Crispy Thread Paneer | Threaded Paneer

Crispy Thread Paneer is a popular appetizer that's a must try when you are ordering or eating Indo Chinese. Paneer pieces are marinated in a spicy mixture, wrapped in cooked noodles and then deep fried till crispy. Looks complicated, but so easy to make.

We love deep fried and crispy around here. There's always room for some appetizers and snacks that produce a loud crunch when you bite into them. Like the veg cutlets and samosas I shared last week. You can hear the crunch from a mile away! Exactly what this recipe for thread paneer has in common with them.

When we were testing this, nobody in the office had even heard of this. I guess its a Bombay thing. But then Bombay has given us several gems. This is definitely one of them!

How to make Thread Paneer + Ingredients

Thread Paneer is incredibly easy to make. You need good quality paneer (if it's old paneer or too tough, the appetizer isn't going to taste very good overall), some noodles and a few simple ingredients for the marinade.

• Paneer: Good quality firm paneer is what you'll need. I wouldn't recommend using malai paneer in this case.
• Noodles: You can use any noodles you have on hand except rice noodles which will behave differently when deep fried and will puff up way too much. I like the Chinese Hand Cut Hakka Noodles from Ban Mein which is available on Amazon (affiliate link). Because the noodles are thin but slightly flat which makes them perfect for rolling. Cook the noodles just till they soften - in this case I cooked them for about 90 seconds - enough to soften them and make them easier to handle while assembling, because we will be deep frying them later

• Marinade: The marinade is a quick and simple marinade thats spicy, sweet and salty. It becomes the flavour base for threaded paneer. Without this, the appetizer would be too plain
• Cornflour: The cornflour in this case is essential to help the marinade stay on the paneer while deep frying. It acts as a barrier between the oil and the marinade, keeps the paneer crisp from the outside and also helps the noodles stick to the paneer.

Assembling Threaded Paneer

1. Dredge: Dredge each paneer piece lightly with cornflour, tapping it lightly after dredging to get rid of excess cornflour
2. Lay Noodles: Lay a small amount of noodles out like a strip on the workstation
3. Place Paneer: Place paneer slice perpendicularly in the middle of the noodle strip on the side
4. Roll: Roll the paneer piece as you go to wrap the noodles around it
5. Set Aside: Repeat with all pieces of paneer and set them aside on the plate

Step by Step

1. Cut Paneer: Cut paneer into long strips approx ½ inch in thickness
2. Marinate: Marinate the paneer for 10-15 minutes in the marinade
3. Cook Noodles: Meanwhile cook the noodles for approx 90-120 secs, just enough to soften them and make them easier to handle but not cook them fully. The cook time will depend on the brand of noodles you use
4. Assemble: Assemble the noodle wrapped paneer (shown above) and set aside
5. Deep Fry: Deep fry the thread paneer in hot oil, a few at a time till golden brown on all sides
6. Serve: Serve hot with your choice of sauce - I love serving these with Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce

This is a really fun appetizer to serve at a party or to make for kids. These look amazing and taste even better - there is no one who can resist biting into crunchy noodles wrapped around soft paneer.

More Appetizer Recipes

• Steamed Momos
• Gobi Manchurian
• Chilli Paneer
• Chicken 65
• Paneer Kathi Roll
• Drums of Heaven

Watch the Recipe Video

Crispy Thread Paneer

Super crunchy appetizer with marinated pieces of paneer wrapped in cooked noodles and deep fried. Nobody can resist these!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snacks & Appetizers

Cuisine: Indian Chinese

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Richa

Ingredients

Paneer Marinade

• ▢ 200 Grams Paneer
• ▢ 2 Teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Soy Sauce
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Salt

Noodles

• ▢ 75 Grams Dry Noodles of your choice (I used hand cut hakka noodles)
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Oil
• ▢ Water for boiling

Threaded Paneer

• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Corn Flour
• ▢ ¼ cup Oil for frying

Instructions

Paneer Marinade

• Cut the paneer block into 8 small cuboids as shown in the video. Combine kashmiri red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, lemon juice and salt in a shallow bowl.
• Coat the paneer pieces in the prepared mix and cover it well on all sides. Keep aside and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Noodles

• Add water, salt and oil to a stockpot and allow it to come to boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the dry noodles and cook for 1.5-2 minutes (this will vary based on the noodles you use). Cook till the noodles soften enough to make them easier to handle, but don't cook fully.
• Once the noodles are cooked, drain them using a strainer or sieve. Run it under cold water to prevent further cooking. Let all the excess water drain. Toss lightly with a teaspoon of oil. Keep aside.

Threaded Paneer

• Add the corn flour to a flat bowl or plate. Take the marinated pieces one at a time and dredge lightly with cornflour. Tap to remove any excess. Repeat with the remaining paneer pieces and set aside.
• Take a small amount of noodles and spread it out flat. Take one piece of the paneer, place it at one edge, perpendicular to the noodles in the middle and wrap the noodles around it. Ensure the noodles are well wrapped and sticking as much as possible. Repeat with the other pieces and keep aside.
• Heat enough oil in a kadai or frying pan for deep frying, over medium heat up to 350-375F. Once hot, add the noodles wrapped paneer pieces one by one. Be careful as the oil will sizzle slightly. Also ensure not to move the pieces or the noodles around for the first 1-2 minutes.
• After frying for 2-3 minutes, turn each piece over and fry for another 2 minutes till golden brown
• Once cooked, remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with a dipping sauce of your choice. I love to serve it with a Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce.

Video

Notes

1. Make this vegan: Try this recipe with firm tofu instead of paneer to make it vegan. 
2. Make this gluten free: Try this recipe with gluten free noodles.
3. Tightly wrap the noodles around the paneer. Once you add it to the hot oil, do not keep moving it around initially, allow it to fry undisturbed for a 1-2 minutes . After this you may move or turn it. 
4. Serve immediately as the crispy crunchy exterior will become soft. If planning to serve later, quickly flash fry it in hot oil before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 1052mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 1mg

Subscribe Today!Sign-up here Email List!