Virat Kohli ditches chicken for chilli paneer during Ranji Trophy match; try this easy recipe to enjoy the dish at home

Virat Kohli switches from chicken chilli to chilli paneer. Here's a simple recipe to enjoy this comfort food like the cricket star, straight from your kitchen.

Virat Kohli may be a powerhouse on the cricket field, but when it comes to food, he knows how to keep it comforting and flavourful. Sanjay Jha, the longtime chef at the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), recently revealed an interesting tidbit about Kohli’s meal preferences during the Ranji Trophy match.

Virat Kohli’s love for chilli paneer

Jha revealed that while Virat once loved chicken chilli, he has now opted for chilli paneer. "When he was young, he used to love chicken chilli, but today, he personally met me after training and requested chilli paneer for lunch," Jha told The Indian Express. Virat's love for comfort food also shines through, as Jha further shared, "For the past two days, after practice sessions, he had requested kadhi chawal."

If, like Virat, you're also a fan of chilli paneer, then we've got you the easiest recipe to enjoy this delicious dish in the comfort of your home. So, put on your chef's hat, grab your ingredients, and let's get started!

How to make chilli paneer at home

(Recipe by chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

Chilli Paneer is a spicy, tangy Indo-Chinese dish with crispy paneer and peppers in chilli sauce. (Freepik)

Ingredients:

3 dried red chillies

400 grams cottage cheese (paneer), cut into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon tomato chilli sauce

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

2 tablespoons refined flour (maida)

5-6 spring onions, chopped

2 tablespoons oil

½ cup red capsicum, chopped

½ cup green capsicum, chopped

½ cup yellow capsicum, chopped

Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Keep paneer cubes in a bowl, add salt, ginger-garlic paste, refined flour, 1 tsp tomato chilli sauce and mix gently. Roughly chop spring onions.

2. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a nonstick wok. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Cut red chillies into small pieces, remove seeds and add to the wok. Add spring onions and saute.

3. Add a few cubes of paneer at a time to the hot oil in the kadai and deep fry on high heat till golden. Add capsicums to the wok and mix well. Add salt and cook for some time.

4. Add 1 tbsp tomato chilli sauce, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the heat. Drain paneer cubes and add to the wok and mix well. Serve hot.