Make this Quick and Tasty Paneer-Capsicum Stir-fry when you want something fast. It is Perfect for pairing with Naan or Pita , or with Tortillas -soft taco style! Or, hey… just grab a fork and dig in … just by itself!
Make it fast!
With store-bought Paneer and a bit of planning, you should be ready to eat this in 15-20 min! No kidding. Of course, if the Paneer is frozen, you may need a few extra minutes to thaw it. Just put it in the microwave on the defrost setting (30% power), for a few min. You can start prepping other things while the Paneer thaws – cutting/chopping onions, tomatoes and Capsicum (green bell pepper). These mild peppers are known by different names in different parts of India – Simla Mirchi (‘Sim-laa’, ‘Mir’-, as in Mirror: ‘Mir–Chee’) in Hindi; Bhoplee Mirchi (‘Bhop (as in Hope: ‘Bhop-lee’, ‘Mir–Chee’) in Marathi.
I like to brown the Paneer a little – I think it really enhances the flavor and texture, but of courses that is my personal preference. If you prefer white, un-browned Paneer, that’s totally fine … obviously, YOU must decide how you want it! Paneer, as a dairy product, provides all the nine essential amino acids we need from our diet. Onions and peppers enhance its mild and somewhat bland flavor, and how can you possibly go wrong by adding tomatoes into this mix? The colors, textures and flavors of all the ingredients complement each other so very well. A few basic seasonings and voila! It’s done!
How to serve it up?
So, what do you think might be a quick and easy way to serve up this tasty Paneer-Capsicum Stir-fry? Let’s see, the fastest might be to wrap it with a Naan, Pita or tortilla. Also, try adding some Chaat Masala and squeezing some lime juice- that will take it up another notch or two! You could also serve it with fresh Chapatis or Parathas, along with a Raita, perhaps. By the way,…here’s another idea – use this for making a lovely layered Biryani ,..! That of course, will take a bit longer than 15-20 min, but not a whole lot longer if you happen to have some leftover rice on hand.
Since Paneer is a dairy product, this is obviously not a vegan recipe. If you have a lactose-intolerance, perhaps you can make the Paneer yourself with lactose-free milk. I have given basic instructions fro making Paneer in Recipe Notes.
swap with Tofu? sure, just marinate it first
For a fully plant-based alternative, if you don’t need to be soy-free, swapping the Paneer with extra-firm Tofu would work well. Tofu is one of the few plant-based sources of complete protein, i.e, it provides all the essential amino acids we need. If you wish to do so, I highly recommend that you marinate the Tofu at least overnight with salt, spices and a little vinegar or citric acid. I have given detailed directions for doing so with a simple marinade that works quite nicely. Obviously, the taste and texture will be different from Paneer, but it will still taste delicious. Overnight marinating does, of course, entail advance planning; so, if you decide to make this dish on the fly, you certainly could use plain Tofu, straight up. My guess is, though, that once you’ve tasted the marinated tofu, there’s no going back – period!
As written, the recipe is nut-free, gluten-free and soy-free. Hope you make it and enjoy having it with your friends and family!
Enjoy!
Quick and Tasty Paneer-Capsicum Stir-Fry
Equipment
- No special equipment needed; except if Paneer is frozen. Need a microwave oven for fast thawing of Paneer. If microwave is not available, thaw frozen Paneer in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- A non-stick frying pan is preferred but not essential. if not available, a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan is suitable.
- Air-Fryer Optional: for browning the Paneer or Tofu. You can also do this in a toaster oven, with the broil setting.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cubed Paneer if frozen, must be thawed first.
- 1/2 cup onions; sliced lengthwise, medium thick, then cut sideways to give 3/4 inch long pieces white/yellow preferred; red OK, but will impact the color of the final dish
- 75 g Capsicum (green bell pepper) : de-seeded and sliced, medium thick, lengthwise, then across, if the pepper is too big, to give 2 – 2 1/2 inch long pieces (about 1 cup) also called Simla Mirchi in Hindi, Bhoplee Mirchi in Marathi
- 1/2 cup tomatoes: sliced lengthwise, then across, to give 1 inch long pieces about 1 medium Roma tomato
- 2 tsp oil divided (1 tsp + 1 tsp) peanut oil preferred; canola or other edible oil OK too. Note: Do not use olive oil for frying the Paneer.
Spice Mixture
- 3/8 tsp Salt adjust later as per taste preference
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust as per taste preference
- 1 tsp cumin powder
Garnish
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro)- chopped
- 1 piece lemon/lime- cut into wedges
Instructions
- Cut the Paneer into cubes, If previously frozen, place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. This has a tendency to splatter when frying the Paneer.
- Heat 1 tsp oil on an 8 inch non-stick frying pan, medium heat. Add the Paneer pieces- do not crowd the pieces – if they touch, they tend to get stuck to each other! Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 min on medium heat.
- Flip the Paneer pieces. continue to cook and flip as needed to brown all sides. Remove from the pan, to a plate. Cover and set aside.
- While the Paneer is browning, prepare the spice mixture: mix together the salt, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Also cut the onions, bell peppers and tomatoes.
- When Paneer is done, add the reserved 1 tsp oil to the pan. Add the onions and saute for about 1 min on medium heat.
- Arrange the capsicum slices on top of the onions. Divide the spice mixtue into 2 portions. Sprinkle 1 portion evenly over the capsicum. Do NOT mix.
- Arrange the tomato slices over the capsicum. Do NOT mix.
- Arrange the fried Paneer over the tomatoes. Splash 1/4 cup water all around. Sprinkle the remaining spice mixture over the Paneer. Do NOT mix.Note: If using Tofu instead of Paneer, arrange the prepared Tofu – see below for detailed directions for prepping the Tofu. Ideally, begin the marinating process the night before.
- Cover and cook on medium-high for 4-5 min. Lower heat to the lowest setting and continue to heat for 2-3 min. Turn heat off. Let rest for 1-2 min to allow steam to be absorbed.
- Remove cover: the Paneer (or Tofu) will look plump and fluffy.Gently stir and serve immediately, garnished with cilantro (optional) and a lime/lemon wedge.
- Serve with Naan/Pita for building a wrap or with tortillas for soft tacos. Or, serve alongside any Indian meal, with Roti/Paratha, and maybe a Raita. Put out some Chaat Masala too.Enjoy!
Prepping the Tofu – if swapping out the Paneer: Allow at least 8-12 hours for the marinade to work its magic. See Recipe Notes for Do-ahead tips.
- Cut the tofu into cubes. Use half the container (14 oz/ 400 g) for this recipe. Drain excess liquid from the tofu by placing on absorbent paper towels for about 10 min.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinade: Mix together the following: 1/8 tsp citric acid, 1/8 tsp Cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder(cayenne), 1/2 tsp salt; 3 tbsp water, 1 tsp oil.
- Place about 1 tbsp marinade at the bottom of a flat-bottomed, shallow glass container – do not use plastic.
- Dip each cube into the marinade and place in the container, arranging pieces close together. Cover and set aside overnight (refrigerator preferred, setting on the counter is OK if the weather is cool.
- Heat an 8 inch frying pan. Carefully place about half the marinated tofu pieces in a single layer on the pan. A little liquid will get transferred- that is OK. Air-Fryer: If you wish, you may brown the marinated tofu in an air-fryer. I recommend lining the air-fryer tray with parchment, for easier clean-up, before placing the marinated tofu pieces on it. Since there are many types of Air-Fryers, you will need to tinker with the best temp/time for yours. My suggestion: 375 F for 10-12 min. Adjust as needed for good browning. Note: Excessive browning will make the tofu too dry and/or chewy.
- Cover and cook on medium heat – 5-7 min. Remove cover, After a couple of minutes, flip the pieces with a small spatula – they should look a little browned. Continue to cook on medium heat, turning the pieces to brown on all sides.
- Transfer fried pieces to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of marinated tofu. Save the marinade.When they are almost done, put the first batch of fried tofu back into the pan, drizzle the leftover marinade over the top. Continue to heat for about 30 seconds, then coverand turn heat off. In a little while almost all the liquid will be absorbed by the fried tofu. It is ready to be used in the Stir-Fry.
- This Tofu prep is suitable for a do-ahead: store prepared Tofu in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. See Recipe Notes.
Notes
- This is NOT suitable for a do-ahead prep. The Paneer will likely become hard and chewy.
- Paneer has a tendency to become hard and chewy as it cools, so this dish will taste best immediately after it is made.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator: try to use up in 2-3 days.
- Freezer storage is NOT recommended: freezing will destroy the texture of the onions and bell peppers.
- The directions given for marinating and browning the Tofu are suitable for a do-ahead prep,, all the way through frying the Tofu and letting it steep in the leftover marinade. You can do this up to 2 days in advance. Then, when you want to make the Stir-Fry, the dish will be ready in about 20 min.
Looks really tasty and easy to make
Make it! Send me pics!
hmm yummy, addition of sm garlic also tastes wonderful ?
Yes, I agree… but many folks don’t like garlic, so I decided to leave it out of this very basic recipe. Of course, you can add several other things to it too, like a bit of ginger, Garam Masala, maybe even some Soy sauce…
I would highly recommend trying this recipe as it was super easy to follow along with and the end product was delicious! I’ll definitely be making this again soon.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Aaon. Thanks for the review.
I love this recipe, greatly enjoyed by my family in Mexico.
I love it too, I’m so glad your family enjoyed it too. Is it easy to get Paneer in Mexico or did you make fresh Paneer? It’s fairly easy to make at home from milk – I plan to post directions for that soon.
Loved this recipe. 10/10
Tried this at home and absolutely devoured it.
Nice! So glad you enjoyed both making it and devouring it, Shiv! Hope you try some more recipes I’ve posted. Would love to know how they turn out for you!.