Paneer in Manchurian sauce

This is a quintessential dish in any Indo-Chinese restaurant and one of the most ordered dishes on the menu.

The history of Indo-Chinese food dates back to the 1970s and 80s, when the renowned chef Nelson Wang was credited with creating this unique cuisine, a fusion of Indian and Chinese flavours. Amongst the many dishes he created, Manchurian sauce is one of the most popular. As the rumour goes, he was working at the Cricket Club of India when a customer asked him to create a new dish for dinner. Chef Wang prepared Chicken Manchurian by coating chicken in cornstarch, adding garlic and Soy sauce, and then cooking it with Indian spices, including onions, chillies, and other spices. The dish became a hit, and his cuisine was quickly adopted. This led to the famed China Garden franchise that became popular in Mumbai.

There are numerous versions of this dish; paneer is the most common, followed by cauliflower Manchurian. But there are a few other versions also available, like potato. You can substitute the main ingredients, but the sauce remains the same.

This dish is available in two styles: the more popular dry version, which features a concentrated sauce for a stronger flavour, and the slightly milder gravy version.

This version is a more delicate version of the dish. I have cooked this dish numerous times at various restaurants and am aware of the many added ingredients that they add to make this dish look dark in colour and taste strong. Many of these products contain harsh chemicals and preservatives, such as the seasoning powders, dark soy sauce, and other additives. This is a cleaner version of the dish. I use dark Kikkoman because of how clean it is, without preservatives, and the MSG, although added, is optional. Hope you enjoy this lighter version, but with the traditional taste we are all used to.

This recipe is from the Queen of Indian cuisine, Tarla Dalal. She has published numerous cookbooks over time, adapting to changing trends and tastes. This recipe is from an old Gujarati cookbook that is packed with all the classics.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 + 2 tablespoons oil

12 oz. paneer, cubed into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon corn flour

3 tablespoons water

2-3 green chillies, chopped or to taste

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon Ajinomoto or MSG (optional)

3 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sambal oelek

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cilantro, minced

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the paneer and fry on medium heat until the paneer is deeply coloured on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

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Mix the cornflour with the water to make a smooth paste.

Heat the oil in a pot and add the chillies, garlic, and ginger. Fry for 1 minute until the ginger is cooked and aromatic. Add the MSG, if using it and toss it well.

Add the cornflour sauce and cook for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add the soy sauce, sambal oelek and sugar and cook for 2 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Add the paneer and toss well in the sauce. You want the sauce to be a bit runny. Taste for spice and salt.

Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro.