drip the excess batter out of the Paneer cubes and drop the Paneer cubes into the hot oil carefully. 

Fry the Paneer until golden brown and crisp, drain and place the paneer pakoras on a paper towel. 

Garnish the Paneer 65 with curry leaves and serve hot.

Chilli Paneer/ Chilly Paneer Dry.

Chilli Paneer

Ingredients for fried Paneer.

Paneer cubes- 200 gms

Maida flour/ All purpose flour- 1 tbsp

Cornflour- 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Water- couple of tbsp

Oil to deep fry.

Ingredients for Chilli sauce

Onion medium( diced)- 1 no

Capsicum medium( diced)- 1 no

Garlic cloves( chopped)- 4 nos

Green chilli( sliced)- 2 nos

Curry leaves- few

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder/ Red chilli paste- 1/2 tsp

Red food color- few pinches

Ajinomoto- less than 1/4 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Water- 1 tbsp

Oil- 2 tbsp

Chilly Paneer

Method

In a small bowl add maida flour, cornflour, red chilli powder, salt and water, mix well to get smooth and fine batter. 

Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the Paneer cubes. 

When oil is hot dip each and every Paneer cubes in the batter, drip the excess batter and drop the Paneer cubes into the hot oil carefully. 

Fry the Paneer until golden brown and crisp, drain and place the fried paneer cubes on a paper towel. 

Next heat 2 tbsp oil in another sauce pan when oil is hot add the diced onion, chopped garlic, sliced green chillis, curry leaves and diced capsicum, stir fry for few secs. 

Add the ginger and garlic paste and stir fry until the raw smell leaves. 

Reduce the heat and add red chilli powder, red food color, ajinomoto and salt to the frying onion mixture. 

Add 1 tbsp water to the onion mixture to make a light sauce. 

Increase the heat and add the fried Paneer cubes to the pan, quickly stir fry so that the sauce is well coated on the Paneer cubes and its dry. 

Garnish the Chilli Paneer with chopped green onions( scallions) and serve hot as appetizer or with Fried Rice and Noodles.

Chilly Paneer is suitable sidedish for

Click here for Vegetable Fried Rice recipe

Click here for Chicken Fried Rice recipe

Click here for Chicken Noodles recipe

Kathirikai Murungakai Pattani Poriyal/ Brinjal Drumstick Green peas Poriyal

Ingredinets

Kathrikai/ Brinjal/ Eggplant-6

Drumstick-1

Green peas-1 cup

Onion medium( chopped)-1

Tomato medium( chopped)-1

Grated coconut-2 tbsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Red chilli powdee-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Oil required

Water required

Method

Chop drumstick into 1 inch pieces, chop brinjal into bite size pieces and set aside both. Heat oil in a pan when oil is hot add the mustard seeds and allow to crackel, now add the chopped onion, brinjal, drumstick, green peas and chopped tomato. Saute for few mins and add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and 1/4 cup water. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and cook till the vegetables are cooked and tender. Increase heat, add grated coconut and fry the vegetables until the water is absorbed and dry. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambar and rasam.