Paneer Manchurian
60 Min
GF

Paneer Manchurian

Manchuria is a historic region in northwestern China that has been shaped by Mongol and Chinese culture. How a dish with its distinctive name came to be a staple of Indo-Chinese cuisine and yet does not exist in its home state has been hotly debated. A son of Chinese immigrants in Kolkata is most likely credited to have invented the dish, which is sweet, sour, crispy and spicy and can be made from anything from cauliflower to chicken to paneer. The main ingredient is usually coated in a corn flour dusting and deep fried however here is a version where you do not need to fry the paneer, just roasting it in the oven is sufficient. The accompanying sauce and vegetables give the dish the complexity it needs. You can go low or high on the spice level and enjoy it with rice, noodles, over a bright salad or just on its own. 

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Cook Time

1 Hour

Serves

4

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes and toss with the black pepper and melted butter and spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the paneer is golden brown. Remove and let it cool on the tray.
Step 2
In a large wok or a wide sauté pan, warm the oil. Add the garlic and red onion chunks. Sauté for a minute or two then add the bell peppers and continue cooking
Step 3
When the peppers and onions have wilted slightly, add the green beans, cumin, coriander and ginger. Cook for another minute or two. At this point, do not overcook the vegetables – you want to leave let the beans remain slightly crunchy and bright green in color.
Step 4
Next add the red chile, tomato paste and salt. Cook for another 2 minutes and fold in the cooled roasted paneer.
Step 5
Finally, in a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, orange juice and cornstarch until smooth. Pour this over the paneer and vegetable mix and cook on medium heat until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken. It will appear a little white and pasty but will become translucent as it cooks. Once it has thickened, turn the heat off and let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes. If the mixture thickens too quickly, add a little more orange juice or water. Serve with a sprinkling of cilantro.

1 pound paneer

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons melted butter


3 tablespoons neutral oil like peanut or sesame

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 bell peppers, preferably red or orange, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups green beans or asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons toasted ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 to 2 teaspoons red chile flakes

1 tablespoons tomato paste or 1/3 cup tomato puree

1 teaspoon sea salt


1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch


Cilantro for garnish

Notes & Variations

  • You can buy paneer at all Indian grocery stores, or you can also make it by boiling a gallon of milk and adding 1/2 cup of white vinegar when it comes to a boil and simmering it for a few minutes until it curdles. Let the paneer curds rest in the whey for at least an hour. Strain and compress into a wheel or a block using weights. If the paneer appears to be a little stuck to the pan after baking, use a spatula to remove it.
  • If making cauliflower or chicken Manchurian, roasting it just like the paneer also works. Alternately, you can dip it in a seasoned corn flour slurry and deep fry it.
  • The traditional Manchurian dishes in India tend to be quite sweet – if you want that, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to the soy sauce mixture.
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60 Min
GF

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