Paneer Tikka Recipe with step by step photo and video instructions. Paneer Tikka is a popular North Indian appetizer made by marinating cubes of paneer and fresh vegetables in yogurt and spices and then grilling them either in the oven or on a pan. Paneer Tikka tastes best when served with a coriander mint chutney.
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Sitting on a sea-facing table on a shack and eating Paneer Tikka on a skewer along with a cold drink while listening to the waves crashing against the shore and the sun all orange and ready to set. The ideal setting in my head, something absolutely impossible at the moment. But when I can be transported to my favorite places in my head, hell, why not!
Food does transport you to places, doesn't it? And to me, the setting of a seaside while I eat these hot spicy yet soft paneer tikkas with that zingy green sauce seemed so much more enticing than being cooped up in front of the TV. Oh yeah, that sauce is Z-I-N-G-Y right up to the last Y. And that's a sauce that I use with everything. And while that is not the traditional sauce for Tandoori dishes, it goes perfectly well, as per me.
What is Paneer Tikka?
Paneer Tikka is a very very popular appetizer, entree, starter from North India. Big pieces of soft paneer are marinated in hung curd (yogurt), besan (chickpea flour), and a lot of different spices along with some quick cooking veggies like capsicum, tomatoes and onions. This is then skewered and traditionally cooked in a Tandoor. Let the Tandoor not stop you from making Paneer Tikka. Use the grill mode in your oven, or the barbeque, or just the simplest - a pan on the stove to grill these babies.
Paneer Tikka tastes heavenly when it has that slight char, so go for it.
To make the tastiest Paneer Tikka, buy the best Paneer you can get. Normally I would suggest making it from scratch, but I've never found homemade Paneer works best for this as it is slightly more crumbly than required. Buy the softest and freshest Paneer you have available, maybe malai paneer.
What all Spices are we using?
While we use a lot of spices in Paneer Tikka, it is actually not "hot" on the palate. The spices just add flavor without adding any real chilli heat. Today we are using the following spices to flavor our Paneer Tikka:
Coriander Powder
Cumin Powder
Red Chilli Powder
Turmeric Powder
Garam Masala
Chaat Masala
Amchur (dried mango powder)
Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Black Pepper
Ajwain or Carom seeds
I know, it is a big list, but most Indian households have this readily available in their pantry. But if you don't you can just go ahead and buy Tandoori Masala. Oh yeah, there is a shortcut and it tastes equally good. Tandoori Chicken Masala is readily available in all famous Indian brands, and it does not contain Chicken. It is a vegetarian masala and it is being marketed to cook chicken, but it tastes equally good with vegetarian dishes like Paneer Tikka or Tandoori Gobi.
We also specifically used Mustard oil as it adds that kick of pungency. Use any neutral oil if you don't have access to it.
That Zingy Sauce/ Chutney
Usually Paneer Tikka is served with a light green yogurt based chutney that tastes amazing. Really! I can actually eat bowlfuls of that chutney. But I usually make this green chutney/sauce for most of my appetizers. It is made of just 4-5 ingredients - fresh Coriander leaves, fresh Mint leaves, fresh Green Chillies, and lime juice. Blend them together with salt and water and you have a sour, salty, fresh sauce that can wake you up in a jiffy. I sometimes add a clove of garlic too. You can also add a teensy spoon of sugar to balance the chutney.
If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!
Video Recipe
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Paneer Tikka Recipe
Paneer Tikka is a popular North Indian appetizer made by marinating cubes of paneer and fresh vegetables in yogurt and spices and then grilling them either in the oven or on a pan. Paneer Tikka tastes best when served with a coriander mint chutney.Recipe Type: Appetizer
Cuisine: North Indian
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 5-6
Author: Anupama
Ingredients:
400gms Paneer
1 Capsicum
2 Tomatoes
1 Onion
Oil to grill
For the marinade:
2 cups Hung Curd
3 Tbsp Chickpea Flour (Besan)
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
0.5 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 tsp crushed Black Pepper
0.5 tsp Carom seeds (Ajwain)
0.5 Tbsp Chaat Masala
1 tsp dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
1-2 Tbsp Lime juice
2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
1.5 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Cut the Paneer into 1" cubes. Deseed the tomatoes and capsicum and cut into 1" sized pieces. Peel the onion and separate the layers and cut into 1" sized pieces.
2. In a large bowl, add add the ingredients for the marinade and mix well. Taste and adjust salt or spice as required.
3. Add in the cubed paneer, capsicum, tomato and onion and mix well until they are completely coated with the marinade.
4. Cover and allow to rest for 1 to 2 hours.
5. If using bamboo skewers, keep them soaked in water while the paneer marinates.
6. After 1-2 hours, skewer the paneer and vegetables onto a skewer.
7. Heat oil in a non stick pan and place the skewers. Cook in batches if required. The paneer tikka can be cooked in the oven in the grill mode or on a barbeque too.
8. Turn the skewer after the first side cooks. Do the same for the remaining sides.
9. Once all sides are cooked, remove from heat.
10. Serve the paneer tikka hot with coriander mint chutney.
Step by Step Photo Instructions:
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