Paneer Tikka ( Restaurant Style)

Paneer Tikka is a North Indian snack recipe, very delicious and full of nutrition. Paneer or cottage cheese is a good source of protein for vegetarians. It also adds calcium and phosphorus to our diet and is also a source of fat soluble vitamins A & D. Moreover it also has yoghurt which again is a good source of protein and probiotics. In the context of Indian vegetarians, Paneer Tikkas are a healthy as well as tasty food option. 

Tikkas are originally chunks of meat marinated with spices and yoghurt. But here we have taken chunks of Cottage cheese marinated with spices, hung curd and diced veggies. These are then marinated to absorb the flavours. After the marination, the tikkas along with veggies are threaded on Skewers and baked in clay ovens and served with green chutney and onions. Sprinkle some lemon and chat masala for extra tang. 

Since we don't have clay ovens at home, we can cook them on girdle, electric ovens and air fryers. 

For variations we can make sandwiches, wraps and pizzas out of them. So what are we waiting for? Let us make them this weekend and surprise our family. 

We Need:

• 200 Gm Cottage Cheese

• 8 to 10 Garlic Cloves

• 2" Piece of Ginger

• 3 to 4 Green Chillies

• 2 Tbsp Mustard Oil.

• ¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder

• 1 Tbsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

• 1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi

• 1 Tbsp Coriander Powder

• 1 Tbsp Roasted Cumin Powder

• ¼ Tbsp Black Pepper Powder

• 6 Tbsp Hung Curd. 

• 1 Tsp Salt Or to taste. 

• 1 Lemon

• 1 Big Green Capsicum

• 1 Big Red Capsicum

• 1 Big Onion

• 4 Wooden Skewers. 

• 2 Tbsp Yellow butter for coating. 

Here We Go:

1. Cut Cottage cheese into 2 inches cubes. Smaller pieces will not hold onto the skewer so cut them in big chunks.

   

2. Grind garlic, ginger and chillies together to make a fine paste. Add 1 or 2 spoons of water to the grinder jar if required. 

   

3. Take around 200 gm of fresh curd and hang it in muslin cloth till the water from the curd is drained. Alternatively you can strain curd in a sieve till the water is drained and you get thick curd left.

4. Dice red, green capsicum and onion into chunks and set aside. Discard the seeds of capsicum. 

   
   

5. Take a bowl and first add Mustard oil to it. Now add all the powder spices, salt and mix well. Add ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and hung curd . Whisk the marinade well till it is of thick smooth consistency. 

   
   

6. Add Cottage Cheese cubes, diced capisicum and onions to the marinade. Coat them well, feel free to use your hands gently. Leave this marination for half an hour. 

   
   

7. Meanwhile if you are using wooden Skewers, immerse them in water for 10 to 15 minutes, because if you don’t then dry wood of the skewers has the risk of catching fire in the oven.

   

8. Now take one skewer and thread onion, capsicum and paneer cube in it. Try to follow a pattern while threading.

   

9. Grill these skewers on a non stick pan or alternately in an oven or air fryer. For that smokey flavour hold them on the flame of gas for a minute or two. 

   

   

10. After tikkas are grilled, coat them with melted butter. Sprinkle some chat masala and lemon juice. Serve hot with onion salad and mint chutney. 

    

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Marination Time : 30 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes. 

Tips:

Avoid over cooking tikkas because then they will become rubbery and chewy. 

As Paneer is soft so avoid Marinating it for too long. The paneer cube will break and lose shape.