dry paneer manchurian recipe with step by step photos – popular and tasty indo chinese snack of pan fried paneer cubes coated with a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce.

making dry paneer manchurian is easy and just about takes 30 minutes. since you don’t need to chop many veggies unlike some other indo chinese recipes. this recipe can also be made with tofu instead of paneer.

i have already shared paneer manchurian gravy recipe. few more manchurian recipes on the blog are:

• gobi manchurian
• mushroom manchurian
• baby corn manchurian
• veg manchurian recipe.

in this recipe, i have pan fried the paneer cubes, instead of shallow or deep frying. for a crisp version, you will need to shallow or deep fry the paneer cubes. however as a healthier option, its best to pan fry the paneer cubes for making this dish.

paneer manchurian dry can be served as a starter snack. you don’t need any any other dip or accompaniment to go along with this dish. since the sweet-tangy sauce, coats the paneer cubes very well.

if you are looking for more indo chinese recipes then do check:

• fried rice
• spring rolls
• hakka noodles
• schezwan fried rice
• hot and sour soup

dry paneer manchurian recipe

4.67 from 15 votes

Prep Time:5 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:30 mins

paneer manchurian dry is pan fried paneer or cottage cheese cubes in a spicy, tangy and sweet sauce. a popular indo chinese starter recipe.

Course:starters

Cuisine:indo chinese

Servings:2 to 3

Calories:624kcal

Author:Dassana Amit

INGREDIENTS FOR dry paneer manchurian recipe

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

for frying paneer

• 250 grams paneer (cottage cheese) OR 8 to 9 ounces paneer
• 2 tablespoon corn starch
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder OR ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
• 3 tablespoon oil

for paneer manchurian sauce

• 1.5 to 2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce or add as required
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider or regular vinegar
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder OR ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup water
• ⅓ cup onions or spring onion whites diced into 1 inch squares
• ½ cup capsicum diced into 1 inch squares. any color capsicum - red, green or yellow (bell peppers or shimla mirch)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger (adrak)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (lahsun)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies (hari mirch)
• 1 to 2 teaspoon finely chopped celery - optional
• salt as required

HOW TO MAKE dry paneer manchurian recipe

preparation for dry paneer manchurian

• first chop the onions and bell pepper into 1 inch squares. finely chop the ginger, garlic, green chilies and celery. keep aside. 
• skip celery, if you don't get it. you can also use spring onion/scallions instead of onions. red or green or yellow bell pepper/capsicum can be added.
• then dice paneer in cubes. pat dry them with a clean kitchen towel. then add them to a mixing bowl.
• add 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp corn starch.
• gently shake, toss and mix. everything should be well mixed. you could also mix the corn starch and the spice powders first and then add the paneer cubes to it.

pan frying paneer

• heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan or kadai or wok.
• add the paneer cubes. the oil should be medium hot. if the pan or wok is small, you will have to fry the paneer in batches.
• flip and pan fry so that all the sides get cooked evenly. for a crisp version, you will need to shallow fry or deep fry the paneer cubes.
• pan fry till the paneer cubes are light golden. 
• don't fry for a longer period of time as the paneer cubes might become dense. use good quality and fresh paneer. homemade paneer is the best.
• drain the pan fried paneer cubes on kitchen paper towel.

making paneer manchurian dry

• in the same pan in which the paneer cubes were pan fried, add the chopped onions, capsicum, ginger, green chilies, garlic and celery. stir well.
• whilst the veggies are getting stir fried, in the same bowl in which the paneer cubes were mixed, there will be leftover corn starch & spice powder mixture. 
• you will only get this dry mixture if the paneer cubes were dry. 
• if the paneer cubes were moist, then you will need to make a separate corn starch paste. dissolve 1 tbsp corn starch with 3 tbsp water.
• add 1/4 cup water and make a paste of the remaining corn starch & spice powder mixture.
• meanwhile, on a medium flame stir fry the veggies till the bell peppers are half cooked.
• add 1/2 tbsp soy sauce. add tomato ketchup. about 1.5 tbsp tomato ketchup is just sweet. 
• for an extra sweetness, 2 tbsp tomato ketchup needs to be added. stir. you can also add about ½ tsp of sugar.
• then season with salt, red chili powder and black pepper. 
• add less salt as both soy sauce, tomato sauce and the corn starch paste we made, already has salt in them.
• add the corn starch paste. stir well and allow to simmer on a medium flame till the sauce thickens. about 1 to 2 minutes.
• once the paneer manchurian sauce has thickened, then add the pan fried paneer cubes.
• stir again very well so that the sauce coats the paneer cubes evenly.
• lastly add rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar.
• stir. check the taste paneer manchurian and add more salt, soy sauce, vinegar or black pepper if required.
• serve dry paneer manchurian hot garnished with celery or some spring onion greens. you can also garnish paneer manchurian with chopped coriander leaves or parsley.

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preparation for dry paneer manchurian recipe

1. first chop the onions and bell pepper into 1 inch squares. finely chop the ginger, garlic, green chilies and celery. keep aside. skip celery, if you don’t get it. you can also use spring onion/scallions instead of onions. red or green or yellow bell pepper (capsicum) can be added.

2. then dice paneer in cubes. pat dry them with a clean kitchen towel. then add them to a mixing bowl.

3. add ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp black pepper powder, ½ salt and 2 tbsp corn starch.

4. gently shake, toss and mix. everything should be well mixed. you could also mix the corn starch and the spice powders first and then add the paneer cubes to it.

5. heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan or kadai or wok.

6. add the paneer cubes. the oil should be medium hot. if the pan or wok is small, you will have to fry the paneer in batches.

7. flip and pan fry so that all the sides get cooked evenly. for a crisp version, you will need to shallow fry or deep fry the paneer cubes.

8. pan fry till the paneer cubes are light golden. don’t fry for a longer period of time as the paneer cubes might become dense. use good quality and fresh paneer. homemade paneer is the best.

9. drain the pan fried paneer cubes on kitchen paper towel.

making paneer manchurian dry

10. in the same pan in which the paneer cubes were pan fried, add the chopped onions, bell peppers, ginger, green chilies, garlic and celery.

11. stir well.

12. whilst the veggies are getting stir fried, in the same bowl in which the paneer cubes were mixed, there will be leftover corn starch & spice powder mixture.

13. add ¼ cup water to this leftover corn starch & spice mixture. make a smooth paste. you will only get the above dry mixture if the paneer cubes were dry. if the paneer cubes are moist, then you will need to make a separate corn starch paste. for this, dissolve 1 tbsp corn starch with 3 tbsp water.

14. meanwhile, on a medium flame stir fry the veggies till the bell peppers are half cooked.

15. add ½ tbsp soy sauce.

16. add tomato ketchup. about 1½ tbsp tomato ketchup is just sweet. for an extra sweetness, 2 tbsp tomato ketchup needs to be added.

17. stir.

18. then season with salt, red chili powder and black pepper. add less salt as both soy sauce, tomato ketchup and the above corn starch paste we made, already has salt in them. you can also add about ½ tsp of sugar.

19. add the corn starch paste.

20. stir well and allow to simmer on a medium flame till the sauce thickens. about 1 to 2 minutes.

21. once the paneer manchurian sauce has thickened, then add the pan fried paneer cubes.

22. stir again very well so that the sauce coats the paneer cubes evenly.

23. lastly add ½ tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar.

24. stir. check the taste of paneer manchurian and add more salt, soy sauce, vinegar or black pepper if required.

25. serve dry paneer manchurian hot garnished with celery or some spring onion greens. you can also garnish paneer manchurian with chopped coriander leaves or parsley. for more delicious paneer recipes, you can check this collection of 85 paneer recipes.