Paneer tikka is an Indian dish made from cubes of paneer marinated in Indian spices and grilled in a tandoor or on tawa. It is a vegetarian alternative to chicken tikka and other meat dishes. Paneer Tikka is one of the most popular and loved dishes in India, specifically North India. The spicy tangy Paneer (Cottage Cheese) cubes are grilled in Oven or griller or on Tava (Griddle).
Tikka basically means anything that is marinated and then baked or grilled or fried. Paneer Tikka is one of the most popular vegetarian tikka dishes. Paneer Tikka is an Indian appetizer in which paneer cubes are marinated in spices and yogurt and then grilled in an Oven. The Indian spices with the yogurt (curd) make a flavorful marinade which is soaked by the pores of paneer cubes. Grilling the skewers then produces a nice slightly crispiness on the paneer.
Paneer Tikka Recipe | Paneer Tikka Restaurant Style
Paneer Tikka is one of the most favourite dishes in India, especially in North India. For making Paneer Tikka, the spicy, tangy and flavourful marinade is made from curd and Indian spices. These cubes are set in the skewers and then grill these marinated paneer cubes in an oven, tandoor or on Tawa (Griddle).You can serve Paneer Tikka cubes as an appetizer, in the main course as Paneer Tikka Masala or even as wraps. Also, it is a very healthy dish as paneer is rich in proteins, there are other veggies also like, onions, bell peppers (red, green and yellow), tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, baby corns etc. It tastes yum making tikkas with these veggies. It is definitely a hit at my home. I make Paneer Tikka Wraps very frequently. My kids love these. As a mother, I know, it is a challenge to make kids eat healthy. This recipe solves my problem. Just give this recipe a try, you will definitely love it. It is very easy to cook yet very tasty and mouth licking.The main ingredients are:1. Paneer Cubes (Cottage Cheese)– Paneer is the main ingredient for Paneer Tikka. It is important to use good quality and fresh paneer. You can also use homemade paneer.2. Marinade: Hung curd is the base of the marinade. You can use homemade hung curd or even Greek yogurt. Adding different Indian spices to the base makes the spicy, tangy and flavourful marinade.3. Veggies: You can use veggies of your choice, including baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli and more.
Ingredients
- 200 gm Paneer
Marinade
- 1/2 cup Thick or hung curd
- 1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1-1 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
- 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
- 1/2 tsp Dry Mango Powder
- 1- 1 1/2 tbsp Roasted Besan (Gram Flour)
- 1 tbsp Mustard Oil (Or any other oil)
- 1/4 tsp Black Salt (Optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
To make the Marinade
- Firstly, take a big bowl and mix all the ingredients to make a flavourful marinade.
- Secondly, add cubed panner. Mix well in the marinade but handle them with care because they may break. Shift the paneer cubes to the side.
- Now, add capsicums, onion cubes and tomato cubes or any other available veggies in the marinade. Coat all the veggies with the marinade.
- Lastly, Cover the bowl and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 1 or 1 1/2 hours.
- At last, thread them on skewers.
Cooking Paneer Tikka
- If you are cooking in an oven (OTG), preheat the oven at 230 C or 464 F for 10-12 minutes. Place the skewers on a tray lined with greased foil or parchment paper.
- Place the tray in OTG. Grill for 10-12 minutes. Please adjust the time with the type of oven and the size and thickness of paneer cubes.
- Remove once done. Serve the Paneer Tikka, sprinkle chaat masala and lemon juice.
- Serve with Green Chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges as sides.
- Alternatively, if you are making Paneer Tikka on Tawa (Griddle), heat the tawa with a little oil on it. When it turns hot, place the skewers on the tawa and grill them on a medium heat.
- Finally, turn them around to grill evenly (from all sides) till golden brown.
Notes
- Firstly, it is important to use good quality fresh and thick curd. Avoid using runny curd.
- If you don’t have thick curd or greek yogurt. Allow it to strain the extra whey. Otherwise, the marinade will turn runny and not cling to the paneer.
- Secondly, it is advisable to use gram flour (Besan). It will add a nutty aroma to your paneer tikkas
- Thirdly, mustard oil adds a smoky flavour to the paneer tikkas. Preferably use Mustard oil or you can use any oil too.
- Since temperatures vary from oven to oven so keep a check. You can reduce or increase the time as required.
- Do not grill for a long time as then paneer becomes hard.
- Please adjust the time with the type of oven and the size and thickness of paneer cubes.
- You can add or skip as many veggies depend on the availability. Onions and bell peppers taste awsome in paneer tikka.