Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka

Smoky chargrilled cubes of paneer marinated in spiced yoghurt with bell pepper and onion — a classic vegetarian starter from North India, here adapted for a home oven or grill.

Prep

25 min

Cook

15 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) paneer, firm, fresh; cut into 2.5 cm / 1 inch cubes
• •1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2.5 cm / 1 inch squares
• •1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2.5 cm / 1 inch squares
• •1 large red onion, cut into chunks, layers separated
• •200 g (¾ cup) thick Greek-style yoghurt, hung curd; drained if watery
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) ginger-garlic paste, equal parts grated ginger and garlic
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice, fresh
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) mustard oil, optional but traditional; substitute vegetable oil
• •15 g (1 tbsp) tandoori masala, store-bought or homemade
• •5 g (1 tsp) Kashmiri chilli powder, for colour with mild heat; or paprika
• •5 g (1 tsp) garam masala
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •3 g (½ tsp) turmeric
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, or to taste
• •2 g (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •10 g (1 tbsp) chaat masala, to finish; optional but traditional
• •10 g (2 tbsp) ghee or melted butter, for basting
• •4 wooden or metal skewers (4 skewers) skewers, if wooden, soak in water 30 min

Steps

1. 1 If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes so they do not burn under the grill.
2. 2 In a large bowl, whisk the yoghurt until smooth. Add the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, mustard oil (if using), tandoori masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, ground cumin, turmeric, salt and black pepper. Whisk to a smooth, thick marinade.
3. 3 Pat the paneer cubes dry with paper towels. Add the paneer, bell peppers and onion to the marinade and toss gently until everything is well coated.
4. 4 Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 to 4 hours, so the spices penetrate the paneer. Do not marinate longer than 8 hours or the acid will make the paneer grainy.
5. 5 Set an oven rack 10 cm / 4 inches from the top element. Preheat the oven to its highest grill setting, around 230 °C / 450 °F, with the broiler element on, or preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat (around 230 °C / 450 °F).
6. 6 Thread paneer, pepper and onion onto the skewers, leaving small gaps between pieces so the heat reaches all sides. Reserve leftover marinade.
7. 7 Place skewers on a wire rack set over a foil-lined tray (or directly on a grill grate lightly oiled). Grill 6 to 8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes, until the paneer has dark golden to charred edges and the vegetables are blistered.
8. 8 Halfway through cooking, brush the skewers with ghee or melted butter and a little of the reserved marinade to build up the tandoori char.
9. 9 Doneness cue: the paneer should feel springy to the touch with visibly blackened edges; vegetables should be tender with light char. Internal temperature of the paneer will read 70 to 75 °C / 160 to 165 °F.
10. 10 Slide the paneer and vegetables off the skewers onto a warm plate, sprinkle immediately with chaat masala and an extra squeeze of lemon. Serve hot with mint-coriander chutney and sliced onion rings.