Sharing an Indo Chinese recipe after a long time. This schezwan paneer is simple, easy and quick to prepare if you have paneer and Schezwan Sauce ready. This is a gravy version and goes very well with veg fried rice or veg noodles. I had made Chinese veg rice, so I made the schezwan paneer to go along with it. This is a spicy recipe as along with schezwan sauce, even green chillies are added. You can control the amount of schezwan sauce or green chilies you want to add and make a less spicy version. Do use a good quality schezwan sauce for the recipe. The final taste and flavor of this recipe depend largely on the schezwan sauce added. You can serve schezwan paneer with burnt garlic fried rice or hakka noodles or 5 spice rice.
How to make Schezwan Paneer
- Firstly mix 3 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch) in 3 teaspoons water thoroughly. Also chop spring onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies and capsicum. Keep aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a wok or a kadai. Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger. Stir fry on a medium heat for a few seconds. No need to brown ginger and garlic.
- Then add ¼ cup chopped spring onions.
- Stir fry on a medium heat for a minute.
- Then add ⅓ cup sliced capsicum.
- Stir fry for a minute.
- Then add 2 to 3 green chillies (sliced or slit) and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Next add 2 tablespoons of schezwan sauce.
- Then add ½ teaspoon soy sauce. 10. Stir and mix very well.
- Season with ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or add as per taste. Mix again.
Making Schezwan Paneer Gravy
- Now add 1 cup of water. You can also add vegetable stock, if you have it. For a slightly thicker gravy, you can add less water. Stir and mix very well. 13. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. You can also add sugar as required.
- Season with salt as per taste and mix again.
- On a medium heat bring the gravy or sauce to a boil.
- Lower the heat and then add the prepared cornflour (cornstarch) slurry. Mix the cornflour slurry very well before adding as the cornstarch settles below.
- Quickly stir the gravy or sauce, so that no lumps are formed.
- Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat until the gravy or sauce thickens. There should be no raw taste of cornstarch felt in the sauce.
- Then add paneer cubes. I recommend using homemade soft Paneer.
- Mix well and then switch off the heat. Avoid overcooking paneer as it becomes dense and chewy.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion greens. You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves if you prefer.
- Lastly add ½ to 1 teaspoon sweet rice wine. If you do not have it, then skip adding it. You can also add rice vinegar.
- Serve schezwan paneer hot or warm with veg fried rice or veg noodles or burnt garlic fried rice. For a unique meal you can also choose to pair it with phulka or plain paratha or dinner rolls or bread. If you are looking for more Indo Chinese recipes then do check:
Chilli paneer Paneer manchurian Chilli mushroom Veg manchurian Gobi manchurian
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This recipe post from the archives first published in December 2016 has been republished and updated on 22 June 2022.