Start your Diwali festivities with this Chilli & Basil Paneer and experience your palates
flooded with delectable textures and flavours!
A great source for vegetarian protein, this recipe is best served as an appetiser and has an
unflinching flair to jazz up any party. A pleasant twist to the ubiquitous Chili Paneer, this
concoction is marinated in Schezuan sauce and topped with crispy fried basil for that
distinctive zingy flavour! A sure shot rage no matter who’s on your guest list!!!
| Course | Appetizer |
| Servings | 4 – 5 persons |
| Prep time | 10 min |
| Cook time | 10 min. |
Ingredients for Chili Paneer( 1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
|
|
| 250 grams | Paneer (Cottage cheese) |
| 3 tbsp | Schezuan paste (chings brand) or home-made chilli garlic paste.- Recipe link |
| Oil | For grilling purposes |
| Salt | To taste |
Ingredients for the Basil Topping
( 1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml) |
|
| 2-3 tbsp | Olive Oil |
| 2 tbsp | Finely chopped garlic |
| 1-2 tbsp | Red chilli flakes (spice level to be adjusted as per your taste) |
| 2 tbsp | Basil leaves, sliced thinly |
| A pinch | Of salt |
| A few | Basil leaves fried |
Instructions Chili Paneer: |
|
| 1. | Cut the paneer into rectangular slices as shown in the image (1” x 2”) |
| 2. | Marinate the paneer with schezuan chilli paste and keep aside for ½ hour. |
| 3. | Heat a grill pan with oil and grill the marinated paneer slices. |
| 4. | Serve warm with the topping |
Instructions for Topping: |
|
| 1. | Heat the olive oil, sauté the garlic until the raw smell disappears. Be careful not to brown the garlic or make it crisp. |
| 2. | Add the chilli flakes and salt to the garlic mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add in the basil leaves and cook. Keep mix aside. |
| 3. | Take a few basil leaves chopped and fry them in hot oil separately. |
| 4. | Top grilled paneer slices with garlic-chilli mixture. Garnish with crispy fried basil and serve immediately. |
Note: Please serve the paneer warm along with the hot topping immediately…
