Paneer Chilli
Fire meets creamy softness
Get directions ↗ · 2 min walk from Grand Mercure
Last orders 30 minutes before closing
Dine-in · takeaway · delivery via GrabFood and LINE MAN
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paneer Chilli served dry or with gravy?
You can choose between a dry version for an appetizer or a gravy version to pair with rice or noodles.
Does this dish contain MSG?
We prepare our Indo-Chinese dishes without added MSG for a cleaner dining experience.
Can you make it less spicy?
Yes, we can reduce the amount of fresh green chilies and chili sauce upon request.
Are the paneer cubes crispy?
The paneer has a lightly fried coating that absorbs the sauce, making it slightly crispy on the edges but soft overall.
What is the best pairing for the gravy version?
It goes very well with Veg Fried Rice or Hakka Noodles.
About Paneer Chilli
Paneer Chilli sounds like it should belong to either an Indian or a Chinese kitchen, but it really belongs to neither. It is Indo-Chinese: a hybrid style created by the Hakka Chinese community that settled in Kolkata, who cooked Chinese technique with the ingredients and palate of India. The result became its own cuisine, distinct from both parents, and this dish is one of its staples. At BHARAT in Huai Khwang the paneer is set fresh in our kitchen every day rather than bought vacuum-packed, which is why the cubes hold their shape on the wok instead of crumbling. We dredge them in cornflour, fry them, then toss everything in a screaming-hot wok with onion, capsicum, green chilli, soy, and a little vinegar. The soy is made in-house, and the kitchen is halal-friendly with no pork anywhere on the premises. Our chef comes from Uttarakhand, and he can dial the chilli up or down for you. What sets this apart from Manchurian is the sauce and the cut: here you get distinct cubes in a clinging soy-chilli-capsicum glaze, sharp and slightly tangy, with the capsicum and onion still holding a bite, rather than fried balls in a thick garlicky gravy. The fried coating stays slightly crisp at the edges while soaking up sauce, so the paneer is soft inside. You can order it dry, which makes it a starter to pick at before the meal, or wet with gravy, which turns it into something to spoon over fried rice or fork up alongside noodles. Tell the server which version you want when you order.
Best ordered fresh — call ahead if you are coming straight after work. Visit BHARAT →
See also: the Chinese menu · best paneer in Bangkok · Indian vegetarian food in Bangkok · paneer tikka from the tandoor.