Meatless Monday: Paneer Manchurian

Ingredients

For the Manchurian base:

1 block of paneer (or tofu), cubed

1 diced chili pepper

1 diced spring onion

1 tsp Soy sauce

2 tsp tomato sauce

2 tsp chopped ginger

2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 tsp chili sauce

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 to 2 tsp cornflour
2 tsp oil

1 tbsp water

For the Paneer Marinade:

1 tsp ginger garlic paste or finely chopped ginger-garlic

1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp crushed red chillies or red chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cornflour

Directions

Method for the Manchurian base recipe:

In a pan or wok, heat oil. When the oil becomes hot add the onions. Stir fry the onions on medium to high heat taking care that they do not get burnt. If they heat is too much, then lower the heat and stir fry.

Stir fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the capsicum. Stir fry the capsicum also for 2-3 mins. Add the chopped ginger-garlic. Stir fry for a minute. Now add all the sauces and pepper powder.

For the Dry Paneer Manchurian Recipe:
If you want the paneer manchurian recipe to be to be dry, then do not add any water. Just add the sauces and pepper powder. Stir well. Add the fried paneer pieces. Mix the paneer pieces with the veggies and serve the dry paneer manchurian hot.

For the Paneer Manchurian Gravy Recipe:

For the gravy, you can use 1 tbsp water as I did not want much gravy. If you want more gravy, you could add 1 tbsp or more of water to the stir fried veggies.

Now, in a small bowl, make a paste of cornflour with little water. Add this cornflour paste to the veggies. Simmer for a 3-4 minutes as the cornflour has to cook. Add salt.
Now finally add the paneer pieces to the gravy. Garnish with chopped spring onions.
Serve with Chinese Veg Fried Rice. Paneer Manchurian also goes well with Indian Tandoor Rotis or Naans and even Homemade Indian Chapatis or Parathas. You could also have it with simple plain cooked rice.

Note:
Add the cornflour paste slowly and keep on stirring while adding it so that lumps are not formed.
If you like to have more gravy, you will obviously use more water. So in proportion you will have to increase the cornflour paste.
The cornflour is added to thicken the gravy. If the gravy becomes too thick, then you can thin it by adding little water.

Source: vegrecipesofindia.com